#positionlessbasketball

We’ve seen plenty of players dominate that same 16′ x 12′ paint, dip it in that same 10′ rim, splash it from the same 22′ corner three. Plenty of players–-like Miller, Rodman and Stockton–-shot, rebounded and passed their way into the Hall of Fame within those same dimensions, entertaining us to no end along way.

So when a truly transformational player comes along, a player that blows up basketball paradigms and forces us to think differently about the game, we need to pause and really concentrate on what’s happening…because most fans who watch, don’t fully understand what they are seeing.

The minute he stepped on an NBA court, straight out of St. Vincent-St. Mary’s Catholic Prep School, The King began fulfilling all the hype that surrounded him as a teen. He was a 6′8″ 250-lbs “small” forward, possessing The Mailman’s physicality with Magic’s court vision and playmaking. With those innate gifts, he could do almost anything on the court and play any position.

Here’s the jaw-dropping thought: at the height of his powers you could put him at any position, from Point Guard to Center, and he would be the All-Star starter, make First Team All-NBA and First-Team Defense for that position. Think about that. Could any other player, in any other sport, in any other era, boast such versatile dominance as The King? Babe Ruth as a pitcher and hitter? Bruce Jenner as a decathlete? 

The King is THE exemplar of position-less basketball: the concept of utilizing players with sufficient physicality and skill to be interchangeable in offensive sets and to switch on pick and rolls on defense. The King shows us how successful position-less basketball can be against a league without the personnel or mindset to match, culminating in 2 championships under Riley and Spoels, vanguards of the movement.

Steph is the other transformational player of our generation. How?

He shows us the most efficient way to play the game. With his long-distance accuracy he scores more points than anyone else, at a faster pace than anyone else, in the least amount of time than anyone else. With his handles and deceptive speed, he gets to the rim and scores at the 6th highest rate in the paint. The other 5? Dunking centers and power forwards.

Basically, when he’s not hitting a Three Pointer, he’s making a high-percentage layup. Look at his shot chart: red along the three point line, red at the bucket and NOTHING in between. That’s why he has the most 40-pt games while sitting out the most 4th quarters so far this year. And if he keeps this pace up, he’ll have the highest Player Efficiency Rating (PER) season in NBA history, higher than the season that Wilt averaged 50 pts/game. All this at regular-guy size of 6′3′’ and 180 lbs.

Christmas Day’s marquee game pits Mr. Positionless vs. Mr. Efficiency. The Most Physically Gifted vs. The Most Skilled. The Best Player in the League vs. The Best Player Right Now.

Enjoy what your are looking at.