15 best NBA moments from 2016
By Adam McGee
14. Draymond and the curse of uncontrollable, flailing limbs
To think of the NBA and movement together is to draw images of fluid, coherent rotations, nimble footwork and incredible athleticism. For much of 2016, movement became something more, though. I am, of course, talking about Draymond Green and his variety of natural/unnatural movements.
From kicking Steven Adams (in a delicate area) during the Western Conference Finals, to swinging his arm at LeBron James (in a delicate area) and receiving a costly suspension in The Finals; the playoffs were in many ways dominated by discussion of Green’s kicks.
Carrying over into the new season, kicks to James Harden and Marquese Chriss have seen the trend continue for the former Michigan State Spartan, leading him to question whether decision-makers at the NBA offices actually understand natural movements.
"“It’s funny how you can tell me how I get hit and how my body is supposed to react. I didn’t know the league office was that smart when it came to body movements. I’m not sure if they took kinesiology for their positions to tell you how your body is going to react when you get hit in a certain position. Or you go up and you have guys who jump to the ceiling. A lot of these guys that make the rules can’t touch the rim, yet they tell you how you’re way up there in the air which way your body (is supposed to go). I don’t understand that. That’s like me going in there and saying, ‘Hey, you did something on your paperwork wrong.’ I don’t know what your paperwork looks like. But it is what it is. They made the rule. Make your rule. I don’t care.”"
As it turns out, kinesiologists aren’t necessarily on Green’s side in the movement debate either, though.
Whether Green’s kicks and punches belong in a best or worst moments of the 2016 season could be up for debate, but nothing highlighted the occasional absurdity of the league over the past 12 months better than Draymond Green’s lecturing on “natural” movement.