2022 NBA Offseason Thread: Preseason kicks off; Things are fine in Los Angeles, Draymond beats the charges

[HIM]

Best pro mixtape out

 

[WASHED KING]

You're still taking it back to JUST the players. Physical attributes = players.

Lebron James is one of the most freakishly athletic people I have ever seen, but as far as being in the NBA GOAT conversation, his freakish athleticism wouldn't matter growing up on a farm in Akron in the 50s.

Larry Bird wasn't playing basketball against black people in junior high, either, because he wasn't playing basketball against anybody in junior high. He didn't even get started in basketball until high school, and as an adult he obviously played against Nagic, DR J, Jordan, Hakeem, Barkley. He didn't get basketball until late, but once he got it, he got it. He took what coaches gave him and expounded on it.

These legacies aren't JUST about player attributes.

-foe

Bird was 6’9 an all around great player. He could pass, defend and score the ball at an elite level. Also played in the 80’a when the league was deep.

Name a 6’3 player or shorter in the last 25 years that was an elite scorer for multiple seasons who didn’t possess elite athleticism that isn’t named Steph Curry.

So you’re saying if you drop Jerry West in todays NBA he would be on Wardells level?

 

[HOU$TON]

We should appreciate bron more

 

[WASHED KING]

Best player in the league at top.

Wouldn’t expect otherwise

 

[frshstunna]

Bird was 6’9 an all around great player. He could pass, defend and score the ball at an elite level. Also played in the 80’a when the league was deep.

Name a 6’3 player or shorter in the last 25 years that was an elite scorer for multiple seasons who didn’t possess elite athleticism that isn’t named Steph Curry.

So you’re saying if you drop Jerry West in todays NBA he would be on Wardells level?

Trae

 

[witnesskb24]

West was right, JJ was a nobody his entire career minus his few years at Duke. If I was a legend I wouldn’t let some benchwarmer novelty act diss my whole era *shrug*

 

[wavycrocket]

Bird was 6’9 an all around great player. He could pass, defend and score the ball at an elite level. Also played in the 80’a when the league was deep.

Name a 6’3 player or shorter in the last 25 years that was an elite scorer for multiple seasons who didn’t possess elite athleticism that isn’t named Steph Curry.

So you’re saying if you drop Jerry West in todays NBA he would be on Wardells level?

 

[HOU$TON]

Bird was 6’9 an all around great player. He could pass, defend and score the ball at an elite level. Also played in the 80’a when the league was deep.

Name a 6’3 player or shorter in the last 25 years that was an elite scorer for multiple seasons who didn’t possess elite athleticism that isn’t named Steph Curry.

So you’re saying if you drop Jerry West in todays NBA he would be on Wardells level?

Kyrie

 

[wavycrocket]

Rimgrazer Dame

 

[wavycrocket]

West was right, JJ was a nobody his entire career minus his few years at Duke. If I was a legend I wouldn’t let some benchwarmer novelty act diss my whole era *shrug*

JJ Redick was a very good NBA player. He was a 15ppg to 18ppg player in his prime, and solid on defense as a starter on 50 win teams.

I’m glad Jerry called him a very good player, because he was.

 

[NickFolarin]

Bird was 6’9 an all around great player. He could pass, defend and score the ball at an elite level. Also played in the 80’a when the league was deep.

Name a 6’3 player or shorter in the last 25 years that was an elite scorer for multiple seasons who didn’t possess elite athleticism that isn’t named Steph Curry.

So you’re saying if you drop Jerry West in todays NBA he would be on Wardells level?

Talen Horton-Tucker

 

[WASHED KING]

Trae

Kyrie

Rimgrazer Dame

Y’all believe Jerry West is just as athletic and skilled as these players mentioned?

Honestly.

 

[DCAllAfrican]

Y’all believe Jerry West is just as athletic and skilled as these players mentioned?

Honestly.

Is this hypothetical Jerry West born in the 80s or the 40s?

 

[wavycrocket]

Y’all believe Jerry West is just as athletic and skilled as these players mentioned?

Honestly.

When Jerry west retired…it was 1974 and he was averaging 20-7-4 at 35 years old…on 45% from the field and 84% from the line.

Julius Earvin was playing basketball at this time.

Jerry West was really LIKE THAT.

I always bring up Mark Price, when people try to downplay what they perceive as “not athletic” White dudes with handles that can go. He was an all nba guard on 50 win teams during the Jordan era.

 

[lawdog1]

Spida getting traded this weekend or nah?

 

[addict4sneakers]

Best player in the league at top.

Wouldn’t expect otherwise

Looting

 

[WASHED KING]

Is this hypothetical Jerry West born in the 80s or the 40s?

You’ve let osh kosh bosh and his lead poisoning get to you too huh?

 

[DCAllAfrican]

You’ve let osh kosh bosh and his lead poisoning get to you too huh?

I don't see how it isn't a valid question.

Does this hypothetical Jerry West play in canvas shoes? Does his teammates smoke at halftime?

All of these things matter when having these cross-gen sports convos.

As is, NO. Jerry West doesn't possess the athleticism of the players listed but why should he?

 

[lawdog1]

We should appreciate bron more

Eh. I acknowledge he’s in the top tier of best players ever. Feel like that’s enough.

 

[darthska]

Bird was 6’9 an all around great player. He could pass, defend and score the ball at an elite level. Also played in the 80’a when the league was deep.

More talk from you about JUST the actual player.

Name a 6’3 player or shorter in the last 25 years that was an elite scorer for multiple seasons who didn’t possess elite athleticism that isn’t named Steph Curry.

As has been alluded to already in the thread, West wasn't 6'3".

Also, that goes back to just talking about... the player, the person, nothing else.

Name a player in our time who didn't touch a basketball until late middle school/early high school and ended up dominating the NBA. I think Hakeem is in there, no? Didn't Duncan grow up swimming?

It's EXTREMELY rare. These NBA athletes we laud have had a ball in their hands since they were like 6.

Take that away. Give them a basketball for the first time... at 16.

So you’re saying if you drop Jerry West in todays NBA he would be on Wardells level?

No. I said pretty plainly that he would still be Jerry West.

-foe

 

[Mark Antony]

No one ran a sub 10 second 100 meter until the first guy did, then numerous people were running it.

I say all that to say that Jerry West is probably Jerry West in any era, whatever the known milestones of that era.

 

[witnesskb24]

Washed gonna say Jerry can’t keep up with these cats today at 84 years old next just wait on it

 

[WASHED KING]

Looting

You hate the truth

Washed gonna say Jerry can’t keep up with these cats today at 84 years old next just wait on it

He could be 24 and he isn’t keeping up

 

[WASHED KING]

More talk from you about JUST the actual player.

As has been alluded to already in the thread, West wasn't 6'3".

Also, that goes back to just talking about... the player, the person, nothing else.

Name a player in our time who didn't touch a basketball until late middle school/early high school and ended up dominating the NBA. I think Hakeem is in there, no? Didn't Duncan grow up swimming?

It's EXTREMELY rare. These NBA athletes we laud have had a ball in their hands since they were like 6.

Take that away. Give them a basketball for the first time... at 16.

No. I said pretty plainly that he would still be Jerry West.

-foe

 

[DCAllAfrican]

No one ran a sub 10 second 100 meter until the first guy did, then numerous people were running it.

I say all that to say that Jerry West is probably Jerry West in any era, whatever the known milestones of that era.

Most respectful way to approach it.