How would the following players do at Rucker Park?

[oarabbus]

How would the following players do in a game at Rucker against a team of the current best streetballers 6' and taller. Assume the Rucker crew has been practicing for a month for this occasion (you can use a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is laughed off the court and 10 is dropping 40+ points, or a triple double):

Boris Diaw
Austin Rivers
JJ Barea
Jimmer
Jeremy Lin
Kyle Korver
Brian Roberts
Gordon Hayward
Jason Collins
Devin Harris
Nate Robinson


I think pretty much everyone here puts up basically a 20 point double double at worst, but I have friends who legitimately think NBA players who aren't Kobe/Lebron/Durant would get schooled at the park.

[Rake2204]

I've always remembered seeing Mike Dunleavy Jr. play at Rucker on ESPN2 during the Entertainer's Basketball Classic. It was right after his rookie year, when I thought he was going to be a bust. He averaged like five points per his first year in the league.

Anyway, I'm certain I've glorified the memory now, but I just remember him looking like a monster out there at Rucker. He's a shooter at heart but out there on the streets it was like, "Oh, wait... this dude is six-foot freaking nine." I remember him bombing, I remember him dunking, and I remember him towering over most and blocking shots. Not to mention, he appeared to be in great shape in terms of running the floor and whatnot.

[dubeta]

Austin Rivers is the ultimate Rucker Park player

can look like the GOAT against people his size

but the second he goes up against pro athletes he's neutralized

But he has dirty handles and moves

[JimmyMcAdocious]

Well Rafer is worse than almost the entire list and he was respected there (I think?), so probably pretty well. There's a reason why these guys are getting paid millions to ball.

[Droid101]

lol.

Murder. NBA players would murder. Shutout type games. Yes even with the dudes you listed in their current state.

[fsvr54]

Pretty much murder

Boris Diaw would absolutely obliterate

[duskovujosevic]

Even Brian Scalabrine would dominate. These guys are on different level.

[LongLiveTheKing]

Every guy would dominate

[JohnFreeman]

NBA players would wreck any streetballer

[Fowl]

How would the following players do in a game at Rucker against a team of the current best streetballers 6' and taller. Assume the Rucker crew has been practicing for a month for this occasion (you can use a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is laughed off the court and 10 is dropping 40+ points, or a triple double):



I think pretty much everyone here puts up basically a 20 point double double at worst, but I have friends who legitimately think NBA players who aren't Kobe/Lebron/Durant would get schooled at the park.
Boris Diaw 4
Austin Rivers 10
JJ Barea 6
Jimmer 8
Jeremy Lin 9
Kyle Korver 6
Brian Roberts 4
Gordon Hayward 7
Jason Collins 2
Devin Harris 8
Nate Robinson 10

[KG215]

Didn't Brian Scalabrine already dominate some pick-up ballers in some sort of event?

ETA: Quick Google search turned up this:

https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/brian-scalabrine-dominated-competition-boston-one-one-challenge-231654445--nba.html


That link also features a 30-minute video of the action, and it becomes very clear very quickly that Scalabrine is on another level from these athletes. Even against decent competition — the first challenger, Matt Tomaszewski, was on Syracuse's roster just last season — Scalabrine owned everyone. The second and third games were both shutouts, and the six points scored included one two-pointer. In four games, Scalabrine conceded just five baskets.

[duskovujosevic]

Didn't Brian Scalabrine already dominate some pick-up ballers in some sort of event?

Yup, Scal owned them

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYsrDDfaF38

[KG215]

Yup, Scal owned them

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYsrDDfaF38
Thanks. Beat me to it.

I'm reminded of when, eight years ago when Sonny Weems came and played a few pick-up games at my old high school. It was my freshman year of college and my best friend was playing at the local JUCO and was teammates with Weems. We were freshman aged (18 and 19) and Weems had just turned 20 and we were playing against mostly high school seniors (17 and 18). These were good players. The friend I mentioned led us to a state championship the year before and won state tournament MVP in the process. He had offers to a number of small D1 schools and pretty prestigious D2 schools; so he of course was put on the opposite team of Sonny (with me) and we still didn't beat Sonny's team. Of the three returning starters from the state championship team that were still in high school, two were on our team so our team was about as stacked as reasonably possible.

