I think a lot of people are calling T-Mac more athletic just because he's built more prototypical for an athletic basketball player. Lanky with long arms...makes him LOOK more athletic when playing...makes him look more fluid. Clyde on the other hand, especially as he got a little older, was built much bigger, almost like a linebacker. Lebron and Clyde are similar in their build. So when he's moving on the court, despite the fact that he's just as quick, can jump as high if not higher, and can handle the ball just as well if not better, he LOOKS less athletic because of his build. I've seen the both play, I think they are both great, but until T-Mac can prove he can hold his own in the playoffs better, I'd take Clyde.
I'm a big fan of T-mac but until he builds a comparable body of work then I'm giving the nod to Drexler. Clyde was like 33 when he put the Magic through the cleaners in G1 to G3 and if it wasn't for a quiet G4 performance, who knows maybe Final MVP. That play in G3 where he snatched the ball from a befuddled Shaq (where did the ball go?)and went coast to coast with a T to boot, gives me chill. T-mac appears to operate in cruise control 99% of the time while Drexler looks like he's in 6th gear at 7000 rpm when he has an open floor.
I don't think it was the game as much as Clyde's game. When you reach your late 20's, you invariably pull back a little and learn to conserve when you can... for most players, that results in more jumpers.
yeah, age had nothing to do with it or the fact that he had to carry a larger load when the "role" players were getting old and retiring. i.e. Terry Porter, Buck Williams etc. or the fact that teams in the west were getting better such as Phoenix, Seattle, Houston, San Antonio, while the good 80's teams were still good, just not championship caliber anymore. Once again I state that you must have never seen Clyde Drexler play basketball. If by fluidly meaning you easily get bumped around by the weakest player on the court while trying to get position, while a stronger Clyde bumped everyone else around, then sure, why not.
Seen them both play, and its not even close nor is it worth any thought. T-Mac easily. T-Mac is better in almost every phase of the game. Ball-handling, passing, court vision, shooting, rebounding, scoring. Clyde would be equal in terms of finishing and maybe defense.
ball-handling - Tmac passing - drexler court vision - drexler shooting - drexler rebounding - drexler scoring - Tmac finishing a game - drexler
maybe Drexler because in his prime he was a playmaker and a great scorer. Right now T-Mac is a really smart player and a great playmaker but he's sort of lost his scoring touch a little. I would have T-Mac as my point guard and Drexler as my Small Forward
Ultimately what matters is winning in the playoffs (you were on right on track with that last one).....but if Tmac gets past the first round, then I think he will get to the Finals atleast because that mental roadblock will be pushed out of the way. Then I'll reconsider this argument
Drexler by far. He got to the finals without much talent. Kevin Duckworth is no Yao, and Tmac can't get out of the first round, much less to the finals. I may be biased though, because Drexler is why I started watching NBA basketball. He is my all time fav.
It is easy to be blinded by And-1 basket ball. The most effective players are those that keep it simple. Drexler didn't dipsy-doodle to the basket. He wasn't fancy in the post. He just jumped over you and put the ball in the hole. It is also easy to look at t-mac's silky-ness and Clyde's awkardness and say the silkier player is better... T-mac had all the b-ball tools early in his career so I disagree with those that say he needs to add to his game from a skill perspective. He's blessed with big hands, long arms, lateral movement, IQ, jumping ability....he truly is the most talented wing in the league... the key for him is look at what he isn't instead of what he is and keep himself humble.
I'll take the guy that carried his team to two NBA Finals, and won his third trip with some help if you wanna call it that.
