Is Michael Jordan era less talented, than today NBA?

[Takes Two To Tango]

This quote by Anthony Edwards made me wonder about this.

"I didn't watch it back in the day so I can't speak on it," he said. "They say it was tougher back then than it is now, but I don't think anybody had skill back then. [Michael Jordan] was the only one that really had skill, you know what I mean? So that's why when they saw Kobe [Bryant], they were like, 'Oh, my God.' But now everybody has skill."

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10132495-anthony-edwards-michael-jordan-was-only-nba-player-with-skill-in-older-generations

 

[Sweater of AV]

CANt is gassed from making that statement. Guys were playing in a more physical era with actual defense, skill, and no load management. People played all 82 games instead of maybe 60-70.

Hell, Hakeem is still the most talented and technically sound big man of all time.



The league doesn't even play defense anymore. It's easy to look good against pylons. This was their defensive gameplan.




Hell, even star players don't know how to play basic defense.

 

[mjmj]

Thats a remarkedly stupid comment from Edwards. Almost have to assume he’s just trolling for attention.

 

[Croaker]

Its not even debatable that the NBA is more talented today. The talent pool is world wide and the players get better coaching from a younger age.

 

[Madmick]

 

[Takes Two To Tango]

Thats a remarkedly stupid comment from Edwards. Almost have to assume he’s just trolling for attention.

Probably. It's obvious there was more talented players than just Michael Jordan. But do you think the talent pool is larger in today NBA?

 

[Takes Two To Tango]

Its not even debatable that the NBA is more talented today. The talent pool is world wide and the players get better coaching from a younger age.

That's a valid point.

 

[PRESIDENT TRUMP]

During Jordan's reign, the league was only a decade beyond being a niche sport.
It's become a global game since then, with a significantly larger talent pool. You'd have to be a retarded boomer to think that less people playing a younger sport = more talent than more people playing a more evolved sport.

Nostalgia is a helluva drug

 

[mjmj]

Probably. It's obvious there was more talented players than just Michael Jordan. But do you think the talent pool is larger in today NBA?

Of course its larger today, by a large margin. The amount of talent will always increase as a sport develops. Except for maybe WMMA it seems.

 

[Takes Two To Tango]

During Jordan's reign, the league was only a decade beyond being a niche sport.
It's become a global game since then, with a significantly larger talent pool. You'd have to be a retarded boomer to think that less people playing a younger sport = more talent than more people playing a more evolved sport.

Nostalgia is a helluva drug

You would think they are more talented players now in comparison. It's just the game changed a lot since Jordan days. The way the refs call it now. They call fouls for smallest/trivial things now. Back then it was very physical game.

 

[PRESIDENT TRUMP]

You would think they are more talented players now in comparison. It's just the game changed a lot since Jordan days. The way the refs call it now. They call fouls for smallest/trivial things now. Back then it was very physical game.

Incorrect. Once again, either Nostalgia or the the old heads have skewed your perception.

When Jordan entered the league, there were almost 10 more FTA per game than now. That's a 33% decrease in today's game

NBA League Averages - Per Game | Basketball-Reference.com

NBA League Averages - Per Game

www.basketball-reference.com

One could argue that the game is played with less physicality due to increased perimeter play (increased skill) but Jordan took free throws when a player farted within 100 yards of him.

 

[Takes Two To Tango]

Incorrect. Once again, either Nostalgia or the the old heads have skewed your perception.

When Jordan entered the league, there were almost 10 more FTA per game than now. That's a 33% decrease in today's game

NBA League Averages - Per Game | Basketball-Reference.com

NBA League Averages - Per Game

www.basketball-reference.com

One could argue that the game is played with less physicality due to increased perimeter play (increased skill) but Jordan took free throws when a player farted within 100 yards of him.

I didn't say that there less talented players now. I was actually agreeing with you. No way that I'm skewed by the past due to nostalgia. I think the league has evolved and talent pool is much larger now. A lot better players overall. Although they had anomalies back in the day like Jordan and Olajuwon.

