Did anyone in here NOT want to be an NBA player growing up?

[ClipperRevival]

There is nothing I wanted to be more than an NBA player, competing at the highest level and battling for championships.

That's why I kind of get annoyed when I see players waste their immense talents away (Wes Johnson, J. McGee, D. Williams, M. Beasley, W. Randolph, etc). These guys hit the genetic lottery and wasted their talents. If I was that lucky, I would've left no stone unturned. It actually makes me mad sometimes because that's how badly I wanted to play in the NBA.

What about you?

[20Four]

There is nothing I wanted to be more than an NBA player, competing at the highest level and battling for championships.

That's why I kind of get annoyed when I see players waste their immense talents away (Wes Johnson, J. McGee, D. Williams, M. Beasley, W. Randolph, etc). These guys hit the genetic lottery and wasted their talents. If I was that lucky, I would've left no stone unturned. It actually makes me made sometimes because that's how badly I wanted to play in the NBA.

What about you?

Yezzir, I played High school Varsity all 4 years but I'm only 5'10". I could grab rim and dunk a ball (nothing special) but ya...after not growing passed 5'10" I decided to go into the medical field and become a Registered Nurse in the Dialysis field. Since I'm Filipino its in our blood lol

Edit:

If I grew out to maybe 6'4" I would have tried a lot harder...but I'm stuck at 5'10" lol

[MP.Trey]

Of course. If only I knew how much work ethic it really takes back then. Especially for a short, not overly athletic white kid from small town Canada.

[Thunderfan86]

Yeah, I had dreams of playing in the NBA, but football was my first love.

[ClipperRevival]

Yezzir, I played High school Varsity all 4 years but I'm only 5'10". I could grab rim and dunk a ball (nothing special) but ya...after not growing passed 5'10" I decided to go into the medical field and become a Registered Nurse in the Dialysis field. Since I'm Filipino its in our blood lol

Edit:

If I grew out to maybe 6'4" I would have tried a lot harder...but I'm stuck at 5'10" lol

LOL. Yeah, I maxed out at 5'8". No chance at the NBA no matter how skilled I am. Unless if I had all-world athleticism like Spud Webb or Nate Robinson. I mean the list of NBA players in the NBA under 5'9" is like what? 5? LOL.

Like I said, it pisses me off sometimes when I see NBA players who hit the genetic lottery just waste their talents away. If you had given me Wes Johnson's body, I would've left no stone unturned and been an all time great. Dude just lolly gags and laughs it off anytime he makes a dumb play. Like he doesn't even care.

[ClipperRevival]

Call me a sissy but sometimes when I watch NBA docs and they show the part of teams celebrating after winning a championship, I get almost teary eyed. Because the feeling of being the best in the world must be so overwhelming and feel so good. The battles you had to go through and usually, a lot of failures before actually making it up the mountain top.

[NBAplayoffs2001]

Both my parents were between 5'1'' to 5'6''. I grew to 5'9'' and my brother about an inch taller. We both never stood a chance . I do have a cousin who played basketball in Cali and was 6'5''. Oddly enough, we have about 3-4 male cousins on a particular side of that family that all ended up 6'4''+. I guess they got lucky.

Friend's parents are both 5'4'' and 5'7''. He ended up being 6'4.25'' with a freakish 7'0'' wingspan. We often played 1 vs 2 against him, me at 5'9'' with a 6'0'' wingspan and my friend who was 6'1.5'' with a 6'8'' wingspan. He used to swat away both our shots. We beat him like once out of four tries. He had a Dirk post move too, aka he hit mid range jumpers like no tomorrow while posting up. Unguardable unless you were 6'3''+.

I played briefly in middle school on a travel team. I was a bench player so I didn't expect much. Our high school team was very difficult to make. The one starter who was my size was like an all-district PG who got Division 3 scholarships. We had some dude who was really good and ended up playing for a Penn State team (one of the campuses that weren't main). He was overhyped kind of. People thought he would end up at the local powerhouse, St. Johns but I don't think he ever got recruited there.

[20Four]

LOL. Yeah, I maxed out at 5'8". No chance at the NBA no matter how skilled I am. Unless if I had all-world athleticism like Spud Webb or Nate Robinson. I mean the list of NBA players in the NBA under 5'9" is like what? 5? LOL.

Like I said, it pisses me off sometimes when I see NBA players who hit the genetic lottery just waste their talents away. If you had given me Wes Johnson's body, I would've left no stone unturned and been an all time great. Dude just lolly gags and laughs it off anytime he makes a dumb play. Like he doesn't even care.

