90s/2000s player that would be better in todays game

[Topofthekey]

Are you trying to say that taking two dribbles in a straight line is showing great ballhandling abilities? I don't get it.

Me disagreeing with the statement that Reggie Miller "still can't dribble" doesn't equate to me saying he showed great ball handling abilities

The defense was really bad too.

Lakers defense actually ranked #1 in the league in the 1999-2000 season, the season when Miller battled them in the playoffs

I was talking about the defense in this clip.

That's the 1999-2000 Lakers

The defender in the clip is a young, pre-surgery Kobe Bryant with all his athleticism intact

[dolphinatik]

Mike Miller, Shaq (still dominant)

[imDatknicksTape]

I cant believe no one is mentioning steph marbury. He was criticized for bein a ball dominant PG but he was so far ahead of his time.

[Ballings7]

Brent Barry.

Robert Horry.

Michael Finley.

Nick Van Exel.

Rasheed Wallace.

[OdomFan]

Wesley Person would be pretty damn good I'd imagine. I wouldn't expect him to be a star, but he'd have potential to make all star games, and id imagine his ppg would go up some.

[og15]

Keith Van Horn. Dude was ahead of his time.

KVH is interesting, he's one of those guys where some of his skills were not as valued, but then also because outside shooting and combo forwards are the thing now, his skillset no longer has any uniqueness to it.

Keon Clark would thrive as a small ball C. He had an underrated mid range jumper I feel like he could extend his range to the 3 point line. Assuming he could stay off the booze I could see him being something similar to a less foul prone JJJ.

If Keon could have stayed off the booze, he would have been better when he played too.

Garnett as a 3PT shooting, playmaking full time 5 would be outrageous in today’s game. Just a total cheat code.

How much better is KG getting though?

He was already a very high impact player when he did play, I'm not sure how much higher you're getting him to go compared to his peers.

[maverick_41]

Steve Blake.

He was so terrible that he would have no way but up!

[Schiltzenberger]

Mark Price would be an MVP candidate.
Abdul-Rauf would be killing it.
Mookie Blaylock, he'd be like if Marcus Smart was actually smart.... although, I mostly think I'd just love to see how he'd defend Steph.

Anyway, pretty much anyone that could shoot would look better in today's NBA.

[JRoy]

Mark Price would be an MVP candidate.
Abdul-Rauf would be killing it.
Mookie Blaylock, he'd be like if Marcus Smart was actually smart.... although, I mostly think I'd just love to see how he'd defend Steph.

Anyway, pretty much anyone that could shoot would look better in today's NBA.

Price and A-R would kill in this era. Not sure about Mookie though he has the best name.

[Wallace_Wallace]

The real question is,

Spoiler:

is there anyone from the 90s/2000s that would be worse in today's game?

[Mauro Pedrosa]

Steve Nash
Donyell Marshall

[chrbal]

Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf- freedom, encouragement to play his game to the fullest extent. He’d be Steph Curry lite.

[mcmurphy]

Drazen and Oscar.

[xBulletproof]

I would like to say Reggie Miller. In a world where shooting 10-12 threes a game is considered normal, sounds fun.

That said he was unselfish about getting shots (until the playoffs) so I don't think he would have just chucked up a ton more just because he could. Also, he still can't dribble, so it would be a lot of screening and fast break 3's

When you're a shooter like Reggie was, it enhances your ability to get to the rim. That was a perfect example. Kobe never moved. He was caught flat footed worrying about the shot. It still doesn't change that Reggie had below average handles at SG even then, and I would argue today it would be even more glaring. Popping Reggie in today's game he still wouldn't be Steph or anything.

Steph's handle and ability to shoot off the dribble Reggie would never be able to dream of matching. So his shots would be limited by his inability to self create.

*EDIT*
To drive the point home, about 70% of Reggie's made shots were assisted. Trae Young is 18%, Steph is like 45%, Booker around 45%, and Dermar Derozan even is at 39%. Just for comparison.

[mcfly1204]

Shout out to Mitch Richmond, he would be an absolute killer now.

[Chanel Bomber]

Great topic, but I think (sadly) there just aren't too many answers to this question.

You have to exclude all the archetypes who are outdated in today's NBA.

- Traditional bigs who don't have the mobility to switch onto guards.
- Post-up PFs without a 3-point shot.
- Guards who can neither shoot from 3 nor attack the rim.
- All the inefficient guards and wings who used to chuck from midrange.

Strangely, some players whose profile fits today's NBA were - in many cases - actually more impactful back in the day, because the uniqueness and the scarcity of their skill set gave their team a massive comparative advantage, whereas it would be much more common today (e.g. a stretch 4 like Horry). To push this argument a bit further, the percentages that Abdul-Rauf shot from 3 would be underwhelming today by modern standards.

The fact that the game has improved over the years actually makes it difficult to find players who would be better today.

But with the increasing demand for efficient shot creation and defensive versatility, I think these players might be even better today:

Manu Ginobili with a higher usage
Chauncey Billups with a higher usage
Paul Pierce with a higher usage
Rasheed Wallace as a 5
Kevin Garnett as a 5

[No-more-rings]

I’d say good luck trying to guard prime athletic Wade in today’s game. With the added spacing and less big bodies under the rim I don’t see how he wouldn’t have a field day driving and either scoring or kicking out to 3 point shooters. He would never be Curry or even Harden as a 3 point shooter, but it’s plausible he could’ve practiced his 3s more and gotten better at them early on. Also with the way fouls are called now, Wade would’ve also taken advantage of that as much as anyone.

[Topofthekey]

I would like to say Reggie Miller. In a world where shooting 10-12 threes a game is considered normal, sounds fun.

That said he was unselfish about getting shots (until the playoffs) so I don't think he would have just chucked up a ton more just because he could. Also, he still can't dribble, so it would be a lot of screening and fast break 3's

When you're a shooter like Reggie was, it enhances your ability to get to the rim. That was a perfect example. Kobe never moved. He was caught flat footed worrying about the shot.

That's not what happened

I mean yes, Kobe looks like he hardly moved. But it's not because he was worrying about the shot

Rather it's because Reggie froze him with a feint to the left before immediately driving right. It was only for a split second, but watch the clip again and you will notice Reggie's feint and Kobe's reaction to it

Kobe actually did move, he shifted his body slightly to his right, reacting to Reggie's feint

Popping Reggie in today's game he still wouldn't be Steph or anything.

Steph's handle and ability to shoot off the dribble Reggie would never be able to dream of matching. So his shots would be limited by his inability to self create.

Me disagreeing with the statement that Reggie can't dribble isn't the same as me saying he has the handles of Steph Curry though

[Got Nuffin]

Kevin Johnson was blindingly fast and shockingly athletic. He could literally get past any first line of defence with his first step even in the era of hand checking.

With very little hand checking allowed in the modern game I would imagine he would absolutely tear it up. IMO something like prime Westbrook combined with some Kyle Lowry (in terms of being an actual floor general). You simply would not be able to keep him out of the paint.

Similarly Tony Parker and Mahmoud Abul Rauf are guys who I imagine would put up bigger numbers today than in their respective eras.

[SelfishPlayer]

Michael Finley would be a supermax contract player.