Author Topic: If you had one 'freak' b-ball ability, could you play for the NBA.  (Read 12551 times)

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Offline TitleMaster

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The hypothetical situation here is that one's a regular tall fellow, 6'1" to 6'4", not a giant, and your foot speed is that of a normal person, not LBJ. Your endurance and stamina is ordinary. Your vertical leap is no better than several inches, and perhaps, up to a foot and half, with a lot of leg presses & a long term personal trainer.

Ok, with the above stated, here's your special gift ...

You can take a three pointer at half-court, and hit up to 80% of them. You have the ability to either release it pointing directly at the basket or make it a high arc-ing rainbow jumper. Regardless, you sink them at half-court, 80% of the time.

Now, if you dribble, chances are, the ball will get stolen and thus, you're no traditional NBA player, by anyone's standards. There's no chance of pulling any off-the-dribble or crossover plays, against seasoned ball handlers.

You're effectively, as talented as an ordinary HS varsity player, who's not headed for the NCAA.

Re: If you had one 'freak' b-ball ability, could you play for the NBA.
« Reply #1 on: February 28, 2014, 04:41:37 PM »

Offline D.o.s.

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So you'd be playing college hoops for Grinnell?
At least a goldfish with a Lincoln Log on its back goin' across your floor to your sock drawer has a miraculous connotation to it.

Re: If you had one 'freak' b-ball ability, could you play for the NBA.
« Reply #2 on: February 28, 2014, 04:48:48 PM »

Offline Fafnir

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No.

Re: If you had one 'freak' b-ball ability, could you play for the NBA.
« Reply #3 on: February 28, 2014, 04:49:16 PM »

Offline Fafnir

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So you'd be playing college hoops for Grinnell?
This! Though you could probably do better than that for offers.

Re: If you had one 'freak' b-ball ability, could you play for the NBA.
« Reply #4 on: February 28, 2014, 04:52:31 PM »

Online Donoghus

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Not the NBA.

Maybe the Harlem Globetrotters.


2010 CB Historical Draft - Best Overall Team

Re: If you had one 'freak' b-ball ability, could you play for the NBA.
« Reply #5 on: February 28, 2014, 05:07:24 PM »

Offline TitleMaster

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Think about it, once the opponents discover that you're a freak, then they have to react.

For instance, if Rondo dribbles, and you *hang out* at half-court, it's obvious that a defender (or two) will stick between you and Rondo, knowing perfectly well that a catch and shoot from you, is an 80% basket.

Next, if you're a ball handler, there will be a guy on you immediately, forcing you to either shoot a rainbow 3pt jumper w/o hesitation (since even that's ~75 FG% for you, provide his hand doesn't touch your shooting hand in time), or pass off the ball behind you, and thus, your mere presence, sets a screen.

I think that this will be the best 12th man player for this team.

Re: If you had one 'freak' b-ball ability, could you play for the NBA.
« Reply #6 on: February 28, 2014, 05:38:17 PM »

Offline Nowee

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Yes, but only if your release is faster than that of Joe Johnson :')

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Re: If you had one 'freak' b-ball ability, could you play for the NBA.
« Reply #7 on: February 28, 2014, 06:26:10 PM »

Offline BballTim

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  Does anyone remember Jay Edwards from Indiana University? Other than the distance that pretty much described him. Great shooter, great clutch shooter, not good at anything else.

Re: If you had one 'freak' b-ball ability, could you play for the NBA.
« Reply #8 on: February 28, 2014, 06:50:47 PM »

Offline Celtics4ever

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Speak for yourself, I could hit my head on the rim jumping, averaged 27 PPG  and I am 6'8.5" in shoes and shot  51% from the three point line the last season I played in the early 90's but I have bad ankles.  I have pes cavus high arches and have broke each one 3-4 times.   Now I am 45.   I had some ability but no luck.  I would have made it even had I not got injured but in my town I am that tragic guy who everyone recalls who was good enough but got hurt.  I swear they hold me in higher regard every year.

When you practice a lot like 3-4 hours a day you'd be surprised how accurate you can get.   I could not make 80% of the half court shots I took but I could make you sweat when I shot inside of half court.  If your a good high school player your coaches will put you into tons of gym classes or give you notes in study hall so you can shoot some more.

I know several guys on the board played college ball and some ability.  Maybe not freak ability but some ability none the less.  My son has been playing high school varsity since the 8Th grade and now he is a 9th grader.  I've been offered jobs to get him to go to certain schools.  It's crazy folks.

