Steroids in the NBA...how prevalent were they in the early 90s-early 10s?

[ceiling raiser]

Please keep this conversation clean.

Adding raw mass doesn't help a ton of player archetypes, and these are among the most gifted athletes in the world, but we've seen a lot of incredibly muscular players develop from very lanky frames.

You don't see this as much anymore, but it felt like it was a big deal from the early 90s through the early 10s.

Do you think the NBA had a steroid problem? Is it possible it still does?

[Richard Miller]

As prevalent as Dwight's shoulders

[Big J]

NBA has an HGH problem.

[walk with me]

NBA has an HGH problem.

I don’t think the nba has a “problem” but there are def offenders… we’re in a weird era though, I don’t think people care as much as they did in previous decades.

[laronprofit9]

Not sure how prevalent compared to MLB and NFL. However I’m sure a sizable portion probably juice now and in earlier eras. Steroids isn’t just about building muscle. The more important use for professional athletes is recovery. Recovery in an 82 game season means a lot, and steroids definitely help.

NBA is probably closer to NFL than MLB in testing policy. MLB has more stringent policies and enforces them more than the other 2 major sports league. Since historical records are held as more sacred to MLB than the other 2 leagues

[SpreeChokeJob]

NBA has an HGH problem.

I don’t think the nba has a “problem” but there are def offenders… we’re in a weird era though, I don’t think people care as much as they did in previous decades.

I think if it came out then certain offenders would take a hit legacy wise.

Longevity records and stats would have to be asterisked like Barry Bonds and Maguire records

You can at least tell Kareem didn’t juice up.

[bearadonisdna]

The nba has never had a steroid problem and I feel the biggest noise we heard about it came from Miami during the heatles .

This feels like an attempt to diminish a prior era

[CptCrunch]

I got banned from pre-announced NBA drug testing

[laronprofit9]

NBA has an HGH problem.

I don’t think the nba has a “problem” but there are def offenders… we’re in a weird era though, I don’t think people care as much as they did in previous decades.

I think if it came out then certain offenders would take a hit legacy wise.

Longevity records and stats would have to be asterisked like Barry Bonds and Maguire records

You can at least tell Kareem didn’t juice up.

MLB and NBA are just different. MLB really cares a lot more about the sanctity of their records, and any type of edge/rule change etc… is given a lot more scrutiny to help protect records and have them last longer over more generations of athletes.

If Barry Bonds achieved the equivalent of what he did with NBA’s policy and rules he’d be in the HoF. It’s like denying Lebron James of entering the hall of fame because he juiced. MLB’s hof is considered the most prestigious and most difficult to induct out of all of the North American sports leagues

[soxfan2003]

Please keep this conversation clean.

Adding raw mass doesn't help a ton of player archetypes, and these are among the most gifted athletes in the world, but we've seen a lot of incredibly muscular players develop from very lanky frames.

You don't see this as much anymore, but it felt like it was a big deal from the early 90s through the early 10s.

Do you think the NBA had a steroid problem? Is it possible it still does?

Yes, I'd bet the NBA has an underreported steroid problem with all of the money involved. Speed/strength is still extremely important in basketball and steroids are known to help with both. People have to remember even a relatively skinny athlete like Lance Armstrong was taking steroids. This whole notion that you have to look super muscular to be juicing is wrong. Someone could be 180 lbs before steroids and 180 lbs after steroids if they had a training/diet where keeping their weight the same was a huge priority.

[ceiling raiser]

This feels like an attempt to diminish a prior era

I have MJ as my GOAT and don't think he used steroids, if that's what you're suggesting.

[Optms]

Why do you suggest that steroids aren't prevalent now, OP?

[bearadonisdna]

This feels like an attempt to diminish a prior era

I have MJ as my GOAT and don't think he used steroids, if that's what you're suggesting.

Oh ok maybe it was a wrong read

[laronprofit9]

Please keep this conversation clean.

Adding raw mass doesn't help a ton of player archetypes, and these are among the most gifted athletes in the world, but we've seen a lot of incredibly muscular players develop from very lanky frames.

You don't see this as much anymore, but it felt like it was a big deal from the early 90s through the early 10s.

