I think ultimately my post above is 100% correct and I'd love to see any attempt at a refutation. I contend that greed and consumerism affect on the sport has directly retarded the overall level of basketball world-wide.. As much as the game is spreading it's doing so in a very commercialized way.
I'm steadfast in the belief that we'll see the younger players continue to get bigger, faster stronger for many years to come.. I'm not sure if it will ever slow down TBH, because in many ways growth is being monopolized and sandbagged. Maybe in 150 years when the league is filled with Asian 7-footers that have 40" verticals and advanced training techniques worldwide are widespread, then there will be a lull...
The TV people are one of the biggest contributors, instead of really deconstructing the game and the plays, illustrating whats going on, and pro drills or just tips and tricks at how to do things. they're worried about the broadcast having mass appeal and putting like some celebrity on the camera 5x a game. I'm not saying it needs to be some intensive learning experience, but over the course of 82 games a player like Harpring can impart a lot of knowledge that goes unsaid, so he can instead repeat himself. Great concessions are made for little things that help people not turn the tv off, thats what TV is about.
Not gonna do a long rant but there's a reason why talented players with parents who are privy to advanced training techniques are much more likely to be pro's or even div1 players. There's also players like KD for example who have personal trainers at a very young age..
Rudy's father was a basketball player.. who knows what type of knowledge he imparted to him, certainly some excellent genetics.. there's something to be said for 'pedigree' tho.. ofc there's always outliers (Glen Rice Jr.)
This story of the Ball's is an absurd, extreme, glaring example of what I'm talking about..
conversely there's stories of players like Charles Bassey (or Embiid, Giannis) who grew up in soccer countries, some never picked up a basketball til their late years, some didn't have a legit pair or shoes..
My contention is as the playing field evens the overall quality of play will skyrocket. Kinda why I'm certain the annals of history will ust show that Hayward is a very good player, not a great one.
As much as players have improved, thru my research I'm not quite sure if there was ever a more talented player than the #1 pick in the 1959 draft Wilt Chamberlain. I think he's the only player I'd take over LeBron in the big redraft of players (going into their rookie years). Rudy's pretty much dominating the league right now and he only possesses a fraction of the talent of Wilt. He's of course an outlier tho........ I think were gonna see some insane 7-footer thats hands-down the best player in the league before I die.. /endrant