Didn't matter. Sonny's team won every game and he dominated. My friend, who was a 6'4" combo guard and a damn good player, had a pretty difficult time handling Weems who had two inches and several tiers of athleticism on him. I'm 6'5" and longer than my friend, and wasn't too terribly unathletic at the time, and it was even worse when I tried guarding Sonny.

Of course at the time we didn't know Sonny would go onto lead his college team to the JUCO national championship while being named the consensus JUCO national player of the year, go on to have a solid two year career at the University of Arkansas, then go on to have a somewhat decent, albeit brief NBA career.

[RoundMoundOfReb]

They would rape. Even someone like Rivers who is a scrub in the NBA would look like prime Kobe and Joel Anthony would be like prime Wilt...

[Done_And_Done]

Well Rafer is worse than almost the entire list and he was respected there (I think?), so probably pretty well. There's a reason why these guys are getting paid millions to ball.

Skip was definitely respected as one of the street balling elite during his day. He's also one of the few street heads who figured out the pro game and earned himself a decent living in the process.

[Done_And_Done]

Thanks. Beat me to it.

I'm reminded of when, eight years ago when Sonny Weems came and played a few pick-up games at my old high school. It was my freshman year of college and my best friend was playing at the local JUCO and was teammates with Weems. We were freshman aged (18 and 19) and Weems had just turned 20 and we were playing against mostly high school seniors (17 and 18). These were good players. The friend I mentioned led us to a state championship the year before and won state tournament MVP in the process. He had offers to a number of small D1 schools and pretty prestigious D2 schools; so he of course was put on the opposite team of Sonny (with me) and we still didn't beat Sonny's team. Of the three returning starters from the state championship team that were still in high school, two were on our team so our team was about as stacked as reasonably possible.

Didn't matter. Sonny's team won every game and he dominated. My friend, who was a 6'4" combo guard and a damn good player, had a pretty difficult time handling Weems who had two inches and several tiers of athleticism on him. I'm 6'5" and longer than my friend, and wasn't too terribly unathletic at the time, and it was even worse when I tried guarding Sonny.

Of course at the time we didn't know Sonny would go onto lead his college team to the JUCO national championship while being named the consensus JUCO national player of the year, go on to have a solid two year career at the University of Arkansas, then go on to have a somewhat decent, albeit brief NBA career.

I enjoyed reading that. Thanks for sharing brother. Sonny definitely still has a place in the NBA and showed flashes of what he can do while in Toronto. Although I can't blame him, his personal agenda often got the best of him at times. It was clear that he was playing for financial freedom which he earned in Europe.

[Done_And_Done]

Boris Diaw 4
Austin Rivers 10
JJ Barea 6
Jimmer 8
Jeremy Lin 9
Kyle Korver 6
Brian Roberts 4
Gordon Hayward 7
Jason Collins 2
Devin Harris 8
Nate Robinson 10

Is that the individual point total you conjecture they'll put up?

[kentatm]

Joe Hammond would destroy them all.

[dubeta]

In all honesty I could probably take half of the players OP posted in street ball. For some reason my game doesn't transfer well to the pros

[uber]

In all honesty I could probably take half of the players OP posted in street ball. For some reason my game doesn't transfer well to the pros

:facepalm

[Rake2204]

Yup, Scal owned them

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYsrDDfaF38I agree with the premise that even the worst NBA player would dominate virtually everyone else (unless they were playing a future pro or a guy who could have played in the league).

However, I do recall thinking that Scalabrine showing wasn't overly impressive. The overall score was wildly in his favor but I watched all 30 minutes once, and at times it was a matter of his opponent missing six triples in a row, and Scalabrine only missing five of six. I'm exaggerating, but I swear I truly remember numerous moments where I felt like, "Okay, this is really ugly all the way around."

