Name 5 NBA players who have changed or influenced the sport in the last 50 years. We all know MJ is one of them whose the other 4?
- Thread starter geechiedan
- Start date
Michael Jordan
Julius Erving
Kareem Abdul Jabaar
Steph Curry
LeBron James
Julius Erving
Kareem Abdul Jabaar
Steph Curry
LeBron James
I'm talking a player who had influence on how the game is played....other athletes in the sport...not just the fans.
Someone can be really POPULAR but NOT influential on the sport. So not EVERY popular name will make the list.
Who do you think makes that list? (in no particular order)
1. Michael Jordan
2. Julius Erving
3. Magic Johnson
4. Allen Iverson
5. Steph Curry
jordan because they changed the rules for him. Well, not changed the rules but officiated the game differently for him and everybody else.
magic because he brought in the tall point guard
not Doc because Connie Hawkins and Elgin Baylor were before him
Iverson and Curry haven't done anything like Chamberlin or Jabbar. Before Curry there was West and Pistol. Before AI there was lots of guys like Archibald.
Dirk gets absolutely no respect. Ol' rodney dangerfield shit. 7 footer pushing the break. Dropping 3s. The Fadeaway. I remember spotup shooting big men lurking on the outside, but not ones who could run the break and jack shit up like he did.
AI, Steph, Magic, are the other 3. Steph's influence is going to create defensive nightmares for decades to come.
how many fans and players were influenced to pattern their game after a 7'2 freak of nature??
doc took it to the next level and was the face of the NBA. Before people wanted to be like mike they wanted to be like Doctor J.
AI and Steph have waaay more influence on the contemporary game in look, style and performance for the last generation than west and pistol. Jerry West may be the logo but who in the last 50 years aspired to play like him??
Plus a lot of dudes didn't even have tattoos until Rodman got them.
How about creating a whole new position......Point forward
Are you really thinking a dunk qualifies ? Magic brought in the era of the 6'8" point guard. Before Magic point guards were 6'1" and didn't dominate games.
Can't mention Magic Johnson without Peter Maravich who pretty much birthed Magic's style.
Just sayin
Not even close. Pistol Pete simply shot all the balls and Pete was just Bob Cousy 2.0
It's funny to me how the names are just people who are/were famous. Not actually game hangers.
Doc emulated Connie Hawkins
Nobody mentioned Bill Russell....
Actually naming players who ate still playing is funny to me.
Curry is a great shooter but there were many before him that he is emulating
Talking about Iverson and swag but not mentioning Clyde who was the epitome of swag.
Talking about Iverson and the crossover but the crossover was Tim Hardaway.
The point being that most everybody mentioned including MJ didn't change the game because they all wanted to be like somebody before them that yal don't mention.
Curry took Reggie Millers game to a new level but that is his game constant movement and the ability to shoot from anywhere and off the dribble for example.
Look closely at the question you asked in your title.
You never asked only about influenced on fans and players.
A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one
There aren't tons of Point Forwards in the NBA College or High School right now. I wouldn't consider that a change or influence.
Lebron only runs point when the team he's on doesn't have a point guard he didn't run point when playing with Kyrie Irving or when Rondo was still able to play
There are tons now but not when Lebron came into the league damn near 20 years ago.
And when it comes to changing influence who was really the start of the score-first point guards? Arenas ?
Doc was the face of the ABA, not the NBA. The style (officiating) of the game has changed. It's no longer played inside out and now teams want to play positionless basketball. So do kids want to emulate AI and Curry? Yes, but the question was who changed or influenced THE GAME. What exactly would you emulate? They themselves are/were emulating others - the ones I mentioned.
Who are the tons of Point Forwards?
Magic Johnson
Shaq
Allen Iverson
Steph Curry
Muggsy Bogues
Kobe Bryant
Shaq
Allen Iverson
Steph Curry
Muggsy Bogues
Kobe Bryant
I actually misread your previous post thinking you said there are tons now.
There are definitely more that handle more of the ball-handling.
More non-guards are developing their handling and being able to play further away and skills off the bounce..
Shaq
Curry
Dirk
Magic
Iverson
Curry
Dirk
Magic
Iverson
Dirk fucked the entire league up for years. He redefined what it meant to be 7ft in the NBA.
I remember all those 80s and 90s big men constantly on Dirk about him not playing traditional roles in the paint.
Dirk was about 10 years ahead of his time. He spent the first half of his career being criticized for being a 7 ft shooter.
Dr J
Jordan
Shaq
Curry
Dirk
Jordan
Shaq
Curry
Dirk
And think about how much he was held back early in his career and he still ended up top 10 all time scorers.
I'm talking a player who had influence on how the game is played....other athletes in the sport...not just the fans.
Someone can be really POPULAR but NOT influential on the sport. So not EVERY popular name will make the list.
Who do you think makes that list? (in no particular order)
1. Michael Jordan
2. Julius Erving
3. Magic Johnson
4. Allen Iverson
5. Steph Curry
I actually agree with this list. Jordan brought the all-around wizardry (can't argue being the best offensive AND defensive player at a time when on-the-ball defense was primary)... Erving brought street ball to the NBA... Magic brought the multi-dimensional big man (can't argue 6'9" point guard who could play center)... AI changed the rules on handles in the NBA... Steph has single-handedly raised 3pt attempts per game across the league... #GoodList
Want to find a way to add Wilt and or Mikan. They brought the big man into the NBA game...
If I go to a mechanic because I have problem with my transmission, I need a specialist or someone who can fix the transmission.
I don't need a guy who can replace tires, change oil, do body work, paint cars, fix headlights, change a starter, fix a windshield, etc...
At the moment, I need somebody to do a specific task.
Same with a coach, if he needs more rebounding or scoring, he needs to be able to depend on somebody for that. If you are down 10 or 15 in the 4th, you may need somebody to score more, not somebody that is average at every skill. He he not dependable for what you need.
I have seen Lebron be down 15 points, and focus on passing and rebounding, when he needed more scoring. At the end of the game, might have 30 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists, but he needed 45 or 50 points to win. A master, will do what it takes to win, not be satisfied with a good stat line.
Naw you gotta give that to KG
KG might not have shoot the three but he fluid and could play like a guard
Huh..wut? What was the question.
He had an slight edge on the traditional back to the basketball game, and could catch the ball further out than a traditional 4 at the time. He was fluid, but he never covered the court like Dirk did, running off screens to free himself up for clean looks from 18-23.9, his fadeaway game (KGs was decent as well); both revolutionized their position based on their size but I have to give the edge to Dirk.
