The human race evolves, that’s an undeniable fact, including NBA players, who are already gifted by nature. The best athletes in the world play in the association but just like things change in real life, they do so in the league. The way that players are built today is different than it was 30-40 years ago.
Former NBA star Gilbert Arenas discussed the evolution of NBA players on his ‘The No Chill’ podcast, comparing players from this era with the ones we used to watch in the 90s with Los Angeles Clippers sixth man Lou Williams. The size of the players has changed a lot and Arenas hilariously compared what we see today to the things saw at the end of the last century.
“When the 90’s players talking about how y’all soft, we would have put y’all on your ass…You’re little! You’re a little kid! We gain weight when we’re older, these mfs are 60-70 years old, 185 lbs still. Like come on now, shut up. You’re not even on a diet, you’re just a little guy.
“Like I remember… Even like GP (Gary Payton), he was a defensive stopper. He was literally a defensive stopper. My second year, I’m posting him up. You’re little, 185. ‘I was afraid of you my rookie year, I don’t know why, you’re little.’ Even John Stockton, you guys are little!… You were guys were defensive guys?! It became a joke, like put the two-guard on me man, these point guards are just too little. That’s what people don’t understand, evolution. Like, these guys are just too little, you’re not gonna hurt us.”
This is something that has happened over the course of history and the NBA can be the prime example of that. The players that played in the 40s, 50s, 60s aren’t the same that we saw during the 80s and 90s. Now it’s the same case with the ballers we see in today’s league. The game has changed, players have changed and nothing can change that. It’s just the way it is.