Then again, I think that may have had to do with the 10 second shot-clock, something most players probably never had to think about or deal with, thus leading to a lot of forced shots, contested layups, fallaways, and long range bomb bailouts.

[deja vu]

How about Rubio?

[ALBballer]

I agree with the premise that even the worst NBA player would dominate virtually everyone else (unless they were playing a future pro or a guy who could have played in the league).

However, I do recall thinking that Scalabrine showing wasn't overly impressive. The overall score was wildly in his favor but I watched all 30 minutes once, and at times it was a matter of his opponent missing six triples in a row, and Scalabrine only missing five of six. I'm exaggerating, but I swear I truly remember numerous moments where I felt like, "Okay, this is really ugly all the way around."

Then again, I think that may have had to do with the 10 second shot-clock, something most players probably never had to think about or deal with, thus leading to a lot of forced shots, contested layups, fallaways, and long range bomb bailouts.

Scal was 34 in this video and I believe 2 years out of playing professional ball.

The video wasn't that impressive but most of the guys he faced are above-average YMCA players.

[oarabbus]

Boris Diaw 4
Austin Rivers 10
JJ Barea 6
Jimmer 8
Jeremy Lin 9
Kyle Korver 6
Brian Roberts 4
Gordon Hayward 7
Jason Collins 2
Devin Harris 8
Nate Robinson 10


Diaw a 4? He could put up a double double there without scoring any points.

[oarabbus]

Joe Hammond would destroy them all.


You're joking I presume?

[Reggie43]

Nba players would dominate obviously, but it wont be a shock if some dude drops big numbers on them because streetball is all about individual play, no organized defenses etc.

[LBJFTW]

Seeing as how pee wee Kirkland at Rucker would send NBA players packing back in the day, I'm pretty sure the top players at Rucker can hang with those guys on your list.

[played0ut]

Even if you just look at it logically, how can they not beat them?

>They were drafted into the NBA--even the crappiest NBA players have stood out amongst the thousands of ballers.
>The make a living playing ball-- that means practices, scrimmages, and more practices.
>They train in proper team ball at the highest level. They're smarter and more fundamentally sound than street ballers.

[LBJFTW]

Even if you just look at it logically, how can they not beat them?

>They were drafted into the NBA--even the crappiest NBA players have stood out amongst the thousands of ballers.
>The make a living playing ball-- that means practices, scrimmages, and more practices.
>They train in proper team ball at the highest level. They're smarter and more fundamentally sound than street ballers.

If you think certain street ballers don't put as much time in touching a basketball as much as the pros do on a yearly basis, then you are sadly mistaken.

[played0ut]

If you think certain street ballers don't put as much time in touching a basketball as much as the pros do on a yearly basis, then you are sadly mistaken.

I know what I said.



Maybe individually they could compare. They could possibly shoot better. Better handles. Comparable athletically.

But in the scope of a team game? Will they do the right cuts? Passes? Proper footwork and spacing? Set up multi-faceted plays? Rolling off double teams or help defending?


No way.




They could spend more time playing ball, but doesn't mean they're practicing as efficiently. And i'll give that there're probably some guys that can roll with the NBA players. But they'd be very, VERY rare.

[MiseryCityTexas]

Well Rafer is worse than almost the entire list and he was respected there (I think?), so probably pretty well. There's a reason why these guys are getting paid millions to ball.


Rafer Alston had a couple of good years in the league. I remember when he did the skip to my lou move against the Rockets when he played for the Milwaukee Bucks. The crowd in Milwaukee were going ooohh and aaaaaaaaaaah after he did that move. I remember another time he did that move in another game, and the ref called him for travelling

[oarabbus]

I doubt any streetballer has athleticism in the same universe as Nate Robinson. If they did they'd be in the nba.


Which brings me further confusion as to how Barea is not only in the nba, not even just a serviceable backup, but an NBA champ

[Iceman#44]

Joe Hammond would destroy them all.


