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
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Curious to see your response. how did shaq change the game or what was his influence on it?
NBA wasnt allowed to play zone when Shaq played or when Shaq was in his prime; so what exactly do you mean zone defense??
Reggie Miller is always on point...
Zone Defense was banned in January 1947 and was reintroduced for the 2001-2002 season
Not a coincidence, after knocking Mutumbo(DPOY) head off with big bows in 5 & another finals MVP. The league feared the Lakers would win the next 5 titles. The NBA was searching for what the NFL had & made the league the most popular. Parity.
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Kids are shooting more 3s now more than ever. Steph done changed the game for good.
I am in my 40's. In my observation:
-Jordan
-Iverson
-Curry
-Shaq
-Kevin Garnet- Drafted out of HS
Nash is an honorable mention for ushering an influx of overrated CACs.
-Jordan
-Iverson
-Curry
-Shaq
-Kevin Garnet- Drafted out of HS
Nash is an honorable mention for ushering an influx of overrated CACs.
i’m assuming the definition of change means how the game is played on and off the court.
Steph Curry hasn’t changed anything.
Kareem because of rule changes
Magic and Bird come as a package
Allen Iverson because of the culture change
LeBron James because of the financial change
Steph Curry hasn’t changed anything.
Kareem because of rule changes
Magic and Bird come as a package
Allen Iverson because of the culture change
LeBron James because of the financial change
Elgin Baylor...he was doc before doc...only saw him play one season and I was pretty young, but from everything I've read and seen, his game was the precursor of the modern player.
Steph...3 anywhere
Dirk...changed how big men played
Magic... although a PG, he was one of the first players who could play every position... he scored 42(?) as a rookie in the finals....at center...Kareem was hurt and I gave the Lakers no chance to win.
AI...changed the look and swag of the league.
Edit:. Steph got the nod over Pistol , because the 3 wasn't being used, like today.
But as great as a shooter Steph is, Pete is my greatest shooter of all time..college and pro.
Two things I didn't know before:
Pete shot 67% 10 of 15 from 3 in his final year in the league..the FIRST year of the 3.
Just shows they hadn't figured out the analytics then...
Dale Brown, former LSU coach, claimed to have had every shot Pete took in college tracked and said instead of 44 pts, he'd have average 57 a game.
Steph...3 anywhere
Dirk...changed how big men played
Magic... although a PG, he was one of the first players who could play every position... he scored 42(?) as a rookie in the finals....at center...Kareem was hurt and I gave the Lakers no chance to win.
AI...changed the look and swag of the league.
Edit:. Steph got the nod over Pistol , because the 3 wasn't being used, like today.
But as great as a shooter Steph is, Pete is my greatest shooter of all time..college and pro.
Two things I didn't know before:
Pete shot 67% 10 of 15 from 3 in his final year in the league..the FIRST year of the 3.
Just shows they hadn't figured out the analytics then...
Dale Brown, former LSU coach, claimed to have had every shot Pete took in college tracked and said instead of 44 pts, he'd have average 57 a game.
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To me there are only a few certains:.
MJ, obviously.
And
AI as he changed the way ball handlers played ball. And the way he made the NBA embrace the whole hip hop culture.
P.s. any player before 1980, who I didn't have the pleasure of watching and have thus excluded from my list, my apologies.
MJ, obviously.
And
AI as he changed the way ball handlers played ball. And the way he made the NBA embrace the whole hip hop culture.
P.s. any player before 1980, who I didn't have the pleasure of watching and have thus excluded from my list, my apologies.
Yeah, AI changed the way you were allowed to dribble...when I played, that was a carry every time.
they laxed up the rules alot in the last 30 years or so.... how many walks or moving the pivot foot happen in game vs actually gets called?
It’s bananas that as much as folks watching prime AI highlights would assume he was a PG, he was a 2.
15 years in the Association and took punishment all of his prime years because he was fearless getting to the rim. And culture wise everything you said was correct.
Im amazed that so many people left Iverson off their lists
its also uber retarded
go to any playground, high school, college, or professional bball court TODAY and youll see his influence there
that can only be said for one other player and he's the goat
yall can debate 3, 4, and 5
but 1 and 2 are locked for a long time
its also uber retarded
go to any playground, high school, college, or professional bball court TODAY and youll see his influence there
that can only be said for one other player and he's the goat
yall can debate 3, 4, and 5
but 1 and 2 are locked for a long time
A PF body with point guard skills who can play 4 ( briefly 5) positions and the durability of John Stockton? He didn’t change nothing or influence anything? At all? And won multiple championships in 3 cities? Ok.
yeah..someone said that magic was the precursor to what lebron is but conventional thinking in the 80s and 90s wouldn't allow it. You wouldn't start seeing point FORWARDS like that until lebrons era.
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Jordan-made it cool to shoot 10-30 as long as you get a triple double. He was Westbrook before Westbrook.
Iverson-G.O.A.T. when you consider he was about 5'11"
Dr. J-He was basketball in the 70's. He was Jordan and Lebron.
Kareem-Unstoppable big man. He was Shaq and Dirk back then.
Lebron-Jack of all trades. Did everything right. Best role model NBA ever had.
Honorable mention: Steph Curry. His range was something never seen and had to be defended.
Iverson-G.O.A.T. when you consider he was about 5'11"
Dr. J-He was basketball in the 70's. He was Jordan and Lebron.
Kareem-Unstoppable big man. He was Shaq and Dirk back then.
Lebron-Jack of all trades. Did everything right. Best role model NBA ever had.
Honorable mention: Steph Curry. His range was something never seen and had to be defended.
Shaq rapped before AI. Also has a platinum albumAs far as influence goes, AI is up there with MJ. Possibly surpassing him I believe.
AI is responsible for or at least highly popularized these social influences:
1. Baggier shorts
2. Headbands
3. Arm sleeves
4. Reebok
5. CROSSOVER DRIBBLE
6. Tattoos
7. Cornrows
8. Rapping
9. Street attire (they made rules to enforce suit wearing because of AI)
10. Not practicing
but if you really think about the curry just made a shift that could have happened in any era....if they had just thought to do that.. you really think bird, reggie miller, ray allen or any of the guys you mentioned couldn't hit 3s with that kind of regularity if they wanted?? hell the ABA invented the 3 point line and if conventional thinking at that time hadn't prevented it those guys would been lighting it up from that distance on the reg.
Steph made the evolutionary shift but its not like it COULDN'T have happened at any other point in time.
to this day I believe he's the ONLY NBA star to go platinum... shaq is seriously underrated in his other entertainment endeavors...amd did more than any NBA player has before or since...the ONLY one who has something cooler than shaq is kareem in movie going head to head with bruce lee
other than that..shaq's got it by miles..
what does that have to do with influence? Harden got every kid doing the step back right now. Curry got kids shooting 3 from all over the court….that’s influence.
I would think the influence is you can be tall, handle the rock (TMac too) go to multiple teams that don't have all Allstars, and still win it. Maybe. Also, Bron doesn't follow a mold I've ever seen even though Jordan is my era.
Believe it or not Yao Ming.
Iverson/Rodman....the look attitude the style of play that playground tough game and they fought against the NBA fined until they couldn't fine them no more cause they weren't the only ones....look up all the players had tattoes,cornrolls,baggy shorts,casual "street" clothes.
Now in 2022 it's just normal....
Now in 2022 it's just normal....
how?
China