Jeff Van Gundy was not proud of how the media lined Draymond Inexperienced punching Jordan Poole at Warriors observe final week.
Van Gundy and Mark Jackson are the lead colour commentators, alongside venerable play-by-play broadcaster Mike Breen, on ESPN’s NBA protection. The 2 analysts and former NBA coaches spoke to media members on an ESPN convention name on Thursday selling the upcoming season.
The Put up requested the duo if something like this incident occurred throughout their time within the NBA, and the way they might deal with it as coaches.
“There’s two issues concerning the Inexperienced state of affairs which have upset me,” Van Gundy mentioned. “First, I assumed the protection of it was shameful, instantly leaping to blaming the sufferer, on this case Poole, for a change of angle which might have warranted him getting struck.
“I simply don’t get the sufferer blaming that instantly occurred. The media, as a substitute of looking for out actual details, they went into their nook to individuals they had been extra beholden to. I discovered that very disappointing.”
Within the aftermath of the punch, citing league sources, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports activities tweeted that “Draymond Inexperienced was apologetic in aftermath of the altercation with Jordan Poole, however there was a buildup stemming from teammates noticing a change in Poole’s conduct all through camp with the guard on the verge of securing a profitable extension.”
TMZ additionally reported that “sources who had been on the observe the place Inexperienced punched Poole inform us … within the days main as much as the incident, Poole was carrying himself in a different way — in a cocky method. The alleged conduct was creating friction between him and a few of his teammates, together with Draymond, who has reportedly additionally requested for a giant extension.”
Van Gundy additionally disputed that most of these fights are widespread.
“The second factor that was disappointing was individuals saying, ‘You don’t perceive, this occurs loads.’ It doesn’t,” Van Gundy mentioned. “As an assistant coach on the Knicks, there was a struggle on the aircraft as soon as between two males the identical measurement. And there was a struggle within the first preseason observe, between two males of the identical measurement once more. Each had been in a position to defend themselves, with their physique varieties, and there was a pause so each males might get their fingers up and prepare to struggle. Each had been damaged up rapidly.
“The opposite half, what I’ve by no means seen, is such a measurement discrepancy the place there was a giant man swinging at a a lot, a lot smaller man. I’ve by no means seen that in my complete time within the NBA from teammates.”
Jackson, who performed for the Knicks from 1987-92 and 2001-02, mentioned he “was there” for each Knicks incidents Van Gundy introduced up and agreed along with his former coach.
“It’s simply not what you see,” Jackson mentioned. “I feel the way in which you deal with it's by having actual discussions over it, holding guys accountable when that sort of motion takes place and staying true to your values.
“Jeff would say what you wouldn’t settle for in shedding, you shouldn’t settle for in profitable. On the finish of the day, you must start the therapeutic course of to grasp that one thing passed off that ought to by no means happen.”
Van Gundy talked about those that had been upset that Inexperienced was not suspended, and basically gave a variation of the well-known line “Deserve’s acquired nothing to do with it” from “The Wire.”
“I’m going so as to add yet another factor. Persons are judging the punishment,” he mentioned. “There’s loads we don’t know, nevertheless it didn’t contain a suspension. Folks reference to [Bobby] Portis and [Nikola] Mirotic [from the Bulls in 2017] was an eight-game suspension. Inexperienced acquired suspended for a sport for yelling at [Kevin] Durant, so I feel individuals are just a little greatly surprised by why no suspension right here.
“You’re gonna hear a number of rhetoric, however this isn’t, like, a morality play. This isn't an moral resolution. They’re making a choice — and these choices are laborious — primarily based solely on what’s greatest for his or her staff to win. I'll say, I’m adamant on this, if Inexperienced had struck [Stephen] Curry like that — similar actual situation, similar actual circumstances — there would’ve been a multi-game suspension.”
Van Gundy went on to say that in fact there's hypocrisy in skilled sports activities.
“Is there hypocrisy?” he requested. “Properly, in the event you don’t assume there’s hypocrisy in skilled sports activities, then you definately’re not watching. Quite a bit issues who’s concerned, how essential you might be to the staff.
“I bear in mind Jimmy Johnson minimize a man who fumbled within the final sport of the common season. If that was Emmitt Smith, is he getting minimize for fumbling? Completely not. Skilled sports activities is about enterprise, earning profits and profitable — and that’s what the Warriors are prioritizing with their punishment. I feel we are able to all stand again and be vital of it, however on the finish of the day they’re doing what they assume is in the perfect curiosity of these issues.”
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