This. The Destroyer is the GOAT streetball player :rockon:

On the same day, when he was barely 18 y.o, he scored 50 versus Earl The Pearl Monroe, and then in the afternoon 51 against Nate Tiny Archibald! 101 points in 1 day. 2 MVP Trophy. Against All-Star NBA players. Best EVAR

[edrick]

This post reminds me of a friend that use to talk about how he could compete with NBA players. I just looked at him like :facepalm . Even bench players are damn good players.

[NBAplayoffs2001]

This post reminds me of a friend that use to talk about how he could compete with NBA players. I just looked at him like :facepalm . Even bench players are damn good players.

I saw a former D-league player and a guy who played in Spain and European teams for years play at my local gym. He's about 29 now and he was ripping everyone apart including some local kids who were bench players for their division 2/division 3 teams.

[Iceman#44]

JOE HAMMOND was the real deal.

His nickname, The Destroyer, was perfect.

He once scored 50 vs Earl The Pearl Monroe and 51 vs Tiny Archibald in the same day. 2 games, 101 points, 2 mvp trophy.

He scored 50 in 1 half against Doctor J Erving during the Rucker Park Final in the early 70s. He lost that game but still won the Mvp trophy. The Lakers with West, Wilt etc made that famous tryout, when he destroyed Riley and he refused to sign 'cause he wanted more money.

He scored 58 against Cazzie Russell

He set the Rucker Park Record with 73 points vs NBA player Mike Riordan, and break his own record years later scoring 76 points.

He was the perfect streetball player. No stupid tricks, just pure dominance.

[NattyPButter]

I doubt any streetballer has athleticism in the same universe as Nate Robinson. If they did they'd be in the nba.


Which brings me further confusion as to how Barea is not only in the nba, not even just a serviceable backup, but an NBA champ

dumbest post ever...we are not talking about a bunch of suburb white boys. A lot of the guys have athleticism just as good as his or even better. They don't make it in the NBA because some didn't even finish high school or even went to college. There's a lot of great streetballers out their some of them just would never make it because of the things I named off or just love living the hood life.

[moe94]

dumbest post ever...we are not talking about a bunch of suburb white boys. A lot of the guys have athleticism just as good as his or even better. They don't make it in the NBA because some didn't even finish high school or even went to college. There's a lot of great streetballers out their some of them just would never make it because of the things I named off or just love living the hood life.

Nate Robinson? Are you underestimating Nate or grossly overrating these street ballers?

[uber]

They don't make it in the NBA because some didn't even finish high school or even went to college.
So you need to finish high school to play in the nba?

There's a lot of great streetballers out their some of them just would never make it because of the things I named off or just love living the hood life.
yeah they prefer the "hood life" instead of making millions in the nba .. that makes absolutely sense

[NattyPButter]

So you need to finish high school to play in the nba?

yeah they prefer the "hood life" instead of making millions in the nba .. that makes absolutely sense

of course you need to finish high school to make it in the NBA. College scouts sure isn't looking at high school drop outs at a park. Also yes some guys are in deep into that hood life and rather do that. Even in the past streetballers turned down NBA contracts to keep living the hood life with selling drugs.

[NattyPButter]

Nate Robinson? Are you underestimating Nate or grossly overrating these street ballers?

You live in Toronto so I wouldn't expect you to see crazy athleticism on the streets. Here in the U.S there's guys that are super athletic and just don't make it in pro sports. Shit happens.

[moe94]

You live in Toronto so I wouldn't expect you to see crazy athleticism on the streets. Here in the U.S there's guys that are super athletic and just don't make it in pro sports. Shit happens.

That shit is irrelevant because you have no idea where I've been. Nate is one of the most athletic dudes in the history of the NBA. Random dudes off the street aren't his athletic equals or surpassing him. You're tripping.

