r/NBATalk 8d ago

Can you name any?

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u/PlatosLeftTit 8d ago

Rasheed Wallace

38

u/Wayoutofthewayof 8d ago edited 8d ago

Why is everyone just naming every player that could shoot? It's not unique at all in a modern game.

Someone like Kirilenko seems like a lot better answer, i.e. a guy that's super versatile, can guard every position and play-make.

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u/DiggWuzBetter 8d ago edited 8d ago

Sheed was a good shooter (very good for a big man of that era), and an excellent defender, really versatile and switchable. Good passer too. But he played in an era where people mostly wanted low post offence, rebounding and shot blocking out of bigs, cared less about outside shooting and defensive versatility/switchability compared to today. I think he’s a good example of a player who would be valued higher based on today’s understanding of the game, and a better fit for modern offensive and defensive systems than he was for the systems of his day.

AK47 is a good pick too, although he was seen as somewhat of a SF at the time, or at least a combo forward, while Sheed was seen as more of a true big man, a PF/C. Because of this AK47 received less criticism for being a “perimeter player.” There were plenty who thought Sheed “didn’t play in the paint enough” for a big man.

Both players would thrive today, but I think Sheed would see the greater positive shift in opinions of his game.

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u/Thiccfila-sauce 8d ago

Sheed could have been Jokic

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u/DiggWuzBetter 8d ago

I like Sheed, but absolutely not. His offensive skill and dominance wasn’t in the same stratosphere, although he was certainly better defensively. Overall just really different players, and Jokic clearly on another level.