But the game has changed though in terms of how physical and in your face they use to play. Now the refs call almost anything now. Not necessarily free throws. Just calling fouls to keep it from getting too physical.

Do you think Curry would have scored more points during Jordan era?

 

[Nizam al-Mulk]

You'd have to be a retarded boomer to think that less people playing a younger sport = more talent than more people playing a more evolved sport.

Talent is a very random thing. With the potential talent pool of Pakistan they should smash countries like Iceland, Denmark and Hungary in soccer. There is no way that not a lot of people tried to play soccer in Pakistan. The NBA is different, i am not sure i would call it more evolved.

Of course its larger today, by a large margin. The amount of talent will always increase as a sport develops.

The amount of people that try out a sport does, does that translate into pro talent? Not always.

Its not even debatable that the NBA is more talented today. The talent pool is world wide and the players get better coaching from a younger age.

AAU? Are you sure? Can those people even coach the young princelings?

 

[FyrFytr998]

I think that Edward’s statements come from a young generation that start to specialize in a singular sport at an earlier age. A lot of parents out there thinking their kid is the next great prodigy and have them focus one being good at one thing.

 

[Possum Jenkins]

More offensive talent, yes. Just about everyone can shoot now and most can handle the ball. Even the 11th and 12th men.

But in Jordan's era there was more defense. Hard to call that "talent" so maybe "effort" is a better term.

So it's more or less a wash.

 

[Madmick]

Incorrect. Once again, either Nostalgia or the the old heads have skewed your perception.

When Jordan entered the league, there were almost 10 more FTA per game than now. That's a 33% decrease in today's game

NBA League Averages - Per Game | Basketball-Reference.com

NBA League Averages - Per Game

www.basketball-reference.com

One could argue that the game is played with less physicality due to increased perimeter play (increased skill) but Jordan took free throws when a player farted within 100 yards of him.

No, he's right. Joakim Noah even raged about this. They call ticky-tack bullshit.

Jordan came into the league in 1984. Yes, they averaged more free throws: 29.4 per game. However, that's because offenders were so much more frequently challenging the rim. Fouls on 3PT shots have always been incredibly rare. They only averaged 3.1 3PTA that season out of 89.1 FGA. So the 29.4 FTA were on 86.0 2PTA. That's a 34.2% ratio.

Meanwhile, last year, they averaged only 21.7 FTA (down from 23.5 the year before), on 88.8 FGA, but a whopping 35.1 3PTA. So those free throw attempts were against just 53.7 2PTA. That's a 40.4% ratio. That's far, far, far more free throws per shot when you exclude shots that generate so few fouls.

 

[Unknown Pleasures]

On the whole the players are obviously more talented now. One can argue that games are officiated differently now than then and have your opinions on that, which is fine; as is thoughts on toughness and grit. But it doesn't change the obvious fact that overall players are more talented now than ever.

The sport has evolved in terms of style and strategy, global popularity (seen top 5 candidates this past year ALL being foreign players), the money has continued to pour into the sport, coaching talent has increased from the ramp up of the sport, analytics have increased, training and nutrition is an a completely superior level now compared to before, just about everything.

 

[Nizam al-Mulk]

On the whole the players are obviously more talented now. One can argue that games are officiated differently now than then and have your opinions on that, which is fine; as is thoughts on toughness and grit. But it doesn't change the obvious fact that overall players are more talented now than ever.

The sport has evolved in terms of style and strategy, global popularity (seen top 5 candidates this past year ALL being foreign players), the money has continued to pour into the sport, coaching talent has increased from the ramp up of the sport, analytics have increased, training and nutrition is an a completely superior level now compared to before, just about everything.

Training is superiror with 12 year olds switching coaches at AAU?

 

[volodya]

Training is superiror with 12 year olds switching coaches at AAU?

Yes. What is hard to believe about that? It makes alot of a sense.

 

[Nizam al-Mulk]

Yes. What is hard to believe about that? It makes alot of a sense.

Really 12 year olds should be running teams? It will work out great for American teams long term?