Whos the most athletic player in NBA now?

[SpursWillOwn]

Big: Amare followed by Dwight
Swingmen: LeBron he can posterize anyone and is big+fast just not very quick
Guard: Monta Ellis!! he can fly and glideeeee
Smalls: Nate Robinson man he's explosive

[JamStone]

LeBron, Gerald Wallace, Josh Smith, Tyrus Thomas, Hakim Warrick

[Thunder Dan]

Big: Amare followed by Dwight
Swingmen: LeBron he can posterize anyone and is big+fast just not very quick
Guard: Monta Ellis!! he can fly and glideeeee
Smalls: Nate Robinson man he's explosive


Lebron not quick :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol

I think he wins the survey by players in the league every year as being the quickest. I know he won it in SI not too long ago

[BUMP]

i have to say Lebron. strentgh, 4.4 speed (according to some commentators), and obviously the hops.

as far as the bigs go i want to give Samuel Dalembert some love. i heard from somebody that he used to play soccer in Africa so he is pretty quick, and he can also touch the top of the backboard which is crazy.

[SpursWillOwn]

Lebron not quick :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol

I think he wins the survey by players in the league every year as being the quickest. I know he won it in SI not too long ago

he always get killed by leandro barbosa :wtf

[Rip-Hamilton32]

dwight howard, josh smith, tyrus tomas, gerald green and lebron

[MrChug]

I think the players that can do anything with their bodies get my vote.

I loved how Kobe givin love to Lebron said something to the effect of "I think he mocks us the way he can runnin top speed on a dunk then stop on a dime" (imagine his dunks and the way he just stares at the crowd perfectly still after a dunk).

I'd give a vote for Manu the way he can do anything at any speed and still be in control.

Vince of 5 years ago would get my vote then.

But Kobe can do anything he wants physically...#1.

[big3bigD]

1. Josh Smith
2. Kobe
3. Amare
4. Steve Nash
5. Manu Ginobili

[stretch]

1. Josh Smith
2. Kobe
3. Amare
4. Steve Nash
5. Manu Ginobili
You must be joking on the last two.

[big3bigD]

no joke. athleticism is not only jumping the highest or running the fastest. I also considered throwing Dirk in there. Nash could have played professional soccer if he had so chosen, Ginobili as well. Dirk was a pro tennis and handball player before he chose basketball. Barbosa also almost made my list. Ginobili's body is breaking down, but he can do some amazing things when healthy. Devin Harris coes to mind also.

[monosylab1k]

IMO athleticism and hand-eye-foot coordination are two different things.

[big3bigD]

IMO athleticism and hand-eye-foot coordination are two different things.

IMO we have very different ideas of what an athlete is.

[monosylab1k]

IMO we have very different ideas of what an athlete is.
the next time handball skills are applicable in the NBA i might consider including Dirk on this list. until then...

[monosylab1k]

let's get some ballerinas into the NBA. their body control immediately makes them super NBA athletes.

[big3bigD]

the next time handball skills are applicable in the NBA i might consider including Dirk on this list. until then...

until then... we will continue to have VERY different ideas of what constitutes an athlete.

I am speaking of the best all around athletes, not who has the most NBA applicable skill set.

[big3bigD]

let's get some ballerinas into the NBA. their body control immediately makes them super NBA athletes.


You are now being clownish and confrontational. There have been many NFL players who have taken ballet as a means to improve balance and coordination. Mostly running backs, most notably Hershel Walker and Marshall Faulk. There have even been several linemen that have done so.

[monosylab1k]

You are now being clownish and confrontational. There have been many NFL players who have taken ballet as a means to improve balance and coordination. Mostly running backs, most notably Hershel Walker and Marshall Faulk. There have even been several linemen that have done so.
Good for them. are any of them professional ballerinas?

using ballet to help improve footwork isn't the point. there's hundreds of ways to improve footwork.

it's the ridiculous notion that being a great handball player immediately puts you at the same athletic level of Lebron James even though Dirk clearly is not.

[ambchang]

Jabbar took yoga courses to improve his agility.

