JJ Redick speaks the Truth - 80/90s NBA vs Today

[Miami_Lux]

JJ sounded like a pompous jerk here with his constant interruption and logical fallacies. As much as I love to dig at SAS's loud mouth ass, this was just JJ acting like a dick here. Nor was he even correct about almost anything here.

What logical fallacies did he use? It’s just a fact that players are better, faster, and more skilled than players in the 70s, 80s, and 90s.

I would always tell people go look at a replay of one the Celtics or Lakers game from the 80s. You d be surprised how slow the pace is and how much less impressive the gameplay was back then.

This is not taking anything away from the players that paved the way in the early stages of the NBA but this constant lamenting about how the 80s and 90s were tougher to play in is just silly. People like LeBron and Durant would shred the competition even more so than they are in this era.

[Raps in 4]

Lmao evolutions takes thousands of years every where but in the NBA I guess. It is sad how little young people know about life before them and how little respect they have for it.

Once again there are literally studies out there showing that strength and athleticism is actually declining due to lower testosterone but keep telling yourself lies.

Athletes are way fitter today than in past generations due to advances in sports and nutrition sciences. Medical procedures for injuries have also improved.

Medicine has improved, but you are going to have to explain way fitter when guys are crying about playing 65 games 30 mpg when a majority of players used to be able to play 82 games and 40 mpg.

Guys are still playing at a high level today into their mid/late 30s. And not just in basketball, but in every sport.

[The Rebel]

It is funny that people think basketball is the only sport in history where the players haven’t got significantly better over time.

How many of those sports have had to change multiple rules because the players could no longer follow those rules due to lack of skills?

Was it really because of a lack of skill though? Are you suggesting that Greg Kite is THAT much more skilled than Mike Muscala?

The NFL in 2022 is significantly different than the NFL in 1987... in large part because of rules.

Greg kite only got minutes on an expansion team and was never asked to dribble, because he couldn't. Under rules pre-2009 I doubt anybody born in the US could even dribble that is in the league today.

[BK_2020]

I just don't understand why dude keeps going out of his way to repeatedly disrespect the people who paved the way for him to become a millionaire basketball player and even be on TV talking about the sport. Weird fight to pick and very off-putting in my opinion.

Probably because people, including those people who paved the way, can't stop talking about how much better the game was back in the days and how stars today would be role players in the 90s.

[Curmudgeon]

I don't think that much has changed since the 80s and 90s. Stars of that era would still be stars today, and vice versa. JJ Redick is a modern day Tim Legler.

Yes, but they would be stars in different games. Imagine a league with hand checking and no flagrant fouls, no zone defenses, with palming prohibited, a league with players like Jeff Ruland, Rick Mahorn and Moses Malone who would be happy to take hour head off when you went down the lane. Imagine a league in which the three point shot was viewed as a fad and coaches discouraged players from taking it.

Those are just some of the differences. It's like comparing players in baseball's dead ball era with players who came after 1921.

I was referring to speed, athleticism, etc over 20-30 years. Evolution takes a lot longer than that. But I recognize your point on the rule changes. However, the game is still similar in more ways, and if you drop a prime Shaq, or Kareem in today's game they would adjust just fine. Likewise, if you put KD in the 80s, he would be a superstar.

Well sure, but if LeBron were playing in the 80's, the training and nutrition wouldn't be as good. Conversely, if Tom Heinsohn were playing today, he wouldn't be lighting up a cigarette in the locker room at halftime.

Imagine Chamberlain with the benefit of modern nutrition and training techniques-- and with a three point shot.

[The Rebel]

Athletes are way fitter today than in past generations due to advances in sports and nutrition sciences. Medical procedures for injuries have also improved.

Medicine has improved, but you are going to have to explain way fitter when guys are crying about playing 65 games 30 mpg when a majority of players used to be able to play 82 games and 40 mpg.

Guys are still playing at a high level today into their mid/late 30s. And not just in basketball, but in every sport.

You guys really do not know **** about sport history do you?

Look up Tree Rollins, Kareem, and others they played as long as anybody in the league today and more minutes as well.

Gordie Howe was 52 when he retired.

Nolan Ryan played 27 years.


Literally the only guys playing longer today are NFL quarterbacks, because you can no longer hit them.

[BK_2020]

Imagine Chamberlain with the benefit of modern nutrition and training techniques-- and with a three point shot.

You don't have to imagine. Just watch the game tonight.
https://ibb.co/jkqTyHn

[First Step]

Yes, but they would be stars in different games. Imagine a league with hand checking and no flagrant fouls, no zone defenses, with palming prohibited, a league with players like Jeff Ruland, Rick Mahorn and Moses Malone who would be happy to take hour head off when you went down the lane. Imagine a league in which the three point shot was viewed as a fad and coaches discouraged players from taking it.