[FatComputerNerd]

Rafer Alston had a couple of good years in the league. I remember when he did the skip to my lou move against the Rockets when he played for the Milwaukee Bucks. The crowd in Milwaukee were going ooohh and aaaaaaaaaaah after he did that move. I remember another time he did that move in another game, and the ref called him for travelling


He pissed off Sasha Vujacic once with an epic skip-to-my-lou troll move:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zylBl6Upzkc

He also tore the Cavs apart in that ECF we lost to Orlando =(

[chocolatethunder]

If you think certain street ballers don't put as much time in touching a basketball as much as the pros do on a yearly basis, then you are sadly mistaken.
It's you who are mistaken.

[oarabbus]

of course you need to finish high school to make it in the NBA. College scouts sure isn't looking at high school drop outs at a park. Also yes some guys are in deep into that hood life and rather do that. Even in the past streetballers turned down NBA contracts to keep living the hood life with selling drugs.

Yeah in the past when NBA salaries were less than $20k/year and ballers had to work another job during the summer. And ROFL at you implying that these guys were talented enough to make it into the NBA when they couldn't even finish fukcing high school. If Monta and D rose got into college and the NBA, these guys have NO EXCUSE. They just aren't as good.



dumbest post ever...we are not talking about a bunch of suburb white boys. A lot of the guys have athleticism just as good as his or even better. They don't make it in the NBA because some didn't even finish high school or even went to college. There's a lot of great streetballers out their some of them just would never make it because of the things I named off or just love living the hood life.


Lol dude just GTFO of this topic. You're ignorant and misinformed.

Not even one of them has athleticism comparable, sorry. They don't make it in the NBA because they either:
-Are too short
-Are NOWHERE near athletic enough
-Their talent just does not translate to winning organized basketball

That's it. Guys like Smush Parker and Kenny Smith shat on streetballers growing up and their athleticism is nowhere near that of Nate. You are really, really, really dumb if you honestly believed what you wrote. They don't get in the NBA because they AREN'T GOOD ENOUGH.

This is such an abominably stupid few posts I'm half wondering whether you're a troll.

Oh yeah and two suburb white boys, JJ Reddick and Kyle Korver, would DOMINATE and send your beloved streetballers home crying. Yes they are that much better.

[NattyPButter]

Lol dude just GTFO of this topic. You're .

Not even one of them has athleticism comparable, sorry. They don't make it in the NBA because they either:
-Are too short
-Are NOWHERE near athletic enough
-Their talent just does not translate to winning organized basketball

That's it. Guys like Smush Parker and Kenny Smith shat on streetballers growing up and their athleticism is nowhere near that of Nate. You are really, really, really dumb if you honestly believed what you wrote. They don't get in the NBA because they AREN'T GOOD ENOUGH.

This is such an abominably stupid post I'm not going to waste more time with you.

who's not one of them? Like I said there's street ballers out there who are just as athletic as Nate. Not my fault you don't get out and stay on the internet thinking you know much. Yes guys are not making it because they are not good enough, but these guys are also not making because of not having the opportunity because of academics. You need to go to college for a year to get into the NBA now. You also need to graduate from high school to do such a thing. So I don't see how that makes me dumb for stating something that is actually true. You have rules you have to abide by to make it into the NBA. So who is ignorant and misinformed?

I wasn't good enough to start on my high school basketball team but I was good enough to make. I was and just as athletic as Nate and still some what is even at age 32. In high school I was considered a super athlete. Track and Field and wrestling was my spot. Even played Football and got offered a scholarship but looked at the ones that were offered in track. Anyways I met plenty of guys that were athletic freaks just like myself. Don't assume all athletic freaks make it in the pros and no one is athletic as a pro athlete.

[IGOTGAME]

I can get buckets at Rucker Park. Anyone on that list could do it too if they took it seriously.

lol @ everyone thinking they could have made it. they are exceptions but they are VERY VERY few.

[oarabbus]

who's not one of them? Like I said there's street ballers out there who are just as athletic as Nate. Not my fault you don't get out and stay on the internet thinking you know much. Yes guys are not making it because they are not good enough, but these guys are also not making because of not having the opportunity because of academics. You need to go to college for a year to get into the NBA now. You also need to graduate from high school to do such a thing. So I don't see how that makes me dumb for stating something that is actually true. You have rules you have to abide by to make it into the NBA. So who is ignorant and misinformed?


