The NBA has seen many legendary players make a huge impact on the competition, some going further than others and leaving a big mark on the league.
There are only a handful of players who were really influential to the game and changed the way it’s played. In the wake of Karl-Anthony Towns saying he changed the game, Gilbert Arenas, along with Josiah Johnson, Brandon Jennings and Rashad McCants, discussed the player who really changed the game of basketball (3:30 mark).
The common response is Stephen Curry, who made the NBA a 3-point-driven league. Arenas went with Magic Johnson and his ‘showtime’ Lakers. He also included Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, and Allen Iverson.
The former Washington Wizards player agreed that Steve Nash did have a big effect on the game but also mentioned Mike D’Antoni and his small-ball lineup in the same sentence. Brandon Jennings threw Arenas’ name into the mix, saying that he was the first point guard to be really aggressive and focused on scoring instead of always trying to make the right play.
Two other names were mentioned in the convo, with James Harden and Kyrie Irving’s flashy styles of plays earned them a spot on this unofficial list.
Arenas also mentioned two players that didn’t change the game, going first with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who was very dominant but didn’t make teams emulate his game or try to find a player with the same characteristics. Arenas admitted that the Skyhook is a terrific shot, but nobody else tried to make it.
LeBron James was also part of the conversation, with Arenas saying that not a lot of people relate to being really strong, running through the court, and dunking on people. McCants claimed that James was already at a great level when the NBA changed its ways, and he didn’t have anything to do with that.
This is an interesting conversation to have, but the players mentioned in it pretty much sum up the list.
Stephen Curry almost single-handedly forced teams to start shooting three-pointers, winning four NBA championships with this formula. Michael Jordan became the master of the mid-range, setting the blueprint for future generations. Shaquille O’Neal is arguably the most dominant player to ever exist, terrorizing rivals in the paint.
Magic Johnson’s frenetic style of play made him the greatest point guard of all time and his Lakers one of the most entertaining teams to watch in NBA history. The same can be said about Steve Nash and his Suns, but contrary to the Lakers, they never won a championship.
As for Harden and Irving, they tried to add more spark to their games and came up with a flashy style of play that has had a big effect on the new generations.
Gilbert Arenas Says LeBron James Is The GOAT
Despite making bold claims sometimes, like saying Giannis Antetokounmpo doesn’t understand the game, Gilbert Arenas normally makes solid points and keeps it real when discussing NBA-related matters.
Even though he doesn’t think the King belongs to this club, Arenas is confident that LeBron has done enough to be considered the greatest player of all time. He grew up idolizing Michael Jordan and faced LeBron James on the court, so his opinion on this topic should be very valuable.
Arenas knows how to differentiate topics, and made it clear that being the best of the best doesn’t necessarily mean you changed the way the game is played or that rivals fear you.
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