Prime Latrell Sprewell in today's NBA

[Lebron23]

Do you think he'll be a top 3 shooting guards in today's league?

http://wineandbowties.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/latrell1.jpg

http://www.thestrut.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/sprewell.jpg

He was the best shooting guard in the league when MJ retired in 1994. And he was a 20 ppg scorer with the Knicks, and led that Team in the NBA Finals in 1999.

[Nick Young]

Do you think he'll be a top 3 shooting guards in today's league?
HELL NO.

One of the most overrated players of all time, probably because he played on the Knicks.

I am pretty sure it was Patrick Ewing playing through injury and Jeff Van Gundy who lead the Knicks to the finals in 1999.

[Cali Syndicate]

I'd prefer Allan Houston over Sprewell.

[Goofsta Knicca]

Those are sick picks in the OP.

He'd show LeBron how to really whoop a coach.

[GrapeApe]

Nah, the dude was a choker. Just ask PJ Carlisimo.

[NewYorkNoPicks]

What made Spree special was his defensive ability, leadership qualities, intensity, work ethic and physical gifts like his athleticism and stamina. If I remember correctly he had several seasons of averaging over 40mpg. He'd blow by you with that quick first step, dunk over you with ferocity and lock you down on the other end. The only thing missing from his game was ball handling, where Id say he was average at best. If you gave that guy better handles he wouldve been a perrenial allstar

[livingby3's]

I'd prefer Allan Houston over Sprewell.

came in to post this

[NewYorkNoPicks]

came in to post this

Then you guys never watched them both play with an adult formed mind; maybe you guys were toddlers at the time.

You want the soft, immobile, non-defense jump shooter over Spree? Why? Because he hit a lucky shot that bounced off the front rim and in?

Houston couldnt even create his own offense, couldnt put the ball on the floor at all

[JohnnySic]

He was the best shooting guard in the league when MJ retired in 1994.
Uhm no, there were these guys called Mitch Richmond, Clyde Drexler, and Reggie Miller.

Edit: Joe Dumars is arguable too.

[feyki]

Reggie was the best sg in w/out Jordan league .

[AintNoSunshine]

Like his fire, intensity and all but stop overrating older guys and think they are better than they really actually were.

[bigkingsfan]

Depends how hungry his family is.

[GrapeApe]

What made Spree special was his defensive ability, leadership qualities, intensity, work ethic and physical gifts like his athleticism and stamina. If I remember correctly he had several seasons of averaging over 40mpg. He'd blow by you with that quick first step, dunk over you with ferocity and lock you down on the other end. The only thing missing from his game was ball handling, where Id say he was average at best. If you gave that guy better handles he wouldve been a perrenial allstar

He was pretty inefficient though. Except for a few of his early seasons in GS he was usually around 50%TS, including multiple seasons under 50%. He has a career 15 PER and never had a season above 20. He was an inconsistent shooter and pretty turnover prone for a guy who wasn't a primary ball handler. Aside from his defense, his style of play wouldn't translate well to today's league.

[senelcoolidge]

I was a big Sprewell fan when he first came into the league as a Warrior. Late first rounder than came out of nowhere. He used to take it to the basket so aggressively. Could finish back than there was a lot of bodies in the paint. Could shoot. Strong defender. But yeah he wouldn't be the best today, but one of the best.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GvuEzhfLX4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27dl7wMnoFk (Wilt makes a cameo)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgTJq-ShHMg

[Draz]

My first favorite player growing up.

[imdaman99]

He was a 2 way player, he wouldn't be as talented as Harden with the ball but he didn't melt down every playoff like he does either.
Easily top 3 SG in this league. Dude had the talent to cover Iverson.

