Did Muggsy Bogues have the Goat talent?

[coastalmarker99]

I am thinking that Muggsy Bogues had the Goat talent in NBA history.

As the amount of skill and talent, that guy must have had to make it to the NBA at 5,3 and play 14 years while being a decent player is just remarkable.

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As the odds of just someone making it to the NBA at that size is zero to none.

He looks as if he is a child playing against goliath's

[Ein Sof]

Yeah. His height was honestly just unfair for the league

[Monix]

for starters, we need to create a simulation where Steph Curry plays against 8 footers protecting an 11' rim

[IAMZOOTED2]

Well, Muggsy is up there with GOAT of all nicknames if nothing else. Brother looks so much like a “Muggsy” it’s ridiculous

[Duffman100]

Loved him on the Raptors.

[hauntedcomputer]

Would he have had the same quickness at 6'1" or 6'7"? He used his size as an asset instead of a detriment, even if he got clowned on defense, he could still snatch your dribble. Being closer to the floor than everyone else has an advantage.

[JoseRizal]

For a league that has an average playing career of 4.5 years, it takes a special kind of talent to reach 14. Much more if you're only 5-3, definitely a once in a lifetime talent.

Muggsy may not be considered a top 10 PG, but he sure is an inspiration to the vertically challenged hoopers around the world..

[Kingdibs19]

Funny thing is he wasn’t even a good shooter

[Bologna Smasher]

His talent wasn't, but his IQ is probably up there. Has to be for someone so small to be effective in a league of giants.

With his shot (which wasn't even already that good) being so easily blockable, he had to know when and how to shoot to not be a liability. He had to figure out how to use speed and size to be a headache on defense even though he'd never be someone who could really bother shots consistently. He was a good rebounder for his size, especially on the offensive end.

[azcatz11]

I used to play with him in Live…he looked like a “little person” on the floor. Anyone else?

[theFireBlanket]

for starters, we need to create a simulation where Steph Curry plays against 8 footers protecting an 11' rim

Curry was his student (with Del playing for the Hornets).

[Tacoma]

Funny thing is he wasn’t even a good shooter

By what metric? He's a lifetime 46% shooter and even had 3PT range with occasional 3's. That's very good given his smallish hands & high risk of being blocked from having always to shoot over guys at least a foot taller.

Being by far the shortest guy also has advantages like he was very nimble and agile that made him especially quick, and he played to these strengths better than anyone his size. Those small size advantages that he excelled wouldn't exist if he were a foot taller.

So my take is he did have GOAT talent... BUT only for someone of his size.

[Harcore Fenton Mun]

I loved watching him play, he had such an impact every time he stepped on the floor. He made big men look inept. He was a great floor general too. Highly skilled.

[Monix]

Funny thing is he wasn’t even a good shooter

By what metric? He's a lifetime 46% shooter and even had 3PT range with occasional 3's. That's very good given his smallish hands & high risk of being blocked from having always to shoot over guys at least a foot taller.

Being by far the shortest guy also has advantages like he was very nimble and agile that made him especially quick, and he played to these strengths better than anyone his size. Those small size advantages that he excelled wouldn't exist if he were a foot taller.

So my take is he did have GOAT talent... BUT only for someone of his size.

82.7 from the FT line is pretty good, that percentage has the fewest variables in play that are size/position/era dependent.

[NBA Sheady]

Such a fun guy to watch. Too bad the Raptors got the injury years.

[JN61]

He has some of craziest assist to turnover ratios out of any players during his peak. He definitely had crazy amounts of talent but I don't think he would suddenly be significantly better passer or scorer because more height. Interestingly enough you could make an argument that his small stature have him some really advantageous passing angles which is fun to think about and even see in a lot of his highlights.

With more height I could see him being +/- 15/10 type of guy for a decade.

[tbhawksfan1]

I f you consider only 5'8" and under, there is only him and Spud Webb. So he is the GOAT of under 5'8"

[Uncle Mxy]

I f you consider only 5'8" and under, there is only him and Spud Webb. So he is the GOAT of under 5'8"

Earl Boykins deserves some love here, too.

[jlokine]

out of a league with 400 players and 150 starters, he was good enough that the Monstars wanted to steal his talent to win a game against the looney tunes.. that's mad respect.

[Roy T]

As someone who thinks Nate Robinson would have been LeBron 2.0 if he had the right body, I think Muggsy might have been in the top tier back in the day.

With such a disadvantage you have to be special to carve out 14 years in the league.