[big3bigD]

Good for them. are any of them professional ballerinas?

using ballet to help improve footwork isn't the point. there's hundreds of ways to improve footwork.

it's the ridiculous notion that being a great handball player immediately puts you at the same athletic level of Lebron James even though Dirk clearly is not.

It's equally ridiculous to immediately discount skills in any other sport that is not the NBA. I never put Dirk in my list, just mentioned that his being a pro at two other sports (most notably tennis, which is extremely difficult) makes Dirk an excellent athlete. I purposely put that in there to force perople like yourself to think a little bit. Dirk is obviously not the best athlete in the league, but the point is that his wide range of skills in many areas/sports and his unique size justify his being in the conversation, even if he isn't the most obvious choice.

by your definition, Carl Lewis must be the greatest athlete of his time, since he can run so fast.

As I said before, athleticism is not only running the fastest or jumping the highest.

Where we seem to differ is that I speak of general athleticism, and you seem focused only on the NBA application of it.

[monosylab1k]

Where we seem to differ is that I speak of general athleticism, and you seem focused only on the NBA application of it.
WTF are we talking about this for then? if we're discussing NBA players you'd think we'd be discussion their athletic ability IN THE NBA. seriously, who gives a fuck if some slapdick at the end of the Milwaukee Bucks bench is also a great ping-pong player as well as an excellent golfer and professional bowler.....that would immediately vault him to the top of your list but it would just be stupid to call him one of the best athletes in the NBA.

and again, athleticism and great hand-eye coordination aren't synonymous. if they were, John Daly would be a great athlete.

[JMarkJohns]

Quickest: either Parker or Barbosa (Throw in Iverson and I'd pay good money to see them race the 100, 200 and a variation of the hurdles)

Highest vertical: either Josh Smith or Nate Robinson (Smith can leap out of the rim, Robinson can dunk, but struggles off the dribble or in traffic. Tough to say.)

Quickest re-leaper: Marion (Man has legs like pogosticks)

Explosion: James (Wade is a close second, but I think that nobody explodes in traffic to the rim faster than James)

Best combination of all-round: either Gerald Wallace or Andre Iguodala (I think Andre has the most physical skills of any player in the League. Wallce is very, very close. Toss James' name into the hat, and you'll draw a winner every time. I still feel that for a combination of quickness, leap, releap, and explosion, Andre is tops).

[Medvedenko]

I would pick....
Gerald Wallace
Dwight Howard (for a big, he can move)
Kobe (Sentimental reasons...probably not as athletic as he has been but....)
D Wade...(When not hurt)
Lebron (for his size, he's got great mobility)
Sasha V....(ok, just kidding)

[big3bigD]

WTF are we talking about this for then? if we're discussing NBA players you'd think we'd be discussion their athletic ability IN THE NBA. seriously, who gives a fuck if some slapdick at the end of the Milwaukee Bucks bench is also a great ping-pong player as well as an excellent golfer and professional bowler.....that would immediately vault him to the top of your list but it would just be stupid to call him one of the best athletes in the NBA.

and again, athleticism and great hand-eye coordination aren't synonymous. if they were, John Daly would be a great athlete.

You are really not response worthy at this point, but I must point out that tennis and soccer are much different than bowling, ping pong, golf, schuffle-board, NASCAR driving or whatever other ridiculous example that you can muster. (Tiger Woods, by the way IS a great athlete)

MONO: the NBA is surely the only test of a man's athletic ability. Charles Barkley is one of the best athletes in world history.

[big3bigD]

Forgot about Andre Iguodala. He pushes out Ginobili on my list.

[big3bigD]

Quickest: either Parker or Barbosa (Throw in Iverson and I'd pay good money to see them race the 100, 200 and a variation of the hurdles)

Highest vertical: either Josh Smith or Nate Robinson (Smith can leap out of the rim, Robinson can dunk, but struggles off the dribble or in traffic. Tough to say.)

Quickest re-leaper: Marion (Man has legs like pogosticks)

Explosion: James (Wade is a close second, but I think that nobody explodes in traffic to the rim faster than James)

Best combination of all-round: either Gerald Wallace or Andre Iguodala (I think Andre has the most physical skills of any player in the League. Wallce is very, very close. Toss James' name into the hat, and you'll draw a winner every time. I still feel that for a combination of quickness, leap, releap, and explosion, Andre is tops).

