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  1. #1
    Learning to shoot layups
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    Default Any "tall" people feel stereotyped?

    First off, I'm not necessarily "tall," in terms of NBA standards. I'm 6', or 6'1 at most. Depending on your point of view, this could qualify as tall or average, or whatever.

    When I used to play in San Diego, there were some really tall guys there... around 6'5, 6'8, etc.

    I was pretty average, compared to those guys. And I played guard roles - PG or SG, or a swingman.

    Then I moved to LA, and I started playing at a local park, where I'm frequently the tallest guy on the court. And they always pigeonhole me into playing "Center."

    They're always like, "Go inside! Go inside! Post up!"

    I'm pretty versatile though, so I'll post up and bang like they want, but the position I really wanna play is PG or SG. I could pretty much penetrate the defense at will and draw double/triple-teams.

    But just because I'm one of the taller guys, they call me the "big man," and they just want me to bang (thankless job), when I'm looking at our PG situation and shaking my head.

    Also, when I take a jump shot once in a while and I miss, people tend to call me out for it. They're always like, "What are you doing?! Get inside!" This also applies on the rare occasions that I turn the ball over.

    On the flipside, the guy anointed "PG" on the team gets to turn the ball over pretty often, and he gets to chuck horrible shots all game, without anyone questioning his abilities.

    BTW at San Diego, I won a 3-pt contest at my local gym, where 20-some people competed. I know it's not saying much, but I used to make it rain from that distance, and the defense would always remind their teammates, "Watch out for that guy. He can shoot."

    This is in stark contrast to the new "big-man-who-can't-shoot-or-dribble" image I'm dealing with, at this new park.

    A pretty extreme case of this is happening with the current league team I joined for fun (it's free). They all want me to play Center, even though we have three other guys who are around my height (and weigh more), and they're perfectly apt to play that role.

    On the other hand, we have no legitimate point guard. We have a shooting guard, but the "powers that be" anointed him the "PG" of the team. The guy will rarely pass the ball, and when he does, they're terrible passes in traffic that lead to turnovers. Not only that, but he literally turns the ball over almost half the times, as he struggles to bring the ball up court. The defense likes to full-court pressure/double-team him, because they know he's not gonna pass.

    My team will say, "Damn, we really need a guy who can penetrate and get into the lane." And then I'll say, "I can do that."

    And then they'll say, "But we don't want you to do that. We need you inside."

    But the ironic part is, I only play half the game (20 minutes out of 40), because I'm on the bench. If they really "need" my presence inside, why aren't I playing for the entirety of the game? We have others who can play Center, and I can be a far better PG than the guy we have right now. Hell, I can be a better SG than that guy as well...

    That said, there are a few guys at the park with good ball IQ, who acknowledge my abilities. They'll remind people that I'm a PG to the defense, so they're alert when I drive from the top of the key. They're always like, "Screw it. Just play your game," but it's tough at times...

  2. #2
    NBA Superstar
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    Default Re: Any "tall" people feel stereotyped?

    At 6'3'' or 6'4'', I have experienced such a stereotype, but only once in a blue moon. I think it's been years since I've last heard someone insist I go to the post. I think it's pretty clear to most that I play where I belong.

  3. #3
    Learning to shoot layups
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    Default Re: Any "tall" people feel stereotyped?

    If your skills at the pg or sg are as good as you say they are and you're taller than most of the guys on the floor, it should be fairly easy to take it coast to coast off a rebound and get an easy layup. Do this a couple times and they'll see you can play a different position better.

  4. #4
    College superstar
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    Default Re: Any "tall" people feel stereotyped?

    I'm only 5'11 but on the occassions I am one of the taller guys on the court, no one asks me to post up because I'm usually the best ball handler on the team.

  5. #5
    2010-2020 AirTupac's Avatar
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    Default Re: Any "tall" people feel stereotyped?

