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Former NBA champion Robert Horry: ‘I hate AAU basketball’ (VIDEO)

robert horry

Former Alabama star and seven-time NBA champion Robert Horry took some shots at grassroots basketball during a recent speaking engagement for the Thuzio Executive Club in New York.

Horry was on a panel with other former NBA champions Robert Parish and Bill Cartwright when he went on a rant about his hatred of AAU basketball.

ThePostGame has the video of the anti-AAU rant:

The man known as “Big Shot Rob” makes some valid points about the culture of grassroots basketball. Certain players will participate in too many games during the spring and summer and some coaches are only looking out for themselves.

But Horry is also misguided in some of his rant.

For one, there are plenty of high school basketball coaches that are also in it for themselves as they try to climb up the coaching ladder in a very cut-throat profession. This isn’t just an issue that is limited to grassroots basketball coaches. People will always try to exploit others to get ahead and high school coaching is no different. That’s just the way the world works.

Another issue I have with Horry’s rant is his personal experience with his son. If Horry is upset that his son is playing for a team that isn’t properly coached, then why was his son playing on that team in the first place? And if something becomes an issue after joining a program, why not switch teams and find a better situation for your kid’s development?

Youth basketball players aren’t forced to play grassroots basketball and nobody is forced to play for a specific program. There are plenty of options available for players to find what they’re looking for in grassroots basketball. There are programs that can get a player exposure, aid in development or allow for more playing time. It’s all about taking the time to find the correct fit.

(H/T: ThePostGame)

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