The Unathletic 70's and 80`s Player, Julius Erving

[Psileas]

And how is that anywhere near as good as this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dDnvZO-KpM

In case you forgot, Conley is 6-2, compared to 6-7 for White.
And what do you mean "anywhere near"? It's not as if Conley stepped 5 feet closer than White.

Edit: Wikipedia actually lists him at 5-11.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Conley,_Sr.

[plowking]

In case you forgot, Conley is 6-2, compared to 6-7 for White.
And what do you mean "anywhere near"? It's not as if Conley stepped 5 feet closer than White.

Edit: Wikipedia actually lists him at 5-11.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Conley,_Sr.

He did a windmill from the free throw line. Whether you are 6 foot or even 8 foot that is athletic. He also does a between the legs from the free throw line. I guess that also has to do with the 5 inches that seperate them right?

[plowking]

And is James White in the NBA? Not any more. Ya know who is? David Lee. Who is the more gifted athlete? White. Who is the better ball player? Lee. What good are tremendous athletes if they can't play? Worthless. Your point that there are better athletes today has some merit, but that doesn't mean players today are generally better because of athleticism. If that were true, the best athletes would be the best players.

What was the point of the thread in the first place. To show that the 70's and 80's had more athletic players then todays game. That is incorrect and that has been proved.
Look at some of todays scrubs and bench players. Tyrus Thomas, Stromile Swift, Hakim Warick (he isn't a scrub), Gerald Green, etc. A lot more athletic then the scrubs back in the 80's.

Furthermore how does more athleticism not make you a better player? You can blow by defenders quicker, move quicker on defense, jump higher to block shots, get back quicker, get more elevation on your jumpshot.

Look at the stars of today. Almost all of them are incredibly athletic. Lebron, Wade, Vince Carter and Dwight Howard are possibly some of the most athletic players ever to play the game.

[Psileas]

He did a windmill from the free throw line. Whether you are 6 foot or even 8 foot that is athletic. He also does a between the legs from the free throw line. I guess that also has to do with the 5 inches that seperate them right?

Of course it does (btw, it seems it's 7 inches, not 5). Don't you think hand and palm size have something to do with holding and controlling the ball easier? Who have dunked more often and easily from the FT line/between the legs? 6-7 guys or 5-11 ones? Not the same at all. Would White do the stuff he does if he was 5-11?

PS. 6 feet (approx. Conley's height) and 8 feet (even more so) are both basketball extremes and would obviously make such a dunker an athletic freak. However, 6-7, though it still requires a lot of athleticism to perform dunks like White's, is the optimal height for competition dunkers. You get extra points from being short, and 6-7 is not short.