Could the players of the past compete with the players of today?

Could Wilt or Kareem take on Shaq? Can Oscar Robinson keep up with Jason Kidd? Who could guard Garnet or Nowitzki? Players in the past have been held in very high regard with good reason, but could they compete with the athleticism of superstars of today?

 

Yeah on Street volume 2 :thumbsup:

 

LOL.

I love these thread topics. Comparing players that played it different eras. Intelligent....

Could wilt score 50 ppg today?!!?!?!!

lol.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Trail_Blazer76:</div><div class="quote_post">LOL.

I love these thread topics. Comparing players that played it different eras. Intelligent....


lol.</div>

If you don't like it then ignore it, don't need you to come hate on my posts....like a hater.

Posted by Mr. Intelligent

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting CourtVision:</div><div class="quote_post">If you don't like it then ignore it, don't need you to come hate on my posts....like a hater.

Posted by Mr. Intelligent</div>
I don't think he was hating but back on Topic I think there was a Harlem Globetrotter game were old- school players played the new. I may be wrong but I'm sure there was one sometime

 

IMO Opinion these types of questions are unfair. It's very hard to compare 2 eras of any sport.

 

It depends on what era of 'old school' ballers you're considering. The first stars I remember watching are considered 'old school' today, but I think that any of them(the guys from the 80's) could have competed today. I'm not so sure about the guys from the 50's and 60's, who were smaller and slower than today.

But Jordan, Magic, Larry, Chuck, Dream, Kareem, Isiah, the Doctor, Moses, all those guys could compete and excel in today's game. Easily. On the other hand, Oscar, Baylor, West, Russell, all those guys would be too small to play their positions today, so you can't compare them.

 

Hi, this is my first post on this board.

Well, I don't know too much about old-school NBA but I have seen a bit of footage. Although I like to watch the old school stuff & admire many aspects of it, I think that the game has changed so much that the old-school players wouldn't be able to compete with the pros nowadays.

Maybe it really is unfair to judge these two different eras of bball. hmm, is Jordan considered "old-school" though?

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Big Nasty:</div><div class="quote_post">IMO Opinion these types of questions are unfair. It's very hard to compare 2 eras of any sport.</div>


Yea, true but the past players can compete with the present players.

 

Yea I think they can compete, simply on basketball IQ alone. Plus, they players in the past were much better shooters as well as all-around players. Today, there are too many specialists who own glaring deficiencies. So, yes, I think the past can definitely hold their own against todays guys.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Ming637:</div><div class="quote_post">Yea, true but the past players can compete with the present players.</div>


If I were forced to make a choice..I would say from like 1970 back those cats would be overmatched..simple because of the size differential in the various positions...could Mikan guard Shaq? Bob Petitt stop KG? Then you get into guys like Julius Erving..Walt Frazier.. David Thompson...Kareem could definetly compete today...but it's still hard to do because it was different back then..

 

Honestly, I watch a lot of classic games (trust me, I really do) and the majority of those players wouldn't compete today just based on size. i'm not talking about height either. Even when I watch the 80's, I'm like damn!!! didn't they have any sort of weight lifting back then.

That said...anything 80's and up, they could play. It just depends on the type of player...

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting notMuchgame:</div><div class="quote_post">Honestly, I watch a lot of classic games (trust me, I really do) and the majority of those players wouldn't compete today just based on size. i'm not talking about height either. Even when I watch the 80's, I'm like damn!!! didn't they have any sort of weight lifting back then.

That said...anything 80's and up, they could play. It just depends on the type of player...</div>

But then you get into the whole thing of, if players from the past were playing today, wouldn't they train the same way many of todays players train? At least to have the strength to compete? I think so, but they also wouldn't neglect their own training, which makes them smarter players and better shooters.

 

michael
bird
magic
malone
ewing
is that old skool
if it is well yea they'd do great

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting starman85:</div><div class="quote_post">But then you get into the whole thing of, if players from the past were playing today, wouldn't they train the same way many of todays players train? At least to have the strength to compete? I think so, but they also wouldn't neglect their own training, which makes them smarter players and better shooters.</div>

well, i was thinking like if they had a time machine....well, you know what I mean

 

I also see it unfair to compare 2 different eras, with so much more features added to the game. However, I would definetley say the past can compete with the players of today. More team play was played back then, more chemistry, and also not as much problems inside of the team, if their were something wrong, they would pretty much keep it between the team. Though the game is much quicker today, and much more things to look out for, I would take the players who play the game today still, but the past would put up a good fight.

 

Wilt would still be a force to be reckoned with even in todays game I mean he ha good vertical for his size, Quickness fakes, and strength, 275lbs is just fine for todays game, He also is a lot smarter than most of todays centers, He could get them in foul trouble, Based on the fact that in the olden days not many had great athleticism so they HAD to learn the game and play smart, That is why a lot of them could compete with todays game, Becaue a lot of players today rely WAAAYYYYY, to much on thier athletisicm thats why there is no midrange game, Or much TEAM TEAM TEAM ball!!

 

I would take Oscar Robertson over J Kidd anyday....In a season he averaged a triple double.

 

Larry Bird could take on any of those guys today. Heck, he could take them all on at the same time and school them.

No, seriously. He could.