Of the 6 major sports, does basketball require the least amount of skill?

[QUOTE=G.O.A.T]I'd say the most skill pertaining to the sport and/or the most exceptional physical gifts. The best players in the NBA could have dominated four of those other five sports had they committed to them instead of basketball. Imagine a Lebron James sized soccer goalie or Ron Artest as a defense-men in Hockey. I think Dwyane Wade could be the NFL's best receiver right now.

Football and Soccer take very little skill. Soccer takes more time and football more athletic ability, but both are mostly physical/conditioning based games. Hockey starts with becoming a great skater. Baseball and Golf are mostly based on mechanics and repetition and tennis is a combination of athleticism and skill, but rarely attracts the high level athlete.[/QUOTE]

lol soccer goalie. if you're gonna talk about dominating a sport pick positions that ppl care. you obviously picked the least skilled position. a position in which reaction, size and athleticism the most important are. lebron would never manage to be a half decent soccer player.

[QUOTE=lilojmayo]Football and Basketball are easier to pick up then the other sports. Which is why they are the two most played sports in the country. But at the same time since they are played so much the competition far exceeds any of the other sports. You basically have to ask if you never had experience playing a sport which would you struggle the most.

1. Golf
2. Hockey
3.Baseball
4. Soccer
5. Basketball
6.Football[/QUOTE]

I essentially agree with that except I'd have soccer and basketball as 5 and 6 and interchangeable. Throwing a football can be quite hard to do as well as tackling a player going full speed. I wouldn't even play on the defensive end of the football when i started playing (8th grade) until I had a year's experience of watching that side of the ball.

To give you an idea thinking about all of those sports and think about how many people actually play the sport that they watch. It's most likely basketball and soccer since they are very easy to pick up.

[quote]
I'd say the most skill pertaining to the sport and/or the most exceptional physical gifts. The best players in the NBA could have dominated four of those other five sports had they committed to them instead of basketball. Imagine a Lebron James sized soccer goalie or Ron Artest as a defense-men in Hockey. I think Dwyane Wade could be the NFL's best receiver right now.

Football and Soccer take very little skill. Soccer takes more time and football more athletic ability, but both are mostly physical/conditioning based games. Hockey starts with becoming a great skater. Baseball and Golf are mostly based on mechanics and repetition and tennis is a combination of athleticism and skill, but rarely attracts the high level athlete.[/quote]

Yea sorry goat I don't agree with that.

Not to say baseball doesn't take skill, but there's a reason why so many legends have done steroids...

1 - NFL Quarterback
2 - NHL Goalie
3a - Golfer
3b - MLB Pitcher
3c - Soccer Goalie
4 - NBA Point Guard

That's my list

[QUOTE=Joey Zaza]Interesting topic, really interesting that despite this being a basketball site, basketball is not dominating the voting...

Making a basket is probably easier than anything else listed. Further, someone without any basketball knowlege or experience can still get out for a game and play without looking too foolish. Worst happens, you miss a shot (everyone does) your guys scores on you (so what, everyone is scored on).

But, to that end, since scoring a basket is so easy (compare to other sports, ball goes in 40-60 times a game, runs/goals/TD score 3-4 times a game) stopping the basket is insanely hard.

Further, the comparison between other sports is largely unfair. [B] Baseball and golf are about fine motor skills. [/B] The position of the fingers when holding the ball, swinging the club. The gross motor..swinging the arms, jumping, are useful, but not primary. Basketball and football is all gross motor skills. Big, broad movements dominate--(though I'm sure R.Allen and R.Miller will tell you their finger tips are the whole game).

All that being said, ice hockey seems impossible.[/QUOTE]


Baseball requires serious athleticism for 2b, SS, 3B and all of the outfield. Don't get it twisted. It even requires great stamina. If you don't believe me, have someone hit you fly balls or grounders for just 10 minutes. In baseball, you have to instantly react to a ball moving more than a 100 MPH. You have no idea in what direction its going and then you have to consider how many outs there are, whos on base, and whats the score. Its silly when people think like you do about baseball.

[QUOTE=bdreason]Here is my list of major American sports, based on skill, hardest to easiest.


