Jalen Rose lays out how NBA legends would fare in modern NBA: “Kobe Bryant or Michael Jordan, their numbers would be on steroids”
NBA legends have made the game of basketball extremely competitive and enjoyable to watch due to their generational talents. Former Indiana Pacers forward Jalen Rose shared why players of the past would have a huge increase in their scoring numbers in today's game.
Rose had a chance to play in the eras of Michael Jordan and prime Kobe Bryant. The two were pure scorers, which gives some people an idea of what their numbers would look like if they played in today's league.
"Look at today's game," Rose said. "You see a dominant big like 'The Joker' for (the) Denver (Nuggets) or Joel Embiid or Giannis (Antetokounmpo). Imagine if a player like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who's multi-skilled, who still has the scoring record that LeBron James is about to eclipse, played in this era.
"Or Wilt Chamberlain, who has 50 points, 25 boards when he did play. Or a guy like Hakeem Olajuwon ... and then a physical dominance of a player like Shaq (O'Neal). You do a small switch with a 6-5, 6-6 guy that weighs 210 pounds on Shaq, he's gonna punish him."
"Their numbers would be on steroids."
Amidst the scoring surge in the NBA @JalenRose details how players from past generations would fare in today's game. https://t.co/TrYkTTSisR
"Guys like Allen Iverson, when games were low 100s being scored was averaging 30 points then ... These all-time great scorers like a Kobe Bryant, or like a Michael Jordan, their numbers would be on steroids if they played in today's era."
The way basketball has been played in recent years is far from how it first started. Back then, it was slower, more physical and catered mostly to big men. Nowadays, the brand of basketball is quicker, more perimeter-oriented and has given offensive players a ton of advantages in scoring.
Offensive players have been given more opportunities to showcase their skills. The defenses, on the other hand, have been relaxed due to the way the game has been officiated in recent years.
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Are NBA players today more skilled than past players?
The offense this season has been incredibler. There have been players who have displayed high-scoring games in the NBA season. Donovan Mitchell has been the leader for the most points in a single game this season with 71. With this trend, there are those who couldn't help but ask the question, are NBA players today more skilled?
The addition of the 3-point arc has helped the growth of the game. While players from the past have only had to work midrange jumpers, players nowadays have had a chance to work on their long-distance shots at an early age. This is what separates the players of today from the ones who went before them.
Modern NBA players are definitely more skilled because of the 3-point arc. But that doesn't mean that past players aren't talented. After all, they were the pioneers of the game, which led to its growth and popularity.
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