How hard is it to make the NBA?

[ripthekik]

17% to 85% is a big jump...

I'm just saying, of that pool of 7 footers.. most of them probably can't even do sports.. There's probably only 1 athletic guy out of 5..

[rhowen4]

Like my friend said, there are thousands of players in the world as good as lebron but choose not to play in the nba because of their different interests. Some might be into painting, art, or music instead.

this is the funniest shit i've ever read

[Leftimage]

If you're over 6'6 and athletic, are you GUARANTEED to get a shot if you have the sort of average-high skill level a player naturally develops by practising every day?

How many guys do you know from college or school who were over 6'6 and athletic failed to make the NBA?

Do you have to not only be a physical specimen, but also have exceptional skills?

Just trying to get an idea because I don't know anyone who has made it pro.

Of all the sports leagues on earth, I'm willing to bet NBA has the highest ratio of athletes wanting to play vs athletes who get to play. Just an insanely exclusive club of players.

Baseball isn't as popular worldwide & rosters are bigger. Same with football & hockey. Soccer is more popular world-wide but you don't have the same 1-league monopoly over the sport as with the NBA + bigger rosters.

Every single pro basketball player on earth will join the NBA without batting an eyelash, should he get the opportunity. That's a shit load of people competing for 360-450 roster spots.

INSANE prestige

There is, however, an even more exclusive club out there...



12 spots sought after by every basketball player in America.

[dr.hee]

Like my friend said, there are thousands of players in the world as good as lebron but choose not to play in the nba because of their different interests. Some might be into painting, art, or music instead.

So what you're saying...thousands of players are as good as Lebron...meaning they've played basketball already and have the abilities of a guy who's capable of dropping 26/6/6 on 59% shooting against NBA competition. You also said it was their choice not to play in the NBA due to different interests. Which implies these guys had guaranteed contract offers or knew they'd be drafted by teams, and rejected it on their own terms...so the must've attracted the attention of NBA teams before. Otherwise you won't get offers.

So in short...where the f*ck are the thousands of players out there who are as good as Lebron and refused (lol) to play in the NBA? And if they've attracted the attention of NBA teams in order to get offers they can choose to reject...why haven't we ever heard of them?

Or and even better question...what the hell is between your ears, where many people have something called a "brain"?

[AI Thornton]

12 spots sought after by every American basketball player.

Fixed

[Stringer Bell]

If you are at least 6'6, athletic, and have skills, then your chances go from extremely, extremely, extremely, extremely, extremely, extremely, extremely, extremely, extremely slim to merely extremely, extremely, extremely, extremely slim.

You have to be amazingly good to even be the crappiest player in the NBA

[AI Thornton]

So what you're saying...thousands of players are as good as Lebron...meaning they've played basketball already and have the abilities of a guy who's capable of dropping 26/6/6 on 59% shooting against NBA competition. You also said it was their choice not to play in the NBA due to different interests. Which implies these guys had guaranteed contract offers or knew they'd be drafted by teams, and rejected it on their own terms...so the must've attracted the attention of NBA teams before. Otherwise you won't get offers.

So in short...where the f*ck are the thousands of players out there who are as good as Lebron and refused (lol) to play in the NBA? And if they've attracted the attention of NBA teams in order to get offers they can choose to reject...why haven't we ever heard of them?

Or and even better question...what the hell is between your ears, where many people have something called a "brain"?

I read his comment like that at first too, but given the point of the thread, I think he meant there are a thousand that would be as good as LeBron if they trained. I still strongly disagree with that though (look at my post on the previous page) and it is crazy to think that none of those 1000 are already in the NBA and challenging LeBron for best player (I guess you can count Durant, but point remains).

[SacJB Shady]

So what you're saying...thousands of players are as good as Lebron...meaning they've played basketball already and have the abilities of a guy who's capable of dropping 26/6/6 on 59% shooting against NBA competition. You also said it was their choice not to play in the NBA due to different interests. Which implies these guys had guaranteed contract offers or knew they'd be drafted by teams, and rejected it on their own terms...so the must've attracted the attention of NBA teams before. Otherwise you won't get offers.

