Is the basketball marketplace becoming too diluted?

Cougar Basketball
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15 years ago, guys like Marcus Sasser, Kyler Edwards would definitely be drafted.

Now, the skill level in the NBA is so high, theyd rather have a 6’5" point guard than a 6’1" point guard. They want a 40% 3pt shooter than a 33%.

Europe, China, other leagues are always an option. But there are rules in some leagues about how many American players can be on a team.

Im just wondering in 5-10 years, if the amount of really good basketball players being produced if thats gonna affect the longevity of players careers:

*instead of playing til your mid 30s in Europe or another league, you’re done by early 30s.

*like football, where the typical NFL career is 2-3 years. One because of injuries. Two, because there such a huge pipeline of football players to choose from. So move on to the next guy

Im wondering if basketball is heading in the direction. Thoughts?

Just look at 247 recruiting, their top 300 players in a class. How many of those players play some type of professional ball? 100? 200?

NFL rosters are 50+ spots. Basketball rosters are 15+. So, my thoughts:

All the players being developed by AAU, will that affect the length of basketball careers. Will that affect the wages of basketball players

NBA players are making bank. But these other leagues where 100+ really good college players are turning pro, eventually it will have an effect no?

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I think the game has changed so much over the past two decades. Prime example…Chet Holmgren. That kid has handles better than some point guards. He’s ridiculously tall…but has a completely different skill set than big men of the past. The NBA has turned into a league where 80% of the skill desire is 6’4" to 6’8" guard skills that can consistently hit outside shots. The “traditional” big man is almost all but dead. Considering that, I would lean towards dilution. And it will probably stay that way until a shift in how the game is played takes place again.

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When guys like Edwards, Carlton, Taze Moore arent even considered definitive G League players. Something has changed

"Okay, go overseas and make money. "

Well, eventually that overseas talent pool with be crowded as well.

I check European rosters, its alot of Euros and 1-3 Americans per team. Similar in other leagues

Eventually there will be too many players for too few leagues.

We’re not there now, but maybe projecting things…

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Sounds like better basketball being played across the board…

Ipso facto Shead is the modern day CP3 even though his stats are lower across the board… :grin:

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There has been talk lately of NBA expansion and one of the main reasons is because the talent level is there to handle 2 more teams being added.

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Don’t forget this name: Victor Wembanyama. A French big man who is probably around 7’ 5 but moves like a guard. One third of the NBA is going to be tanking for him next season.

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Look how long that dude’s hands are!!!

Not just his fingers… His hand looks ridiculously long in this pic… :rofl:

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People have been on this kid for years….and waiting and waiting…… everyone who follows basketball knows he will be the number one pick next year.

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Eh a French big man, hard pass

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Gah, damn! Eat some STEAK frenchy! If he wants to play in the NBA, he better bulk up!

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Right.

Though there are two things. One is that players are just better now than in the past. Training methods, etc. improve over time and players get better than prior generations. That’s just natural. Put any current fringe NBA player into the Cousy/Russell era and they are probably scoring like 80 a game.

The other thing is that the game as changed as you noted. The biggest casualties are traditional bigs who score in the post and can’t switch on to guards and guards who can’t shoot. It’s also interesting that there was a brief period of the “stretch 4” but that has also become much less valuable if you can’t switch on to guards.

I wouldn’t really view Kyler or Marcus as particular casualties of the era. Deeky is the guy we’ve had who probably most would have benefited being born 20 years earlier. His lack of shooting wouldn’t have been as big of a deal back then and his ability to do pretty much everything else would have been much more valuable. Mark will be in the same boat if he doesn’t get a consistent 3 into his repertoire.

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