Shane Battier explains how he used analytics to extend his NBA career despite physical limitations, learning from Sam Hinkie and Daryl Morey in Houston. He treated defense like blackjack, focusing on statistically optimal plays rather than immediate results, a mindset that kept him in the league when athleticism alone wouldn't have.
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What's up everybody? Welcome to the Draymond Green Show YouTube channel. Make sure you hit that subscribe button. Make sure you like the post that you love, but you can get everything the Draymond Green Show right on our YouTube channel. So make sure you subscribe, check that out. Thank you. You know, I know you said you try to make 'em take the tough long twos. You was on the analytics before it was a real thing. And now, you know, in transition into life after playing basketball, you've kind of gone in that direction. How would you say you were using that in a sense then, but didn't quite know, or were you already aware of it and was using it then?
No, like I learned that in Houston, you know, from Sam Hinkie, Darryl Morey. And you know, the way that they talked about analytics to me, which made sense. I like playing blackjack and they're like, you gotta think about basketball like blackjack, right? When you get dealt pocket aces, what do you do? You always split them, right? 10 times out of 10.
Absolutely.
Because that gives you the best chance to win that hand. Now, does that guarantee you you're gonna win that hand? No. You know, get bad cards, dealer hits 20, whatever. But like, it gives you the best chance, right? And so like, there's everything in basketball is the same way. You just gotta give yourself and put yourself in a position to give yourself a chance of having success. Whether you have success or not doesn't matter. You did what's right. You split the aces, right? You make, made 'em take long jumpers. And so, you know, I became so focused on process, so focused on what should have happened and not, I didn't care about what did happen actually. And that's like opposite of, of how we're taught to play sports, right? We're, we're so judge, we're judging the results. And for me it was judging the process. And did I get my, did I split the aces? Or did I hit on, you know, a soft 17, whatever.
Yep.
And so when you are so focused on process, it sets you free. It sets you free. 'Cause you know you did the right thing. And if you do the right thing enough, good things happen to you. And so that's how I was able to stay in the league as long as I didn't have success, even though I was slow, couldn't jump, I couldn't move.
So, and now knowing what analytics are today and your career that you had, were you born 10 years too early? Because if you were born 10 years later.
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Yes.
I can raise my hand. Analytics gonna take you to an even further place. 'Cause it's helped me a ton. Like, because every night is not gonna be the 20 points for me, right? It's not every night, it's not gonna be 15 assists, but analytics actually allows you to see a different story. So I'm gonna say thank you for that.
Yeah, you're welcome. You know, I'm always happy my brothers gets paid. All right. I have no, I'm not one of those bitter old guys that say, oh man, you know, these guys overpower. Hey, it's a wonderful thing. It's a wonderful thing. But yes, I do wish sometimes I played about 10 years later. You know, I probably would be a much bigger jerk now. I gotta be a nice guy. I gotta be a nice guy.
