In [this](https://www.audacy.com/957thegame/sports/golden-state-warriors/steve-kerr-has-no-regrets-on-anthony-lamb-ty-jerome-minutes) article that kind of summarizes part of Steve Kerr’s interview on Willard & Dibs on Tuesday, it includes the quote/insight below from Kerr about what made Moody kind of leapfrog his way through the pecking order that I found really interesting:
_”Midway through the season he was not in the rotation,” Kerr said of Moody. “Because he was struggling in practice every day. And when we would put him out there in games, he was a half-count behind._
_“What he did in practice every day throughout the course of the season, he kinda had a breakthrough with a couple weeks left in the regular season. We could see it in our scrimmages. It was like a light switch went on. That’s why he was out there in the playoffs and diving on the floor for loose balls, being early in rotations, boxing people out. Because it clicked, something clicked. That’s progress. That’s how it has to happen.”_
I feel like the struggling in practice bit is brand new info we hadn’t known before and which kind of surprised me. I wonder what it was that he was struggling with in practice. Really happy to hear, though, that Moody had a lightbulb moment that from the sound of it was/is a permanent step forward for him. Way to keep at it, Moses!
by taygads
3 Comments
I swear sports really be like this sometimes.
One day you’re running on the field/court like a chicken with your head off b/c you know the plays and actions but can’t put them into the context of what your body is doing, and the next you’re reading the way a linebacker/DB shifts or the way a screen is getting set and you feel you already know what’s going to happen.
All b/c some weird shit clicks in the brain. You just gotta hope it happens fast enough and that you have enough athleticism to act on it.
Sounds like moody learned that he has to be proactive, even when he shares the court with the core. It’s not good enough to sit in your spot and let the core work the ball around and wait for a pass. I think our young players get frozen like that. You don’t want to make a mistake and you don’t want to screw things up so you freeze up. You have to actively involve yourself in the play, even if you aren’t getting the ball and your number isn’t being called.
I always assumed that the lack of playing time in games is related to practice. That’s also the reason why Kuminga didn’t see minutes in the playoffs. I think Kerr values practice time immensely, given their fast offense where everyone always needs to know where to stand and their versatile defense.
I’m glad Moody unlocked it and I hope Kuminga is going to follow