As far as today's players being "stronger" and "more advanced", that is so far from the truth. When you look at the different growth hormones in today's food and nutrition, naturally they will have more mass. Society as a whole is larger than before. Farmers, and meat producers all across the United States inject these same hormones in their animals, and meat, which impacts the weight of this country. They have also used high-volume ways to produce more crops with chemistry methods that are unheard of. The end result is a food supply that has been distorted, and tainted by toxic, disease-causing chemicals. Unfortunately, the NBA's drug testing policy is an absolute joke. Human Growth Hormones (HGH) have been completely running wild in all areas of sports (high school, college, and pros). Studies have shown, that although HGH can increase muscle size, it does not increase strength. There is also a "Who's Who?" of performance enhancers that help the recovery rate, and endurance of players today. In fact, the very best players could be using these enhancers, but it is often swept under the carpet. Chicago Bulls 2011 MVP Derrick Rose even came out publicly, and admitted in ESPN magazine that PED's were a huge issue in the NBA. I believe there is more than enough evidence.
Size (Height/Weight):
The last 20 years alone have seen a major inflation in weight: (1991-2011)
Ideal weight: 171-181
Actual weight: 180-196
Weight of Perimeter Players (Jordan Era)
Michael Jordan: 195-215
Clyde Drexler: 215-222
James Worthy: 220-225
Magic Johnson: 215-220
Larry Bird: 220-230
Dominique Wilkins: 215-230
Michael Cooper: 175
John Stockton: 175
Weight of Perimeter Players (Modern Era):
Kobe Bryant: 200-210
Dwyane Wade: 212-220
Kevin Durant: 215-230
Carmelo Anthony: 220-235
LeBron James: 240-250
Danny Granger: 225
James Harden: 220
Derrick Rose: 190
Russell Westbrook: 187
Weight of Big Men (Jordan Era):
Shaquille O'Neal: 300-325
Hakeem Olajuwon: 250-255
David Robinson: 240-255
Patrick Ewing: 240-255
Karl Malone: 250-265
Alonzo Mourning: 240-250
Weight of Big Men (Modern Era):
Tyson Chandler: 240
Roy Hibbert: 278
Dwight Howard: 250-260
Andrew Bynum: 285
Marc Gasol: 265
Pau Gasol: 240-250
The lighter weights are what they were measure at during draft time.
Now, that I have explained the weight of today's athletes, let's move on to the height. During the Jordan era, there were many taller players at the time. In fact, 1987 is considered the tallest year in NBA history. (Average height: 6'8")
Here are a list of players at the time who were within that range:
Interior Defenders (Big Men) 6'9"-above:
Manute Bol (7'6")
Ralph Sampson (7'4")
Mark Eaton (7'4")
Artis Gilmore (7'4")
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (7'2")
Robert Parrish (7'1")
Bill Cartwright (7'1")
Sam Bowie (7'1")
Patrick Ewing (7'0")
Brad Daugherty (7'0")
Alton Lister (7'0")
Brad Sellers (7'0")
Kevin Willis (7'0")
Kevin Duckworth (7'0")
Joe Barry Carroll (7'0")
Hakeem Olajuwon (7'0") (Closer to 6'11")
Jack Sikma (6'11")
Caldwell Jones (6'11")
Bill Lambeer (6'11")
John Salley (6'11")
Rick Mahorn (6'10")
Tom Chambers (6'10")
Moses Malone (6'10")
Larry Nance (6'10")
Otis Thorpe (6'10")
Karl Malone (6'9")
Charles Oakley (6'9")
Terry mings (6'9")
Players 6'7"-above:
Larry Bird (6'9")
Magic Johnson (6'9")
James Worthy (6'9")
Dominique Wilkins (6'8")
Jerome Kersey (6'8")
Chuck Person (6'8")
Julius Erving (6'7")
Clyde Drexler (6'7")
Alex English (6'7")
Dennis Rodman (6'7")
Jerome Kersey (6'7")
Xavier McDaniel (6'7")
Chris Mullin (6'7")
Reggie Theus (6'7")
Players within Jordan's range (6'6"-under):
Mark Aguirre (6'6")
Gerald Wilkins (6'6")
Rolando Blackmon (6'6")
Michael Cooper (6'5")
Charles Barkley (6'5") (Barkley was a hybrid PF)
Michael Ray Richardson (6'5")
Joe Dumars (6'4")
Terry Porter (6'3")
John Stockton (6'1")
Here are the players to come since that time:
Shawn Bradley (7'6")
Rik Smits (7'4")
Dikembe Mutombo (7'2")
David Robinson (7'1")
Shaquille O'Neal (7'1")
Vlade Divac (7'1")
Tim Duncan (7'0")
Dirk Nowitzki (7'0")
Kevin Garnett (6'11")
Marcus Camby (6'11")
Alonzo Mourning (6'10")
Shawn Kemp (6'10")
Chris Webber (6'9")
Cliff Robinson (6'9")
Sean Elliott (6'8")
Grant Hill (6'8")
Jamal Mashburn (6'8")
Glen Rice (6'7")
Shawn Marion (6'7")
Calbert Chaney (6'7")
Steve Smith (6'7")
Dale Ellis (6'7")
Anthony Mason (6'7")
Larry Johnson (6'7") (Hybrid PF like Barkley)
Penny Hardaway (6'7")
Reggie Miller (6'7")
Bryon Russell (6'7")
Bruce Bowen (6'7")
Reggie Lewis (6'7")
Nick Anderson (6'6")
Dan Majerle (6'6")
Eddie Jones (6'6")
Mitch Richmond (6'5")
Ray Allen (6'5")
Adrian Dantley (6'5")
Gary Payton (6'4")
Vernon Maxwell (6'4")
Dennis Johnson (6'4")
Hersey Hawkins (6'3")
Kevin Johnson (6'1")
Allen Iverson (6'0")
Tim Hardaway (6'0")
*Note: Not everyone on this list necessarily played in the Jordan Era, but they are at least honorable mention.