1. Golf - the entire sport is based on skill. I have friends who are shorter and weaker than me that consistently out-drive me, and out-play me.

2. Baseball - another sport that requires mostly skill. [B]Speed, stamina, and strength are nice, but not required. [/B]

3. Hockey - they play on ice. Most people can't even ice skate, let alone play a sport while skating.

4. Basketball - requires a combination of skills using both the hands and feet. I would love to rank bball higher, but the sport is highly reliant on size and athleticism as well. That's why many claim Basketball has the greatest athletes in the World.

5. Football - the positions in football make the sport more specialized. Only the QB position requires as many skills as some of the other sports mentioned.[/QUOTE]
:roll: You really have no clue as to what you're talking about.

[QUOTE=sundizz]I am very very very naturally skilled at sports...just short.

My definition of 'skills' is would you be able to play with a bunch of normal athleticism guys that have played the sport for 10+ years. For example, if you went to the park and there were a bunch of 20-40 year old people there could you play the game without being a huge detriment to the fun.

Results for someone with above average athleticism and coordinator (me)
In order of easiest to hardest (assuming you get to have one day to practice)

1. Baseball.
Catching and throwing. Your singular effect on any single game is usually not that great. I've never once played baseball in any organized way, but when I play with people that do know how to play I don't embarrass myself. I can catch the ball if it easy and i'm fast enough to get a grounder. I have a naturally good arm and can get it close enough to my target. I suck at hitting, and am a detriment there but with a subpar picture I can occasionally get a good whack at the ball.

2. Soccer
If you have decent athleticism you can always play defense. I really am terrible at kicking the ball but can play great on the ball or help defense. This is a game with clear cut offense and defensive players so as long as you don't choose a position (forward) that requires mad skill you can play just fine. I played with varsity level players and most of them had no idea I never played soccer before. All I did was play defense and try to not do too much. I've played one on one soccer against people that have high school level of skills and beat them. Again, mostly luck, I was faster than them and it was a big field, and no goalie. It takes a little bit to get used to dribbling with your feet, but as far as sports go you can pick that up fairly quickly.


3. Football
Football really depends on how properly it is played. You have to at least understand football to play it decently. You have to know where to be and what to do/the rules. This is not necessarily skill, but rather knowledge. If you are playing tackle then the skill is a bit less. You can be huge, fast and strong and dominate as a running back or etc. This gets the nod above the other two because you HAVE to be able to catch the ball, move laterally, move explosively, and gauge distance. If you are wide open and can't catch the ball you are a huge liability. Alternatively, if you keep getting torched on defense you are a huge liability.

4. Basketball
In bball you can be pretty terrible and still be allowed on a court. However, the skills required to be good are very fine tuned. Being a skilled shooter is something purely learned, and not physical (such as catching). Same with dribbling. However, you can be tall and do other things. Alternatively, as long as you can catch and get the ball to someone else it is usually enough. However, the divide between not having skills and having skills is larger than the prior two sports.

5. Hockey
Ice skating is a semi-skill. I could ice skate just fine the first time I ever tried it. Stopping, turning quickly, etc etc is something I'm sure I could pick up if I go another 20+ times. I think the skill to hit a puck while moving is pretty hard though. I think basketball requires more actual skill, but I think for most people skating and using a stick at the same time is a combination of body skill that requires tons and tons of practice. I might be an exception, rather than the rule here.

6. Tennis
As an avid tennis player, I can say with certainty if you don't have the skills you have no chance. The athleticism/etc only comes in to play once you have the skills. Someone fast and strong will be only marginally better than someone slow and weak. Skill definitely trumps all, until you get to the upper echelons.


7. Golf
This sport requires the most skill in my opinion. I naturally have been able to get by, or do well at every sport I've ever played just a few times. Golf is by far the exception. It is impossible. The skill required to hit that ball properly is just unbelievable. Size, strength and every measure of normal athletic ability (coordination, wrist strength, explosiveness, etc) really have no bearing on golf. It is a pure skill sport.[/QUOTE]


Golf does indeed require a high level of skill to play at the highest level.

