« I had no idea who my teammate was »

The covid being very present in the NBA this season, new players are arriving every day in the various franchises. This sometimes gives rise to funny situations, like this player who does not did not know some of his teammates.

There is nothing the NBA can do about it: Covid cases are exploding with the omicron variant. Some adjustments have still been made, for example a faster return for players who have tested positive, at least if they are vaccinated and not contagious. The goal is clear: to make life easier for teams, who can also recruit more easily.

As soon as a player joins the protocol, the front office has the authorization to sign someone, without this impacting the salary cap. An interesting maneuver of the league, which wants the season to continue despite the hecatomb. However, difficulties are also present for newcomers.

Greg Monroe struggling for Wolves return

First obvious problem? Knowledge of systems. When a player joins a new team, a few hours before the game, it’s a pretty complex situation. He does not know the systems, and most of the time finds himself having to improvise on the floor. The other concern? Sometimes it happens that recognizing your teammates is a difficult task, so ask Greg Monroe.

Greg Monroe when asked if he knows who all of his T-Wolves teammates are: « Not gonna lie, Jaylen Nowell played awesome tonight, but I had no idea who that was.  »

(via @DaneMooreNBA) pic.twitter.com/f3R6tNLVzP

– Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) December 28, 2021

Greg Monroe when asked if he knows all of his Wolves teammates: “I’m not going to lie, Jaylen Nowell was awesome tonight, but I had no idea who he was. « 

Jaylen Nowell? If you’re not keeping up with the Wolves, you’re arguably in the same situation as Monroe, formerly the Bucks. The rear was however precious this Monday night against the Celtics, with 29 points off the bench, with a 6/9 three points. A name to remember, and no doubt Monroe will not forget it.

Note that for his debut, the pivot was also valuable with 11 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists in 25 minutes. For a first since the 2018/19 season, it’s strong:

Greg Monroe found himself in a sticky position against the Celtics, but the hub managed, and with the win as a bonus. In waiting for the next game, he will have time to learn more about his teammates.