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Has anyone else noticed that NBA players who played soccer growing up all have above average court vision, more creativity, and better give-and-go (wall passes). A few that come to mind include:
Nash
Parker
Ginobili
Gasol
Kidd

Probably more of a coincidence than anything. Parker, Ginobili and Gasol are all from countries where soccer is huge. Nash would've been a skinny short kid growing up so soccer was the obvious sport and probably the same deal with Kidd.

I'm sure it helped in some ways when they were younger. Balance and reflexes or something.

The main skill I think soccer gives to a player is footwork and overall quickness. All south-american players has above-average skills

I've coached plenty of kids who also play soccer over the years. In my experience those kids learn to pass to moving players more easily because they do that so much in soccer. When little kids play basketball most talented kids can usually dribble-dribble-dribble and go for a layup, that doesn't happen as much in soccer. I'd say soccer guys on my teams usually are above average at seeing passes, but that might be just beacause they usually end up playing as a guard. Anyway, playing multiple sports definately helps you develop as a basketball player.

Don't know how this translates to NBA players, but i'd suspect most of the guys in the league were multisport athletes growing up.

BarbaGrizz wrote:The main skill I think soccer gives to a player is footwork and overall quickness. All south-american players has above-average skills

Ceci n'est pas un jouer sud americain.

sisibilio wrote:

BarbaGrizz wrote:The main skill I think soccer gives to a player is footwork and overall quickness. All south-american players has above-average skills

Ceci n'est pas un jouer sud americain.

You shoudn´t mess with the skeletons in our closet...

Penberthy wrote:Has anyone else noticed that NBA players who played soccer growing up all have above average court vision, more creativity, and better give-and-go (wall passes). A few that come to mind include:
Nash
Parker
Ginobili
Gasol
Kidd

Add Kobe to the list. He lived in Italy as a child and loved soccer.

Generally, you have to be a midfielder for those attributes.

In soccer, you have to plan several moves ahead to do anything meaningful, and you have to constantly keep a defensive mind-set, because 1 goal can determine the game.

In basketball, it's easy to forget about the big picture (win), and you can have a "big" game by not passing or working with teammates. Dribble and drive or chuck. Doesn't get you much success in the NBA, but it has cultivated the Marburies, Ricky Davis, etc.

Then again Deng has soccer experience, and tbh he's not very crafty. Atleast he understands D and moving off the ball.

MrSparkle wrote:In soccer, you have to plan several moves ahead to do anything meaningful, and you have to constantly keep a defensive mind-set, because 1 goal can determine the game.

In basketball, it's easy to forget about the big picture (win), and you can have a "big" game by not passing or working with teammates. Dribble and drive or chuck. Doesn't get you much success in the NBA, but it has cultivated the Marburies, Ricky Davis, etc.

Then again Deng has soccer experience, and tbh he's not very crafty. Atleast he understands D and moving off the ball.

Romario and the likes disagree. Though that kind of players are tending to disappear.