The Fastest Point A to Point B Player in History

I want to talk about point A to point B speed in the halfcourt. This is distinct from open court speed, or from quickness in changing direction, and even distinct from acceleration/first step (though point A-point B speed is aided by acceleration/first step).

Despite there being tons of super-fast players in the halfcourt over the years, I submit that Michael Jordan is the fastest point A to point B player in the halfcourt in history, both from a standstill and while already in motion. Jordan could get from 20-30+ feet out to a dunk or a layup faster than anyone - that is, he covered ground in the halfcourt faster than anyone in history. Some evidence:

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPRyG5bOOtY&lc=U_XO4bAPVN0mxp7Q2-c3L5CQUiXYiZ5wX1uFQOfhBEA&feature=inbox#t=12m33s[/url] (look from the point where he makes his initial hard move to the basket - he's 33 feet out and at the rim in an instant)

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZhbHMe3A_s&feature=related#t=5m39s[/url] (one of my favorite plays ever - he gets from ~32 feet out to the basket in 1.5 seconds here. Blazing speed - watch from the point where he starts to cross over. You'll never see a guy cover that ground that quickly with the ball, period)

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daaTrM7kLvs#t=2m27s[/url] (~40 feet out to a layup in 2 seconds)

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YT9P_OY5bpc#t=1m07s[/url] (from the 3-point line to under the basket in the blink of an eye)

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YT9P_OY5bpc#t=2m12s[/url] (from 40+ feet out to what would have been under the basket in ~2 seconds had he not made contact with another player - look at the initial speed when he crosses over and takes the next step or two)

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xso1KXY7ok#t=1m18s[/url] (from when he crosses over to the dunk is like 2 seconds, from 32+ feet out)

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dARp3MYkeQM#t=1m42s[/url] (instant explosion past the defender and at the basket in 1.5 seconds from the 3-point line for a dunk. Note that MJ is [b]33 years old here[/b])

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYwn4I9JDuQ#t=0m32s[/url] (from 25 feet out to a dunk in 1-1.5 seconds)

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMYzaW46a68#t=4m30s[/url] (from 40+ feet out to a dunk in under 2.5 seconds, [b]while changing direction twice and doing an in-and-out dribble, crossover, and several juke moves[/b] - ridiculous speed)

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVUXJ8Q7ehY#t=1m03s[/url] (look how quickly he gets from 23 feet out to inside the lane on his hop step)

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sD1n6R8pBuQ#t=0m36s[/url]

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVUXJ8Q7ehY#t=5m09s[/url] (look at the obscene amount of distance he covers with the hop step, and how fast he covers it)


An endless number of such plays could be provided. Again, this is not about quickness (i.e., changing directions or changing of speeds), but about pure point A to point B speed covering ground in the halfcourt. And I don't believe that anyone has ever gotten from 23-35+ feet out to the basket faster than Jordan in the halfcourt.

Honorable mentions go to DRose, Drexler, Iverson, and Dr. J.

Jordan used to lose foot races to Kenny Smith regularly in college. Most pg's were and are faster than Jordan. Pg's literally have to rely on being faster than everyone else in order to play the game, think about it! So no, Jordan does not have the Fastest point A to Point B speed in history. He would be in the top 5-10 in shooting guards all-time though.

lebron... james...

i have not seen anybody faster from point A to point B... he builds up speed ive not seen from anyone...

ive seen players with better quickness(acceleration), like drose and those other small bunnyrabbits.... but not FASTER.... the dude can cover so much ground its crazy.... he grabs a defensive rebound and then starts running and then BAM he goes into overdrive mode, everybody else is like a statue... or when you run up and think you have an entirely open layup.... and lebron is 30 feet behind you... he stills seems to teleport behind you and swat that shot...

lebron gets so many chasedown blocks because those players just cant believe anybody could possibly catch up so god damn fast so they go up and lay it in even after looking back and knowing lebron is behind there somewhere, its like a surprise to all of them

and its pretty hilarous to watch.... because lebron doesnt even mind letting you go by him... you will get blocked... he just stays behind there and dares you to go up.... lol......

the funniest thing i saw was Rajon Rondo 2 times in a game just hitting the brakes under the rim in a breakaway basket attempt... entirely open... he could have easily layed it in..... but he just ran back to the 3pt line to wait for everybody to come down........ just because he saw lebron behind there somewhere heheheheheh

[QUOTE=pauk]lebron... james...

i have not seen anybody faster from point A to point B... he builds up speed ive not seen from anyone...

