is it really that hard to imagine a woman playing in the NBA?

[Eja117]

The worst player in the NBA would be the best player in the WNBA.

I don't know. Some of these point guards that have the basketball IQ of a rock might not cut it there.

If Gerald Green insisted on continuing to look confused when he was supposed to be playing defense and taking shots that he can't make (like all of them other than dunks) I don't know if he could do it

Who in the WNBA could stop him in the low post?  Who could shoot over him? 

As a NBA SG/SF, his inability to drive kills him.

In the WNBA, he is the biggest and the fastest.  Think Shaq if he was faster then everyone else and could hit a jump shot.

Well this assumes Gerald would play defense and put a hand up to defend the girls and since he didn't do that with a million bucks on the line I'm not sure he does that in the wnba either,  and I also am not seeing the part about Gerald being able to buy a jump shot. I'm pretty sure there are better shooters and better defenders in the blind wheel chair leagues.

[ManUp]

The worst player in the NBA would be the best player in the WNBA.

I don't know. Some of these point guards that have the basketball IQ of a rock might not cut it there.

If Gerald Green insisted on continuing to look confused when he was supposed to be playing defense and taking shots that he can't make (like all of them other than dunks) I don't know if he could do it

Who in the WNBA could stop him in the low post?  Who could shoot over him? 

As a NBA SG/SF, his inability to drive kills him.

In the WNBA, he is the biggest and the fastest.  Think Shaq if he was faster then everyone else and could hit a jump shot.

The exact player I was going to bring up.

Gerald would be GOAT of the WNBA if he could play there.

[ManUp]

The worst player in the NBA would be the best player in the WNBA.

I don't know. Some of these point guards that have the basketball IQ of a rock might not cut it there.

If Gerald Green insisted on continuing to look confused when he was supposed to be playing defense and taking shots that he can't make (like all of them other than dunks) I don't know if he could do it

Who in the WNBA could stop him in the low post?  Who could shoot over him? 

As a NBA SG/SF, his inability to drive kills him.

In the WNBA, he is the biggest and the fastest.  Think Shaq if he was faster then everyone else and could hit a jump shot.

Well this assumes Gerald would play defense and put a hand up to defend the girls and since he didn't do that with a million bucks on the line I'm not sure he does that in the wnba either,  and I also am not seeing the part about Gerald being able to buy a jump shot. I'm pretty sure there are better shooters and better defenders in the blind wheel chair leagues.

I'm pretty sure Gerald was a pretty good shooter. He could only Shoot and Dunk but nothing in between. He lit up Lebron for 20, in some game don't know if it was preasons, primarily off of screens.

[Roy Hobbs]

Here's a thought. How many 6'5" guys out there can BARELY slide a dunk over the front of the rim and only when uncontested?! That's what the very best of the WNBA women are able to achieve. Lisa Leslie is arguably the best player in all of womens basketball at her prime and that was her ceiling. The worst 6'5" player in the NBA is going to physically run circles around them. The shorter guards are going to blwo past them like they are standing still and also overpower them. They just don't have the strength and althleticism to compete with the guys in the NBA. It's not being chauvanistic. It is just being real.

I agree with you in theory...in theory communism works. In theory

But Mugsy Bouges couldn't dunk and played in this league past the point where he was super fast and wasn't able to hit threes.

Also a Chinese guy or two played in this league despite the notable handicap of not being able to move

What woman player could you say that about compared to the Rondo's, Parker's and Ellis's of the NBA?


What Woman player is over 7 feet tall?

took me a second, but now I see what you are saying. Roy helped.

I'm not 100% sure I buy the premise that the most athletic player in the WNBA would be the slowest and lowest jumping in the NBA.  Maybe she would.  
For example I don't buy the premise that Greg Oden can walk or jump for 82 games, so I might rather have a girl.  I mean he's good for 17 games or so and if he ever puts it together he might play for 65 or so, but I think most women centers would be more dependable.

I'm just saying a woman in her absolute prime might be able to make a contribution for a few years whereas there are other players that hurt their team consistently or can't contribute at all.

