In youth sports, a broader conversation is underway, focusing on how sports are taught and organized for children and young adults. There are concerns that many young professional athletes are feeling burned out after their youth was consumed by coaches, trainers, and a regimented structure surrounding the sport, rather than enjoying the game in a more relaxed or less organized way.
LeBron James chimed in on the matter during his podcast, "Mind the Game" with co-host Steve Nash and featured guest Luka Doncic. In summary, James believes young athletes are being forced to specialize by a lack of variety.
The 40-year-old NBA superstar noted how he played football, ran track and participated in many sports as a kid. He felt that kids burn out from having such a singular focus, brought about by parents and coaches who steer them through high school, college, and into the pros.
In response, Draymond Green addressed the conversation with his point of view during his podcast on Monday, making a strong statement that the game is no longer a "poor man's game."
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (right) and Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James react in the first half at Crypto.com Arena.
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (right) and Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James react in the first half at Crypto.com Arena.
© Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
"Where the game has gone, you need those resources in order to be successful (like a personal coach or trainer). I feel like basketball used to be a poor man's game. ... We had nothing and it was our way out. Basketball is not a poor kid's game no more. Basketball is a rich kid's game. The days of seeing LeBron James from Akron, Ohio, from a single mom. Those days are numbered. Because if you don't have the resources these days, you can't make it. ... Basketball didn't use to be that."
Green would continue to discuss how his upbringing in the sport differed significantly from that of today's youth.
"I didn't learn how to do a proper individual workout until I got to college," said Green, noting how his unstructured play influenced his approach to basketball. "Growing up, I'm going to hoop. ... That's what we did, we hooped all day. I think there's a huge benefit to that because you learn to see the game.
"It's different when someone (like a coach) tells you to play one position and to do this move," Green said, comparing participating in the game versus being coached as an individual. "How do you use your creativity? ... How do you know what you're about? How do you know what your game is if you never tap into it and figure it out?"
What spurred this conversation in the first place was that Doncic funded a study titled "Inside Youth Basketball 2025" which analyzed how young athletes find joy and learn the game in Europe and the United States.
Per Doncic's foundation's mission statement, they aim to "innovate new ways to help young people level up through play, creativity, and wellness."