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

[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.

I watched clips of him playing basketball and speaking and I made a decision that either he's a pretend woman or there was something funky in the water where he grew up.   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WdumGR5-JM

"You Don't Want None of this!"

No offense to the Britney Griner fans on this forum...

Interesting..this does not look like the same person I saw in the papers, though. Not even close.

[ToppersBsktball10]

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.

I watched clips of him playing basketball and speaking and I made a decision that either he's a pretend woman or there was something funky in the water where he grew up.   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WdumGR5-JM

"You Don't Want None of this!"

No offense to the Britney Griner fans on this forum...

There's more testosterone in 'her' than Barry Bonds...

Look... alls I'm saying is... you put him next to Shaun Livingston and ask a person off the street to tell you who the woman is... that's alls I'm saying.

Yeah, I know what you mean. I find it hard to believe that's a girl, but who knows.

[LarBrd33]

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.

I watched clips of him playing basketball and speaking and I made a decision that either he's a pretend woman or there was something funky in the water where he grew up.   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WdumGR5-JM

"You Don't Want None of this!"

No offense to the Britney Griner fans on this forum...

Interesting..this does not look like the same person I saw in the papers, though. Not even close.

I think he wears his hair differently these days



...

Here's a pic of him and Kendrick Perkins

[indeedproceed]

No more of the Brittney Griner stuff. Official warning.

Suggestive content or innuendo, no matter how mild, is not allowed.  Do not start posts related to the sexual desirability and/or attractiveness of actors, celebrities, sportscasters, or other public figures.  Do not post images or videos that tend to objectify persons, especially on the basis of their gender or physical characteristics. Any post dealing with such content will be deleted.

[Prof. Clutch]

 , nothing like some misguided hatred and ignorance to brighten up a celticsblog thread.  I'll be moving on to something that doesn't make me throw up in my mouth and lose faith in humanity now...hmmm that 'what do you do for a living' thread is calling my name...

[fanofgreen]

I watch the WNBA, and i think their are actually a few WNBA players who could get on an NBA roster, and I believe there is 1 player in particular who could be a decent backup point guard.

The players who i mention aren't the names that I've been seeing on  this post...like Lisa Leslie, Candace Parker, Diana Taurasi, and Tamika Catchings......(Sadly, I think those are the only names people know in the entire WNBA) so it seems like most of you all may have to look these ladies up who I mention

The wnba players that could play in the NBA are:
                          KATIE SMITH
                          BETTY LENNOX
                          DEANNA NOLAN
                          CAPPIE PONDEXTER

Katie Smith: maybe not exactly right now because she is 35yrs old. but, she is still tough as nails, tough as nails defensively, and has deep deep range. all time leading scorer in womens professional basketball. at 5'9" she could make an NBA roster because she is great defensively, and is quick enough and strong enough to hold her own against 2nd string guards in the NBA. She can light it up offensively, and when she gets hot, which is often,
 it doesn't matter who is defending her.

Betty Lennox Betty Lennox, is also up in age at 33 yrs old, but she is still one of the quickest guards the WNBA has ever seen, she is much like jason terry, in that she can score in bunches and doesn't take much for her to get hot.  she is athletic and she was the Finals MVP for Seattle in the 2004 WNBA Championship. She's scrappy, slasher, and is quicker than some in the NBA (at least at the end of the bench), no lie. She's 5'8" and could be instant offense and energy for a team.

Cappie Pondexter Cappie Pondexter, hopefully i dont have to say much, because I'm hoping you all saw the WNBA Finals this summer. Cappie is tough, almost needs zero space to get off her shots. I think she is quick enough and tough enough to get her shot off in the NBA. I personally dont think she would have as much success as Betty Lennox or Katie Smith in the NBA. but she could definetly get her shot off. (I really Hope u seen her during the WNBA finals, amazing!)

