Why is basketball players looked up to as the greatest athletes?

[Glove]

Hockey getting no love eh.

 

[Rampage_Jackson]

They are the most explosive athletes in the world, easily.

 

[frye666]

A huge black athlete is just going to be better. Take it for what it is worth.

 

[I_IZ_BACK]

Former national basket player:

/thread

 

[modulus]

Why "is" basketball players??

 

[0verlord]

Soccer

the fact you called it soccer makes you soo gay

 

[superpunch]

Because everyone plays basketball when they are kids (in the USA).
So if you’re good, you’ll be found and your talent will be developed.

Same with soccer and (American) football.

To some extent, MMA takes specialized training, though not to the extent of golf or tennis.
An MMA fighter can START MMA at age 18, or come in with a wrestling or BJJ base at age 23, and become Top 10.
Nobody could start golf or tennis at age 18 and ever compete at the professional level.

So there are 2 elements.
The raw athleticism and the development of the talent.
Some sports are almost entirely about one, some are a 50/50 mix.

Jimi Manuwa was top 10 and he didn't even start training MMA until he was 27. He had no prior martial arts experience either. He only started MMA at 27 because he was a bodybuilder but ripped his pec and wanted to try another sport.

 

[ventrue]

the fact you called it soccer makes you soo gay

soccer over "futbol", sir, Futbol is corny sounding.

 

[T-Rex arms]

Because people are silly. Hakeem Olajuwon is one of the 4 best centers to ever play the game. In 1993–94, he became the only player in NBA history to win the NBA MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and Finals MVP awards in the same season. (Shaq calls him the best he ever faced.) Hakeem didn't play basketball until he was 17. What sport can you pick up at 17 and dominate?

I'm not knocking the basketball. The NBA was the shit in the 1980s and 90s. Dennis Rodman, with 1990s rules, would chew up LeBron and spit out his bones. A mere human being cannot stand up to the genetic freak that was Rodman. Rodman even cucked the 80lbs heavier Shaq, who throughout his career was used to just walk over people. Rodman, not Jordan, was the real MVP of the 1996 playoff. If any NBA player could have made it in MMA, it's Rodman. He's so much faster and explosive than anyone else in the NBA, and arguably strongest pound for pound. Rodman became the greatest rebounder in NBA history while playing in an era of great big men.

Hakeem started playing basketball at 15, not 17

 

[L.T.]

Pretty sure it's the height and reach.. are they "better athletes" than the stars of baseball or football. No. Not as strong either. NFL CB Josh Norman is jumping over bulls in Pamplona right now. Want to see Lebron try to bunt a 95-mph fastball. No you don't. He would fail 200 straight times. And he'd be scared to try it. You can hear the ball it moves so damn fast. Give Bron some chin-music he'd be scared to step in the box. Jordan wasn't scared he just wasn't very good. Stipe is already repping baseball. Who's repping basketball? James Vick.

If that dude in the wheelchair at the Espys from San Jose can coach prospect f'ing highschool to an 8-2 record he's going to coach in college someday. Wow. They didn't mention that was the worst team in northern california.

 

[RetiredSlave]

Gymnasts and pure endurance athletes for me. Though for the pure endurance, 50% of that is 90% mental if ya n'awm sayin.

 

[0verlord]

soccer over "futbol", sir, Futbol is corny sounding.

Football is a ball kicked with your foot, gay boy.

 

[Muppettoker]

Most people lack the brain power to comprehension this layered reality. I remember some idiotic Nike commercial from the 90s which featured famous athletes competing successfully in different sports (Agassi was playing baseball, etc.). Fact is, they'd all blow because they don't excel at those other sports and excellence is a product of repetition, not divine magic.

As for sumo wrestlers, take a look at their core strength training. It is legitimately badass.

Hakuho moves faster over the initial charge than usain bolt does when sprinting ...apparently

 

[PEDS Help me Post]

Most decorated striker in mma history:

Division II college basketball player:

Spoiler

... Overeem isn't the most decorated striker in MMA history.

He's not even the most decorated striker in HW history.


Semmy Schilt is.

 

[TrainAllDay]

That’s just your insecurity speaking. Nobody said NBA guys are the most athletic lol

 

[GIBLERTBAPTISTA]

Not too familiar with women's sports so can't say for sure

 

[IIIIIIII]

People always assume big black dudes are the best fighters

*uninformed* "People always assume big black dudes are the best fighters".

anyone who has watched even a bit of boxing or mma knows that's ridiculous. i apologize if you were trolling though haha. it's late, so my mind isn't at 100% lol.

 

[MileHigher]

No way a basketball or especially a soccer dude could transition to MLB. Hitting a baseball is one of the hardest things to do in major sports, IMO. We saw how shitty Michael Jordon did. Bo Jackson is different because he grew up playing baseball some, and not transitioning from football to baseball in college or later.

But back on topic basketball players generally have a longer reach and are taller so that is the perfect body type. Tall and lanky guys with good explosion. Shertards are so retarded in this regard.

Just like no baseball player could transition to the NBA or NFL...

All things considered Jordan actually did very well. He was improving rapidly and was actually fairly productive towards the end of his baseball “career”. It was actually pretty impressive if you look at it realistically.

 

[MMACroatia]

Lol basketball
Those pussies throw punches worse than girls

 

[ThunderStruck]

A level athletes with long reach

Basically Jon Jones on steroids

Jon Jones isn't on steroid?