What is the oldest age you could beat the best player in the world at that age one on one? Max 16

wackbone · Post #1 » by **wackbone** » Fri Jul 21, 2023 10:36 pm

Sorry for weird phrasing in title, had to limit the length.

1. Every age has someone who is the best basketball player in the world at that age.
2. What is the oldest age you could beat the best basketball player in the world at that age one on one?

Rockazoids · Post #2 » by **Rockazoids** » Fri Jul 21, 2023 10:39 pm

wackbone wrote:Sorry for weird phrasing in title, had to limit the length.

1. Every age has someone who is the best basketball player in the world at that age.
2. What is the oldest age you could beat the best basketball player in the world at that age one on one?

99

wackbone · Post #3 » by **wackbone** » Fri Jul 21, 2023 10:44 pm

Rockazoids wrote:
wackbone wrote:Sorry for weird phrasing in title, had to limit the length.

1. Every age has someone who is the best basketball player in the world at that age.
2. What is the oldest age you could beat the best basketball player in the world at that age one on one?

99

Hence why I said a Max age of 16 haha. And I know 16 is way too old for 99% of us

ahmetmekin · Post #4 » by **ahmetmekin** » Fri Jul 21, 2023 11:02 pm

Probably 8 or 9 since there are freakishly tall kids out there.

Wigginstime · Post #5 » by **Wigginstime** » Fri Jul 21, 2023 11:16 pm

I played ball from the age of 5 through high school and was all state in high school (I'm 6'4"). For the purpose of this argument i'll assume I was 27 (actually 38) and in peak shape.

Lebron James at 16 years old was already 6'6' 220 so clearly i would get crushed.
Lebron James at 14 years old was 6'3" and started to buff up
Lebron James at 12 years old was 5'7" and relatively skinny.

I'm going to say that when I was 27 years old and 6'4 210, I could have beaten a 5'7" 12 year old skinny Lebron

HotelVitale · Post #6 » by **HotelVitale** » Fri Jul 21, 2023 11:23 pm

Wigginstime wrote:I played ball from the age of 5 through high school and was all state in high school (I'm 6'4"). For the purpose of this argument i'll assume I was 27 (actually 38) and in peak shape.

Lebron James at 16 years old was already 6'6' 220 so clearly i would get crushed.
Lebron James at 14 years old was 6'3" and started to buff up
Lebron James at 12 years old was 5'7" and relatively skinny.

I'm going to say that when I was 27 years old and 6'4 210, I could have beaten a 5'7" 12 year old skinny Lebron

Never seen you play obviously but I wonder if you'd be any match for Lebron's quickness and finishing skills, even at that age. The quickness advantage in 1-on-1 is pretty massive, if someone can get past you and then up fake and pivot it's pretty tough to keep up. I guess you could maybe make up for that by being methodical with your size advantage, though even then the quick hands could make something happen.

Post #7 » by **AshyLarrysDiaper** » Fri Jul 21, 2023 11:30 pm

6 and I’d be nervous about it.

Post #8 » by **jazzfan1971** » Fri Jul 21, 2023 11:33 pm

E-Balla · Post #9 » by **E-Balla** » Fri Jul 21, 2023 11:56 pm

I'd go with 11 to 12. Middle school right around the start of puberty when they don't know their bodies yet. By 13-14 they have already got used to not being children.

Rockazoids · Post #10 » by **Rockazoids** » Sat Jul 22, 2023 12:11 am

wackbone wrote:
Rockazoids wrote:
wackbone wrote:Sorry for weird phrasing in title, had to limit the length.

1. Every age has someone who is the best basketball player in the world at that age.
2. What is the oldest age you could beat the best basketball player in the world at that age one on one?

