The best cliches span sports for a reason, especially those about defense. Unique comparisons and analogies follow closely behind. With the NFL Combine coming up soon, James Borrego brought up some Hall of Fame legends when talking about how Herb Jones and Draymond Green control a game. Zion Williamson got a mention to explain how the New Orleans Pelicans hope to approach frontline play moving forward before beating the Golden State Warriors.
Breaking down what makes elite defensive players so rare and difficult to replicate. Finding a couple for a roster is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“There are very few guys who have impacted the defensive end like Draymond Green in general in my 23 years in the NBA. His ability to communicate and put out fires is second to none. (Green) quarterbacks that entire defense. He's as close to Lawrence Taylor as we've seen in the NBA,” Borrego began. “I mean, that guy from that outside linebacker position, Mike Singletary, I think I'd put those two guys, that's what Draymond has done for their defense.”
Green’s value extends far beyond the stat sheet, something the Warriors regularly acknowledge when times get tough.
Word has gotten around, even without Draymond yelling about it.
“Steve Kerr has said this multiple times. Without (Green), there are no championships,” noted Borrego. “He brings a different edge with his ability to communicate and talk, his physicality, and the way he covers for his teammates.”
Borrego sees a kindred football spirit in his own locker room. Jones, the 2022-23 All-Defensive first-team selection known as the Not on Herb nightmare around the NBA, possesses a similar instinctual mastery.
“(The Pelicans) have a guy like that, too. I think Herb Jones has this ability, this innate ability,” Borrego admitted. “I don't even know if you can teach it. I don't know where Draymond got it from, and I don't know where Herb got it from. It's probably a combination of growing up and how they grew up in different sports.”
Having a Monsters of the Midway attitude on the field or court helps. Most are born with it. Any coach who claims to have the competitive recipe that ends up being a Draymond or a Herb is either rich already and guarding the near-priceless secret or scamming AAU parents.
“Maybe they had a coach along the way. Maybe it's a little bit of just being cerebral, where they can see fires before they even start and go put them out. (Green's) ability to cover for Steph and Klay, everything happening in actions, it's hard to find those types of guys.”
When it comes to being in a class-above, Draymond has earned the one-name star status reserved for the truly elite.
Borrego knows from being around some NBA Hall of Famers for a while.
“I've been around a couple of great defenders in Bruce Bowen and Kawhi Leonard. Individually, one-on-one, they're amazing. Draymond to me is different in that he's more cerebral off the ball,” Borrego confessed. “He's doing this quarterbacking off the ball and changing stuff on the fly. He's audibling like football, you're making audibles on the fly in the heat of battle. Most guys can't do that. Herb Jones is probably the closest thing I've seen where he can go take a defense and just kind of make it his own. ”
For Jones, the football comp shifts from a disruptive outside linebacker to a classic middle linebacker. Any coach with eyeballs knows what to do with the stalking type with antcipates everything.
“Turn him loose. (Jones) is a really special, really special player. Herb's the one that I would say from a defensive standpoint is that type of cerebral defender, the middle linebacker, the Brian Urlacher, those types of guys that instinctively can make plays. They have a feel for what's about to happen, and they go handle it.”
Analogies were not limited to the second lines, though that is why New Orleans is famous. Dome Patrol or dancing past a parade, doesn't matter. When discussing rim protection, Borrego turned to the trenches, using DeAndre Jordan as the prime example of a nose tackle controlling the line of scrimmage.
“I think DeAndre Jordan has been interesting,” Borrego continued. “I'm not sure where you would put him in there, but his ability to protect the rim, he'd be the nose tackle or the guy right in the middle of the floor, like at the line of scrimmage. (Jordan) is going to own the line of scrimmage. To me, that's how the protection of the paint is put in football terms. Really own the line of scrimmage. You're going to win the running game. Those small margins, like the running game, are really important there.”
As for Zion Williamson, much like every other talking head with a hot take, Borrego believes the forward’s rare blend of power and athleticism would translate easily to the football field.
“And then (Williamson). I'll probably find (a football comp) for Zion, too. I don't have one off the top of my head, but just his ability to make spontaneous, athletic, powerful plays at any time. Zion belongs on the football field, too. I mean, he could go do that, you know, really as a defensive end.”
The Pelicans do not need any more injury setbacks, so do not expect Zion to be suiting up with the Saints this summer. Football during the downtime is all fun and games until someone gets hurt.
