NBA players who wasted their athleticism

[BigKAT]

What players do you see as having peak human physical abilities, but have not worked hard enough/did enough to get to their true potential?

I'ma say Gerald Green is a monster athelete who didn't pan out.

Vince carter possibly too, I didn't watch enough of him to be a 100% sure, but I think it was a mindset thing, not being aggressive enough in his prime.

Dwight howard for sure. IF that guy learned more skills, damn. But I'm not a sure a 3 times DPOY and several times all-star is considered a waste..

[The_Pharcyde]

eddie robinson on the early 2000's bulls

[keep-itreal]

Javale Mcgee is THE most athletic NBA player in history.

and he's out of the league right now :roll:

and reigning shaqtin a fool MVP :roll:

[K Xerxes]

LeBron James

[BigKAT]

Javale Mcgee is THE most athletic NBA player in history.

and he's out of the league right now :roll:

and reigning shaqtin a fool MVP :roll:

Ohgod how did I forget about that guy

[LostCause]

JR Smith, Tyrus Thomas, Stromile Swift.... Steve Francis

[retaxis]

JR Smith, Tyrus Thomas, Stromile Swift.... Steve Francis
jr smith doesn't have real handles so his athleticism is not going to get him anywhere anway....However he can shoot lights out and lets wait for his contract to come out and see if its wasted. He spend 10years as a number 2nd option behind melo and made a lot of cash and playoff games

[lilteapot]

Rudy Gay

[ShawkFactory]

JR Smith, Tyrus Thomas, Stromile Swift.... Steve Francis
That's a good one

[ClipperRevival]

Dwight doesn't count at all. Some guys just don't have the touch and footwork to be efficient offensive players. That doesn't mean he didn't nearly max out. He's going to be a HOFer, led a team to a finals appearance as "the man", has 3 DPOY and was one of the better defenders, rim protectors, rebounders and rim rollers EVER. As a matter of fact, if we are ranking all-time centers, Dwight would be in my top 20.

[ClipperRevival]

Javale Mcgee is THE most athletic NBA player in history.

and he's out of the league right now :roll:

and reigning shaqtin a fool MVP :roll:

Dude had the raw talent to be a GOAT level big, no doubt. True waste of talent. But nothing in between his ears or heart.

[ClipperRevival]

I've always did :facepalm with Wes Johnson. To me, he is the prototypical NBA wing, in the mold of Pippen. 6'8", long, ultra athletic, fluid, coordinated and agile. He should've been a dominant defender AT WORST in this league. But like McGee, he lacks between the ears and heart. Without that, you won't go far no matter how talented you are.

[f0und]

agree with OP on gerald green

the dude's athletic ability legitimately rivals jordan. got the same hops, maybe even better. got the lateral quickness and speed to be the best slasher in the game. got the hangtime. he's really the only person ive seen, other than jordan, that seems to hang in the air before getting a shot off. those mid air imrov shots, he's got. he's got all the physical tools to play a jordan like game, more than anyone else. he just doesnt use them enough. he'd rather shoot outside jumpers.

[LostCause]

agree with OP on gerald green

the dude's athletic ability legitimately rivals jordan. got the same hops, maybe even better. got the lateral quickness and speed to be the best slasher in the game. got the hangtime. he's really the only person ive seen, other than jordan, that seems to hang in the air before getting a shot off. those mid air imrov shots, he's got. he's got all the physical tools to play a jordan like game, more than anyone else. he just doesnt use them enough. he'd rather shoot outside jumpers.

Minus the whole 4 fingers thing I suppose

(I also don't think Green had near the strength of Jordan)

[JtotheIzzo]

Jordan Kilganon

[BigKAT]

Dude had the raw talent to be a GOAT level big, no doubt. True waste of talent. But nothing in between his ears or heart.

Definetly a waste. That guy's putback dunks. Daaamn. And size, and everything. What a complete bummer to see someone like that wasted away.


