James Worthy on state of NBA: "All they do is practice threes … get tattoos and tweet"

[Wallace_Wallace]

JJ calls out Cousy - how dare he
Worthy calls out today's game - how dare he

Is it that hard to have a discussion without being disrespectful?

For example, if you gave lockdown defenders today the ability to hand check, they would be even more difficult to score on.
Another example, if you gave lethal scorers from the past a couple deadeye shooters, they would be harder to deal with due to the spacing they've never had.
Another example, if past players receive present day media treatment (practically under a microscope with every word/action being analyzed), their image would ruined and possibly be banned from the league.
Another example, if present day players receive treatment/practicing methods from yester-year, they might not be able to receive the skills that they have today.

[Mirotek]

He forgot, “…and play COD.”

You mean 2K and Fortnite? Noone plays COD anymore lol

[imDatknicksTape]

i agree that NBA been too political , i wanna say since like 2011 but the NBA style of play of today is awesome, All eras go through changes, so its fair for him to compare

[NYPiston]

LOL, if a basketball player from today were to transport back to like 1985, they'd be like 'so these guys just walk up the court, stand around for a few minutes and then shoot a weird hook shot or a mid-ranger?' They'd look slow and worse at every major skill part of the game.

Really? They would look at James Worthy's "Showtime" Lakers and see guys that "just walk up the court, stand around for a few minutes and then shoot a weird hook shot or a mid-ranger"... Really? Were you born after 1985 by any chance?

[HotelVitale]

LOL, if a basketball player from today were to transport back to like 1985, they'd be like 'so these guys just walk up the court, stand around for a few minutes and then shoot a weird hook shot or a mid-ranger?' They'd look slow and worse at every major skill part of the game.

This is literally the opposite of what basketball in the 80s was like. Hell, you wouldn't know it by looking at them but even Larry Bird's Celtics were an up and down team that liked to push the pace.

The pace wasn't slow per se and they got shots up but watch a minute of any game from then. A 20 year-old from today would definitely look at that and be like 'these guys do a lot of standing and jostling, and it feels like they don't know if they actually like the shots they're taking.' It's not complicated to see why, half court is smaller and there's less spacing and the strategy is focused more on shooting around or over your one-on-one defender.

Anyway, I don't care that much that Worthy's not self-aware about that, it just feels goofy that Worthy would phrase it like this instead of making a real criticism. Players are obviously very skilled now and the level of training and practice they have to do is very high. You could say it's a different type of skill or that you're tired of this curretn style but 'in my day we were so much more skilled' is flat weak.

[CumberlandPosey]

james worthy
a real "expert"

[tribulations]

Where's the lie?

Ok not an absolute truth but 80/20 rule seems about right.

[ATRAIN53]

He left off the 'and they make as much as I did in ONE season as I did in my WHOLE CAREER'

Big Game James, loved those years with him, Magic and Kareem.

[CM17]

Lol, reading some of the comments here proves his point.
Someone put an excerpt of his interview on twitter and everyone goes crazy.

His point was more about going to college for some years to learn the fundamentals and to no get spoiled by million dollar contracts.

[Archx]

In the past 4 or 5 years, Dirk is the only "old timer" i heard who gave praise to new generation of players and he talked how good they are. Everyone else is basically complaining and trying to degrade them.

Dirk underrated on and off the court.

[dirkdiggler4177]

He right in lot of what he saying. Players are not as serious and as dedicated to game as they were.

Dumbest thing I have ever heard. With all the money involved in basketball today you will dam sure people take it more serious then they used to.

[Bornstellar]

any player born after 1993 can’t play... all they know is three’s , charge they defenders, tweet, be bisexual , eat hot chip & flop

this might be too esoteric for the general board

[dc]

There's a reason guys like Worthy and Barkley aren't GMs or coaches. They have a strong preference of nostalgia over knowledge.

They don't actually notice the nuances of today's game, and how closely everyone is scouted and their games broken down on film more than ever before.

[In-N-Out 247]

Anyone old enough to remember when James was late to a game in Houston because he got arrested for solicitation? He ordered two call girls and got busted. Fun times

https://www.sportscasting.com/lakers-legend-james-worthy-arrested-for-soliciting-prostitution/

[John Murdoch]

There's a reason guys like Worthy and Barkley aren't GMs or coaches. They have a strong preference of nostalgia over knowledge.

They don't actually notice the nuances of today's game, and how closely everyone is scouted and their games broken down on film more than ever before.

I doubt either ever wanted to be a GM tho

[MotownMadness]

He's right. These guys need to be focusing on sky hooks, cocaine, and wild sex orgies.

[MotownMadness]

Went from being addicted to drugs and hookers to being addicted to playstation. Get your priorities straight young fellas.

[tsherkin]

Lol, reading some of the comments here proves his point.
Someone put an excerpt of his interview on twitter and everyone goes crazy.

His point was more about going to college for some years to learn the fundamentals and to no get spoiled by million dollar contracts.

The full quote block:

“Not only that, you learned how to live. You learned how to balance your freaking checkbook in college, there's a lot of things. When you don't get that, guys are coming to the NBA who are not fundamentally sound. All they do is practice threes, lift weights, get tattoos, tweet and go on social media.

He actually undermines his own point, and of course, he's also ignoring like 25 years of basketball before the present season. It was worse when we were getting guys straight out of HS, but he's bitching like this is something newer, and adding generational comments about social media and tattoos like a crusty old man.

There's a reason guys like Worthy and Barkley aren't GMs or coaches. They have a strong preference of nostalgia over knowledge.

They don't actually notice the nuances of today's game, and how closely everyone is scouted and their games broken down on film more than ever before.

I doubt either ever wanted to be a GM tho

Which is good, because neither would be any good at it.

[Edrees]

There's some truth to it but definitely taken over the top

[Ball so hard]

How about attacking the merits of what he said. He's not wrong. You'd have to be a fool to play in this era and not practice taking a ton of threes.