Should bigs strive to be great "all around" players? Or focus on the paint?

[CavaliersFTW]

Take a Shaq/Wilt/Dwight types of players. Do they become better, or worse for their teams if they worked at 3 point range and ball handling drills?

On one hand, they are fantastic rebounders by staying inside as their physical strength and length is generally superior to their match ups. On the other hand, is stretching the floor and being able to move a little more freely on the ball a bad thing?

I keep going back and forth wondering how that would change the dynamic on the floor. I think in players Shaq and Wilt's size maybe it wouldn't be as important, as they were both almost always bigger than their opponents. They would/should always present a rebounding edge so they would probably always be best used if camped nearest to the basket on offense. Though stepping out and commanding the defense to follow you does open up the lane for cutters.

Is the aim in basketball to strive to be a player with "complete" skills, regardless of your size? Or is the objective to fine tune the skills that best compliment your talent? (For example great size and strength). Would it be best to pick up as many skills as possible so that at the very least, you've given yourself the most options? Or is that practice time better spent mastering pivot play when you've got a Wilt/Shaq/Dwight body.

[GIF REACTION]

It certainly seems the league is trending one way... All it takes is one dominant player to swing it back.

[Fire Colangelo]

All great bigs lived in the paint, so yes they should just focus on being dominant in the paint.

Unless you're Dirk. Even so, Dirk routinely racked up 10+ boards in the playoffs while holding his own on the defensive end.

[rmt]

I think there is value in practicing other skills. As a big man in today's game, there are instances where you might end up taking a last minute shot far away from the basket - see Duncan's 3 vs PHX or his shot before Fisher's .4 but your bread and butter should be big man skills. The big men in today's game are not skilled enough in big man post skills to be spending time shooting 3s. If you're a Shaq or a Wilt who have MASTERED post moves, then 5-10% fooling around with jump shots/3s seems okay to me but DH, Davis, and especially Jordan should hire Hakeem every summer and improve post moves.

[plowking]

Stick to the paint, and stick to finishing easy shots. Your skills as a big man should all be inside. People hate on Dwight, but he does everything right for a big man. They should simply run better plays for him or stop putting him in positions to create. Shaq/Wilt, etc weren't as great as people like to think in terms of dumping in the post and making something happen. Teams doubled and got the ball out of their hands. Creating dribble penetration and dumping it in to them was perfect for both.
The exact reason Duncan is so efficient now is because of easy shots around the rim.

Screw a midrange game. That is what the other players are there for. Your big is there to keep the ball high and put it in the ring in the easiest way possible. I don't know what the fascination is with making these players more multi faceted. It was never a necessity back in the day, yet they think it has to be now? Only part of the game that I think has gone backwards; big man development. Getting them to do too much when it isn't needed.

Keep the ball high, score easy shots. Learn 10 go to post moves that can get you easy shots. Rebound. Be big and disrupt shots.

[Smoke117]

Shut up douche bag. You are a hater of the best player on your team...who teh **** cares what you have to say?

[jstern]

Sure, why not? I mean, you only live once.

http://i48.twitgoo.com/2q9fggl.jpg

[joe]

Stay in the paint! Anthony Davis has so much more to learn compared to the best bigs in the history of the game. Why do you need to shoot 3s? Your team should surround you with 3s so that you can dominate in the paint.

Maybe that time is gone.. maybe shooting 3s is really just so much more efficient. But to me it seems very backwards. I agree with many others in this thread. Big development has gone wrong, these guys have few post skills and instead are becoming mediocre-decent 3 point shooters

[bizil]

The number one thing that trumps GREAT ALL AROUND ABILITY is DOMINANCE!! Dominance is the most vital asset to be a great player. For example, David Robinson was a better all around player than Shaq. Better scoring skillset, better defender, better passer. And by the numbers, was just as good of a scorer than Shaq.

But Shaq ultimately was the better player BECAUSE he was more dominant. Shaq could alter a defense in a way that no other big man could. So for me, its about playing to your strengths. Peak wise, I think Shaq was the best big man (PF or C) of all time. Ahead of guys like Kareem, Duncan, Wilt, Dream, Ewing, Admiral, Moses, Mailman, Barkley, KG, etc.

So for me, it's about DOMINANCE. Regardless of you actual skillset. Maybe I'm old school, but i still feel big men who can dominate both sides in the paint are the most valuable commodity in basketball. Unless u have a MJ, Bron, Magic, Kobe, or Bird. It's the major reason why people are touting Anthony Davis to be the best in the world soon. With all his great athletic gifts and shooting touch, he can dominate the paint on both sides of the floor.

[BigTicket]

It's better to be great at one thing than mediocre at many things.

Look at the greatest centers in history: Wilt, Kareem, Shaq, Hakeem, Russell etc. They were all known for what they did in the paint, not for their ability to at the perimeter.

Being able to stretch the floor is very useful as a PF, but it's not what you should do as a center.

[Asukal]

Bigs(specifically 4 and 5s) have their own roles, they have no business shooting a 3 or handling the rock. Of course its a given that they need to have the fundamentals down, specially dribbling and passing or they will struggle offensively. So yeah they should focus on what they do best.

[GimmeThat]

I feel like this is just about the best time to bring up the term "eye test"

in the scenario where I am more interested on the subject of passing the ball


being in the best position to help your team win the ball game is what players should strive for "or even if analysts would like to call that, being dominant"

without ever being on an organized basketball team, I can only wonder how many coaches have drilled into the idea that it's a 5 on 5 game, and if you aren't open, someone else will be.

and great players have the ability to find that thresh hold, not just getting themselves, the ball there, but also lead other players there.


in contrast to the other thread about Shaq/Wilt's dunking mix, and players are practically better off not trying to guard them. This can probably be said about teammates on the same team with a dominant ball handler/scorer, where as they generally feed off that 'underrated offensive passer' because they aren't afraid to fight for position, but also doesn't run into the primary ball handler.

hence the famous Ron Artest quote "Kobe passed me the ball"


But really, this is about how Derrick Rose won the MVP at such an early age.

[KendrickPerkins]

"Towns is more versatile"

WHO ****ING CARES!? Okafor is a beast in the paint and will be the better player because of it.

**** Anthony Towns stans. I hate you idiotic people.

[KendrickPerkins]

It's better to be great at one thing than mediocre at many things.

Look at the greatest centers in history: Wilt, Kareem, Shaq, Hakeem, Russell etc. They were all known for what they did in the paint, not for their ability to at the perimeter.

Being able to stretch the floor is very useful as a PF, but it's not what you should do as a center.
Exactly!

Minnesota basically got a guy who will be mediocre at everything offensively. Number 1 pick?

[SpanishACB]

It certainly seems the league is trending one way... All it takes is one dominant player to swing it back.

I don't think it's about players.

It's about rules.

Allow paint camping and suddenly those good FG outside players become irrelevant (including all stars like webstrook) and big players become much more valuable due to them scoring the 2 on a better %

yes, shaq played under the current rules, thing is, the style of the game has changed due to these rules, and that took time. Players cannot even find a man in the post with a proper pass anymore

[sundizz]

Al Jefferson is an offensive paint dominant beast.

A shame he is so turrible at defense and not getting hurt. Basically a 20 and 10 throwback center though.