Traditionally, point guards are the smallest players on the basketball court – short and relatively slight of build, yet fearless as floor generals, e.g. Isiah Thomas, John Stockton, Steve Nash, or Chris Paul. In recent times, though, the game has seen more and more “big” point guards dominating and controlling the court (think Magic Johnson, Jason Kidd, or more recently, Ben Simmons and Russell Westbrook); during the 2000s, two ballhandlers who fit this new mold of the physically dominant point guard were Baron Davis and Deron Williams – each measuring in at 6’3” and weighing 200+ pounds, the duo were among the league’s elite point guards in their prime with the ability to both score against smaller defenders and dish it out with the best of them. With each player having seen his brilliance come and gone, let us look back on their notable careers and ponder the question:
Scoring points is undoubtedly the most glamorous part of basketball and in the early to mid-2000s, with the exception of Kobe Bryant, perhaps no players in the NBA were more accomplished scorers than Allen Iverson and Tracy McGrady. In fact, over a five-year stretch between 2000-2001 and 2004-2005, the league scoring title was won by either Iverson or McGrady on no fewer than 28 points per game. As two of the most explosive and talented pure scorers of their generation, each of whom had to overcome their own obstacles on their way to the Hall of Fame (Iverson’s short stature in a game of giants vs. McGrady’s persistent injury issues), let us compare these uniquely talented players and ask the question:
Centers are usually the tallest players on the basketball court, seven-foot-tall behemoths who battle for the opening tipoff and spend most of their time scoring, rebounding, and defending close to the basket. Yet in the 1970s, two undersized centers dominated in the NBA’s Eastern Conference – 6’9” Dave Cowens of the Boston Celtics and 6’7” Wes Unseld of the Baltimore/Washington Bullets. Despite their relatively diminutive sizes, both players towered over the competition on the court as perennial All-Star and MVP candidates who each led their respective teams to titles. Looking back on this rugged era in the NBA’s history, let us compare the careers of these two contemporary rivals and ask:
Though the American Basketball Association (ABA) only lasted for about a decade (1967-1976) before its remaining teams were merged into the NBA, the upstart league had its fair share of great players during its brief existence, such as George Gervin, Artis Gilmore, and Dan Issel, just to name a few. However, perhaps the two greatest players in ABA history were Rick Barry and Julius Erving AKA Dr. J – both not only dominated the ABA during their respective tenures, but were also superstars in the NBA and Hall of Famers who are among the greatest small forwards in basketball history. From Barry’s unique free throw shooting technique to Erving’s air-defying dunks, each player left an indelible mark on basketball history, thus leading to the question:
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