99

Hence why I said a Max age of 16 haha. And I know 16 is way too old for 99% of us

My 10 yrs old granddaughter cross me over and almost broke my ankles, I wanted to put her on punishment but my wife wouldn't
let me.
I just talk basketball on forms now. :cry:

eminence · Post #11 » by **eminence** » Sat Jul 22, 2023 12:17 am

5'11, 185 these days, most of that weight in my legs (and a little belly).

Depends a bit on if the best prospect is a guard or a big. Size is so important in 1 on 1, I could probably back down even the best guard prospects into their early HS years. My offense will be reliable even if they're clowning me when I'm on D. I think I can stay home and protect the rim, trust them to miss a lightly contested jumper eventually and then convert at a high enough rate to give myself a chance.

If it's a big there's a decent chance they'll be too much bigger than me even at 14, could probably still back into position, but not reliably overcoming the length advantage.

I'd give myself a shot through 13.

Liam_Gallagher · Post #12 » by **Liam_Gallagher** » Sat Jul 22, 2023 12:24 am

Here come all the ballers who went D1 and somehow ended up on a RealGM message board.

BlackThought · Post #13 » by **BlackThought** » Sat Jul 22, 2023 12:35 am

I'm confident that I can beat any 5 year old.

Joshyjess · Post #14 » by **Joshyjess** » Sat Jul 22, 2023 12:43 am

When my son was 14 (and I was about 40) he was already starting to beat me on a regular basis - my son wasn't really that good at basketball - nuff said!!!!

JayMKE · Post #15 » by **JayMKE** » Sat Jul 22, 2023 12:50 am

Maybe 10 haha, Im sure some of these guys were already 6’

vxmike · Post #16 » by **vxmike** » Sat Jul 22, 2023 3:24 am

eminence wrote:5'11, 185 these days, most of that weight in my legs (and a little belly).

Depends a bit on if the best prospect is a guard or a big. Size is so important in 1 on 1, I could probably back down even the best guard prospects into their early HS years. My offense will be reliable even if they're clowning me when I'm on D. I think I can stay home and protect the rim, trust them to miss a lightly contested jumper eventually and then convert at a high enough rate to give myself a chance.

If it's a big there's a decent chance they'll be too much bigger than me even at 14, could probably still back into position, but not reliably overcoming the length advantage.

I'd give myself a shot through 13.

I think 13.5 is probably the magic number for most full size adults with reasonable fitness and basketball skills. At 14 there are enough kids with superior genes that are the size of a regular man and have largely gone through enough puberty. The growth in size and strength for athletic boys from 12 to 14 is huge. Any 12 year with the height and athleticism to compete will probably not have the strength to defend a man.

MTJazzv3 · Post #17 » by **MTJazzv3** » Sat Jul 22, 2023 4:35 am

I got no NBA player on my list. Sometimes, it's just the facts. I could definitely crush a lot of those guys in yoga, (which is non-competitive), and distance running. Apples and oranges. I played pick-up hoops with D-1, second round tourney PG 20 years ago, who was my age and got mocked, big time. He just toyed with all of us.

-Luke- · Post #18 » by **-Luke-** » Sat Jul 22, 2023 6:12 am

I'm pretty sure even the best 6 year old in the world would kill me. Note even sure about 5. But I'm pretty optimistic I could beat the best 4 year old out there.

SlovenianDragon · Post #19 » by **SlovenianDragon** » Sat Jul 22, 2023 6:21 am

I think I could do well vs most players... It could take a million tries or more to win but I bet in a simulation running infinite outcomes I would win eventually... The players I think I could never beat are big men with jump shots... Thats just impossible for someone like me.

moderndarwin · Post #20 » by **moderndarwin** » Sat Jul 22, 2023 6:23 am

I’m one on one. It’d depend on who we consider the best and what they were size wise at certain ages

Like a steph curry probably i’d wreck him until he was 14 if my 25 year old version played him.

Lebron probably 11 not sure when he got over 5’10.

It really depends. Like Shaq was 6’8 at 13 so it’s a lot different than playing some kid that is 5’4