I guarded Purvis. Wasn’t even worth trying. Definitely looked the part of a Ferrari to me in person
Back a few decades or so, at work we played hoops during lunch. There was a former University of Hartford player, probably just under 6-0 who predominantly road the bench, that would dribble circles around most of us and would light it up from all over the court.
As a sub-6 footer, who played hoops through my freshman year in high school, though was one of the top middle distance runners in our Greater Boston league, I'd man up with this former D1 bench warmer. I did a solid job D'ing up against him, slowing him down and making it hard for him to get the ball. Most of the time he liked the effort and challenge, compared to getting his shot whenever he wanted.
In college, I played pickup hoops once against who I assumed were a lot of former high school players and quickly realized I was way over my head.
The talent separation is substantial between a casual baller and high school ballers and low or mid major college players, D1ers, elite college ballers, NBA end-of-the-bench players, NBA rotational players and elite NBA ballers.
I find it fascinating the separation between the top NBA players and the rest of the league which is made up of Uber-athletes and/or dymic playmakers/scorers. It's their high BBIQ, elite ability to process what is going on and will unfold on the court, elite ball handling, ability to create space and their own shot, and for some of them their combination of size, strength and freak athleticism.
For example Larry Bird had all the above except the elite athleticism and was a dominating force throughout his career. Others like Dr. J and Giannis have the combination size, freak athleticism and shotmaking that separates them from most of the league. The ability to complete consistently at a high level blows my mind.
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