                                                                AND FINALLY

DEANNA NOLAN.......Deanna Nolan is in my opinion the 2nd best player in the WNBA. (taurasi is the best, Candace is the most talented). She is the most athletically gifted athlete in the WNBA, no if ands or buts about it. She has somehow, continually been overlooked throughout her entire career, she plays for the Detroit Shock, or now the Tulsa whoevers...but Deanna Nolan,  could get in the rotation for a team in the NBA. at 5'9" she can dunk, create off the dribble, is quick, gets excellent elevation on her shot, can finish in traffic (which most of the players in the WNBA struggle to do), can knock down the 3. She has excellent coordination (which many Wnba players lack), she can defend.

If you've never seen Deanna Nolan play, make sure you try and find some highlight clips, or watch next summer, but when you see her, you'll be entertained. At times she reminds me of Baron Davis or Lamar Odom, in that, she has all of the physical tools, and the skills to dominate everytime she steps out on the floor, but too often she disappears. but in big games, she has always shows up.


Here's a clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_ODtbxr-88


And Another: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLdzTX02-Hc&feature=related

[GreenFaith1819]

The pic I saw of Brittney Griner a week or so ago featured her with her hair down. After reading up on her last game against Louisiana Tech from ESPN, She did in fact have a solid game (22pts, 8 rebs, 6 blocks).

She certainly has the height for the NBA. I am guessing that she would be either a 2 or 3, but it would be a challenge for her going up against Lebron, Paul or Carmelo, but you never know.

She is just a freshman, though, and the leader of the team is Mellissa Jones.

Still..what about in a couple of years? You never know.

[Roy Hobbs]

I watch the WNBA, and i think their are actually a few WNBA players who could get on an NBA roster, and I believe there is 1 player in particular who could be a decent backup point guard.

The players who i mention aren't the names that I've been seeing on  this post...like Lisa Leslie, Candace Parker, Diana Taurasi, and Tamika Catchings......(Sadly, I think those are the only names people know in the entire WNBA) so it seems like most of you all may have to look these ladies up who I mention

The wnba players that could play in the NBA are:
                          KATIE SMITH
                          BETTY LENNOX
                          DEANNA NOLAN
                          CAPPIE PONDEXTER

Katie Smith: maybe not exactly right now because she is 35yrs old. but, she is still tough as nails, tough as nails defensively, and has deep deep range. all time leading scorer in womens professional basketball. at 5'9" she could make an NBA roster because she is great defensively, and is quick enough and strong enough to hold her own against 2nd string guards in the NBA. She can light it up offensively, and when she gets hot, which is often,
 it doesn't matter who is defending her.

Betty Lennox Betty Lennox, is also up in age at 33 yrs old, but she is still one of the quickest guards the WNBA has ever seen, she is much like jason terry, in that she can score in bunches and doesn't take much for her to get hot.  she is athletic and she was the Finals MVP for Seattle in the 2004 WNBA Championship. She's scrappy, slasher, and is quicker than some in the NBA (at least at the end of the bench), no lie. She's 5'8" and could be instant offense and energy for a team.

Cappie Pondexter Cappie Pondexter, hopefully i dont have to say much, because I'm hoping you all saw the WNBA Finals this summer. Cappie is tough, almost needs zero space to get off her shots. I think she is quick enough and tough enough to get her shot off in the NBA. I personally dont think she would have as much success as Betty Lennox or Katie Smith in the NBA. but she could definetly get her shot off. (I really Hope u seen her during the WNBA finals, amazing!)

                                                                AND FINALLY

DEANNA NOLAN.......Deanna Nolan is in my opinion the 2nd best player in the WNBA. (taurasi is the best, Candace is the most talented). She is the most athletically gifted athlete in the WNBA, no if ands or buts about it. She has somehow, continually been overlooked throughout her entire career, she plays for the Detroit Shock, or now the Tulsa whoevers...but Deanna Nolan,  could get in the rotation for a team in the NBA. at 5'9" she can dunk, create off the dribble, is quick, gets excellent elevation on her shot, can finish in traffic (which most of the players in the WNBA struggle to do), can knock down the 3. She has excellent coordination (which many Wnba players lack), she can defend.

If you've never seen Deanna Nolan play, make sure you try and find some highlight clips, or watch next summer, but when you see her, you'll be entertained. At times she reminds me of Baron Davis or Lamar Odom, in that, she has all of the physical tools, and the skills to dominate everytime she steps out on the floor, but too often she disappears. but in big games, she has always shows up.


