Athleticism Isn’t Everything
For about half of his career, Kobe Bryant was one of the most athletic players that the NBA had ever seen. He won a dunk contest in his rookie year, and was one of the best perimeter defenders in the league due to his athleticism. However, over the past five years or so, Bryant’s athletic abilities have slowly faded away, leaving him with only his fundamentals and perfect footwork.
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One of Kobe’s most impressive seasons came in 2012-2013, which is probably the most forgettable season in Lakers history. After acquiring Steve Nash and Dwight Howard in the offseason, the Lakers entered the season as heavy title favorites. Instead of being a well-oiled offensive machine, the team turned into the Kobe Bryant show by the second half of the season. In his 17th season at 34 years old, Kobe averaged 27.3 points (3rd in the league), 5.6 rebounds, and a career high 6.0 assists.
Yes, seventeen seasons into the league, Kobe was still playing at an elite level, and it was not because of his athletic abilities. Kobe found ways to dominate, including posting up, passing, and using his flawless footwork. Kobe’s first step was not nearly what it was say in 2006, but he still used more jab steps and ball fakes than probably ever player in the league, which made him a dominant scorer even at his old age. If a player truly understands the game of basketball, and has a diverse skill-set that has been worked on consistently throughout his career, a player’s vertical or baseline-to-baseline speed will never hinder success.
D’Angelo Russell’s biggest flaw is athleticism, despite posting a 39 inch max vertical before the draft. Russell is not very fast or quick, and is not a guy who is going to soar over a rim-protector for a dunk. Russell relied on ball handling and his jumpshot to make him the All-American player that he was as a Buckeye. The first thing that Russell can learn from Kobe’s game right now, is that his lack of athleticism shouldn’t be an issue on the offensive end. Kobe will be 37 years old to start the season, and will likely still be a top 25 offensive player.
Russell is just one of those guys that makes the game look so easy. Other players often put into that group include Larry Bird, Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash, and Stephen Curry. All guys who lacked athleticism but made up for it with their unique skill-set, which Russell has.
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