Comparing players across eras

“The Last Dance” documentary about Michael Jordan and the 1998 Chicago Bulls has raised debates about where MJ and other top players rank all-time.

ESPN’s masterful documentary series “The Last Dance” has concluded, leaving many with a hard stance that Michael Jordan is in fact, the G.O.A.T. Naturally, that has also led to many to also rise up in opposition, laying claim that LeBron James or someone else is actually the greatest. Once these debates start, other names wind up stirring into the mix - Russell, Wilt, Magic, Kareem, and so on.

More now than before his passing, Kobe Bryant is making his way into top-3 debates as well. Bryant clearly modeled his game after Jordan and had the ability, determination, and competitive tenacity to pull it off. The two were similar but found themselves in many different circumstances throughout their careers. How can we accurately compare individuals in a team sport that were in varied circumstances, let alone different eras of the sport of basketball?

LeBron James is a competitor, hard worker, and basketball savant. His combination of size, strength, and skill is unprecedented. However, it is known that Jordan and Bryant were MORE competitive than James. Winning matters and LeBron is not on pace to win as Jordan won. So, does winning in the ’90s outweigh being a dominant force in the 2000s?

There are clearly many questions inside these debates. The variables are immense across the history of basketball. Wilt Chamberlain was incredibly gifted and built for the sport of basketball. Wilt averaged 50 points and 25 rebounds in a season. However, the level of competition was undeniably low. Bill Russell was a great defender and teammate and he amassed 11 championships, but his Celtics only played seven other teams and owned a talent monopoly over the league for years. Also, neither Wilt nor Russell had the aid of the three-point line.

Did teams of the past, such as those in Jordan’s championship years really value defense much more than teams of today, or do the teams today just place so much more emphasis on offense than teams of the past?

The game has been evolving over time and each step has been special in its own way. It was fun to watch the Bad Boy Pistons bludgeon opponents. It was fun to watch the recent championship Warriors teams swing the ball and drop impossible long-range bombs.

Comparing players and discussing where the greats rank makes for a fun debate that you can have with almost any basketball fan. That said, it is worth acknowledging that it is actually an impossible task. We will never know how prime Oscar Robinson would perform in 2020. We will never see Jordan and LeBron go head-to-head. We can’t stick Giannis Antetokounmpo in the ’60s.

Debates will rage on, but remember that you are lucky to have seen the basketball players of the past. You are lucky to see today’s players in their primes. You will be lucky to see the next generation of players rise up. We are all witnesses to unique and exciting eras of hoops - that we can all hopefully agree on.

Don't be like Mike - The beauty of knowing your limits

Most players and fans grow up idolizing players on TV. The superstars carry a lot of appeal, but not everyone can be Michael Jordan.

We saw Kobe Bryant, who clearly modeled his game after Michael Jordan, grow into one of the greatest basketball players ever. Young players everywhere are honing their skills hoping to be just like LeBron James or Kevin Durant. Unfortunately, almost none of them will be. Don't worry! That is perfectly okay.

Everyone is made differently. You can hit the weight room every day,  but you are most likely not going to be able to bang in the paint with Dwight Howard or Shaq. Does that mean you should give up? Does not being Michael Jordan mean you should quit reaching? Heck no.

MJ could jump, handle, guard like crazy, and make defenders look silly in almost every way. There aren't a lot of people who can be so extraordinary at so many aspects of the game.

So what do you do?

Find your personal strengths and work on them until it hurts. Shore up any weaknesses, but focus even more on what makes you a special player.

Just because you do have limits, doesn't mean you can't raise them. Have a decent jumper? Become a reliable jump shooter. Then, become a dangerous shooter. Always elevate each aspect of your game as much as possible, just don't get frustrated when you aren't the best there is.

If the Bulls had five fantastic shooting guards, would they start five shooting guards?

Every team needs bigs to crash the glass. Every team needs willing defenders who are content being the glue that doesn't stand out on the stat sheet. There are a lot of champions at every level of the game who are there because they put their ego aside and did what made them great for their team.

Don't be defined by your physical limits, but don't be afraid to embrace them either. There is a reason that Kyrie Irving doesn't care about dunking and Tim Duncan never worried about the three-point line.

You can be great. Adapt and conquer the game in every way that is available to you. Don't be like Mike, be the best version of you that you can create.

Start by jumping aboard The Basketball Movement.

Player profiles: Shooting guards

A shooting guard or "two-guard" can be various things for their team. Shooting is in the title, but defense can be paramount as well.

Point guards bring the ball down and initiate the offense, but they are not alone on the perimeter. Offense often runs through the wing players as well, as they have superior angles for passing into the post or swinging the ball around the outside.

As the title suggests, shooting is a duty that has long been reserved for the two-guard in a lineup. However, with the evolution of the game, there are now shooters at every position. For this reason, shooting guards have been asked to do more and more on the floor. A superior wing defender is now as coveted as a solid shooter because they can guard the opponent's top perimeter scorers.

Let's get into some shooting guards that you can emulate if you are or want to become a shooting guard.

Scoring shooting guards

In today's game, it is tough to find scoring shooting guards that are not also solid defenders. If you are needing some examples of SG's that can score though, below are a handful of players to model your offense after.

Bradley Beal and Devin Booker are some of the sweetest shooting two guards in the game right now. Another, more underrated scorer is Kris Middleton of the Milwaukee Bucks. A former player, recent enough that there is plenty of film on him, is Ray Allen.

One of the top, if not the top scoring shooting guard in the game is Klay Thompson. He is a good defender, but he is the player to watch if you want a scoring SG to emulate. He has what may be the prettiest shot in the game and the way he works to get it off is a great example for any current or budding shooting guard.

Lockdown defenders

Though many teams/coaches would prefer at least a three-and-D type of player, some shooting guards get by on their defense alone. Defensive focus at the highest level takes a lot of work, though you must still remain an option on offense by at least slashing to the basket and being a willing distributor.

Two examples of this type of player today are Andre Roberson of the OKC Thunder and free agent, Tony Allen. Don't watch film of Roberson shooting, but watch some of his time on the defensive end to understand his place in the NBA. Roberson's use of length and Allen's use of positioning, footwork, and strength are great things to watch for.

An example of a couple of three-and-D type players still in the game are Danny Green and Avery Bradley. Some former players are Sidney Moncrief and Michael Cooper, who could defend multiple positions.

Somewhere in-between

With point guards, it appeared that somewhere between pass-first and shoot-first would put you in a great spot in the modern game. With shooting guards, things appear similarly, as some of the all-time greats were not only fantastic scorers, but elite defenders as well.

The best shooting guard to date is Michael Jordan, who was not only a 10x NBA scoring leader, but also 9x All-NBA Defense, including Defensive Player of the Year in 87-88. For film analysis of a SG that could do it all, MJ is the ultimate example.

One of the most elite scorers in basketball history, but also another accomplished defender is Kobe Bryant. If you need to work on footwork, Kobe is one of the best guards to watch.

A few current players to watch that do a little bit of everything are Dwyane Wade, Victor Oladipo, and Jimmy Butler.

That should give you plenty of homework if you need to study up on becoming or improving upon being a shooting guard. That wraps up the guard positions, so forwards, you're up next with the player profile on small forwards. Stay tuned!