Dwight doesn't count at all. Some guys just don't have the touch and footwork to be efficient offensive players. That doesn't mean he didn't nearly max out. He's going to be a HOFer, led a team to a finals appearance as "the man", has 3 DPOY and was one of the better defenders, rim protectors, rebounders and rim rollers EVER. As a matter of fact, if we are ranking all-time centers, Dwight would be in my top 20.

Yeah I get you, I hesitated on him too.
Could he have been better? Yes
Is he considered a letdown? Probably not. Fairly accomplished, just not as much as we hoped.

[LikeMike]

Javale Mcgee is THE most athletic NBA player in history.

and he's out of the league right now :roll:

and reigning shaqtin a fool MVP :roll:
McGee is a great example.

[SpanishACB]

Dwight doesn't count at all. Some guys just don't have the touch and footwork to be efficient offensive players. That doesn't mean he didn't nearly max out. He's going to be a HOFer, led a team to a finals appearance as "the man", has 3 DPOY and was one of the better defenders, rim protectors, rebounders and rim rollers EVER. As a matter of fact, if we are ranking all-time centers, Dwight would be in my top 20.


dwight is basically the opposite of this thread

he's fulfilled the potential of his physique playing in the NBA whilst being a shit basketball player

[BigKAT]

dwight is basically the opposite of this thread

he's fulfilled the potential of his physique playing in the NBA whilst being a shit basketball player


Overachieved?

[swagga]

wiggins imo, could be a monster defender but he just chills too much.

[swagga]

dwight is basically the opposite of this thread

he's fulfilled the potential of his physique playing in the NBA whilst being a shit basketball player

cmon son, dwight was garbage from an offensive skill standpoint but defensively he was one of the GOATs. You can't call him a shit basketball player with good positioning and understanding of defensive aspects. If you take away peak dwight's positioning, anticipation, and defensive IQ you get deandre jordan and it's a long fall.

[Q.E.C]

Jonathan Bender, Terrance Williams, Joe Alexander

[JohnMax]

Blake Griffin
Deandre Jordan

[Dragonyeuw]

Is he considered a letdown? Probably not. Fairly accomplished, just not as much as we hoped.

To me he is,mainly for how much a prima donna he turned out to be. Back in 2009 when he was putting on the Superman cape in the dunk contest, i thought this guy was the next big thing. 24, crazy athleticism, was putting up some huge numbers at times( 40/20 games), and had all the charisma to be one of the league's faces for years to come. 2011 he legitimately could have won MVP. Then the back injury, and it's been all downhill from there. For all his crazy hops and explosiveness, he didn't have the natural touch to be a great post scorer once he left his physical prime. Go back at look at those 2010 videos of him working out with Hakeem. It's pretty telling that 50 year Hakeem looked way more graceful and fluid than 25 year Howard did.

[HylianNightmare]

Ben mclemore and terranceross

[FKAri]

Simply being able to jump high doesn't make one talented.

[FreezingTsmoove]

Gerald green doesnt even have 10 ****ing fingers :facepalm i think hes done just fine in life OP :facepalm

[BigKAT]

Gerald green doesnt even have 10 ****ing fingers :facepalm i think hes done just fine in life OP :facepalm

First thing I did after you posted that is google

''Does Gerald Green miss a finger?!''

I was not disappointed. Wow, that's impressive.

[Remix]

DJ Stephens and Shannon Brown come to mind

[Wally450]

Thomas Robinson.

[Orlando Magic]

Not Allen Iverson.

[DaHeezy]

I felt Shawn Kemp could have had a better career with all that raw athleticism. If he kept himself a conditioned and motivated he may have had a Garnett like career. He was too into buffets and bitches

[RR#9]

Some quality threads from you lately :applause:. A welcome change from the usual sludge that has covered this board the last few months..

[HylianNightmare]

Francis

[ClipperRevival]

Ben mclemore and terranceross

Both uber athletic that's for sure but they lack "game" and the feel for the game.