Golf is not a sport though.

If golf is a sport, so is shuffleboard. So is air hockey.

[QUOTE=wagexslave]1 - NFL Quarterback
2 - NHL Goalie
3a - Golfer
3b - MLB Pitcher
3c - Soccer Goalie
4 - NBA Point Guard

That's my list[/QUOTE]

MLB pitcher takes more skill than all of those. You know how hard it is to throw a strike?

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaIvBd0Q19s[/url]
[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zzq5hw5KSXU[/url]
[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IRQ0RjJ20Q[/url]
[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wn69Z820P6w[/url]

[QUOTE=Sarcastic]MLB pitcher takes more skill than all of those. You know how hard it is to throw a strike?

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaIvBd0Q19s[/url]
[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zzq5hw5KSXU[/url]
[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IRQ0RjJ20Q[/url]
[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wn69Z820P6w[/url][/QUOTE]

I'd be willing to bet I could throw a strike before you could skate backwards.

Baseball, despite how many of the athletes who do play professionally are out of shape, requires the most skill. It's tough as shit hitting a 90+mph fastball, much less a splitter and/or changeup that comes in almost as quick. Fielding (catching or playing defense) and pitching? Fuhgettaboutit.

I'd say Basketball/Hockey are close seconds, followed by Football.

[QUOTE=Fiasco]I'd be willing to bet I could throw a strike before you could skate backwards.[/QUOTE]

I grew up ice skating, and played hockey when I was young.

[QUOTE=sundizz]

2. Soccer
If you have decent athleticism you can always play defense. I really am terrible at kicking the ball but can play great on the ball or help defense. This is a game with clear cut offense and defensive players so as long as you don't choose a position (forward) that requires mad skill you can play just fine. I played with varsity level players and most of them had no idea I never played soccer before. All I did was play defense and try to not do too much. I've played one on one soccer against people that have high school level of skills and beat them. Again, mostly luck, I was faster than them and it was a big field, and no goalie. It takes a little bit to get used to dribbling with your feet, but as far as sports go you can pick that up fairly quickly.
[/QUOTE]

No. Just athleticism is not enough to play defense. You would not even touch the football in my local game. Newsflash, the guy you beat can't play football either.

[QUOTE=G.O.A.T]I'd say the most skill pertaining to the sport and/or the most exceptional physical gifts. The best players in the NBA could have dominated four of those other five sports had they committed to them instead of basketball. Imagine a Lebron James sized soccer goalie or Ron Artest as a defense-men in Hockey. I think Dwyane Wade could be the NFL's best receiver right now.

Football and Soccer take very little skill. Soccer takes more time and football more athletic ability, but both are mostly physical/conditioning based games. Hockey starts with becoming a great skater. Baseball and Golf are mostly based on mechanics and repetition and tennis is a combination of athleticism and skill, but rarely attracts the high level athlete.[/QUOTE]

Jesus. NBA bias at its best. Almost all NBA players would suck in soccer. When a guy is too tall, he does not have the motor coordination to play the beautiful game. A guy like Kobe, who has great basketball footwork, looks like a robot playing soccer, with no mobility whatsover.

Soccer takes very little skill? You have never played before and cleary has no idea what what you are talking about.

I'll say this about hockey compared to basketball too: assuming you know how to skate, it's easier to learn how to control and shoot the puck than it is to learn to dribble and shoot a basketball.

[QUOTE=lakers_forever]No. Just athleticism is not enough to play defense. You would not even touch the football in my local game. Newsflash, the guy you beat can't play football either.



Jesus. NBA bias at its best. Almost all NBA players would suck in soccer. When a guy is too tall, he does not have the motor coordination to play the beautiful game. A guy like Kobe, who has great basketball footwork, looks like a robot playing soccer, with no mobility whatsover.

Soccer takes very little skill? You have never played before and cleary has no idea what what you are talking about.[/QUOTE]

Hakeem Olajuwon played soccer and was supposedly a great goalie.

There's a better chance of Lebron James being able to make it as a soccer player than a short soccer player making it to the NBA.

Are we talking about just your average player or a professional?