I think that Josh Howard is right up there with Marion in the Re-Leaper category.

[monosylab1k]

(Tiger Woods, by the way IS a great athlete)
how could you possibly know this? he's only a professional in one sport.

[monosylab1k]

again, the next time Steve Nash's ability to kick a soccer ball enables him to dominate on both ends of a basketball court, I'll consider him a Kobe-level athlete.

[monosylab1k]

MONO: the NBA is surely the only test of a man's athletic ability. Charles Barkley is one of the best athletes in world history.
BIG3BIGD: the point of the entire fucking thread passed me by before i made my first post.

[Switchman]

how could you possibly know this? he's only a professional in one "sport".

Fixed :elephant

[TheNextGen]

Its hard between Kobe and Lebron, cuz Lebron seems to leap so high and slam so hard and fast, BUT Kobe seems like he can hang in the air and tweek his body to get some crazy dunk that Lebron cant probably do.

Anyone else thinking this too?

[stretch]

Fixed :elephant
have you ever played Golf? if you have, you would know just how much skill, practice, and time it truly takes to be any good at that game. a hell of a lot more than basketball, football, or just about any other sport around. it may not be an athletic sport, but i respect the things that golfers can do just as much (if not more) as what football and basketball players can do. golf probably epitomizes what finesse is in the sports world.

[stretch]

Its hard between Kobe and Lebron, cuz Lebron seems to leap so high and slam so hard and fast, BUT Kobe seems like he can hang in the air and tweek his body to get some crazy dunk that Lebron cant probably do.

Anyone else thinking this too?
give me lebron. he can do all the things kobe does, but is bigger, stronger, faster, and can jump higher. just because kobe may be able to do a dunk that lebron cant (which I highly doubt), doesnt make him a better athlete.

[dallaskd]

Chris Paul. Close it up

[dallaskd]

Iggy is more explosive than Lebron

[dallaskd]

Wade gets my vote for 2nd

[ALVAREZ6]

Gerald Green is very athletic.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6294233291958923403&q=gerald+green&total=438&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0

[ALVAREZ6]

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6294233291958923403&q=gerald+green&total=438&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0

[dallaskd]

chris paul. green is an overrated dunker.

[dallaskd]

Pops Mensah-Bonsu is more than athletic than pretty much all mentioned

[stretch]

Pops Mensah-Bonsu is more than athletic than pretty much all mentioned
as funny as it sounds to some people, its pretty true. in terms of athleticism, people say he is about on the same level as Amare Stoudemire. the guy is an absolute freak. he just doesnt know how to play the game, and doesnt have the talents to be a well known player. but athletically, he is actually one of the most gifted players in the league.

[dallaskd]

Dj Mbenga and pops mensah bonsu might be in the top 10 list of most athletic ballers, they just cant translate that into good basketball skills

[MrChug]

I'm stickin with total body control when considering total athleticism and what's amazing is that Lebron can do whatever he wants physically and he's carrying around 260 pounds! That's alot of weight. With that said, the things Shaq could do at his size was athletically amazing, and at 7'1" what D-Rob could do athletically amazing. Shawn Kemp was amazing Kobe's today's #1 bcuz there's nothing he can't do on the court.

[mavs>spurs2]

I'm stickin with total body control when considering total athleticism and what's amazing is that Lebron can do whatever he wants physically and he's carrying around 260 pounds! That's alot of weight. With that said, the things Shaq could do at his size was athletically amazing, and at 7'1" what D-Rob could do athletically amazing. Shawn Kemp was amazing Kobe's today's #1 bcuz there's nothing he can't do on the court.

:lol except win

[MrChug]

:lol except win

Funny quote coming from a Mavfan.

[mavs>spurs2]

Yea it would all be different had we kept all time great Nick Van Excel :rolleyes

[Roxsfan]

Dikembe Mutombo. :elephant

[monosylab1k]

you have to be a handball star to be a top level NBA athlete

[MrChug]

Yea it would all be different had we kept all time great Nick Van Excel :rolleyes

You'll never know...and still don't. :lol :lol :lol

[DOMINATOR]

Josh Smith - insanely athletic... skills arent as sharp and refined for bball.
lebron
AI2
kobe
wade
dwight howard

[Xylus]

Iguodala, Amare, Kobe, Lebron, Wade...