    I'm 6'3 / 6'4 and I ****ing hate this sterotype. I'm always in a similar situation that your in except I play SG / SF but whenever I'm the tallest one, I'm forced to play in the post because everyone else is on the wing. And yes they even use "Big Man" with me.

  6. #6
    Sonics bandwagoner thejumpa's Avatar
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    Default Re: Any "tall" people feel stereotyped?

    I'm only 6'2 but I get stereotyped into being a big man some of the time and yeah...it sucks. Seeing as I love to play ball and can't always get to play with guys who are 6'4+, I just worked on my footwork and post moves as if I was a big man. It made me more versatile and a better player. Problem solved.

    But......if I don't feel like posting up, I won't. I'll get the ball and go into shooting/slashing mode and never look back.

  7. #7
    NBA rookie of the year IlliniFan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Any "tall" people feel stereotyped?

    Yep, I'm 6'1 or 6'2 and I'm occasionally the "tall" one on the court or the team and have to bang inside. I usually don't mind as long as I get tossed the ball every once in a while in the post. I hate when the perimeter players don't even look my way when I'm posting up. See if I throw you the ball off an offensive rebound again!

  8. #8
    Enter the Dragic Swaggin916's Avatar
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    Default Re: Any "tall" people feel stereotyped?

    Well when playing pickup I play however the team needs me to play. If we clearly have people who can handle the ball or and a perimeter oriented team, then I play down low as a center type and try to get offensive boards etc and post up. If it's the other way around then I'll handle the ball if nobody else can do it effectively... Or say we have 3 perimeter guys and a guy who like to bang down low, I'll play high post and set a lot of screens. I'm comfortable with any role because I can score from anywhere on the court. that doesn't necessarily mean I'm putting in a ton of points, I just know how to and can score from any place.

    people aren't going to change their game tho so you have to adjust to them. Be proactive. It's the best way to win. If your team isn't hustling much, then get on them, but hustle your ass off to make up for it. Complaints aren't going to get you anywhere. It can be thankless and irritating at times, but a lot of the times it works out. I'm always in PG mode tho and try to get the ball to people where they can be effective, but I don't have to be the PG in order to do that. Maybe you can try an approach like that and see how it works for you, cus it seems what you are doing isn't working to well or you are frustrated by it.

    so in short, be versatile.

  9. #9
    YMCA Scrub ZMonkey11's Avatar
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    Default Re: Any "tall" people feel stereotyped?

    Quote Originally Posted by Swaggin916

    so in short, be versatile.
    This.

    Look, you just moved over and started playing ball there? You aren't going to get what you want right away. You earn it. And like someone else said, IF you are as good as you say you are in your ball handling skills, people will figure it out and you will get the ball on the perimeter.

    This is also the perfect opportunity to hone your skills in the post to have every aspect of the game. You could call it a blessing in disguise.

    Make the best of your situation man. Accept and strive. It's all good.

  10. #10
    College superstar JellyBean's Avatar
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    Default Re: Any "tall" people feel stereotyped?

    LOL!! Great post. I am always stereotyped. I am 6'5" and every pickup game I play, I am always told to hit the post. Play inside. But then the wing players can't pass me the ball in the right spots. So when I am on the wing and they are in the post, I hit them with the perfect pass. Then it is like "Oh. I will play post and you can play wing." It is so funny. But I don't mind. I grew up in the days of Magic when you played all the spots. 1-5.

  11. #11
    NBA rookie of the year
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    Default Re: Any "tall" people feel stereotyped?

    I'm 6'8 and I've always been tall so I've always heard people's comments..

    "Oh, you're taller than the Eiffel tower"
    "You must play basketball, right?"
    "Can I use you as a ladder?"

    When I was younger I didn't care but when I older I started to get tired so my favorite comment for all the idiots is "Don't hate just because your head barely reaches to my dick", it always work.

    I'm lucky that I play basketball so I have plenty of friends being as tall as me and I play in the Swedish basketball league and on the court I'm not even considered to be that tall so I'm ok in the end of the day, lol..

