Bigger, faster, stronger, better.

[eliteballer]

wasn't Dwight a shade under 6"10 yet he's listed at over 6"11
Not on the 7 footer topic but patty mills isn't anywhere near 6 foot tall.

Guys drafted out of high school can and often do grow later on so their heights might be closer to what's listed.

[jstern]

That was a very good video. It dealt with the reality of circumstances vs simply coming to a superficial conclusion which most people tend to do. The most shocking part was Jesse Owens' performance had he raced on a modern track. Just because I'm not used to thinking of an athlete from the 1930s being so elite. And it really sucks that based on his time, people won't correctly judge him.

[oarabbus]

Go to draftexpress.com/measurements and you'll get a pretty good idea how few actual clinically 7 foot tall or taller people are playing in the nba. Remember, doctors trying to create census data on actual 7 foot people don't give a shit how thick your shoes are or what your height is in shoes. The author of that article took the census data for 7 foot tall people and compared it with nba list info, not actual nba measurement data which is not as publicized or well known (most fans are blissfully unaware that list info isn't accurate)

Sure, you might be right - because the census is for general demographics. So perhaps people 6'10.5" and taller make the list. So some of the supposed '7 footers' aren't truly that tall, and instead of 17%, the number is 16.33% (remember that one million Americans only comprise roughly .33% of our country and there probably aren't even a million people 6'10.5" and taller in the country to even begin with). Basically, his point remains accurate.

[Marchesk]

Also Michael Phelps, one thing that ruins him was how they announced that his body, proportions is the perfection for swimming, which I feel gave him an in a sense unfair advantage over his competitors. Because he's winning, but it's not due through an insane will and drive.

No more than Shaq or Wilt had unfair advantages. You still have to have great will and drive to make be that successful. It's not like Phelps didn't train real hard to be the best. Anyone at that level does.

[eliteballer]

I have to go out right now to shoot around so can't read, but something that I always think about is the 2008 Olympics, where all the swimming records were expected to be broken because of the swimming suits that they were having. So those it take that into account? Also Michael Phelps, one thing that ruins him was how they announced that his body, proportions is the perfection for swimming, which I feel gave him an in a sense unfair advantage over his competitors. Because he's winning, but it's not due through an insane will and drive.

Same thing applies to your boy MJ

[jstern]

No more than Shaq or Wilt had unfair advantages. You still have to have great will and drive to make be that successful. It's not like Phelps didn't train real hard to be the best. Anyone at that level does.

Well, yeah, to be at that level, Olympic level, NBA level, you have to have that will. The point is that if you have two strong willed swimmers, which Phelps is, and another strong willed swimmer, that physical advantage goes a long way.

As far as Shaq and other NBA players. I find that situation different, because basketball is not about repetitive execution where it's all about being the most fit athlete and pushing the hardest, like in swimming for the most part, but basketball is also about more complicated skill set, with spontaneous situations, strategies that a Shaq must go ahead, etc, etc. Talents and ability depends more on basketball IQ than just being the biggest, fastest, strongest.