So in short...where the f*ck are the thousands of players out there who are as good as Lebron and refused (lol) to play in the NBA? And if they've attracted the attention of NBA teams in order to get offers they can choose to reject...why haven't we ever heard of them?

Or and even better question...what the hell is between your ears, where many people have something called a "brain"?

No, now you're trying to get into semantics here. I'm saying there are players out there who have Lebron type potential. Forget Lebron. My point is many players have NBA potential. Steph Curry potential. Dwayne Wade potential. And some are more like Lebron. A lot of these players are street ballers. Maybe they didn't peak in HS so didn't go to college and now they work as garbage men or janitors. But they just don't have the motivation or belief that they could still make it. Plus you needed college to be looked at, it doesn't matter if you're the best street baller in the world.There are lots of tall guys out in the street ball courts.

Some HS players might have quit their team (like a bynum or odom) due to drugs, girlfriend issues, family issues, lack of grades, getting cut like Jordan and quit, or needed to work at an early age. Lots of stuff people just take for granted.

[dr.hee]

No, now you're trying to get into semantics here. I'm saying there are players out there who have Lebron type potential. Forget Lebron. My point is many players have NBA potential. Steph Curry potential. Dwayne Wade potential. And some are more like Lebron. A lot of these players are street ballers. Maybe they didn't peak in HS so didn't go to college and now they work as garbage men or janitors. But they just don't have the motivation or belief that they could still make it. Plus you needed college to be looked at, it doesn't matter if you're the best street baller in the world.There are lots of tall guys out in the street ball courts.

Some HS players might have quit their team (like a bynum or odom) due to drugs, girlfriend issues, family issues, lack of grades, getting cut like Jordan and quit, or needed to work at an early age. Lots of stuff people just take for granted.

Semantics? You literally said thousands of players are as good as Lebron and chose not to play in the NBA. There's nothing to misinterpret here, just complete nonsense from you.

[SacJB Shady]

Semantics? You literally said thousands of players are as good as Lebron and chose not to play in the NBA. There's nothing to misinterpret here, just complete nonsense from you.

There are thousands if not more. They might not be as refined as Lebron, but they have Lebron potential. Easily.

[AI Thornton]

There are thousands if not more. They might not be as refined as Lebron, but they have Lebron potential. Easily.

Again, no. Look at my post on page 2. People just don't have LeBron potential and never figure out they are athletic freaks that could make it to the NBA.

[SacJB Shady]

No. First, a huge majority of people would attempt sports and be very into it if they had the natural abilities LeBron did growing up, most of them probably getting into basketball because of height.

Like I said. A 6 foot 7 girl named Alicia J Smith [COLOR="Red"](google or youtube her)[/COLOR] my friend and I were sure she was in the WNBA. She works for the warriors, she's 6 foot 7, looks athletic. Why can't she be in the wnba and be as good as lisa leslie? She is an example of someone who might have decided to do something else. I'm trying to get you to see the bigger picture.

People would notice and they would have become a big deal at an early age with people trying to get them into basketball.

Not necessarily. How many times has someone said you should do this and you rolled your eyes? My aunt told me I should be a psychiatrist. I played with a kid who could dunk in middle school at 5 ft 9. He could kick a soccer ball a whole field. His muscles looked more ripped than David Robinson. But he wasn't wanted on any teams because coaches thought he was trouble. And he had no more work ethic. I had another friend who had no talent at all, but the coach thought he worked his buns off and chose him for high school while the other guy really gifted never played again. People have different paths.

Very few with that sort of ability would reject the idea of taking the opportunity to make the money associated with it, if not for personal reasons, it would be to support their family or community.

Yea you would think so. Everyone walks to a different drum. Plus what about all the players who WERE dedicated but got injured? They might have been concerned about their health like Brandon Roy or maybe had greg Oden knees.

