Just a thought

[TJames]

But sometimes I think we all become too enamored of guys who have "great hops" who can jump out of the gym and throw down some wild dunks.

I would much rather have a guy who is fundamentally sound, someone who can dribble, pass, shoot the mid-range jump shot, knows how to get into good rebounding position, plays defense and plays smart.

Dunks are great in exciting the crowd and staggering an opponent. Don't get me wrong. I like to watch a great dunk as much as anybody. But in a crucial situation, give me a guy who can dribble, drive and shoot or come up with a steal or a rebound any day.

 

[sycamorebacker]

Dunks do nothing for me. I want guys that can shoot, dribble and pass and have the quckness to beat the defense.

 

[4Q_iu]

Blame it on ESPN (and the MTV generation); the same cause that 'killed' the mid-range jumper and ~85% FT shooters.

 

[dr. bucket]

Blame it on ESPN (and the MTV generation); the same cause that 'killed' the mid-range jumper and ~85% FT shooters.

the three point line largely killed the mid-range game along with an increase in the size of players. good free throw shooting was killed by endless games and not working on it.

 

[bent20]

I certainly want to see more than just dunks and agree that ESPN overplays dunks, home runs and big hits in football, but to say a dunk does nothing is untrue. It certainly can fire up the team and the fans. Just think about RJ's dunk coming through the lane in the MVC tournament or Carter's opening dunk against Sycacuse.

 

[4Q_iu]

the three point line largely killed the mid-range game along with an increase in the size of players. good free throw shooting was killed by endless games and not working on it.

The 3-pt shot or placing the HS and College 3-pt shot at the 19' 9" mark?

 

[hans1950]

I don't mind dunks so much,but the 3-point line needs to be back at the pro length for it to really mean something.

 

[dr. bucket]

The 3-pt shot or placing the HS and College 3-pt shot at the 19' 9" mark?

the line. plus the larger size (i.e., reach) of players cuts down on the room you have on the wings inside the arc.

th north this year could have played and did some a front line of 6-7, 6-8 and 6-5. they could play a guy who was 6-4 at guard and another six footer at the point. pretty good size for a high school team especially given two of them have long arms. think about some of those lawrence north teams with 6-8 guys in the backcourt.

40 years ago having a 6-5, 6-6 center was something. plus these guys are quicker today and can close faster. throw in the fact that few can shoot a pull up 12-15 foot jumper and don't even practice them. few coaches even design offenses to get those shots when you can take a step back and get three. they want the three.

about the only time you see guys shooting 15 footers is in the middle of a zone. what you see now is two man games, 3 pointers and guards going to the hoop and shooting floaters.

like it or not that's basketball today.

now the three point shot itself becomes an issue because they use it in elementary school games where the kids have to corkscrew the ball from the ankles to reach the rim. it messes their shot up. they're not strong enough. yet they're drawn to it like moths to flames. but this is another discussion.

as for dunks, think of the big men who developed when the dunk was banned and how good of shooters they were.

they asked bill russell once why he didn't dunk more often and he said he did when he knew he absolutely had to make the shot but other than that it was wasting energy he might need later in the game.

one more story about the dunk: john wooden was at a ucla game long after he retired and a ucla player made a 360 dunk on a breakaway. a guy sitting next to wooden asked him what he thought and the coach said if the young man was playing for me he would have been on the bench before his feet hit the ground.

off the soapbox

 

[4Q_iu]

the line. plus the larger size (i.e., reach) of players cuts down on the room you have on the wings inside the arc...
like it or not that's basketball today.

Agree -- maybe it's time to edge towards a larger (longer and wider) court

now the three point shot itself becomes an issue because they use it in elementary school games where the kids have to corkscrew the ball from the ankles to reach the rim. it messes their shot up. they're not strong enough. yet they're drawn to it like moths to flames. but this is another discussion.

Ridiculous -- those coaches should be banned from the game

one more story about the dunk: john wooden was at a ucla game long after he retired and a ucla player made a 360 dunk on a breakaway. a guy sitting next to wooden asked him what he thought and the coach said if the young man was playing for me he would have been on the bench before his feet hit the ground...

All true.

No Elem or JHS should be shooting 3s -- ridiculous. Some HS kids aren't strong enough to take/make that shot.

While a larger court might be good (a move to the NBA standard) it likely cost prohibitive. The baskets need to be raised at least 12 inches, maybe more. If there were a TRUE reason why the basket is at 10ft (quick, anyone know why? I do.); an argument could be made but it was an arbitrary decision.

Agree on the dunk opposition of Russell and Coach Wooden; good play by big men occured well before the dunk ban but it DID continue it.

It'll never be banned but it's far too common; raise the basket and the dunk becomes far less prevalent.