Why is the term ballstopper always used in a negative context. Kobe Bryant is a ballstopper.....to some extent so was Jordan. I think we need to realize that some of the greatest players in the history of the NBA were ballstoppers it does not always mean it's a bad thing.
Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant were only on successful playoff teams once they played in a system that emphasized ball movement and having multiple players be a threat on the floor (Phil Jackson's triangle offense). A talented ball-stopper may be nice to have in a critical possession where you just need your best player to make the play. But throughout the game, if you're playing that way you make it easier for the defense to guard you.
ballstopper is not a negative thing if you are a great scorer or playmaker. its when people have either lost their athleticism, are old, or just flat out not that good..yet still play like they are kobe/jordan/etc.
The current era and style being played lead to "ballstopper" having a negative connotation. Did you hear Carl Herrera's interview the other night? He misses those days... so do I.
I think Hakeem was a great ballstopper, as in the ball usually stops with him when players attacked the rim with Dream in the paint.
Actually, Jordan wasn't that bad of a ballstopper. A lotta his shots were in the flow of the triangle offense.
Ball stopper is a term people use for players that play like superstars but aren't actually superstars. Also, it's typically only used for perimeter players. On every other level of basketball, the superstar, rarely if ever exists. So, people often become programed to have negative feelings to a player constantly iso-ing because with the exception of a small group of people in the world at a time it is negative. But, guys like Jodan or Kobe, in their primes, are so great that them constantly iso-ing is often times more effective than a structured offense. It's really odd for me to see people applaud a guy for not being a ball stopper because if they had the ability to be one they probably would. I can't think of very many wings with great scoring ability, great handles, and great finishing ability that weren't ball stoppers.
Active: Tyreke Evans (not even close) Brandon Jennings (but he is getting better than he was from his rookie year) Zach Randolph (he's gotten better) Russell Westbrook/Derrick Rose (on bad days) Gilbert Arenas (he could fall into the past group) Rudy Gay JR Smith OJ Mayo People you would think, but not really: Monta Ellis (would not use this term to describe him, right now) Kobe (is not as bad as people think, but he was at times in the past) Past: Michael Jordan (in his early days) Isiah Rider Pete Maravich (even though he was an exceptional passer) Stephon Marbury Allen Iverson Nick Van Exel (on bad days) Wilt Chamberlain (in his younger days, but he became beastly once he became a more complete offensive player. Also, he averaged more assist than any other center in NBA history for an entire season and career).
Usage rate is probably the best stat to diagnose a "ball stopper". It records the % of a team's possessions that end in that player shooting a shot, getting fouled, getting blocked, committing a turnover, etc. http://www.basketball-reference.com/leaders/usg_pct_career.html The career leaders are pretty good ones for the most part. Of all the active ones, only Anthony you could argue is currently a huge dead weight for his team, taking more possessions than proportional to his level of ability in order to inflate his numbers. Another culprit for this year is Kobe Bryant, whose current 39.7 usage rate would top his previous career high of 38.7 (in the Gasol-less 05-06 team) for highest single season usage rate in history. Ergo, he knows he's tailing off now, so he's hogging the ball EVEN MORE just to get the same stats up. Whatever, as long as they have Bynum and Gasol in there no one will be able to really make the Lakers suffer for it.
Marbury was an underrated passer, he did have a score first mentality- but I think he averaged around 10 assists on a Knicks team with little scoring ability aside from him and Crawford.