Today's Average NBA Height: (6'6")
Big Men/Interior Defenders (6'9-above):
Roy Hibbert (7'2")
Tyson Chandler (7'1")
Marc Gasol (7'1")
Javale McGee (7'0")
Andrew Bynum (7'0")
Pau Gasol (7'0")
Brook Lopez (7'0")
Joakim Noah (6'11")
Nene Hilario (6'11")
LaMarcus Aldridge (6'11")
Andray Blatche (6'11")
Jeff Foster (6'11")
Chris Bosh (6'11")
Dwight Howard (6'10")
Al Jefferson (6'10")
Amare Stoudemire (6'10")
Kevin Love (6'10")
Serge Ibaka (6'10")
Kendrick Perkins (6'10")
Al Horford (6'10")
Blake Griffin (6'9")
David West (6'9")
Joel Anthony (6'9")
Perimeter Players:
Kevin Durant (6'10")
LeBron James (6'8")
Danny Granger (6'8")
Paul George (6'8")
Carmelo Anthony (6'7")
Kobe Bryant (6'6")
James Harden (6'5")
Dwyane Wade (6'4")
Derrick Rose (6'3")
Russell Westbrook (6'3")
Deron Williams (6'3")
Tony Parker (6'2")
Rajon Rondo (6'1")
Chris Paul (6'0")
Players at the time were very balanced in athleticism, and size. There were fewer hormones in the food and milk during the 1980s/1990s. Many players were leaner during that time, because there weren't so many different instant, fast food options during the time. Weight training was different, but not that much different from today's time. It is not like these players were from the George Mikan 40s/50s. Even though society has gotten taller, the NBA itself has gotten shorter and heavier than before. That is definitely not a good thing if you are a basketball player. With that said, the lack of height further negates that today's players are "bigger". Shaq was the one exception from that time, and you know how things went down when it came to his weight. (Side note: Add in the beating that Shaq took during that time) If LeBron was born in 1959, and was drafted in 1979, he would be at least an inch shorter and at least 25 pounds heavier. He would be built like Clyde Drexler. These advancements in medicine, weight training, etc HAVE NOT guaranteed today's players to be more athletic.
Actually having to try on defense and move the ball as a team instead of watching one guy chuck and passing off hard fouls as defense tends to decrease players' stamina, tbh.Not to mention, the entire league has copied Pop's style in term's of resting players, however, these other guys are young and in their prime. #NoStaminaAssociation
'90s iso-thugball
He was as good as all-star Dana Barros.Also, Jordan was still averaging 20 a game at 38 and 39
Though when the hack-a-strategy comes into play, it's basically admitting "we can't stop you defensively"Actually having to try on defense and move the ball as a team instead of watching one guy chuck and passing off hard fouls as defense tends to decrease players' stamina, tbh.
And Blake Griffin doesn't play defense, and yet has terrible stamina and is barely in his prime. Please Try another theory
Trying =/= being good at it.And Blake Griffin doesn't play defense, and yet has terrible stamina and is barely in his prime. Please Try another theory
That's not what you originally said. You said trying (at all) would lead to a stamina decrease. Griffin doesn't even try, so what's his excuse? Keep backpedaling.
That's not what you originally said. You said trying (at all) would lead to a stamina decrease. Griffin doesn't even try, so what's his excuse? Keep backpedaling.
Oooh no he didn't!Though when the hack-a-strategy comes into play, it's basically admitting "we can't stop you defensively"
No, I consider it trying on defense when one doesn't get their dookie hole pushed in by Josh "The Cancer" Smith.
Ewing was their franchise player...
So if that were the case, Blake still gets his asshole diddled by a watered down from the 90's. Says alot about Blake
Nice.No. We were led out of the darkness and rescued from a world of Celtic mysticism & tyranny & ushered into a future brighter than anything we could imagine.
I'm the shadow.
So if that were the case, Blake still gets his asshole diddled by a watered down from the 90's. Says alot about Blake
To be honest Ewing would bust these Centers ass out there today, any of them. I would put Rik Smits up against most of these bums today. Can you imagine an athletic D ROB in his prime against these guys today with that skillset? Forget it. Hakeem would have a field day.
Last edited by Sean Cagney; 05-21-2015 at 09:23 PM.
Not a Ewing fan at all. A choker is a choker.
lol people calling Ewing a chokerDid you see his supporting cast
Yeah he could choke, but there is not a Center out there today IMO who is really worth fearing. Howard is not exactly clutch by any means nor is Jordan and you got Marc Gasol getting shut down by Draymond Green in a closeout game. Those are your Centers today, the worst of any Era IMO.
lol people calling Ewing a chokerDid you see his supporting castThe Knicks made the Finals without him
Im pretty sure he was referring to the pre LJ-Spree-Houston era
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