Here's the thing, though:  it's true that there may be a handful of women in the WNBA who are faster than a handful of guys in the NBA.  However, I don't think this is true if you compare positions.  I doubt there's any PG in the WNBA who is faster than the slowest male point guard, or SG faster than the slowest SG, etc.  *Maybe* you'd see a female center who was faster than a male center (although I doubt it), but that female center is likely 6'5" or so.

Also, playing in the NBA requires more than just speed; it also requires strength.  Steve Nash or Dan Dickau aren't strong relative to most men, but against a woman of equal size, they'd physically dominate.

[Eja117]

The worst player in the NBA would be the best player in the WNBA.

I don't know. Some of these point guards that have the basketball IQ of a rock might not cut it there.

If Gerald Green insisted on continuing to look confused when he was supposed to be playing defense and taking shots that he can't make (like all of them other than dunks) I don't know if he could do it

Who in the WNBA could stop him in the low post?  Who could shoot over him? 

As a NBA SG/SF, his inability to drive kills him.

In the WNBA, he is the biggest and the fastest.  Think Shaq if he was faster then everyone else and could hit a jump shot.

Well this assumes Gerald would play defense and put a hand up to defend the girls and since he didn't do that with a million bucks on the line I'm not sure he does that in the wnba either,  and I also am not seeing the part about Gerald being able to buy a jump shot. I'm pretty sure there are better shooters and better defenders in the blind wheel chair leagues.

I'm pretty sure Gerald was a pretty good shooter. He could only Shoot and Dunk but nothing in between. He lit up Lebron for 20, in some game don't know if it was preasons, primarily off of screens.

His last 3 years he shot 42%, 34% and 33%

[Eja117]

Here's a thought. How many 6'5" guys out there can BARELY slide a dunk over the front of the rim and only when uncontested?! That's what the very best of the WNBA women are able to achieve. Lisa Leslie is arguably the best player in all of womens basketball at her prime and that was her ceiling. The worst 6'5" player in the NBA is going to physically run circles around them. The shorter guards are going to blwo past them like they are standing still and also overpower them. They just don't have the strength and althleticism to compete with the guys in the NBA. It's not being chauvanistic. It is just being real.

I agree with you in theory...in theory communism works. In theory

But Mugsy Bouges couldn't dunk and played in this league past the point where he was super fast and wasn't able to hit threes.

Also a Chinese guy or two played in this league despite the notable handicap of not being able to move

What woman player could you say that about compared to the Rondo's, Parker's and Ellis's of the NBA?


What Woman player is over 7 feet tall?

took me a second, but now I see what you are saying. Roy helped.

I'm not 100% sure I buy the premise that the most athletic player in the WNBA would be the slowest and lowest jumping in the NBA.  Maybe she would.  
For example I don't buy the premise that Greg Oden can walk or jump for 82 games, so I might rather have a girl.  I mean he's good for 17 games or so and if he ever puts it together he might play for 65 or so, but I think most women centers would be more dependable.

I'm just saying a woman in her absolute prime might be able to make a contribution for a few years whereas there are other players that hurt their team consistently or can't contribute at all.

Here's the thing, though:  it's true that there may be a handful of women in the WNBA who are faster than a handful of guys in the NBA.  However, I don't think this is true if you compare positions.  I doubt there's any PG in the WNBA who is faster than the slowest male point guard, or SG faster than the slowest SG, etc.  *Maybe* you'd see a female center who was faster than a male center (although I doubt it), but that female center is likely 6'5" or so.

Also, playing in the NBA requires more than just speed; it also requires strength.  Steve Nash or Dan Dickau aren't strong relative to most men, but against a woman of equal size, they'd physically dominate.

That's may very well be true with 99% accuracy.

I would say this.  A woman that could do it would be very very rare.

I guess there's a lot of high school guys sometimes and college guys that have to completely change their games when they go up a league and they can do it so I see maybe a woman being able to do it.

Maybe a really fast WNBA shooting guard going to pg in the nba and now she's a bit slow 6ft 3 pg with a phenomenal shot and bball IQ

I gotta agree with one guy here though....they have a long way to go. Gotta get to the DL first

[LarBrd33]

not a real woman.  Maybe a pretend woman like Britney Griner. 

[RAcker]

I cannot think of one woman that could get shots off in the NBA. This is not to mention the fact that they would have to defend.

