Constructing the perfect player
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By Kenny Smith, Yahoo! Sports
January 2, 2008
As the New Year arrives and I think of all the greats who have blessed the basketball courts in my era, Michael Jordan is often called the perfect player. If he wasn’t perfect, he was very close.
That got me wondering on how to construct the perfect player Frankenstein-style. Which parts of which players would I use?
The first part, which allows the body to function is the heart. This has to come from the player who has no fear of failure and a killer instinct: Kobe Bryant.
The brain obviously is also vital. I need someone who understands his strengths and limitations and also understands his players and coaches to a great degree. That’s Jason Kidd.
Vision helps separate the truly great players from the very good ones. And no one sees the floor quite like Steve Nash.
If this is going to be the perfect player, he shouldn’t lack for athleticism. Not only should he be able to go by people, but also through or over them. Give me LeBron James’ combination of speed, quickness and muscle. There are faster players baseline to baseline than James, but they don’t have his size and leaping ability.
The hops go to Josh Smith. He’s the new-age Dominique Wilkins.
The strength of a basketball player is underrated. Skinny players like Reggie Miller and Rip Hamilton don’t need bulk to dart around screens. But give a player the strength of Dwight Howard and now you have a monster.
The longer the wingspan, the better the ability to grab rebounds, deflect passes and make other plays your opponents can’t make. So give me Kevin Garnett’s reach.
The best players shoot with a quick release. They can get off a shot while their defender is still flatfooted. Which is why I’ll need Ray Allen’s wrists.
Soft hands are essential. You want someone with a good touch who can catch all kinds of passes. That would be Tim Duncan.
The feet give you balance. They help you change direction, tightrope the baseline and stay in front of your man on defense. Give me the feet of Manu Ginobili.
The other parts that make up a great player aren’t as tangible. Like timing. The best shot blockers have great timing. Jump too soon and your opponent can duck into you and draw a foul. Jump too late and you’ll get dunked on. I want the timing of Marcus Camby.
Savvy comes from experience. The most battle-tested players know what to expect before it happens. And few players are more battle-tested than Chauncey Billups.
Patience is important. Great players know when to attack. They know how to set up their opponent with a fake. They don’t rush and they rarely force a bad shot. Is there anymore more patient than Duncan? He’s my first and only two-time part member.
Lastly, no one likes a sore loser or a bad winner. That’s why I value sportsmanship. To be a true winner, you have to be gracious. Like Michael Redd.
Now this is a player who’s truly the sum of his parts.
Kenny Smith is the NBA analyst for Yahoo! Sports. Check out "The Jet" at http://kennythejet.com and "Inside the NBA" on Thursdays on TNT. Send Kenny a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast.