[ClipperRevival]

I felt Shawn Kemp could have had a better career with all that raw athleticism. If he kept himself a conditioned and motivated he may have had a Garnett like career. He was too into buffets and bitches

It's night and day the way he looked once he went to the Cavs and let go from his peak, Sonic days.

[Smoke117]

I felt Shawn Kemp could have had a better career with all that raw athleticism. If he kept himself a conditioned and motivated he may have had a Garnett like career. He was too into buffets and bitches

Eh...Kemp's amazing athleticism allowed him to maximize his abilities...he was never really that talented/skilled as an actual basketball player. (so I disagree completely saying he was in anyway wasted athleticism) What exactly is a Garnett-like career? Because it's clear who is better whether we're talking career vs career, prime vs prime, or peak vs peak. I don't see how he could have a "Garnett like career" when he just plain wasn't close to as good as Kevin Garnett. In general Shawn Kemp had a low basketball IQ...could never stay out of foul trouble and was a turnover machine.

[Gougou]

Greg Oden
Shannon Brown?

[Smoke117]

Greg Oden
Shannon Brown?

How exactly does a guy who has never been healthy waste his altheticism? :biggums:

[BigKAT]

How exactly does a guy who has never been healthy waste his altheticism? :biggums:

Not so much a case of waste,

More like mugged.
Guy was robbed out of his career.

I meant players who -wasted-, like, didn't work hard enough, didn't improve themselves enough.

[DaHeezy]

Eh...Kemp's amazing athleticism allowed him to maximize his abilities...he was never really that talented/skilled as an actual basketball player. (so I disagree completely saying he was in anyway wasted athleticism) What exactly is a Garnett-like career? Because it's clear who is better whether we're talking career vs career, prime vs prime, or peak vs peak. I don't see how he could have a "Garnett like career" when he just plain wasn't close to as good as Kevin Garnett. In general Shawn Kemp had a low basketball IQ...could never stay out of foul trouble and was a turnover machine.

He could have in terms of being a solid defensive anchor and presence. Had he maintained that athleticism he have have done so. I'm not saying he plays like Garnett. Kemp is what Whiteside is now.

[iBallerPT]

Shaq was extremely athletic back in his Magic days, unfortunately he gained so much weight in LA and was then limited to strictly dominating by bodying people down low.

[tamaraw08]

I've always did :facepalm with Wes Johnson. To me, he is the prototypical NBA wing, in the mold of Pippen. 6'8", long, ultra athletic, fluid, coordinated and agile. He should've been a dominant defender AT WORST in this league. But like McGee, he lacks between the ears and heart. Without that, you won't go far no matter how talented you are.

While I understand the frustruation, I still think he is not that bad as a defender. I think things would have been different if he had a better shooting form and better handles.
Tyrus Thomas for me competes with McGhee in this category.

[ClipperRevival]

While I understand the frustruation, I still think he is not that bad as a defender. I think things would have been different if he had a better shooting form and better handles.
Tyrus Thomas for me competes with McGhee in this category.

He's not a terrible defender given his Pippen like build/athleticism but he could be so much better. Living in LA, I've watched him closely the last few years with the Lakers and Clippers. What hurts him is his terrible motor/lack of desire along with terrible bbiq/feel for the game.

The guy was the 4th pick. He should've been a much better defender and player. And he's about 28 now. He's pretty much going to be a fringe bench player for the rest of his career. I've given up on him now.

[Smoke117]

He could have in terms of being a solid defensive anchor and presence. Had he maintained that athleticism he have have done so. I'm not saying he plays like Garnett. Kemp is what Whiteside is now.

What? That makes even less sense than your Garnett remark. The fact of the matter is Kemp was NEVER going to a defensive anchor you could count on because he was prone to stupid fouls and always in foul trouble. If you can't stay on the damn court...you're not much of an achor are you? He was good and had an impact when he could actually stay on the court, but he unfortunately never could...it's why his mins never got particularly high...foul trouble.

[Red Flame]

josh selby,terrance williams, wesley johnson just to name a few