There is real generational disrespect between some of the players currently (or recently) in the NBA and those that have gone before. The most famous example was broadcaster-turned-Lakers-coach J.J. Redick saying legendary 1960s Celtics guard Bob Cousey “was being guarded by plumbers and firemen.”
The latest was Timberwolves star and newly minted gold medalist Anthony Edwards, who talked about the different generations of players via the Wall Street Journal.
“I didn’t watch it back in the day, so I can’t speak on it. 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.”
Jordan was only playing in the 1980s and 90s, those “non-skilled” players he went against are still alive. One of them who had a lot of skill, Magic Johnson, fired back while speaking to Stephen A,. Smith:
“I don’t never respond to a guy that’s never won a championship. There’s not nothing to really say. He didn’t win a college championship. I don’t even know if he won a high school championship.”
Edwards did win a high school championship, but that doesn’t change the point — Magic has a good beef here. And a resume to back it up.
Kevin Garnett added this on his Ticket and The Truth podcast with Paul Pierce:
“If I’m being honest, bro, I don’t think anybody in this generation could have played like 20 years ago. If I’m being 100, and this is to Ant, this is to everybody in our league — Tatum, all y’all — let me tell y’all something, bro. Twenty years ago, bro, you couldn’t get to a triple step back. You hear what I’m saying to you? You couldn’t get to a triple step back. And then if you shot that s***, it had to go in. You know why? Because we had efficiency, back in the day, my dude, and it was so f****** hard. It was too physical, and guess what? The league had to come off of it for the flow of movement to be able to have scoring go up, which is why we like to sit here and watch kind of the rat race of the high-paced game right now.”
Today’s players are generally bigger/stronger/faster than 40-60 years ago, which is true across all sports. (Do you want to put the 1965 New York Giants offensive line out to protect a quarterback? That line had Hall of Famer Rosey Brown, who was 6'3" 255, the average offensive lineman in the NFL last year was 6'3" but 314 pounds and very mobile). Today’s athletes have access to better training techniques (and the science of training), diet information, sleep patterns and more.
That said, the players of previous generations had mad skills. Magic might be the best passer the game has ever seen and had five rings to prove it. Anyone who thinks legends of the past like Connie Hawkins or “Pistol” Pete Maravich or Dominque Wilkins or Hakeem Olajuwon or Tim Duncan didn’t have skills needs some education. Another very skilled player, Isiah Thomas, blames “The Last Dance” documentary.
Propaganda works, so be careful what you choose to believe. https://t.co/A2fJvxDlmd
— Isiah Thomas (@IsiahThomas) August 20, 2024
That said, the players of today could have adjusted to the physical play and been a problem the way the players of past years could have adjusted to the way the game is called today. Certain eras prioritize certain skill sets, based on how the game is called, but great players can always adapt.
Edwards has plenty of skills, but he’s standing on the shoulders of very skilled players of the past. He’ll understand that someday.