ive seen players with better quickness(acceleration), like drose and those other small bunnyrabbits.... but not FASTER.... the dude can cover so much ground its crazy.... he grabs a defensive rebound and then starts running and then BAM he goes into overdrive mode, everybody else is like a statue... or when you run up and think you have an entirely open layup.... and lebron is 30 feet behind you... he stills seems to teleport behind you and swat that shot...

lebron gets so many chasedown blocks because those players just cant believe anybody could possibly catch up so god damn fast so they go up and lay it in even after looking back and knowing lebron is behind there somewhere, its like a surprise to all of them

and its pretty hilarous to watch.... because lebron doesnt even mind letting you go by him... you will get blocked... he just stays behind there and dares you to go up.... lol......

the funniest thing i saw was Rajon Rondo 2 times in a game just hitting the brakes under the rim in a breakaway basket attempt... entirely open... he could have easily layed it in..... but he just ran back to the 3pt line to wait for everybody to come down........ just because he saw lebron behind there somewhere heheheheheh[/QUOTE]

perhaps there isn't a word for what jordan had, the closest i can think of is versatile?

He had the height, he had the skill, he had the first step and explosiveness, he had the top end pace and body control

its like god chose not to compromise with this dude (i don't believe in god jus sayin)

[QUOTE=pauk]lebron... james...

i have not seen anybody faster from point A to point B... he builds up speed ive not seen from anyone...

ive seen players with better quickness(acceleration), like drose and those other small bunnyrabbits.... but not FASTER.... the dude can cover so much ground its crazy.... he grabs a defensive rebound and then starts running and then BAM he goes into overdrive mode, everybody else is like a statue... or when you run up and think you have an entirely open layup.... and lebron is 30 feet behind you... he stills seems to teleport behind you and swat that shot...

lebron gets so many chasedown blocks because those players just cant believe anybody could possibly catch up so god damn fast so they go up and lay it in even after looking back and knowing lebron is behind there somewhere, its like a surprise to all of them

and its pretty hilarous to watch.... because lebron doesnt even mind letting you go by him... you will get blocked... he just stays behind there and dares you to go up.... lol......

the funniest thing i saw was Rajon Rondo 2 times in a game just hitting the brakes under the rim in a breakaway basket attempt... entirely open... he could have easily layed it in..... but he just ran back to the 3pt line to wait for everybody to come down........ just because he saw lebron behind there somewhere heheheheheh[/QUOTE]


The problem people have with Lebron is visual effect. He's so big that visually he doesn't look as fast as he truly is. You have a truck and small car driving at the same speed and 99 out of 100 people will say small car is faster when watching them driving separately on the road.


Still, it doesn't change the fact that Lebron is noticeably slower than previous years.

mmmmm michael jordan your ***** is so delicious

Barbosa, formerly of the Suns is the quickest player that I've ever seen


point A to point B....blur

[QUOTE=theaussieguy]perhaps there isn't a word for what jordan had, the closest i can think of is versatile?

He had the height, he had the skill, he had the first step and explosiveness, he had the top end pace and body control

its like god chose not to compromise with this dude (i don't believe in god jus sayin)[/QUOTE]

One thing Jordan had was incredible balance and he was able to get very low, take a long step and generate some much "traction" it was very hard to stay with him. He could be by you with his first step

[QUOTE]Jordan used to lose foot races to Kenny Smith regularly in college. Most pg's were and are faster than Jordan. Pg's literally have to rely on being faster than everyone else in order to play the game, think about it! So no, Jordan does not have the Fastest point A to Point B speed in history. He would be in the top 5-10 in shooting guards all-time though.[/QUOTE]

Seriously...this delusion is what happens when you watch too much of one player. We've seen it with this poster countless times, he'll post up some Jordan move amazed at it and we'll post 10 other players doing the same thing...and players look faster in highlights vs real time because its just a montage of their SUCCESSFUL plays.

Can someone honestly say Jordan is quicker than a guy like Derrick Rose? NO.

didn't devin harris win something like this a few seasons back?

[QUOTE=get these NETS]Barbosa, formerly of the Suns is the quickest player that I've ever seen


point A to point B....blur[/QUOTE]

o yea barbosa was-is super fast aswell..........

i think SLAM had a top 10 fastest players in the NBA.... gona see if i can find it brb...

[QUOTE=OhNoTimNoSho]mmmmm michael jordan your ***** is so delicious[/QUOTE]
:oldlol:

Drose

[QUOTE=pauk]lebron... james...[/QUOTE]

Correct.

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNaLIhzSYDI[/url]
[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyBT7xEdnAw[/url]
[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhlO7Z-ozug[/url]
[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wScz47ctcis[/url]

sagana diop, idunno some african ass name... i'm sure the dudes fast based solely off of that.