[GreenFaith1819]

not a real woman.  Maybe a pretend woman like Britney Griner. 

lol....what makes you think Britney is a "pretend woman" and not a real woman? Just curious.

[Hoops]

Here's a thought. How many 6'5" guys out there can BARELY slide a dunk over the front of the rim and only when uncontested?! That's what the very best of the WNBA women are able to achieve. Lisa Leslie is arguably the best player in all of womens basketball at her prime and that was her ceiling. The worst 6'5" player in the NBA is going to physically run circles around them. The shorter guards are going to blwo past them like they are standing still and also overpower them. They just don't have the strength and althleticism to compete with the guys in the NBA. It's not being chauvanistic. It is just being real.

I agree with you in theory...in theory communism works. In theory

But Mugsy Bouges couldn't dunk and played in this league past the point where he was super fast and wasn't able to hit threes.

Also a Chinese guy or two played in this league despite the notable handicap of not being able to move

What woman player could you say that about compared to the Rondo's, Parker's and Ellis's of the NBA?


What Woman player is over 7 feet tall?

took me a second, but now I see what you are saying. Roy helped.

I'm not 100% sure I buy the premise that the most athletic player in the WNBA would be the slowest and lowest jumping in the NBA.  Maybe she would.  
For example I don't buy the premise that Greg Oden can walk or jump for 82 games, so I might rather have a girl.  I mean he's good for 17 games or so and if he ever puts it together he might play for 65 or so, but I think most women centers would be more dependable.

I'm just saying a woman in her absolute prime might be able to make a contribution for a few years whereas there are other players that hurt their team consistently or can't contribute at all.

Sure, there's probably lots of females out there that are more useful than Greg Oden in his current injured state. But if you're looking for an Oden replacement, there are tons of available men (D-league, Europe, etc.) who'd fill that slot before any woman. As has been pointed out many many times now, the speed and strength gap between men and women is just too big for women to have a chance at competing in the NBA.

[GreenFaith1819]

I don't have any girls (I have two boys), but if I did have a daughter I couldn't imagine telling her that she couldn't play in the NBA because of this or that. That's just me. I really believe this will happen sooner than we think...

I quoted the last portion of an earlier post of mine to this thread just to elaborate on it:

My "hypothetical" daughter would have to be between 6'1" to 6'6"..exceptionally quick and agile, a decent shooter, and she could not be afraid of the weight room. She would have to be a defensive stopper with long arms and good hands..at least be able to keep her opponents in front of her and have a nose for the ball.

I wouldn't expect my daughter to be Lebron James strong, but she would have to be exceptionally strong and lean with some weight on her (maybe 190-210 pounds)?

And she would have to be able to compete at the High School and College level, with the men, from the ground up. And she would have to be able to take a decent (and legal) pounding from the guys. I placed "legal" in parenthesis because I wouldn't want her to be singled out and roughed up any more than a male, but I would expect her to be able to get up after taking a charge from Lebron James.

All that being said I believe that this (a talent and gifted woman) in the NBA is definitely possible. It would have to be done right, though, and not for a publicity stunt.

Just my take on it. Man the mother and father of this lady will be very proud I must say. Imagine the hoopla at the NBA Draft...

[slamtheking]

I don't have any girls (I have two boys), but if I did have a daughter I couldn't imagine telling her that she couldn't play in the NBA because of this or that. That's just me. I really believe this will happen sooner than we think...

I quoted the last portion of an earlier post of mine to this thread just to elaborate on it:

My "hypothetical" daughter would have to be between 6'1" to 6'6"..exceptionally quick and agile, a decent shooter, and she could not be afraid of the weight room. She would have to be a defensive stopper with long arms and good hands..at least be able to keep her opponents in front of her and have a nose for the ball.

I wouldn't expect my daughter to be Lebron James strong, but she would have to be exceptionally strong and lean with some weight on her (maybe 190-210 pounds)?

And she would have to be able to compete at the High School and College level, with the men, from the ground up. And she would have to be able to take a decent (and legal) pounding from the guys. I placed "legal" in parenthesis because I wouldn't want her to be singled out and roughed up any more than a male, but I would expect her to be able to get up after taking a charge from Lebron James.