[Medvedenko]

give me lebron. he can do all the things kobe does, but is bigger, stronger, faster, and can jump higher. just because kobe may be able to do a dunk that lebron cant (which I highly doubt), doesnt make him a better athlete.

Just not score as well, or play defense, and I guarantee Kobe is faster one end of the court to the next....probably can jump higher, but has young legs...let's wait until he's in his 11th year.

[DOMINATOR]

Just not score as well, or play defense, and I guarantee Kobe is faster one end of the court to the next....probably can jump higher, but has young legs...let's wait until he's in his 11th year.
dude it's most athletic player. not the best player.

[Medvedenko]

Thanks...I forgot the intent of this forum...I still think Kobe is a better athlete than Lebron...he's lost 20lbs from the end of last season. He's quicker and more agile than he's been in the last 3 years. It should be sweet seeing him and Lebron with Kidd during the olympics. Finally some ball to watch. I'm so jacked for the olympics..

[z0sa]

i dont see a reason to ever watch Team USA again after they couldnt defend a simple fucking pick and roll, the most basic play of basketball period other than perhaps the jumpshot.

[Cry Havoc]

Finally some ball to watch.

Since obviously there is a dearth of real "ball" during the NBA season for Laker fans these days.... :lol

[Oh, Gee!!]

LeBron, Amare, Parker, DWade

[stretch]

Just not score as well, or play defense, and I guarantee Kobe is faster one end of the court to the next....probably can jump higher, but has young legs...let's wait until he's in his 11th year.
Look at the name of the thread genius... we are talking about NOW. Not 7 or 8 years from now.

[MONTENEGRINO]

Kobe, VC, Dwight, Amare, LeBrick, Iguadala

[Rip-Hamilton32]

green is an overrated dunker.

i heard that he could grab a quarter from the top of the backboard, so i donno about that

[z0sa]

i heard that he could grab a quarter from the top of the backboard, so i donno about that

WOW, thats amazing and all, but what the fuck does that have to do with dunking?

see, i could jump over the backboard but does that mean I can dunk well? No dumbass. Just because you're athletic doesn't mean you are a badass dunker.

[TheSanityAnnex]

It was tough for me, and I could only think of two that really stood out.




























































1. Brad Miller
2. Shawn Bradley

[big3bigD]

"Playing both ends of the basketball court effectively" is the only way to measure athletic ability. Bruce Bowen is the most athletic man in the world.

[Rip-Hamilton32]

WOW, thats amazing and all, but what the fuck does that have to do with dunking?

see, i could jump over the backboard but does that mean I can dunk well? No dumbass. Just because you're athletic doesn't mean you are a badass dunker.

lol well he is a badass dunker so stfu

[TheZackAttack!]

Big Baby Glen Davis

[monosylab1k]

"Playing both ends of the basketball court effectively" is the only way to measure athletic ability. Bruce Bowen is the most athletic man in the world.
nah, he's not a handball star

[big3bigD]

But he does meet the only measure of athletic ability known to science: He plays both ends of the floor on a basketball court.

[monosylab1k]

But he does meet the only measure of athletic ability known to science: He plays both ends of the floor on a basketball court.
yeah but athletic ability on a basketball court doesn't matter when talking about basketball players. it's all about their soccer skills.

[wildchild]

Kobe, Gerald Wallace, Wade, Dwight Howard.

[stretch]

But he does meet the only measure of athletic ability known to science: He plays both ends of the floor on a basketball court.
Okay, this is ridiculous. Big, I've known you for quite a while, and both you and I know that handball and soccer skills are not what this subject is about. In terms of pure athleticism, maybe those guys are among the worlds greatest. but this thread was about athleticism in reference to basketball. in basketball, players athleticism is measured by their jumping ability, speed, strength, and quickness. not hand-eye coordination or soccer ball kicking skills. Nash and Ginobili are not among the leagues best in those regards. They don't come close to guys like Kobe, Lebron, Carmello, Wade, CP3, Iguodala, Howard, etc...