I wasn't good enough to start on my high school basketball team but I was good enough to make. I was and just as athletic as Nate and still some what is even at age 32. In high school I was considered a super athlete. Track and Field and wrestling was my spot. Even played Football and got offered a scholarship but looked at the ones that were offered in track. Anyways I met plenty of guys that were athletic freaks just like myself. Don't assume all athletic freaks make it in the pros and no one is athletic as a pro athlete.


:lol Oh you were as athletic as Nate. Ok bro.

Look man, I was an athlete too in high school. And I knew plenty of super athletes. In fact, our basketball team had a guy on it named Jeremy Lin and we won the DII state champ title. Oh yeah and California produces top level athletes in absolutely every sport. Might go as far as to say as CA is the most athletically talented state. Our high school beasted in sports (recently won a CA Open football title) of all kinds. Track, football, bball, water polo, whatever.

No one who was talented enough to make college team, didn't make it.

Like I said, Monta and D Rose are in the NBA and Monta doesn't know how to use a computer. These streetballers have no excuses.

[moe94]

who's not one of them? Like I said there's street ballers out there who are just as athletic as Nate. Not my fault you don't get out and stay on the internet thinking you know much. Yes guys are not making it because they are not good enough, but these guys are also not making because of not having the opportunity because of academics. You need to go to college for a year to get into the NBA now. You also need to graduate from high school to do such a thing. So I don't see how that makes me dumb for stating something that is actually true. You have rules you have to abide by to make it into the NBA. So who is ignorant and misinformed?

I wasn't good enough to start on my high school basketball team but I was good enough to make. I was and just as athletic as Nate and still some what is even at age 32. In high school I was considered a super athlete. Track and Field and wrestling was my spot. Even played Football and got offered a scholarship but looked at the ones that were offered in track. Anyways I met plenty of guys that were athletic freaks just like myself. Don't assume all athletic freaks make it in the pros and no one is athletic as a pro athlete.
:roll:

[Milbuck]

Still surprised by how long JJ Barea has been able to stay in the league. He also looks like an ugly baby.

[tpols]

-Are too short
-Are NOWHERE near athletic enough
-Their talent just does not translate to winning organized basketball

That's it. Guys like Smush Parker and Kenny Smith shat on streetballers growing up and their athleticism is nowhere near that of Nate. You are really, really, really dumb if you honestly believed what you wrote. They don't get in the NBA because they AREN'T GOOD ENOUGH..

thats the main thing.. they play a streetball style not good for the NBA.

there could be a bunch of nate robinsons out there in the streets.. he has that strength and vert at 5'9.. literally a 100 CBs/RBs/WRs that are just as jacked and fast, but most short people dont try for basketball especially the pros. They would have a much better chance trying to go the NFL route where pure athleticism > height plus way more roster spots.

[oarabbus]

Still surprised by how long JJ Barea has been able to stay in the league. He also looks like an ugly baby.

I still don't understand how Barea has done as well as he's done.

[IGOTGAME]

thats the main thing.. they play a streetball style not good for the NBA.

there could be a bunch of nate robinsons out there in the streets.. he has that strength and vert at 5'9.. literally a 100 CBs/RBs/WRs that are just as jacked and fast, but most short people dont try for basketball especially the pros. They would have a much better chance trying to go the NFL route where pure athleticism > height plus way more roster spots.

that not the main thing. they just arent that good. I'm a former college player and have played street ball my entire life. They just aren't that good. Even at Rucker you get a lot of D2 kids ballin out....why? because that comp is nothing special compared to actual leagues.

JJ Barea would shit all over ever Rucker Park.

[niko]

They have Ruckers this year at Barclays for a day or two which i find so strange. Ruckers inside Barclays in front of a tiny crowd (Nets games don't always sell out, this will?) is going to lack everything that makes it special. It's all about some stars playing outside in front of that atmosphere in the park. Indoors it's like an exhibition game at Barclays, small crowd, quiet.