Re: If you had one 'freak' b-ball ability, could you play for the NBA.
« Reply #9 on: February 28, 2014, 06:56:57 PM »

Offline Eddie20

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Speak for yourself, I could hit my head on the rim jumping, averaged 27 PPG  and I am 6'8.5" in shoes and shot  51% from the three point line the last season I played in the early 90's but I have bad ankles.  I have pes cavus high arches and have broke each one 3-4 times.   Now I am 45.   I had some ability but no luck.  I would have made it even had I not got injured but in my town I am that tragic guy who everyone recalls who was good enough but got hurt.  I swear they hold me in higher regard every year.

When you practice a lot like 3-4 hours a day you'd be surprised how accurate you can get.   I could not make 80% of the half court shots I took but I could make you sweat when I shot inside of half court.  If your a good high school player your coaches will put you into tons of gym classes or give you notes in study hall so you can shoot some more.

I know several guys on the board played college ball and some ability.  Maybe not freak ability but some ability none the less.  My son has been playing high school varsity since the 8Th grade and now he is a 9th grader.  I've been offered jobs to get him to go to certain schools.  It's crazy folks.

I'll be the first one to try to guess who you are...your name is Jimmy Chitwood and you played at Hickory HS in Indiana?

Re: If you had one 'freak' b-ball ability, could you play for the NBA.
« Reply #10 on: February 28, 2014, 06:58:55 PM »

Offline D.o.s.

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Well I'm 6'0 in shoes, average about 2.7 points and shoot approximately 5% from the three point line whenever I show up at the park.

So there. My bona fides are unimpeachable.
At least a goldfish with a Lincoln Log on its back goin' across your floor to your sock drawer has a miraculous connotation to it.

Re: If you had one 'freak' b-ball ability, could you play for the NBA.
« Reply #11 on: February 28, 2014, 07:11:22 PM »

Offline fairweatherfan

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  Does anyone remember Jay Edwards from Indiana University? Other than the distance that pretty much described him. Great shooter, great clutch shooter, not good at anything else.

How about Al Dillard from those great early 90's Arkansas teams?  Pretty much the same deal.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEtCFqh7XoY

Thing is, 80% is of course silly, but there are already guys out there with the skill level the OP describes.  Some are well-rounded enough to be in the league, but most are not.  What guys are able to do on the court is usually dwarfed by what they can do in a more relaxed environment. 

Re: If you had one 'freak' b-ball ability, could you play for the NBA.
« Reply #12 on: February 28, 2014, 07:19:01 PM »

Offline Fan from VT

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To the original question: Yes, probably as a 12th man who dresses and plays in dead-ball situations for diagrammed plays at end of quarter/end of game. Either the game-winning shot is taken by an 80% shooter, or you get to diagram a 4 on 4 rather than 5 on 5.

Re: If you had one 'freak' b-ball ability, could you play for the NBA.
« Reply #13 on: February 28, 2014, 07:25:13 PM »

Offline BballTim

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  Does anyone remember Jay Edwards from Indiana University? Other than the distance that pretty much described him. Great shooter, great clutch shooter, not good at anything else.

How about Al Dillard from those great early 90's Arkansas teams?  Pretty much the same deal.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEtCFqh7XoY

Thing is, 80% is of course silly, but there are already guys out there with the skill level the OP describes.  Some are well-rounded enough to be in the league, but most are not.  What guys are able to do on the court is usually dwarfed by what they can do in a more relaxed environment.

  Haha. Haven't heard that name in a while. Ever see Askia Jones? I remember watching one of those rookie scrimmages on tv and he was taking shots from 10-12 feet behind the arc and hitting most of them. Was a grand total of 2-12 on threes in the pros.

Re: If you had one 'freak' b-ball ability, could you play for the NBA.
« Reply #14 on: February 28, 2014, 07:35:49 PM »

Offline chlldaddy

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The  answer is yes without a doubt an NBA team would want you. For one they HAVE to guard you at half court. That leaves a 4 on 4 and the defense cannot double or they would get crushed. There is no way they could leave u unguarded or you would KILL them  80 percent from 3 is equal to more than 100 percent from 2 per possession. Can u imagine this person being on the floor with Lebron ? Now stopping someone would be hard and u probably give up a lot of points but I don't think anyone could constantly stop the team from scoring if that person was on the floor.