The question of which era is the strongest in NBA history is a topic of endless debate. An entire generation grew up playing basketball in the 1990s, but now that modern players have already broken all kinds of records and taken the game to a new level, many consider their superiority to be undeniable. Those who prefer the “old school” always put forward the same argument: in the past the league was much tougher, more contact-oriented and defensive, while today’s stars are allowed too much on the court. But on behalf of those who prefer today’s NBA, Anthony Edwards recently spoke out. He said that in the past only Michael Jordan had truly outstanding skills, and these words sparked a whole wave of discussions in the basketball community.
How did it all start?
Jordan, and no one else! The young NBA superstar enters a legendary era
Kevin Garnett did not miss this situation either. Even though most of his success came in the 2000s, the forward’s career began in 1995. KG was a direct witness of the tough NBA in question and therefore, of course, did not agree with Edwards’ statement.
Kevin Garnett
2008 NBA Champion
“To participate in an argument or discussion you need to know what you’re talking about. I support you, kid, but you need to know that what you said is nonsense. I honestly don’t think anyone in today’s generation would have been able to play 20 years ago. Twenty years ago you couldn’t do a step-back three, and if you shot it, you had to hit it. You know why? Back then there was a lot of efficiency and the game was too physical. The league had to get away from that to allow more movement and scoring in the game, and that’s why we’re seeing a rat race in high-paced basketball.”
One might disagree with Garnett’s argument. At least because the current generation is not just Edwards, Luka Doncic, Shay and the rest. There are still guys in the league who are deservedly considered some of the best basketball players ever: for example, LeBron James or Stephen Curry. Who could be guaranteed to fit into the past era but them? This view is shared by another basketball expert, Stephen A. Smith.
“I think Stephen Curry is the greatest shooter God ever created. I think he would fit into a traditional, physical game. He could have played in the old days because nobody was trained to shoot like that back then. Don’t tell me LeBron, at 6’2” and 230 pounds, couldn’t handle physical contact back in the day. He would break people. Russell Westbrook would be off the hook. Kevin Durant, at 6’2”, could play in any era. LeBron James? Any era,” he responded to Garnett.
Stephen Curry, LeBron James and Kevin Durant, 2024 Olympics
Photo: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Steven A. Smith is here. The best of the best to take the court in the modern NBA would be almost 100 percent capable of adapting to the trends, rules, and officiating of the time. What’s more, players today must have a much broader range of skills if they want to last in the league. They must be able to handle the ball, pass, shoot, and this applies to everyone, including centers and power forwards. 20 or 30 years ago such a standard did not exist. This means that most halfway decent players of the current era would have made it in the 1990s, but not the other way around. Put conditional Sam Mitchell on the court in the new season, and it won’t end well.
At the same time, the argument about “adaptability” also goes in the opposite direction. The most outstanding basketball players of past eras could probably get used to modern realities. Take Michael Jordan himself as an example: even without a three-point shot, he would have been phenomenal. The same can be said of Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson, Shaquille O’Neal, and even Garnett himself. However, if we take not the stars, but the vast majority of players, then they simply could not cope with the increased volume of long-distance shots and the great need for them.
Hakeem Olajuwon (left) and Shaquille O’Neal (right), 1995
Photo: Allsport/Getty Images
A good example of this is the situation between Draymond Green and Larry Bird. The latter was an excellent shot, making 38% of his three-pointers in his career and is recognized as one of the best players in recent years in this component. In 1986 and 1987, Bird led the NBA in long-range shooting. Green, on the other hand, is known for his defensive play and playmaking ability, and he also shoots a modest 32% from beyond the arc. However, during his career he made more three-pointers than Bird: 662 versus 649. The difference between eras is obvious.
And while we’re on the subject of Draymond, I want to return to the subject of that toughness that players from the 90s pride themselves on so much. To say that players have become “softer” today would be unfair. It’s just that the league’s rules have changed: hand-checking and the prohibition of zone defense are gone, and many of the rough techniques used in the past would inevitably lead to technical fouls and eliminations today. Players follow different rules, use different, often more complex defensive formations, and are forced to face more complete opponents. Basketball is evolving, not degrading: it’s time to accept this fact and stop comparing eras.
The basketball department of the Championship publication is actively producing materials as part of new special projects: “The best Russian matches in the NBA” and “Yegor Demin’s path to the NBA”. After reading this article, you can go to the articles of these projects by clicking on the corresponding block below.