All that being said I believe that this (a talent and gifted woman) in the NBA is definitely possible. It would have to be done right, though, and not for a publicity stunt.

Just my take on it. Man the mother and father of this lady will be very proud I must say. Imagine the hoopla at the NBA Draft...

Hold out hope that Candace and Shelden can produce some offspring like that. 

I don't see it happening, ever.  I'm not against it.  I just don't see a woman legitimately beating out the male candidates for one of the only 450 available positions in the NBA.  Too many better male candidates to overcome those odds.

[slamtheking]

Only if she was an amazing shooter something like house. Even then she probably wouldn't do to well. The Athleticism gap is just too great. We all know that success in the NBA has a lot to do with Strength, Speed, and Athleticism. 3rd stringers who regularly get cut are, IMO, better than the best of WNBA players. If NBA scrubs were in the WNBA they'd make the all-star team easy. Think about it do you think that Gabe Pruitt would slow down when he's driving through the lane and he sees Lisa Lesley waiting? I don't, I think he puts on the jets and skys above her and finishes the play or draws a foul 9 times out of 10. I'd love to be proven wrong, but I don't see that happening.

Actually I think Gabe would just pull up, pass it off to someone and then stand around and do nothing.  Why would Gabe change his game now? 

[Eja117]

Here's a thought. How many 6'5" guys out there can BARELY slide a dunk over the front of the rim and only when uncontested?! That's what the very best of the WNBA women are able to achieve. Lisa Leslie is arguably the best player in all of womens basketball at her prime and that was her ceiling. The worst 6'5" player in the NBA is going to physically run circles around them. The shorter guards are going to blwo past them like they are standing still and also overpower them. They just don't have the strength and althleticism to compete with the guys in the NBA. It's not being chauvanistic. It is just being real.

I agree with you in theory...in theory communism works. In theory

But Mugsy Bouges couldn't dunk and played in this league past the point where he was super fast and wasn't able to hit threes.

Also a Chinese guy or two played in this league despite the notable handicap of not being able to move

What woman player could you say that about compared to the Rondo's, Parker's and Ellis's of the NBA?


What Woman player is over 7 feet tall?

took me a second, but now I see what you are saying. Roy helped.

I'm not 100% sure I buy the premise that the most athletic player in the WNBA would be the slowest and lowest jumping in the NBA.  Maybe she would.  
For example I don't buy the premise that Greg Oden can walk or jump for 82 games, so I might rather have a girl.  I mean he's good for 17 games or so and if he ever puts it together he might play for 65 or so, but I think most women centers would be more dependable.

I'm just saying a woman in her absolute prime might be able to make a contribution for a few years whereas there are other players that hurt their team consistently or can't contribute at all.

Sure, there's probably lots of females out there that are more useful than Greg Oden in his current injured state. But if you're looking for an Oden replacement, there are tons of available men (D-league, Europe, etc.) who'd fill that slot before any woman. As has been pointed out many many times now, the speed and strength gap between men and women is just too big for women to have a chance at competing in the NBA.

Good point. If I were the Blazers I probably wouldn't look to WNBA to replace Oden

[furball]

Here's what I wrote in the first thred about this.  It's probably more relevent to this one then the LeBron thread. 

There are lots of issues with women playing in the NBA (like if they can do that then why can't men playin the WNBA) but the possibility is there.  Hell, There's at least one who I think could probably do it now, and it's not Parker. 

While watching my beloved Phoenix Mercury win thier second championship in 3 years it kept occuring to me that Diana Taurassi could probably be Eddie house.  They are the same size, she's at least as good of a shooter as he is, she's a much better passer and ball handler then he is (though still not good enough to play the one)The fact that she couldn't defend anyone is offset by the fact that Eddie can't either.  The problem is why would she want to be a role player off the bench in the NBA when she is the MVP of the WNBA. (not to mention a dominate player in the Russian league she plays in).  Of course Taurassi has said that she believes A woman would not be able to handle the daily physicality of the NBA abn

If a Woman is going to play in the NBA it will be a guard, as has been said, we are a long way off from a 6-10 plus woman being able to physically compete with bigs in the NBA.