Most Athletic Big Man in NBA History?

[Niquesports]

For the purpose of this discussion big man = 6'11 or higher. So neither Charles Barkley or Malone count, because they weren't 6'11, even though they played power forward.

We are talking about OVERALL athleticism. Factors include...Coordination, speed, strength, leaping ability, agility, quickness. The ability to be versatile is important too.


1. Toni Kukoc--6'11 and could play all 5 positions on the court, and play them well. Unbelievable coordination, agility, and quickness for someone that tall. Could leap pretty well when young.

2. Dirk Nowitzki- 7'0 and the NBA 3 point champion. Are you kidding me?

3. Patrick Ewing- 7'0..Just a monster when he was younger, strength, leaping ability were off the charts..decent agility and quickness for a big man, coordinated enough to be a great jump shooter.


I know I have to be forgetting people, and I'm sure they were some very athletic big men who weren't that great at basketball that deserve to be on this list.

I would say this is a terrible list Dirk is not very athletic He's mobile for a big man yes but he's not atletic like a D Howard

Toni could not play all 5 postions he could play the 1,4, or 5 he would get killed on D on all 3.
Young pat maybe not a middle aged pat after Knee problems

[Jinxed]

When did shooting have anything to do with athleticism?

Because it takes coordination. I guarantee that D.Howard/ Shaq/ Wilt shot more free throws in their careers then my ten year old neighbor, but she shoots them better? Why? Because she is more coordinated then they are.

[Niquesports]

I laugh at Patrick Ewing and Dirk. Ewing had some decent moves in the post, but his athleticism blew compared to others. Dirk is a very good player, but not athletic. What about Wilt, Kemp, Younger Shaq, Dwight, Antonio McD (Although he might be 6'10 or 6'9, not sure). D-Rob as well.

If anyone saw Pat a GTown or his first few years with the Knicks they would say he was at least as athletic as DRob and Dream.

[Juges8932]

LMFAO at Dwight Howard...

Guys this is overall athleticism...Dwight Howard can't shoot a basketball, neither could Wilt, my 10 year old neighbor who is a girl has more coordination and agility then both of them combined

Don't Be blinded By strength! Coordination is more important for overall athleticism.

Seriously..try and picture Dwight playing tennis, or soccer.. and you'll see how laughable the idea of him being a great overall athlete is... Imagine dwight trying to play Point Guard!! He can't play any other position then center. Neiter could wilt or shaq. No versatility.. they are one dimensional athletes.

Lol, are you retarded? When does being able to shoot a basketball and being able to run, jump, lift, body contortions, and coordination compare? That would be basketball fundamentals.

[Scoooter]

LMFAO at Dwight Howard...

Guys this is overall athleticism...Dwight Howard can't shoot a basketball, neither could Wilt, my 10 year old neighbor who is a girl has more coordination and agility then both of them combined

Don't Be blinded By strength! Coordination is more important for overall athleticism.

I'm not sure what one has to do with the other. It's the NBA. Every single one of them is an elite athlete, at least when compared to most of the world. And they can all shoot a basketball, again, relative to everyone else. Generally, being a unique athlete within the scope of professional sports means being stronger and faster and more agile and being able to jump higher.

Shooting the ball is a skill. Anyone can learn to do it. Paraplegics shoot balls all the time. Are you honestly saying that your 10-year-old neighbor is a better athlete than Dwight Howard? Than Wilt Chamberlain, arguably the freakiest athlete ever? Just by virtue of being more coordinated (which, unless she's some kind of high-speed-Rubik's-cube-prodigy or something, is bull****)?

Anyway, David Robinson, Dwight Howard, Wilt Chamberlain all immediately spring to mind. Shawn Kemp could fly. A young Patrick Ewing could do it all. And shoot the ball.

[Jinxed]

Dwight Howard is not in the same universe of athleticism as Dirk.

Seriously. Ok, Dwight is stronger and jumps higher..that's it.

Dirk wins on coordination, agility, quickness, and it's not even close..

Dirk can play small forward, Power forward or center. Dwight can only play center.

Imagine them matched up in other sports...

who would be the better soccer player? Dirk...Tennis? Dirk...etc..Could you see Dwight throwing a curveball? Absolutely not. But I can imagine dirk doing it.