Here's a clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_ODtbxr-88


And Another: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLdzTX02-Hc&feature=related

Here's the thing, though:  those player's you're citing are in the 5'8" - 5'9" range.  The only players of that stature that succeed in the NBA are the exceptionally fast ones, and even then, how many examples can you think of of short NBA players?

These women may be exceptionally fast compared to other women, but how would they stack up against even average men?  A 5'8" player of average speed doesn't even make the Division I, let alone the NBA.

Also, I don't think that great defense against other women would equate to good defense against men.  There's a huge, huge strength, speed, and size difference.

[fanofgreen]

I watch the WNBA, and i think their are actually a few WNBA players who could get on an NBA roster, and I believe there is 1 player in particular who could be a decent backup point guard.

The players who i mention aren't the names that I've been seeing on  this post...like Lisa Leslie, Candace Parker, Diana Taurasi, and Tamika Catchings......(Sadly, I think those are the only names people know in the entire WNBA) so it seems like most of you all may have to look these ladies up who I mention

The wnba players that could play in the NBA are:
                          KATIE SMITH
                          BETTY LENNOX
                          DEANNA NOLAN
                          CAPPIE PONDEXTER

Katie Smith: maybe not exactly right now because she is 35yrs old. but, she is still tough as nails, tough as nails defensively, and has deep deep range. all time leading scorer in womens professional basketball. at 5'9" she could make an NBA roster because she is great defensively, and is quick enough and strong enough to hold her own against 2nd string guards in the NBA. She can light it up offensively, and when she gets hot, which is often,
 it doesn't matter who is defending her.

Betty Lennox Betty Lennox, is also up in age at 33 yrs old, but she is still one of the quickest guards the WNBA has ever seen, she is much like jason terry, in that she can score in bunches and doesn't take much for her to get hot.  she is athletic and she was the Finals MVP for Seattle in the 2004 WNBA Championship. She's scrappy, slasher, and is quicker than some in the NBA (at least at the end of the bench), no lie. She's 5'8" and could be instant offense and energy for a team.

Cappie Pondexter Cappie Pondexter, hopefully i dont have to say much, because I'm hoping you all saw the WNBA Finals this summer. Cappie is tough, almost needs zero space to get off her shots. I think she is quick enough and tough enough to get her shot off in the NBA. I personally dont think she would have as much success as Betty Lennox or Katie Smith in the NBA. but she could definetly get her shot off. (I really Hope u seen her during the WNBA finals, amazing!)

                                                                AND FINALLY

DEANNA NOLAN.......Deanna Nolan is in my opinion the 2nd best player in the WNBA. (taurasi is the best, Candace is the most talented). She is the most athletically gifted athlete in the WNBA, no if ands or buts about it. She has somehow, continually been overlooked throughout her entire career, she plays for the Detroit Shock, or now the Tulsa whoevers...but Deanna Nolan,  could get in the rotation for a team in the NBA. at 5'9" she can dunk, create off the dribble, is quick, gets excellent elevation on her shot, can finish in traffic (which most of the players in the WNBA struggle to do), can knock down the 3. She has excellent coordination (which many Wnba players lack), she can defend.

If you've never seen Deanna Nolan play, make sure you try and find some highlight clips, or watch next summer, but when you see her, you'll be entertained. At times she reminds me of Baron Davis or Lamar Odom, in that, she has all of the physical tools, and the skills to dominate everytime she steps out on the floor, but too often she disappears. but in big games, she has always shows up.


Here's a clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_ODtbxr-88


And Another: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLdzTX02-Hc&feature=related

Here's the thing, though:  those player's you're citing are in the 5'8" - 5'9" range.  The only players of that stature that succeed in the NBA are the exceptionally fast ones, and even then, how many examples can you think of of short NBA players?

These women may be exceptionally fast compared to other women, but how would they stack up against even average men?  A 5'8" player of average speed doesn't even make the Division I, let alone the NBA.

