Gilbert Arenas: I'm so mad at Vince ... The GOAT debate should've been him

[Im Still Ballin]

“Vince Carter it was just easy. I’m so mad at Vince for what he did to the game, The GOAT debate should’ve been him. He was so naturally gifted…” - Gilbert Arenas

https://streamable.com/y6huub

Thoughts on his take? Richard Jefferson and Matt Barnes both said Vince was the most gifted player they ever played with.

Did he really have that level of potential?

[Xiao Yao You]

sure talent wise. Didn't have what it takes inside though

[SATAN]

“I’m so mad at Vince for what he did to the game” - Gilbert Arenas



Vince had a good run and owes this clown nothing at all. Gilbert is an idiot with a big mouth.

[Real Men Wear Green]

He's kind of right but this is wrong. People shouldn't be mad at Carter for just being great. I've been guilty of criticizing him for this myself but as I've gotten older I've come to understand how not just hard it is but how lucky you have to be to be the greatest at anything, let alone something that tends of millions of people are going to become a good as they can be at. To be a skilled as he was, stay in shape, and play into his forties shows that Carter was dedicated. Not saying that he was a greater player than ______ but if he had been drafted by the Lakers or Spurs or if McGrady stayed in Toronto his career would be viewed completely differently and that's completely about luck, had nothing to do with what Carter could or could not do as a player. Because we shouldn't overlook the fact that he was still great.

[WhiteKyrie]

sure talent wise. Didn't have what it takes inside though
Sounds like LeBron too

[red1]

prime carter was a superhero


put on a show every single night


at least 1 sick play every game

[Im Still Ballin]

I don't think he was as quick or agile as Kobe let alone MJ. He couldn't stop on a dime and change direction like them. He jumped high but required more of a "wind-up." We talked about this a year or two ago on ISH.

[Xiao Yao You]

I don't think he was as quick or agile as Kobe let alone MJ. He couldn't stop on a dime and change direction like them. He jumped high but required more of a "wind-up." We talked about this a year or two ago on ISH.

could shoot

[Smook A.]

Vince and T-Mac were two guys who made basketball look effortless. So naturally gifted.

[Im Still Ballin]

could shoot

Better from three but not from the mid-range or free-throw line.

[90sgoat]

Vince was pretty one dimensional though.

Not much in terms of defense or passing.

T-Mac was the one who should have done much more.

[dankok8]

Vince was a really good ball handler and 3pt shooter too. Yea he could have been better than he was for sure.

[Indian guy]

More to the game than leaping ability

MJ, Kobe, Wade were easily more complete than VC as an athlete

[ErhnamDjinn]

Vince had a good run and owes this clown nothing at all. Gilbert is an idiot with a big mouth.

Yeah Gilbert thinks just cause he earned so much money what he says is something smart or insightful. Dudes a clown. He even said he wouldnt trade a 150m contract for lesser contract to win a ring.

[theballerFKA Ace]

More to the game than leaping ability

MJ, Kobe, Wade were easily more complete than VC as an athlete

He was more than just athletic. His hands were as big as MJ, his standing reach was higher than LeBron and Kawhi despite being only 6'5. Coming out of college he was stronger than Kobe, LeBron and MJ. Not as strong as prime MJ. LeBron or 2003 Kobe but entering the league he was the strongest of these guys with a bench press of 280 which was also the highest on the Raptors team. His physical tools rivaled or exceeded MJs and Lebrons.

[eliteballer]

He was more than just athletic. His hands were as big as MJ, his standing reach was higher than LeBron and Kawhi despite being only 6'5. Coming out of college he was stronger than Kobe, LeBron and MJ. Not as strong as prime MJ. LeBron or 2003 Kobe but entering the league he was the strongest of these guys with a bench press of 280 which was also the highest on the Raptors team. His physical tools rivaled or exceeded MJs and Lebrons.

lol no they didn't. Like you mentioned, he had extremely long arms (and big hands too) which made it easy for him to do stuff in the air and made it look like he jumped higher than he actually did (loong arms= hands going higher in the air without actually jumping higher).

In terms of things like speed, coordination, flexibility he wasn't near Kobe and Jordan. He wasn't nearly as explosive off the dribble as them.

He wasn't even the most talented in his family. T-Mac was. T-Mac was LeBron with a better jumpshot and handles.

[Im Still Ballin]

I found the thread discussing the difference between Kobe, Vince, and McGrady from two years ago:

The difference between Kobe, Vince, and McGrady (http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?497487-The-difference-between-Kobe-Vince-and-McGrady)

[beasted]

Didn't have the passing, defense nor most importantly, the leadership to have a seat in the discussion.

He's a cookie cutter good all-star. Gil's job is talking shit for a living.

[Im Still Ballin]

Didn't have the passing, defense nor most importantly, the leadership to have a seat in the discussion.

He's a cookie cutter good all-star. Gil's job is talking shit for a living.

It makes sense why someone like Gilbert would overrate Vince. The flashiness and all that stuff.

[theballerFKA Ace]

lol no they didn't. Like you mentioned, he had extremely long arms (and big hands too) which made it easy for him to do stuff in the air and made it look like he jumped higher than he actually did (loong arms= hands going higher in the air without actually jumping higher).

In terms of things like speed, coordination, flexibility he wasn't near Kobe and Jordan. He wasn't nearly as explosive off the dribble as them.


Long arms make it harder to bench press but he was just as strong or stronger than young LeBron. Definitely stronger than young Kobe and MJ.


Some big burly guy would be struggling to lift 275 on the bench, and then Vince, who hasn't even been working out as hard, he'd come over and lift it three or four times like it was nothing," says De Angelo. "Vince is what? Forty pounds lighter (than the power forward) and probably only had to work half as hard to do it.


http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Co...496&call_pageid=969907729483&col=970081562040

He may not have had the lateral quickness of Kobe or MJ but with better strength, leaping ability and length than both, it evened out.

[eliteballer]

Long arms make it harder to bench press but he was just as strong or stronger than young LeBron. Definitely stronger than young Kobe and MJ.



http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Co...496&call_pageid=969907729483&col=970081562040

He may not have had the lateral quickness of Kobe or MJ but with better strength, leaping ability and length than both, it evened out.

Vince is a couple of years older than Kobe. 2003 Kobe is at least as strong as any version of Vince. Jordan's strength has also been mentioned by many players, I'd lean towards Jordan being as strong or stronger at similar ages too.

He did not have better leaping ability than them, look at his head in relation to the rim. He doesn't consistently get higher than they do.

[Im Still Ballin]

Vince didn't jump as quickly as Kobe let alone MJ. As Eliteballer said in the other thread, Vince required more time/more of a "wind-up" to get off the ground. Jumping ability isn't just about how high you get. I'd argue that quick jumping is even more important, particularly for big men as it helps with rebounding.

Hell, there's also the breakdown of two-footed jumping, one-footed jumping, and from a standstill vs. a run-up.

The best jumpers are able to jump high, quick, far, off two feet, both left and right, with a run-up, and from a standstill. MJ is the best all-around jumper when you factor in all these variables.