Willie Green on game vs. Rockets in Birmingham | New Orleans Pelicans
Uh, I met with those guys and just had some brief discussions. We’ll try to bump their minutes up a little bit more for for this third game. Um, and then again evaluate our team and see where we are after that. Will you have probably more minutes in the third game than the fourth game? Like fourth game you think you might probably probably dial it down a little bit in the fourth game. So, uh, we’ll get them up in the third against Houston and then just again it’s an evaluation. and see what see how they feel, see how their bodies feel. But definitely want to get a good run at it uh this next game. How important is it? I mean, now you’re playing an NBA team. I know you played two Australian teams, but like what can you get out of these two games? You feel like? Well, it’s it’s really taking all of our film work concepts defensively, offensively, and applying it into a game against um you know, a really good opponent. We know Houston last year was a really good defensive team, physical. So, it’d be a good test for us to see, you know, how we match up. Do do you know, can we be as physical or more and can we execute against physicality offensively? What about the moves they the moves that Houston made this season? How does that a Yeah, I mean, they they already had a good team and um you know, they’re going to be a team that’s right in the mix. Uh but again, our focus is is always uh on us and how can we continue to step on the floor and incorporate our concepts defensively being physical, active, getting deflections, steals, finishing possessions will be huge for us against any team. Rebounding the ball. Now we can play to our advantage when we we’re doing those things. How much does it help to go against them with that particular area because they were so great at offensive rebounding last year? It’s going to be good for us. Really good test for us. We’re excited about the opportunity to step on the floor. Uh we needed this this this rest time to recover from the Australia trip and um you know we’ll get to Birmingham and get after it. Obviously y’all have big plans for Jordan Pool the whole season, but starting out not having De Jante Jeremiah just getting his feet wet, what do you see his role being early in the season especially? Well, I think he has the unique ability um offensively to play with the ball in his hands and off the ball. Um he comes off screens, comes off pin downs, you know, he can get to the basket and finish. He’s a really good free throw shooter. You know, challenging himself defensively to be in the right positions. Um you know, bring a level of physicality on the ball, off the ball as well. But we’re excited about P. We’re excited about what he brings to our team. Uh he’s a he’s an extremely hard worker, always in the gym and um he’s always striving to be to be the best he can for his team. Have you learned anything about him since he’s been here that you couldn’t have known not having worked with him before? Yeah, he’s he’s extremely um just from our short time being with him, mentally tough. um talking to him about how he was raised um coming up in Milwaukee, going to Michigan, the steps that he’s taken to become um a prime time player on on any team that he goes to. Uh he’s put in a lot of work and you know, every day I walk in, he’s in the gym working at it. Uh so just one kind of nugget that I learned from him and I’m sure I’ll learn more. How much does this off ball movement kind of add to what you guys do? not just, you know, pin downs and set plays, but kind of random cuts, split cuts, that kind of thing to kind of keep teams off balance. It’s it makes them hard to guard and it and it ties right into how we want to play. Uh 0.5 mentality. We’re a team that wants to share the basketball. We want to be high in assists, low in turnovers. Um he creates a lot of movement. you know, having him on the floor, Trey, Herb, Jordan Hawkins at times, um, with our big setting screens, you know, it could be a problem for teams. Now, it’s just going to take work for us to continue to find, you know, which groups, um, we can put on the floor together and how they attack. Will you got a chance to be around Joe Dumar a little bit more now? What what has he kind of brought culturally to the team, you feel like? I mean, as far as just the mindset and all that, you feel like, I think it’s just that um you know, his presence and his mindset, you know, knowing what it takes to win championships both as a player and as as an executive um coming in and I’m just learning I’m learning a lot. You know, we’re sitting down, we’re talking, I’m in his office, we’re talking through the game, talking through our team, and I think, you know, that just sets the tone for our culture. just coming in with that mindset, uh, understanding that there’s a responsibility and a standard that we all want to uphold and, um, you know, it starts with our leadership. It’s become almost like an annual trip to go to Birmingham in preseason. What What have you enjoyed about just getting to go there and play games there every October? Well, I think the biggest thing for us is, you know, having an opportunity to continue to to expand the b the game, especially with with our team in a different market that we we we wouldn’t play in during the regular season. So, you know, when when you have games like this going into different markets, it’s it’s exciting getting to see their fans, getting to see the fans in Alabama. Obviously, our our G-League team is there. Um, but it’s a great experience for our whole group. What is the your perception of how Herb is popular? How how you perceive there? Like how popular Herb is in Alabama? Well, he’s from there. Herb is from there, played at Alabama. U I’m sure he’ll have the loudest cheers when he steps on the floor. Uh but but it’s a credit to to the city. It’s a credit to the state that they’re they’re big time sports fans. Uh they love supporting their teams and we’re excited to get there and play a really good game. What’s the progression been like with Queens? How’s he been looking and what do you think the next steps are for him as he continues to build? Yeah, he’s he’s on the floor. He’s doing more work. Uh the next steps would for him would probably be more contact. Uh hadn’t done a lot of contact yet. And then once he goes through that, you know, particular stage in his rehabilitation, we’ll we’ll evaluate and see where he is.
New Orleans Pelican head coach Wille Green speaks with the media after Pelicans practice at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Monday, October 13, 2025.
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