So, do you honestly believe that there are 1000 people with LeBron's ability, but he is the only 1 to choose basketball? 999 out of 1000 with his ability choose against being in the NBA? Think about that for 1 second.
[COLOR="Red"]
They are not 100 percent Lebron James's. But to be more specific. Do I think there are somewhere around a thousand or several hundred players out there who are about on Lebron's level or at least D Wade's?[/COLOR]
[COLOR="Black"]
YES!!!!!!!!!! Absolutely hell yea!!!![/COLOR]

[AI Thornton]

Like I said. A 6 foot 7 girl named Alicia J Smith [COLOR="Red"](google or youtube her)[/COLOR] my friend and I were sure she was in the WNBA. She works for the warriors, she's 6 foot 7, looks athletic. Why can't she be in the wnba and be as good as lisa leslie? She is an example of someone who might have decided to do something else. I'm trying to get you to see the bigger picture.

Because she can make more money working for the Warriors than going into the WNBA. This is a terrible comparison.


Not necessarily. How many times has someone said you should do this and you rolled your eyes? My aunt told me I should be a psychiatrist. I played with a kid who could dunk in middle school at 5 ft 9. He could kick a soccer ball a whole field. His muscles looked more ripped than David Robinson. But he wasn't wanted on any teams because coaches thought he was trouble. And he had no more work ethic. I had another friend who had no talent at all, but the coach thought he worked his buns off and chose him for high school while the other guy really gifted never played again. People have different paths.

There is a huge difference between your aunt telling you to be a psychiatrist and a giant athlete towering over everybody with all world talent that can be seen in an instant. Btw, when people are smart, they are encouraged to go to college to do something with their intelligence, just like super athletes being encouraged to train in sports.... so thanks for supporting my point there actually. And again, HUGE difference between some all-world talent and some above average athlete. People come out of the wood works to help basketball proteges even when they are trouble makers.

Yea you would think so. Everyone walks to a different drum. Plus what about all the players who WERE dedicated but got injured? They might have been concerned about their health like Brandon Roy or maybe had greg Oden knees.

If you have Brandon Roy and Greg Oden knees that make you incapable of playing basketball, you are not on LeBron's level, plain and simple. LeBron's physical perfections are part of what makes him so rare. And yes, some people do walk to a different drum, but it would not be 999 out of 1000. There is probably a small handful of people who would have been able to be as good as LeBron.

[HylianNightmare]

2 guys from my high school made the nba
Nick Calathas and Chandler Parsons
ths school has has been open since 1975 and it's currently 2014 so in that time span the school has produced 2 nba talents
seems like a long shot

[SacJB Shady]

Because she can make more money working for the Warriors than going into the WNBA. This is a terrible comparison.

She wasn't in the NBA before this job though. Prove she makes more.

There is a huge difference between your aunt telling you to be a psychiatrist and a giant athlete towering over everybody with all world talent that can be seen in an instant. Btw, when people are smart, they are encouraged to go to college to do something with their intelligence, just like super athletes being encouraged to train in sports.... so thanks for supporting my point there actually. And again, HUGE difference between some all-world talent and some above average athlete. People come out of the wood works to help basketball proteges even when they are trouble makers.

No because you haven't seen some of them. Some are from other parts of the world. Some just don't care, they're buzzards. Look at Bynum. He hardly wants to play. Just because he gets encouraged, doesn't mean he has to play. I didn't support your point. My point is that people don't do stuff they're told to do. In fact some people like to rebel against their peers and then look back one day and say they should have made it. Only 450 NBA players. There are a lot of players that came and went that would have had top tier talent, but just stopped before they could develop.


If you have Brandon Roy and Greg Oden knees that make you incapable of playing basketball, you are not on LeBron's level, plain and simple. LeBron's physical perfections are part of what makes him so rare. And yes, some people do walk to a different drum, but it would not be 999 out of 1000. There is probably a small handful of people who would have been able to be as good as LeBron.[/QUOTE]

Now you're getting technical, but Lebron has also been lucky to stay healthy too. Sometimes it's a case of luck.

Also, there are a lot of white guys too that would have made the NBA but were taught to focus on school instead, so became doctors and stuff.