Why? Because he is far more overall athletic than Dwight.

[chains5000]

Usain Bolt's athleticism is WEAK, he can't hit threes. What a loser, make him give his medals back.

[chains5000]

And he isn't even 6'11!!!

[Jinxed]

If shooting a basketball is just a skill then why can't Dwight, Shaq or Wilt hit a free throw? It's just a skill right?

Yet with the help of professional coaches, thousands of hours of practice and yet they still can't do it.

My ten year old neighboy Lindsey can do it, and does it better then they do.

Why is this the case? It's because they aren't coordinated. I'm not saying she's a better athlete, i'm saying she is more coordinated.

[Juges8932]

Dwight stronger, faster, and jumps higher.

Dirk is quicker and has more coordination.

And you're also being extremely biased, because Dwight BLOWS Dirk away in strength and jumping ability. That is not even in the same league. Dirk has a lot more coordination, yes, although, some of the dunks and alley-oops Dwight pulls off can say otherwise.

Throwing a curveball isn't ****ing athleticism, give me a break, it's a SKILL, like shooting a ball is a SKILL. Hitting a tennis ball is a SKILL. Getting to the tennis ball, how long and hard you can throw a curveball, having Ray Allen's shot is a SKILL, not athleticism.

[chains5000]

THAT'S athleticism!

[Juges8932]

THAT'S athleticism!

[Richie2k6]

2. Dirk Nowitzki- 7'0 and the NBA 3 point champion. Are you kidding me?

I'm just curious as to what athletic ability has to do with shooting a jumpshot.

Co-ordination is simply how to adjust your fingers when shooting, and hand-eye co-ordination. Accuracy and aim. It has nothing to do with physical ability really.

[Jinxed]

Dwight stronger, faster, and jumps higher.

Dirk is quicker and has more coordination.

And you're also being extremely biased, because Dwight BLOWS Dirk away in strength and jumping ability. That is not even in the same league. Dirk has a lot more coordination, yes, although, some of the dunks and alley-oops Dwight pulls off can say otherwise.

Throwing a curveball isn't ****ing athleticism, give me a break, it's a SKILL, like shooting a ball is a SKILL. Hitting a tennis ball is a SKILL. Getting to the tennis ball, how long and hard you can throw a curveball, having Ray Allen's shot is a SKILL, not athleticism.

This is my entire point. It's NOT JUST A SKILL. It takes coordination to be able to shoot a basketball, or hit a tennis ball.

If shooting was just a skill, then Dwight Howard should be able to shoot better than my 10 year old neighbor or me. But he can't, no matter how many thousands of hours his shooting coach works with him to shoot free throws he can't do it.

He just doesn't have the coordination...of a 10 year old girl..

If Dwight was bred from birth to be a tennis player, he couldn't do it. He's not mobile or coordinated enough to do it.

[Scoooter]

If shooting a basketball is just a skill then why can't Dwight, Shaq or Wilt hit a free throw? It's just a skill right?

Yet with the help of professional coaches, thousands of hours of practice and yet they still can't do it.

My ten year old neighboy Lindsey can do it, and does it better then they do.

Why is this the case? It's because they aren't coordinated. I'm not saying she's a better athlete, i'm saying she is more coordinated.

They can hit free-throws. They just don't do it as well as everyone else. (Although, in fairness, Dwight and especially Shaq have some of the ugliest strokes I've ever seen).

Have you ever played basketball? Competitive basketball? There's more to hitting free-throws than coordination, or being able to shoot. If that's all it took, Ray Allen would never miss. Ever. But he does. About 1 or 2 out of every 10, in fact. When Pete Maravich was kid, his dad would make him hit 500 in a row before he could eat dinner. And that sounds like something Pete could probably do. But what was his career percentage? Low 90's? High 80's? A lot of it is psychological. Some of it is fatigue. 30,000 people screaming at you probably doesn't help. At practice, in an empty gym, these guys can knock them down like nobodies business. Even Ben Wallace, who has airballed in competition. Either you're delusional about this neighbor of yours, or she should be signing a letter of intent to UConn, today.