Do you think the NBA had a steroid problem? Is it possible it still does?

Yes, I'd bet the NBA has an underreported steroid problem with all of the money involved. Speed/strength is still extremely important in basketball and steroids are known to help with both. People have to remember even a relatively skinny athlete like Lance Armstrong was taking steroids. This whole notion that you have to look super muscular to be juicing is wrong. Someone could be 180 lbs before steroids and 180 lbs after steroids if they had a training/diet where keeping their weight the same was a huge priority.

You are correct steroids isn’t just about building muscle mass. Recovery is by far probably the biggest use in professional sports.

I doubt the NBA would do any type of investigation similar to what the MLB did with the Mitchell Report. NBA and NFL just seem like they care more about revenue than integrity.


Don’t think Adam Silver wants the type of reputation damage the league would take if something like that came out.

[SpreeChokeJob]

I don’t think the nba has a “problem” but there are def offenders… we’re in a weird era though, I don’t think people care as much as they did in previous decades.

I think if it came out then certain offenders would take a hit legacy wise.

Longevity records and stats would have to be asterisked like Barry Bonds and Maguire records

You can at least tell Kareem didn’t juice up.

MLB and NBA are just different. MLB really cares a lot more about the sanctity of their records, and any type of edge/rule change etc… is given a lot more scrutiny to help protect records and have them last longer over more generations of athletes.

If Barry Bonds achieved the equivalent of what he did with NBA’s policy and rules he’d be in the HoF. It’s like denying Lebron James of entering the hall of fame because he juiced. MLB’s hof is considered the most prestigious and most difficult to induct out of all of the North American sports leagues

Are you saying the NBA standard is more like the WWE. Juiced up stars with fake refs and fixed outcomes. I don’t think the public would accept cheaters and that is why the powers that be have kept it under wraps. Not because it doesn’t exist, but because it would damage the sport and some star players which is their main source of income if it ever came to light.

[Johnny Bball]

So I'm supposed to beleive that in amateur athletics, the Olympics, where some 60% of athletes will ADMIT in an anonymous study they have used PEDs, where there is little money for most of these athletes to chase beyond endorsements, that in the NBA, with tens and hundreds of millions on the line for some players that they aren't using PEDs?

I would be shocked if the real answer was under 75%. I would expect its widely used for injury recovery and widely used early in careers, off-seasons its incredibly easy to hide. The fact that the NBA really doesn't test rigorously and doesn't chase it it hard and lets you know when your being tested way in advance, kind of makes it easy not to embarrass yourself and them.

The last thing the NBA wants is to be embarrassed so they have a token testing policy.

[laronprofit9]

I think if it came out then certain offenders would take a hit legacy wise.

Longevity records and stats would have to be asterisked like Barry Bonds and Maguire records

You can at least tell Kareem didn’t juice up.

MLB and NBA are just different. MLB really cares a lot more about the sanctity of their records, and any type of edge/rule change etc… is given a lot more scrutiny to help protect records and have them last longer over more generations of athletes.

If Barry Bonds achieved the equivalent of what he did with NBA’s policy and rules he’d be in the HoF. It’s like denying Lebron James of entering the hall of fame because he juiced. MLB’s hof is considered the most prestigious and most difficult to induct out of all of the North American sports leagues

Are you saying the NBA standard is more like the WWE. Juiced up stars with fake refs and fixed outcomes. I don’t think the public would accept cheaters and that is why the powers that be have kept it under wraps. Not because it doesn’t exist, but because it would damage the sport and some star players which is their main source of income if it ever came to light.

NBA standard is probably closer to the NFL. I already mentioned this they wouldn’t investigate to the depth the MLB did with the Mitchell Report. I think the NFL and NBA just care more about revenue than integrity .

The steroid scandal damaged baseball that is still being felt today. NBA and NFL saw what happened and don’t want any part of that happening to their own league.

[Aurelius]

LeBron's mid-season Miami trips were always a fun coincidence.

[D.Brasco]

As prevalent as Dwight's shoulders

[BenoUdrihFTL]

Anabolic abuse is known to shrivel testicles, so draw your own conclusions. And by draw your own conclusions I mean Beno Udrih