I agree mang.....look at Antione Walker....nikka made over 100 million in his career...but now hes broke....we probably have more money than him now

[ClipperRevival]

Both my parents were between 5'1'' to 5'6''. I grew to 5'9'' and my brother about an inch taller. We both never stood a chance . I do have a cousin who played basketball in Cali and was 6'5''. Oddly enough, we have about 3-4 male cousins on a particular side of that family that all ended up 6'4''+. I guess they got lucky.

Friend's parents are both 5'4'' and 5'7''. He ended up being 6'4.25'' with a freakish 7'0'' wingspan. We often played 1 vs 2 against him, me at 5'9'' with a 6'0'' wingspan and my friend who was 6'1.5'' with a 6'8'' wingspan. He used to swat away both our shots. We beat him like once out of four tries. He had a Dirk post move too, aka he hit mid range jumpers like no tomorrow while posting up. Unguardable unless you were 6'3''+.

I played briefly in middle school on a travel team. I was a bench player so I didn't expect much. Our high school team was very difficult to make. The one starter who was my size was like an all-district PG who got Division 3 scholarships. We had some dude who was really good and ended up playing for a Penn State team (one of the campuses that weren't main). He was overhyped kind of. People thought he would end up at the local powerhouse, St. Johns but I don't think he ever got recruited there.

It's tough playing against tall guys. I don't usually play against really tall guys but when I do, I usually have my shot swatted the first few times because I'm not used to such length. So I have to adjust.

But what most people consider "bigs" on the playground, like 6'6", is a SG in the NBA. When you think "bigs" you think they can't move so you want them to come out to the perimeter and use your quickness. But in the NBA, a 6'6" guy is freakishly athletic and is a SG. Just crazy how good you have to be to play in the NBA.

[ClipperRevival]

I agree mang.....look at Antione Walker....nikka made over 100 million in his career...but now hes broke....we probably have more money than him now

Well, Walker at least was a pretty good player despite being not that overly athletic. And he had game. His only issue was financial issues. I'm talking about guys who have special athleticism/talent that waste it away. Those are the guys that piss me off.

[choppermagic]

no question about it. I'm sorry, but there are few downsides to being an NBA star, even if only for a few years. Starting with a free college education.

Yeah, there are stars who dont seem to care as much, but I'm guessing the vast majority had the same dream as us. Perhaps the grind and reality of practices, workouts and travel just got to them over time....

[20Four]

Well, Walker at least was a pretty good player despite being not that overly athletic. And he had game. His only issue was financial issues. I'm talking about guys who have special athleticism/talent that waste it away. Those are the guys that piss me off.

Fosho....example Shawn Bradley....nikka had no skills but just because he was 7'6" he made it in the NBA....if he had the same skillset but was my height...he wouldn't make even an highschool team.....kinda sucks that the taller you are....you dont even need to have skills to make it in the NBA....but the shorter you are...you hella need skills to make it....

[ClipperRevival]

Fosho....example Shawn Bradley....nikka had no skills but just because he was 7'6" he made it in the NBA....if he had the same skillset but was my height...he wouldn't make even an highschool team.....kinda sucks that the taller you are....you dont even need to have skills to make it in the NBA....but the shorter you are...you hella need skills to make it....

Yup. If you are a legit 7 footer and you can move on your feet a bit and have some coordination, you probably make the NBA or another pro league. But a lot of 7 footers have cement feet with bad coordination. But even some of those guys make the league. Look at Hibbert. Dude is one of the slowest guys I have ever seen. But he's about 7'2" with some touch.

[Clifton]

Most NBA players aren't Kevin Garnett, but they don't have to be.

It's different when you are that guy. You discover that you're 6'5 with really high calves as a sophomore in high school, and people are talking about you, treating you different... as a junior, scouts are coming to your games... it's your life, and odds are you never really chose it.

Most NBA players live up to their billing and are solid professionals. Most people don't develop a passion for what they are really talented at, and for what the world wants from them. But it's a matter of duty and self respect and respect for others to be professional, show up and do your best.

And there are some NBA players who don't really like basketball at all... they have all the talent but they simply don't want it. That's okay - it only becomes an ethical issue when they get a team to sign them to a full MLE (or more) and then mentally quit.

And often the guys who really flame out have mental health issues as well, like Odom, Larry Sanders.

Obviously we love the guys who combine the talent with the passion: Magic, Bird, Jordan... and the guys who are low on (NBA) talent but high on passion, like Fisher, Reddick.

[20Four]

Yup. If you are a legit 7 footer and you can move on your feet a bit and have some coordination, you probably make the NBA or another pro league. But a lot of 7 footers have cement feet with bad coordination. But even some of those guys make the league. Look at Hibbert. Dude is one of the slowest guys I have ever seen. But he's about 7'2" with some touch.

Imagine if Shaq had Hakeem Olajuwon skills?