Also, I don't think that great defense against other women would equate to good defense against men.  There's a huge, huge strength, speed, and size difference.

Thats my point. I am not saying that they would excel in the NBA. What i am saying, is they are that much quicker, and way more athletic enough against other women, that they have the ability to 'compete for a spot on the nba roster, and would have a chance at gettig on a nba roster. I dont think they would excel or get big minutes, but they are dfinely capable of competing for a spot against other men, n a tryout.

[Roy Hobbs]

Here's the thing, though:  those player's you're citing are in the 5'8" - 5'9" range.  The only players of that stature that succeed in the NBA are the exceptionally fast ones, and even then, how many examples can you think of of short NBA players?

These women may be exceptionally fast compared to other women, but how would they stack up against even average men?  A 5'8" player of average speed doesn't even make the Division I, let alone the NBA.

Also, I don't think that great defense against other women would equate to good defense against men.  There's a huge, huge strength, speed, and size difference.

Thats my point. I am not saying that they would excel in the NBA. What i am saying, is they are that much quicker, and way more athletic enough against other women, that they have the ability to 'compete for a spot on the nba roster, and would have a chance at gettig on a nba roster. I dont think they would excel or get big minutes, but they are dfinely capable of competing for a spot against other men, n a tryout.

But how?  What similarly sized and skilled man is playing in the NBA right now?  If there are literally no comparable men -- and I would submit that there are not -- then how is a woman going to compete, even for a fringe spot?

There just isn't a place in the NBA for a 5'9", average-speed, below-average strength guard, no matter how skilled they otherwise are.

[Fan from VT]

Here's the thing, though:  those player's you're citing are in the 5'8" - 5'9" range.  The only players of that stature that succeed in the NBA are the exceptionally fast ones, and even then, how many examples can you think of of short NBA players?

These women may be exceptionally fast compared to other women, but how would they stack up against even average men?  A 5'8" player of average speed doesn't even make the Division I, let alone the NBA.

Also, I don't think that great defense against other women would equate to good defense against men.  There's a huge, huge strength, speed, and size difference.

Thats my point. I am not saying that they would excel in the NBA. What i am saying, is they are that much quicker, and way more athletic enough against other women, that they have the ability to 'compete for a spot on the nba roster, and would have a chance at gettig on a nba roster. I dont think they would excel or get big minutes, but they are dfinely capable of competing for a spot against other men, n a tryout.

But how?  What similarly sized and skilled man is playing in the NBA right now?  If there are literally no comparable men -- and I would submit that there are not -- then how is a woman going to compete, even for a fringe spot?

There just isn't a place in the NBA for a 5'9", average-speed, below-average strength guard, no matter how skilled they otherwise are.

First, There's a huge difference when talking about athletics in the general population (I'm 5'8, didn't play ball since 7th grade and struggled to hold my own on the few times that the local 6'1 girl, 28-32 who played D1 hoops occasionally dropped by, possibly also because it's call your own fouls and I couldn't get over really playing usual physical pickup ball) and something like the NBA, which has selected for, say, 500 of 700 of the absolute best basketball players in the world.

Roy: Agree. I think we've (I know I have) all play pickup ball with guys who are dead-eye, 90+% free throw shooters, and can hit jumpshots better than many NBA players and couldn't play in college, let alone d-league, let alone NBA because it takes SUPREME athleticism to even sniff a court. When people talk about Eddie being undersized and not athletic, they're speaking relatively. He's still close to 6 feet and could out-quick and out-sprint any WNBA player without breaking a sweat. He's in tremendous tremendous shape compared to the general population. But that's the role a woman would have to play in the NBA: short, quick-release dead-eye shooter, and I just don't see anyone from the WNBA being able to approach Eddie in terms of handle, defense, quickness off screens, etc. and considering that Eddie is far below NBA average for a lot of that stuff, I just don't see it happening.


