Instagram/@lamarodom
Lamar Odom, a former NBA champion, harshly criticized the modern offensive game by labeling it as “stupid” in an already very popular video which propelled a new basketball debate. The 2-time winner of the championship title with the Los Angeles Lakers Odom’s criticism extended to the common pick-and-roll strategy that eventually leads to less skilled players taking crucial shots under pressure. His comments have not only received large support but also reopened the discussion about the current basketball philosophy.
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Odom is clearly disapproving in the video while illustrating the errors in the team tactics. “They give the ball to their best player,” Odom explains. “And then make that player do the pick and roll thing. Most of the time he has the ball until the shot clock almost rings out. Then he is passing it to a player who is not as good as he is and he has to make or take a shot and he has less time as the ball was.” The former Sixth Man of the Year ends his statement by saying this move does not make sense in the terms of basketball, nevertheless, he brings up co-host Shannon Sharpe who said he “wouldn’t mind that” method.
Instantly, the audience’s reactions connected Odom’s criticism to specific NBA players. One person mentioned “That’s LeBron James’ legacy,” the next one said “James Harden” which made Odom’s critique immediately associated with the basketball players’ names. A few users even added to this naming by one pointing out “LeBron and James Harden be holding the ball too long and be giving it up last minute.” That situation when the most expensive players first dominate the ball but at the end pass to a less skilled individual in a difficult spot to score or get a foul, became the bandwidth of discussions.
A number of Odom’s basketball critics quickly admitted his points and some even called for a total ban of such tactics. One user harked back to the days of “This is why the triangle was so effective for Odom and the Lakers. The whole strict playing of controlling the ball and screening action into getting contested threes is not good basketball.” Another person grieved the passing away of the elegant offensives setup asking, “What happened to getting the best player open? Or we simply setting them up in their spots?” Basically, the spectators pointed towards off-ball movement type of basketball rather than the isolation-heavy modern sets.
However, there were still some questioning Odom’s over-simplified approach to analyzing the pick-and-roll game. One reader brought it to light when he wrote, “He sounds as if the pick and roll is only to create shots for the others. It is also meant for the ball-handler to create offense. They are not passing-first like Rondo. A guy like Harden, Bron, and Luka score off PnR. They pass it if the other ones are open.” This intricate opinion takes the stance that top-level ball handlers frequently collaborate with the defense via pick-and-roll plays to carve their own scoring opportunities, rather than denote distributive duty to non-scorers.
The question of the current state-of-the-art construction of teams and players’ roles led to the fact that Odom’s comments could not be simply brushed over. One user came up with an engaging analogy, stating, “Great players don’t need to stat pad. Kobe allowed Odom to be the one initiating on rebounds and the rim while he handled defense, scoring, and playmaking when it mattered. Jordan relied on Pippen facilitating and defending while Jordan was taking the big shots. Curry lets Draymond take care of defense and playmaking so he can do what he does best which is shoot and space the floor.” An excellent analogy that shows the problem might lie more in the area of how coaches assign roles to players than in certain plays.
The triad of basketball coaches, players, and training were singled out to be the main reason for the problem. One commentator claimed, “Many coaches said today’s players are not smart enough for the complicated plays and systems,” implying that going down to the bones is what today’s players need and to avoid the wraparound of unnecessary moves which might get them in trouble anyway. Another user could not help but say “This is more than 90% of the league doing this! Or they are just jacking up 3’s!” indicating the perceived offensive issues’ extent.
The aspect of entertainment was also brought up in the conversation one user comparing it to “the rap game” claiming that both industries might be going after the flashy side rather than the substance. Others expressed their fear of the future saying “So now we play Ai basketball downfall in few years,” which denotes the modern trend of putting efficiency and perfection above creativity on the playing area referring to the algorithmic approach to offensive schemes.
The fact that Lamar Odom was a main player in two champions team means that he always was and still is one of the voices people take seriously when it comes to basketball opinions. Trading places with the Laker’s Phil Jackson, he learned first hand how the offensive systems went from one that depended on isolation and ball control to one that relied on ball movement and player motion. If anything, it is his contribution to the game that is keeping those who still recall the legends and rosters of the older eras arguing the point with him.
The fact that Odom’s comments have been so widely accepted suggests that there is a huge number of upset people amongst basketball traditionalists who are very much against the current style of offense. The three-point revolution helped to increase the scoring efficiency of the entire league, but still, a lot of fans and former players are implicitly wishing so hard the good-old-days of more diverse and inventive offensive systems that could be easily resurrected. Odom’s moments that went viral have shined a light on this growing sentiment thus raising the question of modern-day NBA strategies being the evolution or just the simplification of the game.
NBA’s uncompromising commitment to three-point shooting and finesse in pick-and-roll play has made the acknowledgment of the likes of Odom a necessity as though he reminds us that basketball IQ and variety are still valued. His remarks set in motion a debate mirroring the never-ending conflict between the analytical mindset and the more traditional one regarding how basketball should be played. It remains unclear whether any of the teams will make moves based on this criticism but the fact that the dialogue is happening indicates that there are still those who are not content with the current state of NBA offense. This sentiment was recently echoed by Jeanie Buss, who has her own perspective on the Lakers’ legacy.
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Odom’s powerful connection to Kobe Bryant continues to influence his basketball philosophy today. The emotional impact of performances in basketball, much like at an NBA YoungBoy Never Broke Again concert, shows how deeply fans and players connect to their respective crafts.
