Because the Italian NT did so well during that time, considering the size of their user base?/snark
Just because some people don't think something is useful, it isn't necessarily useless in all cases. Case in point, Driving is vital in fast-paced offenses in my opinion. Since the players will take the first shot they get, their first shot needs to be better than what the opponent arrives at with a little more time. So Driving - i.e., creating better shot opportunities in general - is absolutely necessary to have any success.
Indeed, for me, the relation of Driving to Passing is what decides whether one should play fast-paced or slow offenses. Good passers better take slow offenses, good drivers flourish in fast breaks.