[Goofsta Knicca]

I was a big Sprewell fan when he first came into the league as a Warrior. Late first rounder than came out of nowhere. He used to take it to the basket so aggressively. Could finish back than there was a lot of bodies in the paint. Could shoot. Strong defender. But yeah he wouldn't be the best today, but one of the best.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GvuEzhfLX4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27dl7wMnoFk (Wilt makes a cameo)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgTJq-ShHMg

Decent core to start a thugball team with on the floor for that alley oop in the second vid... GP, KG, Sprewell. lol

[Cali Syndicate]

Then you guys never watched them both play with an adult formed mind; maybe you guys were toddlers at the time.

You want the soft, immobile, non-defense jump shooter over Spree? Why? Because he hit a lucky shot that bounced off the front rim and in?

Houston couldnt even create his own offense, couldnt put the ball on the floor at all

Oh, look. Another ish bully trying to press his opinion as the only valid one there is.

Just because I have my own opinion and preference when it comes to the team sport of basketball, I'm a toddler? I was born in 81 and started watching ball in the early 90s. How bout you? And As a warriors fan, I have seen plenty of sprewell. Looking back, there has been a brigade of players I wished stayed a warrior a bit longer. Sprewell, for me was not one of them. For the same reason I'm sure Denver fans don't miss jr smith. Yes. Sprewell was fun to watch. Dunked with the aggression on par with that of Westbrook. On the open court, could fly with the best of them. And was a solid all nba defender. With that said, he was a chucker and I prefer what you would get with Houston. a high iq lights out shooter that can basically fit any system. And houston may not be the most adept iso player, but that's what picks and screens are for. Let's not act like he was Kyle Krover now

[kamil]

Nah, the dude was a choker. Just ask PJ Carlisimo.

LMFAO!

[SpaceJam]

His Twitter account is GOAT

[sportjames23]

Could you imagine Spree and GOATbrook going head-to-head?

[Lebron23]

Bump

[Lebron23]

He and Houston were the only bright spots for the Knicks in the 1999 NBA Finals. If they had Prime Ewing they beat the Spurs in the finals.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OZS9P3YraY&t=80s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OZS9P3YraY&t=80s

[HoopsNY]

Then you guys never watched them both play with an adult formed mind; maybe you guys were toddlers at the time.

You want the soft, immobile, non-defense jump shooter over Spree? Why? Because he hit a lucky shot that bounced off the front rim and in?

Houston couldnt even create his own offense, couldnt put the ball on the floor at all

I know this poster posted this in 2016, but this is way off. I remember Allan Houston. He always, and I mean always, created his own shot. The Knicks usually had him iso. He would begin by a quick post up, followed by the iso, and then use his first step and pull up because his jumpshot was butter.

Houston wasn't the off the ball player Ray Allen or Reggie Miller was. And Sprewell didn't set him up as often as people think, though Spree was easily the Knicks' best playmaker.

[HoopsNY]

He and Houston were the only bright spots for the Knicks in the 1999 NBA Finals. If they had Prime Ewing they beat the Spurs in the finals.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OZS9P3YraY&t=80s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OZS9P3YraY&t=80s

I doubt it. Prime Ewing gives them a better chance, but they wouldn't have won. The Lakers got swept with peak Shaq, Kobe, and Glen Rice. Tim Duncan was on another level that year and so was the Spurs defense. It would have been a dog fight, though.

[3ba11]

He was pretty inefficient though. Except for a few of his early seasons in GS he was usually around 50%TS, including multiple seasons under 50%. He has a career 15 PER and never had a season above 20. He was an inconsistent shooter and pretty turnover prone for a guy who wasn't a primary ball handler. Aside from his defense, his style of play wouldn't translate well to today's league.


The opposite

His style of play would fit perfectly

Many great players from today would go back to 94' and shoot like garbage with the physicality and no spacing - the packed paints and no teammates spreading the floor for you.. it was a much tougher format

Today's wide open game would open things up for an athlete like Sprewell that could shoot the 3 and create in the halfcourt - he wasn't a system player

[TheGoatest]

If you copy-paste his All-NBA 1st team season from 1993-94 atom by atom and insert it into today's NBA, he wouldn't even make the All-NBA 3rd team.
But that's how astronomically shite perimeter positions (especially shooting guard) in the 90s were.