  12. #12
    Learning to shoot layups
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    Default Re: Any "tall" people feel stereotyped?

    Quote Originally Posted by thejumpa
    I'm only 6'2 but I get stereotyped into being a big man some of the time and yeah...it sucks. Seeing as I love to play ball and can't always get to play with guys who are 6'4+, I just worked on my footwork and post moves as if I was a big man. It made me more versatile and a better player. Problem solved.

    But......if I don't feel like posting up, I won't. I'll get the ball and go into shooting/slashing mode and never look back.
    It's not that I can't post up or anything.

    Like I said, I'm versatile, but I don't wanna post up and bang all the time.

    I'm a basketball junkie, who likes to play almost everyday. I'm not gonna preserve myself in the long run by banging on a daily basis. I have bruises and scratches all over me, and I recently suffered a hematoma from a physical altercation that I'm still recovering from.

    Anybody who plays "big" in the streets knows it's a thankless job. On offense, you're at the mercy of the ballhogging PGs and SGs, and on defense, you're yelled at to get rebounds.

  13. #13
    Learning to shoot layups
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    Default Re: Any "tall" people feel stereotyped?

    Quote Originally Posted by magic14
    If your skills at the pg or sg are as good as you say they are and you're taller than most of the guys on the floor, it should be fairly easy to take it coast to coast off a rebound and get an easy layup. Do this a couple times and they'll see you can play a different position better.
    Even when I do this, the next time I have the ball, they'll continue to yell at me, asking for the rock. When I look at them, they'll say, "Go inside! I'll look for you!"

    Of course, they never really look for you. They just want to shoot a three pointer. And second, even if they do look for you, they'll throw a really bad pass and I'll lose my position just to recover the ball.

    I don't even see a reason to post up, as I can easily dribble the ball from the top of the key and get to my spot to post up, if I wanted. But most times, I can drive pretty easily.

    I would say my style is probably like Baron Davis/Paul Pierce/Lamar Odom. I'm sort of a jack of all trades. I'm not CP3-esque or anything with the ball. But I can definitely handle the ball, and I have a lot of efficient go-to moves with plenty of counters.

    But I think a lot of the guys on this particular park have their own agendas. If a guy that's taller than them can play point, what does that say about them? It's an insecurity complex, the way I see it.

    I've never played on a court with more politicking than this place. Half the guys are cool and they know what I can do. They're fine with me playing point. The other half on the other hand are not willing to accept it.

  14. #14
    Learning to shoot layups
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    Default Re: Any "tall" people feel stereotyped?

    Quote Originally Posted by IlliniFan
    Yep, I'm 6'1 or 6'2 and I'm occasionally the "tall" one on the court or the team and have to bang inside. I usually don't mind as long as I get tossed the ball every once in a while in the post. I hate when the perimeter players don't even look my way when I'm posting up. See if I throw you the ball off an offensive rebound again!
    It's a thankless job.

    In high level basketball, the PG is always supposed to look for the bigs. Otherwise, they're benched.

    Completely different story in pickup games.

    Nobody remembers the guy who gets the most rebounds. They remember the guy who scored the most baskets, regardless of whether the guy was 4 for 13. If he had the most points, he's the best player on the court. That's streetball stereotype for ya.

  15. #15
    Learning to shoot layups
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    Default Re: Any "tall" people feel stereotyped?

    Quote Originally Posted by JellyBean
    LOL!! Great post. I am always stereotyped. I am 6'5" and every pickup game I play, I am always told to hit the post. Play inside. But then the wing players can't pass me the ball in the right spots. So when I am on the wing and they are in the post, I hit them with the perfect pass. Then it is like "Oh. I will play post and you can play wing." It is so funny. But I don't mind. I grew up in the days of Magic when you played all the spots. 1-5.
    You're probably playing among guys with higher ball IQ than what I'm dealing with.

    At the park I'm frequenting, the guys will never post up, so that scenario can never happen. It's always, "Go inside, big man!" and "Box out! Play big!" etc etc.

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