Paul George is one of the model stars in the NBA in terms of his profile. He’s a big wing that plays both ways, able to score with ease on the offensive end and play lockdown defensive basketball as well.
He wasn’t always the best defender though, something the Los Angeles Clippers star admits openly. He recently called his defense in his younger days ‘trash’ and explained how and why he got better.
“I got this notion of being a defender in the league and that came from and because I was trash on defense,” George said on Podcast P. “We would do a drill where you start at the free-throw line and you playing full court. And you had to roll the ball to the offensive player and you had to let him change directions, and you couldn’t just let him blow by you for a layup.
“I used to be nervous about this drill because bro, I could not guard. That sh*t used to be at the back of my mind, like, ‘I gotta get better at defense.’ So it’s just how I’ve always been wired, to work on sh*t that I’m not good at.”
Paul George’s defense is respected massively around the league, he has led the league in steals once and been named to the All-Defensive First Team twice. He has also made it to two All-Defensive Second Teams. It would be fair to say that in an era of diminishing defense, George is one of the few top stars that still takes defense incredibly seriously.
Paul George Explained The Difficulty Of Being A Two-Way Player In The Modern Game
Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant are the ultimate heroes for a lot of players, and they proudly played both sides of the ball. But the game isn’t what it used to be, and Paul George explained why it can be hard for a player to contribute on both ends.
“I think fans don’t really understand how tough it is on a nightly basis to play both ends to prepare to play both ends,” Paul George said on his podcast. “It exerts a lot out of you. People always ‘Oh you don’t shoot well, your percentage.’ A lot of times, I be tired when I’m on offense. My legs are dead. My legs are finished.”
Despite this, PG does his best to contribute on the defensive end, sometimes more so than on the offensive end. The NBA has become obsessed with efficiency on offense, which can cause issues for players that give their all on defense. Whatever the case, more stars need to approach the situation more like Paul George does.
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