Consider this excerpt from "Andy Roddick beat me with a Frying Pan" by Todd Gallagher (Chapter 14: "How Big Is the Gap Between Male And Female Athletes?":

Arie Lange is a comedian, actor, and regular on Howard Stern's radio show. He's 39 years old, stands 5'9", and weighs in at 'somewhere between 200 and 300 pounds depending on how much he's eaten or thrown up that day...' He has been in and out of rehab for abusing coke and speed, and is famed for saying, 'Isnorted heroin once by accident...' He is, by all accounts, a fat and drunken mess...Artie Lange also came within one basket of beating a professional women's basketball [24 yr old Marissa Graby, 6'2", Captain of Penn State Final Four team and WABA/WEBA all-star] player in a game of one-on-one

There's also some charts, indicating that the U.S. 15 year old boys 100 meter record is a full .2 seconds faster than the women's world record. Same idea for long jump, high jump, pole vault and triple jump. Again, we're talking about comparing best to best.

Gallagher also interviewed the U.S. women's soccer team publicist. The U.S. women's national team scrimmages against midlevel So-cal club teams of 15 year old boys. The one Gallagher saw was "Tightly contested match that the women won 2-0." The publicist said,

We screimmage aganst boys' teams all of the time...thirteens we can handle pretty consistently, but when the boys start really developing at fourteen, and especially fifteen, that's when you start to see real separation and they pass up even teh best women's players...Now, if we're going to play seventeen-year-old boys, we are defending eighty percent of the game and they're just packing us in

So considering the huge, early gap in soccer between the best 11 women players and various high school clubs, considering that there's a definite height disadvantage between men and women that is vastly more significant in basketball than in soccer, it seems like the gap of elite men and women players would be more extreme in basketball than in soccer, where good so-cal high school clubs can beat the olympic squad.

[Fan from VT]

Here's the thing, though:  those player's you're citing are in the 5'8" - 5'9" range.  The only players of that stature that succeed in the NBA are the exceptionally fast ones, and even then, how many examples can you think of of short NBA players?

These women may be exceptionally fast compared to other women, but how would they stack up against even average men?  A 5'8" player of average speed doesn't even make the Division I, let alone the NBA.

Also, I don't think that great defense against other women would equate to good defense against men.  There's a huge, huge strength, speed, and size difference.

Thats my point. I am not saying that they would excel in the NBA. What i am saying, is they are that much quicker, and way more athletic enough against other women, that they have the ability to 'compete for a spot on the nba roster, and would have a chance at gettig on a nba roster. I dont think they would excel or get big minutes, but they are dfinely capable of competing for a spot against other men, n a tryout.

The problem here is that you mention these players being good defenders. However, they defend other people their size. Literally every player they would try to defend in the NBA could post them up AND is faster AND can jump higher AND is stronger. Everyone in the D-league, too. There are so many male players out there that can give exactly what a potential WNBA player could conceivably contribute (Hustle and deadeye shooting being the only things I realistically can see) without giving up nearly as much weight, speed, and strength. They don't have to just crack a roster, they have to be better than guys that aren't playing now (Ty Lue, every player on D-League assignment like Paddy Mills, Lester Hudson, etc.)

Marcus Banks, at what, 6-2, would essentially be a combination of Barkely and Wade in the WNBA: League lead in rebounding and scoring and assists with insanely suffocating defense while not being the tallest player in the league. And he can't play in the NBA!

[Eja117]

You're trying to say a world class female Olympicish athlete isn't as fast or as athletic as a just barely hanging on nba scrub.  I don't believe it.

You should, how many NBA players lack the athleticism to dunk? Not many at all. How many women's basketball players can dunk? Not many at all.

Its also a matter of agility and speed relative to size. A woman with legit NBA size wouldn't be quick enough to play with similarly sized men. So they'd probably have to be a PG, or a SG.

First of all dunking is the single most overrated "skill" in the NBA. Bird almost never dunked. Stockon almost never dunked. Muggsy didn't dunk. Boykins didn't dunk. And some of the best dunkers such as Harold Minor and Gerald Green couldn't play. So I find it to be notable, but irrelevant.

Next I take issue with this whole "no woman can keep up with a man thing."

You think just by the fact that they are men the woman is going to keel over an die after 20 minutes (like Shaq on a nightly basis)? The WNBA players can get up and down a court with no problem for 48 minutes.

