Reply to thread

Message: [QUOTE="Spaceman213J, post: 5067353, member: 6477"] I don't see how you can really compare the two era's. Before the mid 90's if you were tall for your age, you would most likely get labelled a center or forward and you would be 'stuck' under or close to the hoop and maybe not given much chance to develop the other skills. Coaches would want you to add weight, rebound, score around the rim and protect the hoop and your teammates. I remember watching some big guys shoot from outside, including 3's, before a game and then only step outside to set a pick now and then and not even look at the basket. I remember M. Bol being considered an oddity, not just for his unusual height, but because he could hit some 3's. Centers just didn't go out there and if one put up a shot and missed, he might be on the bench a second later. I look at Patrick Ewing as the example of the big man from the 80's. Even though I was a Celts fan, you had to recognize the skills he had. He had a decent shooter's touch and if he came through the different levels and was developed today, the 3 point shot would have been part of his game. I do think there are more skilled players because basketball became a worldwide thing and it's popularity really grew in the U.S. as well. I do think there are some players who would struggle if they were playing 40-50 years ago, but most would do fine. I do also wonder what a guy like Jordan's numbers would be today because the game has gotten softer but that is because of the rules and not the players for the most part. [/QUOTE]

Verification: First name of men's bb coach