"He kind of took that position away" - Taj Gibson on adapting to modern NBA due to Draymond Green's impact

Story by

Jonas Panerio

Thu, Mar 5, 2026 ·

3 min read

Taj Gibson recently got a new lease on his career after the Memphis Grizzlies signed him to a two-year deal. At 40, he isn't expected to play a lot of minutes, especially with the team sitting in the bottom half of the standings in the Western Conference. What Gibson is expected to be is a veteran presence and leader in a locker room led by Ja Morant .

Speaking to Matt Barnes on "All The Smoke," Gibson explained how he has had to adapt to being given different roles throughout his career, saying he entered the league as a bruising big man tasked with defending some of the most dominant frontcourt players in the game. As his career progressed, Gibson realized he had to adapt his game to keep pace with the evolving NBA, spurred in part by the versatility of Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green .

Every night was tough

Gibson joined the NBA as the 26th-overall pick of the 2009 NBA Draft. Selected by the Chicago Bulls , he joined forces with Derrick Rose , Joakim Noah , Kirk Hinrich and Luol Deng , helping transform the team into a powerhouse that challenged the mighty Boston Celtics and Miami Heat for supremacy in the Eastern Conference.

During that era, the role of Gibson and many other big men like him was cut-and-dry: play tough defense, grab rebounds and finish strong at the rim. But as the NBA evolved into a more perimeter-oriented game, traditional big men like him had to evolve and add new tricks to their skill sets.

"It’s just the way the game has transformed. But one thing about basketball is that the game will always tell you what you need to do. Because one thing you can’t match is size. And one thing you can’t match is good post players. At the end of the day, you’re always going to have to bring those guys back into the game," he said .

Being a post player 16 years ago meant crossing paths with some of the greatest fours in the game's history. Every night brought a new challenge, whether it was facing Tim Duncan 's fundamental dominance or Kevin Garnett 's intensity and aggression. But Gibson relished these battles and used them to improve his game.

"I had to guard guys like Antawn Jamison, Kevin Garnett, Josh Smith. Oh my God, it was a nightmare. And Blake Griffin? Forget about it. Like, what are we talking about here?" he recalled. "But the game is the game when it comes to physicality."

The PF position has changed

Not long after Gibson debuted in the NBA, Green entered the fray. A 6'6" forward from Michigan, his first two seasons in the big league were forgettable. However, everything changed in his third season when head coach Steve Kerr decided to start him after All-Star David Lee suffered a hamstring injury before the 2014-15 season.

Green hasn't looked back since that moment, changing the way power forwards play with his ability to grab the rebound, push the ball up himself and either find an open teammate or finish at the rim — a stark difference from how traditional big men used to play.

"But you’ve also had players like Draymond Green who changed the game," he said. "He kind of took that position away."

On defense, whatever Green gave up in size and length, he more than made up for with ferocity and heart. He was not afraid to guard the league's biggest and strongest players, often holding his own against dominant superstars like LeBron James and Nikola Jokic .

Green has undoubtedly left his mark in today's game, as there will always be a spot on the roster for anyone who can bring the unique combination of playmaking, defense and hustle that he does.

This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Mar 5, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.