Comparing the Warriors to Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music super team
By Owen Dillon
The “what-ifs?”
Finally, we have the departures. Harrison Barnes and Kid Cudi.
Both of them burst onto the scene with extremely strong debuts. Cudi had the game on lock, it seemed, and was literally the only bright spot in the entire state of Ohio (I’m not over the Finals). Barnes came in his rookie season and looked like all the hype that he was given was warranted. He looked like the real deal. He scored from everywhere.
Then something changed.
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And I think that’s what makes this comparison one of my favorites. Both of these guys totally reinvented themselves, and not for the better. Harry B went from an uber athletic wing who could score from deep, from the post, or could attack off the dribble. He could throw down a monster jam and then knock down a 3 on the next possession. Some very respected basketball analysts thought he would be the best of the young Warriors core that was Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Harrison Barnes.
But over the next few years, Harrison regressed. He went from scoring from everywhere, to scoring exclusively in the paint and from corner 3s. Then he started missing his 3s. Then he could only score in the paint. Then he stopped being able to get into the paint. And then he pretty much became a total liability on offense, and he had a dismal Finals. Now, he’s no longer with the team. He was replaced with the more exciting Kevin Durant.
Next: Breaking down the offense: Isolation plays
Kid Cudi had pretty much the exact same situation. The Man on the Moon albums were amazing. They were appreciated by the hipsters just as much as they were by the “hip-hop heads”. He had crazy flows, a distinct style, and he had stories that you could just get lost in. He was just a great rapper. Kanye’s “808s and Heartbreak” album was HEAVILY inspired by Cudi, and Cudi’s features on Kanye’s works were all great.
Then, something changed.
Cudi just couldn’t really make good music anymore. His style changed. He started getting a bit more alternative and dark. His subject matter, already pretty serious, turned even more into the dark. His bass lines got heavier. His mood got sadder.
And then he left G.O.OD. Music.