https://youtu.be/ZOjjIofdUL0?si=sktORuo5Guum0DyL (@ 3:04)
Windhorst said the coaches told Ant to look to shoot when he has the ball (in iso, transition, from the perimeter, basically from everywhere). Windhorst again emphasized Ant’s greenlight in his last podcast. People call Ant a ball hog, but he’s just playing the score-first role they gave him. The game plan seems to be Ant attacking the rim whenever possible.
Do y’all like this gameplan? Ant has the most gravity so attacking the rim can create open threes, draw fouls or it’s 2 points. I think this gameplan is perfect in transition and in late game situations if others can’t get going. It breaks the defense and is more sustainable way for scoring than hot shooting. But I’m torn if it’s the best idea in the beginning of the game, or outside of transition and clutch time. What do y’all think?
I’m torn because ~letting Ant cook~ is often worth it, but the ball gets sticky and he’s forcing it sometimes, there’s naturally growing pains with Ant’s shot selection and shot clock management, and there are more efficient scorers. He’s still shooting ~40-53% FG, but others have contributed a similar amount of points with 1/3 to 1/2 the FGs Ant takes (ie. NZ, Greece, Puerto Rico). He passed the ball throughout the 2nd half of the NZ game but I still wonder if there’s more bang for your buck if his extra FGs are allocated to more efficient scorers (when not in transition). I think another facilitator should handle the ball in half court or at the beginning of the game.
Obviously Kerr knows best but I’m curious what y’all think. Is there anything about his role you would change? Is there anything I’m missing or misreading?
I’ll admit I’m still learning to read defenses and can’t fully assess how they’re attacking zone.
P.S this isn’t a knock on Ant, he’s inevitably going to have growing pains and I’m critiquing him only because I believe in him so much.
by Minute-Decent
