Old players vs modern Players

[SportsFan]

I have a tough time with that one. I think there is only 1 guy in the NBA that is under 6 feet tall. He was one of the greatest of all time in his era, but not sure his stature would be able to play in todays game.

There have been some. Mugsey Bogues was about 5'3", and Spud Webb was 5'7". Of the top of my head, I know that Terrell Brandon was 5'11". So while there hasn't been many, there has been some.

[bthaunert]

There have been some. Mugsey Bogues was about 5'3", and Spud Webb was 5'7". Of the top of my head, I know that Terrell Brandon was 5'11". So while there hasn't been many, there has been some.

Yep...and it's been 25 years since any of those guys played. They come in every once in awhile, but odds are against Beard being able to play in today's NBA.

[KentuckyWild2020]

For one,not sure today's players are in better shape. Watered down walk through practices ,etc,not buying all that.

The biggest difference is bigs shoot threes and learn early on. Back in the day if you shot a 3 as a big you didn't play.

The older dudes would punk these youngsters off the court, take you out back and beat your a$$.


Lebron is the king of the flop.

Jordan would consistently take punishment 2 to 3 guys to the rim, nobody can touch Jordan period..

[KentuckyWild2020]

There have been some. Mugsey Bogues was about 5'3", and Spud Webb was 5'7". Of the top of my head, I know that Terrell Brandon was 5'11". So while there hasn't been many, there has been some.

Archibald Cousy many others under 6 foot.

[KentuckyWild2020]

I do think the players today are in most cases more talented, bigger stronger etc. But how do you think the great players from the past would fare today against the current guys.
a few as examples:
Wilt chamberlain
Oscar Robertson
Bill Russell
Pete marevich
Jerry west
john havlichek
lew alcindor

Better question, how would today's players would fare against these guys?

Easy, today's players would just pull up and settle for a 3.

Go back to the old NBA rules and hand checking most players today would be crying to the refs instead of playing basketball.

I like the modern game but gym strong doesn't translate to man strong.

Can you imagine how many points Larry Bird would average in the 3 point era?

He might even decide to play the whole game left handed and break his 42 point game 😆 🤣 Plus Bird was the king of kings trash talking..

[KentuckyWild2020]

I can’t believe we have watched the same games. Are you talking NBA?

Defense has always been the hallmark of the NBA. If a guy couldn’t play defense he couldn’t play.

Now with no hand checking allowed and a foul called for just being in a guy’s way you can hide a no defense player like Harden or Luka.

The rules have gone too far in favor of the offense.

It does take a special player to stand out on defense with these rules.

As for players, the great ones adapt. And could play in any era.

The Detroit Bad Boys would have a hard time dealing with LeBron.

MJ wouldn’t be allowed to guard like he did. But he might average 50 today?

Bird would be a 3 point shooting Jokic.

Wilt and Kareem would be more unstoppable today.

They would have to change the rules even more now to stop Wilt.

Russel would be a far better Greek Freak.


Oscar would average a triple double every year. Not just once.

It still goes back to the rules. Let the teams of the late 80’s play these rules and they would average 120 too.

Place 80’s rules on these guys and they would struggle to average 80.

Im glad somebody said it because I was reading some absolute complete garbage here. Obviously some never watched the 70's or 80's.

Back in the day physical defense was on a another level.

As for bad boyz and LeBron, Laimbeer and Rodman would have LeBron calling his homeboy Diddy for all that baby oil.

LeBron has turned the game into a 🎬 and flopping joke. Curry and Durant carried the real torch in this era..

[KentuckyWild2020]

That's not the point of the post.

It's not that they "couldn't play defense," it's the *way* defense is played that has changed.

I think there have been evolutionary leaps in the human body in the last quarter century. Also there have been major changes in the makeup of the athlete pool in the NBA, marked mostly by the way the world has flattened as these talent scouts literally scour the globe.

This doesn't mean guys aren't hidden for defense. That's always happened.

My point above was simply in the way they close gaps defensively, in the at-times assault-style nature of defense, the stunts and traps used...it's just a different world.

I could debate defense has always been a "hallmark" of the NBA maybe. That's HELLACIOUSLY debatable lol. But you're right: if you couldn't defend, you couldn't play in any era for sure.

Defensive rules changed the following year Rick was fired in Boston.

[KentuckyWild2020]

For instance:

1985 NBA Finals, Game 2.

Watch how much berth players are given, Magic in particular. You do see that nowadays (Ben Simmons etc.), but all over the court here players are allowing daylight between themselves and their man in ways you just don't see very much today.