Those are just some of the differences. It's like comparing players in baseball's dead ball era with players who came after 1921.

I was referring to speed, athleticism, etc over 20-30 years. Evolution takes a lot longer than that. But I recognize your point on the rule changes. However, the game is still similar in more ways, and if you drop a prime Shaq, or Kareem in today's game they would adjust just fine. Likewise, if you put KD in the 80s, he would be a superstar.

Well sure, but if LeBron were playing in the 80's, the training and nutrition wouldn't be as good. Conversely, if Tom Heinsohn were playing today, he wouldn't be lighting up a cigarette in the locker room at halftime.

Imagine Chamberlain with the benefit of modern nutrition and training techniques-- and with a three point shot.

Even without all those modern day benefits, I have no doubt that Chamberlain in today's game would be much better than most C's. What happened to Daniel Theis with all that modern day training? Wilt is considerably stronger than most players today.

[dribble1614]

mad dog russo totally gave it to draymond green. i'm not sure about not making the roster, but if he was on that team he would certainly find himself waving a towel at the end of the bench mostly.

[The Rebel]

mad dog russo totally gave it to draymond green. i'm not sure about not making the roster, but if he was on that team he would certainly find himself waving a towel at the end of the bench mostly.

Why do you think Green was such a late pick? He was a good defender in Michigan, but everybody knew he had a suspect jumpshot, no post game, and could barely dribble. West and the Warriors front office get credit because they figured out there was a role for him with jumpshooters in today's game, but anywhere else they would have tried to force him into just being a rim running PF and he would have struggled to stay in a rotation.

[HangTime]

Have 3 Levels of technical

Tech 1 - 1 point
Tech 2 - 2 points
Tech 3 - 3 points

When a player accumulates 4 points in a game, he's out.

[SOA]

All these amazing athletes of today and none of them can play upper 30s in mnutes in the regular and not for 80+ games because they need "rest."

But I guess endurance wasn't one of the physical traits that has evolved in the sports world in the last 30 years....

I'm sure the argument will be: but they move around so much more now and cover so much more space. They probably do. But with all the refs stoppages, etc... I'm sure they get more rest than what the other athletes do.

[Bergmaniac]

Read on Twitter

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This always cracks me up, half of Rasheed Wallace's NBA career happened while LeBron was already in the league, him saying how "it was a whole different era back then" when they were in the league together for 7 seasons is just hilarious.

[homecourtloss]

Hes right.

Genetics, training advancements, globalisation, population growth, analytics etc etc have resulted in much deeper, much better players.

He’s also right about nobody else in football, baseball, etc., talking about how the ‘80s and ‘90s were better. It’s only in basketball to this degree. And there’s a reason for that—a certain player who played in both decades no matter what always had to be the greatest and the columnists and broadcasters are part of a group who supports and feeds into this. And before anybody says anything about my age, I’m 45 and watched Jordan growing up.

[MrBigShot]

I just don't understand why dude keeps going out of his way to repeatedly disrespect the people who paved the way for him to become a millionaire basketball player and even be on TV talking about the sport. Weird fight to pick and very off-putting in my opinion.

Probably because people, including those people who paved the way, can't stop talking about how much better the game was back in the days and how stars today would be role players in the 90s.

Bingo!

Seeing JJ Redick on ESPN has been so damn refreshing. Everything that comes out of his mouth is cold hard, unfiltered truth.

[Freighttrain]

mad dog russo totally gave it to draymond green. i'm not sure about not making the roster, but if he was on that team he would certainly find himself waving a towel at the end of the bench mostly.

Yeah, one of the all-time great defenders wouldn't be able to get minutes. Okay buddy

[JayMKE]

More guys lift weights and some have better nutrition maybe but it's hard to see any evidence of this supposed superior athleticism or "genetics". Like others said the main difference are the rules and officiating, you can argue its better now but saying its just evolution is legitimately dumb.

[sp6r=underrated]

I just don't understand why dude keeps going out of his way to repeatedly disrespect the people who paved the way for him to become a millionaire basketball player and even be on TV talking about the sport. Weird fight to pick and very off-putting in my opinion.

This is kind of my take.

[Doranku]

What is JJ even talking about? lol he whines about Stephen A. comparing players of the 80s/90s to his generation, then brings up Tim Duncan and the 75-72 scores of the mid 2000s? Dude is all over the place.

[Kingdibs19]

Read on Twitter

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This always cracks me up, half of Rasheed Wallace's NBA career happened while LeBron was already in the league, him saying how "it was a whole different era back then" when they were in the league together for 7 seasons is just hilarious.

Also funny how the Lakers decided to hire him as an assistant coach, he sounds delusional.