We're all hopeless, none of us are going to make it to the big league, we've had our time and it has passed, but our children may not be such. When fancying myself a father in a few years I can't help but wonder which player I will try to teach my kid to learn from. Basically, who are you going to pretend you are when you beat your 8 year old kid (yes, females count, too) 18-3 in a pick up game on the driveway and say something like "you just need to learn to have foot work like Hakeem Olajuwon"? Attitude/Off-Court: Shane Battier - Garnett may be the more accomplished, versatile defender but Battier is a class act. Ball Handling: Chris Pual - Has the tightest handles I've ever seen. Think: the alternate universe version of Trevor Ariza. Shooting: Ray Allen/Reggie Miller/Steve Nash - Too many good ones for me to decide, Reggie and Ray do a lot of the same things that make them special, Nash has the wicked mid-range shot after he gets done dribbling through the paint. Body Control: Kobe Bryant/Dirk Nowitzki - Kobe had an uncanny ablity to get those wicked reverse layups and because of his size Dirk should be mentioned. Trash Talk: Michael Jordan/Kevin Garnett - MJ loved to talk and you know who KG is. The problem may be that in 10-15 years all these players are retired and some forgotten...sorry Shane.
lolwut? Garnett is to be emulated for his attitude? So you want your kid to punch a player who was lighting him up in a pickup game (look up Rick Rickert)? To dish our random cheap shots to players perceived to be weaker? To call opponents cancer patients? To pick fights but back away quickly when confronted (see Antonio McDyess)?
Agreed. It may sound like a cliche on a rockets fan forum but emulating Hakeem may be the best thing to teach a kid with basketball aspirations.
you should not compare MJ and KG trash talking style. one has a class while the other is pure trash. Kobe has body control bu the could not control his d1k in Colorado Springs.
Hopefully you're kids are more athletic than mine. 1st priority - MJ's drive. This is probably the most important. 2nd - Grow into a Tracy Mcgrady Body 3 - Get Iverson Quickness 4 - Get Vince Carter Hops 5 - Get DR J size Hands 6 - Get Ray Allen Jumper 7 - Get Dream's Post Game 8 - Get Deron William type Handles 9 - Pass like Magic 10 - Get my good looks.
Neither has class. Trash talking pisses people off. Expect your son to get socked in the face. I know I socked people that trash talked me when I played in some basketball leagues. Or at least teach your son to trash talk like Garnett and only direct it towards people who are at the maximum half his size.
you can trash talk in a friendly way.... we do that all the times. with KG, he put it on another level.
That sounds a little too specific for me...i'll just make sure he's got a good foundation of good'ol fundamentals and make sure he can go right and left. Everything else will fall in place based on his own style and personality. all those players play different positions and it's hard for one person to relate to all of them. If i had to pick players though, i'd keep it simple. Nash, Kidd, and Paul, since my kids aren likely to grow enough to be more than point guards.