As I said, most of this is just the increasing popularity (to put it lightly) of the three-point shot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUNDVrJgVyE

The 3 point shot.

Now 1-5 shoots it and you have to guard.

Could be Magic wasn't defended because he wasn't a 3 point shooter but Bird would have someone on him. Same with Dale Ellis and other sharp shooters back in the day.

[KentuckyWild2020]

Speaking of old players, wish I could have seen Cotton Nash,Beard, Dampier, Spivey, Wah Wah and many other back in the day at Kentucky.

[KentuckyWild2020]

Wilt, you could put him on the court in 2000 years and he in his prime and no one would be able to handle him. He was so strong, he had the strength of todays NFL O-Lineman. Too many stories about just how strong he actually was back then. You cannot teach height and natural strength, he had them both. Larry Bird's drive would make him a winner in any era. If he played in NBA today he would be just as good (pre back injury). Magic Johnson same, MJ same. Pistol Pete would dominate today just like he did years gone by. Some folks are just greats, point blank.

Agreed about Wilt,maybe Shaq but very few will ever match his strength.

Gym strong still isn't man strong.

Crazy as this may sound, friend of mine was college roommates with the wrestler Goldberg. Goldberg very seldom lifted weights. He smoked dope and drank beer, just naturally built strong as a Ox,just like Wilt..

[Jeffky62]

I have a tough time with that one. I think there is only 1 guy in the NBA that is under 6 feet tall. He was one of the greatest of all time in his era, but not sure his stature would be able to play in todays game.

I heard Joe tell denny this on their radio show . You're probably right

[Pobilly]

Agreed about Wilt,maybe Shaq but very few will ever match his strength.

Gym strong still isn't man strong.

Crazy as this may sound, friend of mine was college roommates with the wrestler Goldberg. Goldberg very seldom lifted weights. He smoked dope and drank beer, just naturally built strong as a Ox,just like Wilt..

We always said farm strong. I would put up hay in the summers as my weight program. Did not live on a farm but had many friends that did. I would work on the farm. My core was better back then (not now for sure), than most my teammates. I would throw 2 bales at a time on the wagon. My wifes uncle would love it when I would go help them.

[KentuckyWild2020]

We always said farm strong. I would put up hay in the summers as my weight program. Did not live on a farm but had many friends that did. I would work on the farm. My core was better back then (not now for sure), than most my teammates. I would throw 2 bales at a time on the wagon. My wifes uncle would love it when I would go help them.

I understand, that's why I never crossed my daddy. He would lift the rear end of a small car and have someone swap a tire as long as the lug nuts had been loosened. Some people just built different.

Still in the modern era you shave naturally strong people who play basketball, great overall athletes.

[bthaunert]

Archibald Cousy many others under 6 foot.

I think you proved my view. Bob Cousy played 75 years ago. Tiny Archibald was 6'1". There was legit 1 player in the NBA last year under 6 foot on opening day. And he averaged 1.2ppg in 4.2mpg. If you're talking greatest UK players of all time, Ralph Beard is the starting point guard based on his career at UK. Times have changed. I'm not sure Beard would make an NBA roster these days.

[KentuckyWild2020]

I think you proved my view. Bob Cousy played 75 years ago. Tiny Archibald was 6'1". There was legit 1 player in the NBA last year under 6 foot on opening day. And he averaged 1.2ppg in 4.2mpg. If you're talking greatest UK players of all time, Ralph Beard is the starting point guard based on his career at UK. Times have changed. I'm not sure Beard would make an NBA roster these days.

Yes and no. Depends on the wing span in my opinion. Rondo was 6'1 with a 6'9 wingspan.

Do I think Ralph Beard could play today, of course I do. Good fundamentals and fundamental basketball still goes along ways in my opinion.

As for the height, Ralph Beard was listed at 5'10, not sure about his wingspan. Still, technically speaking, Im not sure a inch or inch in a half makes that much of a difference for a PG.

Today as we speak or within the last 15-20 years. The Bulls have a 5'8 guy now as we speak. I. Thomas Celtics Kings ( not IT Indiana/ Detroit) had a very dominate two years of basketball not so long ago. Van Fleet., Lowry, Conley, Chris Paul, a few others have had great careers. Plus we all know that when a NBA or College lists a players height, you can deduct a few inches or two, it's almost always padded.

Brunson of the KNICKS may not be 5'10 but for his small size, he dominates and does it all.


I still think Beard could play because he was that good, fast athlete with a great IQ.


Have said this for many years and will continue to do so now. If the analyst and ratings guru's ever figure out how to put a rating on the heart of a champion, a winner, they will have officially figured it all out....