Pelicans: 3 reasons Willie Green is the right choice for head coach

Pelicans: Willie Green knows it takes hard work to succeed in the NBA

I think it’s a well-established fact that journeymen players often make the best coaches in the NBA.

Green had to claw his way into the league after going to hometown Detroit Mercy and getting drafted late in the second round.

He was never an All-Star talent but instead had to use hard work and smarts to carve out a role for himself in the NBA, where he had a career for 12 years.

These types of guys were not able to rely on elite athletic ability or size but instead have to learn the game from the inside out, often changing roles as they move to a new team and having to learn a whole new job.

I believe this will give Green a better understanding of the game and how to get the most out of players who aren’t necessarily the superstars of the league. It’s easy to get greatness out of Zion Williamson or Brandon Ingram but the Pelicans need a coach who can get the most out of guys like Jaxson Hayes, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Kira Lewis Jr. and even Lonzo Ball.

I think Willie Green has the right combination of age, communication skills and winning pedigree to be a great coach in the NBA and if he is the Pelicans’ guy, I think he’ll thrive.