People are gonna think I'm crazy but Magic Johnson comes to mind.
He wasn't close to the fastest PG in the league, his vert wasn't great, he wasn't that explosive, and while he was strong what Pippen did to him in the Finals kinda shows that he really wasn't that strong for his size, just big for his position.
i'd say at best he was average athletically but he more than made up for it with his court-vision, passing abilities, scoring-touch, and an unreal IQ that allowed him to make the right decision almost every time.
and Shaq's name shouldn't even be mentioned, jesus h. christ. the guy was an athletic freak that overpowered everyone else in the league for a decade.
tell me why overpowering is athletism!!!!! FU******************** explain..explain...explain E-X-P-L-A-I-N...i never down played the guy but F****************
Last edited by FashionIssues : 01-25-2007 at 07:03 PM.
tell me why overpowering is athletism!!!!! FU******************** explain..explain...explain E-X-P-L-A-I-N...i never down played the guy but F****************
What is athleticism? Speed? Quickness? Jumping Ability? Why would you not include strength and size in that? Atheticism is a physical trait that gives you an edge, and last I checked Shaq has a very big edge on his opponents.
"ath·let·ic
–adjective
1. physically active and strong; good at athletics or sports: an athletic child.
2. of, like, or befitting an athlete.
3. of or pertaining to athletes; involving the use of physical skills or capabilities, as strength, agility, or stamina: athletic sports; athletic training."
Shaq was the strongest person in the NBA, and he was by far the most agile for a player of his size.
fashion issues i think you are confusing skilled with athletic. there is a difference. shaq wasnt particularly skilled but he was hellaciously athletic.
fashion issues i think you are confusing skilled with athletic. there is a difference. shaq wasnt particularly skilled but he was hellaciously athletic.
you have it nailed my friend.
i still feel shaq is a freak of nature. a big fish in a small pond raised in terms of, "son, with your size, you can be an 'athlete' in the nba. we'll teach you how to fake and move within the point blank zone".
i mean what about learning the mechanics of freethrows?
hakeem's pivot moves?
and uh, leading the league in rebounds at least half his career if not that?
if they say strenght and size is what defines a true athlete, the person responsible for defining the word in webster's is just a homer...
if they say strenght and size is what defines a true athlete, the person responsible for defining the word in webster's is just a homer...
You've missed the point. Athleticism is not just about strength and size. Strength and size are just a part of athleticism. Speed, quickness, leaping ability, and all that other stuff still plays a major role in determing how athletic one is.
I know, but it's not about posessing all the characteristics. If you had to posess all of them then the list of athletes in the NBA would be miniscule at best. It's about having enough of one or more of them to give you a significant physical advantage over the other players in the NBA. That's what makes you an athletic player. Oh and BTW earlier in his career, Shaq moved very very well for a man his size.
Last edited by The Answer : 01-25-2007 at 07:42 PM.
Prime Shaq was very agile, and for his size and weight, very quick. Can't stand the guy but there's no doubt whether he was a freak athlete or not. I guarantee you put on the 300+ pounds that Shaq carries and you wouldn't be able to get out of bed let alone run up and down a basketball court, throw down oops, pull off spin moves, etc.
what are you talking about? at 7'1 / 250 i too would jump and spin on people. fast? what's fast? he was never fast and quick and give him the ball outside the paint and create like say a 7' dirk. shaq is great but not athletic.
rephrase: shaq is huge but not athletic
that is stupidest post ever... Shaq is one of the greatest athletes to ever play in the NBA. Definately top 5.
i hope you're talking about big men, then i would agree...
like i said, i am not trying to down play shaq as an athlete. the focus has shifted on skill. i like him and still do. but in relation to all big men with big names, where is he skill wise? that's all
By the time he got down court on a fast break, the other team had already gotten into their defensive set. Still didn't stop him from ringing up a ton of assists though.
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Guessing you've never saw him in his younger days.I recall on play,when he suited up for the clips, he bounced it to himself and reversed dunked it.Ol' boy wasnt a slouch athletically.