I said an Olympicish athlete.

The 100meters women's world record is 10.62 seconds. 

Compare that to the high school boy's record. In the state of Arizona the record is 10.33 seconds.

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/139185

One boy just tied it. He is the fastest high school boy in over 3 decades and he's about a step faster than the fastest woman. He is much faster than probably any NBA athlete that plays. But he doesn't blow away an Olympicish athlete by any means. When he becomes an Olympian he will. But there is nobody in the NBA that can run that fast at all.

So if you had an absolutely superior woman athlete she could keep up just fine. Maybe she couldn't deal with the banging. Maybe she couldn't dunk. But if she could pass like J Kidd and shoot like Bird and had a veteran team to help on defense the idea that she just physically would be blown away by everyone in the league is just not true. She might be outclassed by three quarters of it. But then again if you pass better than 95% of it and shoot better than 90%....well now things are getting interesting.

Look at Earl Boykins. Nothing physically imposing about him at all. Maybe he was fast. But not as fast as a world class woman. He shot less than 42% for his career. But he stuck around for 10 years.

Also women routinely beat men in marathons. I doubt most NBA players could finish one.

I'm just saying a highly highly skilled, athletic, and intelligent superwoman with an excellent team fo vets could maybe make a contribution for a few years.

[fairweatherfan]

Not to start a tangent, but I wonder what the odds are the NBA will see a female head coach anytime soon?  Better than a player I'm sure but I'm really curious to see if it actually happens in the next couple decades.

[fanofgreen]

Here's the thing, though:  those player's you're citing are in the 5'8" - 5'9" range.  The only players of that stature that succeed in the NBA are the exceptionally fast ones, and even then, how many examples can you think of of short NBA players?

These women may be exceptionally fast compared to other women, but how would they stack up against even average men?  A 5'8" player of average speed doesn't even make the Division I, let alone the NBA.

Also, I don't think that great defense against other women would equate to good defense against men.  There's a huge, huge strength, speed, and size difference.

Thats my point. I am not saying that they would excel in the NBA. What i am saying, is they are that much quicker, and way more athletic enough against other women, that they have the ability to 'compete for a spot on the nba roster, and would have a chance at gettig on a nba roster. I dont think they would excel or get big minutes, but they are dfinely capable of competing for a spot against other men, n a tryout.

The problem here is that you mention these players being good defenders. However, they defend other people their size. Literally every player they would try to defend in the NBA could post them up AND is faster AND can jump higher AND is stronger. Everyone in the D-league, too. There are so many male players out there that can give exactly what a potential WNBA player could conceivably contribute (Hustle and deadeye shooting being the only things I realistically can see) without giving up nearly as much weight, speed, and strength. They don't have to just crack a roster, they have to be better than guys that aren't playing now (Ty Lue, every player on D-League assignment like Paddy Mills, Lester Hudson, etc.)

Marcus Banks, at what, 6-2, would essentially be a combination of Barkely and Wade in the WNBA: League lead in rebounding and scoring and assists with insanely suffocating defense while not being the tallest player in the league. And he can't play in the NBA!

Tyronne Lue???.....Deanna Nolan right now is better than Ty Lue.

And to your point about every player trying to post them up because, of the mismatch; that doesn't happen right now?? The whole league does that already without females in it. what ends up happening? teams bring an extra guy, and dbl-team and everybody else rotates defensively.......Taking advantage of smaller players in the post has been going on since Mikan and will continue beyond LBJ HOF induction.

They try and post up Earl Boykins, Nate Robinson, Allen Iverson, Tim Hardaway, Spud Webb, Muggsy, Damon Stoudemire, etc all that happens is a double team is drawn.

And there are man male players who can give exactly what the Select few Wnba players could conceivably contribute, which is why I said I believe that the SELECT FEW are capable of COMPETING for a spot. And there is already a weight, height, speed, and strength discrepancy the exist in the league right now (ex. Rondo and Anthony Johnson) both pg's in the league, but two differnt body types, game styles, abilities, etc.

All in all, if you watch Deanna  Nolan play, in an actual game,  you'll see what I'm talking about. It will plain as day!