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Message: [QUOTE="Bone Dog, post: 4404522, member: 12088"] I’m sure you’re right. But I think the focus on defense has a second function he values very highly: it builds team culture and cohesion. This is why it gets so much attention in practice and in games. Geno has talked about this in a couple of interviews, that lots of kids come out of high school with good scoring skills, but only a few of these are willing to put in the grinding work of playing team D. The reason for this lopsided distribution of skillls is that there’s little immediate glory to be had in team D beyond a flashy blocked shot or steal. You can’t build team culture on that, but you can build it on a steady commitment to close coverage, precise switching, keeping your feet and hands active, and the immense energy this requires. Finding teenagers willing to commit to this work is not easy, and it’s why Geno isn’t interested in lots of kids the scouts tout. [/QUOTE]