FanPost

NBA: All Athletic Team 2010-2011(including Gerald Wallace)

One of my favorite ESPN Insider articles is the Who's Better NBA comparisons. All this year ESPN journalists have compared players head to head to decide who's better ( examples: Kobe vs Lebron, Aldridge vs Horford, Rose vs Wade) Many of these players were compared on their athleticism.

This gave me an idea to create a team based solely on player athleticism, and started searching for player measurable's based on athleticism ( height, weight, vertical, baseline to baseline speed etc) and found out that many people had created such teams. No surprise there, but the lists of these teams were argued and argued and argued about amongst fans of all different bases. Excellent, let the debating begin.

Here's one such team.

Next Generation Freaks by Bleacherreport.com

PG: John Wall

SG: DeMar DeRozan

SF: Perry Jones

PF: Derrick Favors/Blake Griffin

C: JaVale McGee/Andre Drummond

My Notes: John Wall and Blake Griffin are the two most obvious selections. The person I have seen popping up on many Athletic teams, is Javale Mcgee of the Wizards. He is a regular on the sportscenter top 10 this year. At 7 feet tall, he is said to have a 7'6 wing span. He is a great shot blocker, floor runner and I hear he has greatly improved his rebounding. The most impressive thing about him is his leaping ability for his size. He may not have the powerful dunks of Amar'e, Dwight and Griffin, but youtube some of his throw downs and you will see that he can get Uuuuuuup as well as anyone in the league. His dunking of two basketballs, into two separate hoops during the dunk contest this year could only be done by about 5 guys in the NBA by my estimation.

Heres the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNJ0K8qdq00

Quote:Listen to what the announcer at the end of the video say to Dwight Howard, "I'm sorry Dwight, I don't know if there is anyone else on the planet, that can do this."

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My NBA All athletic team selections were picked with this basic criteria: Must be current NBA Players, Must be picked on athleticism at the current time.

So I won't be picking Michael Jordan or Magic Johnson to this team, as they are retired, and I won't be picking Shaq from the 99-00 season. It is the current NBA players as they are right now.

without further ado...

The NBA All Athletic Team:

2010-2011

The Bench:

Russell Westbrook

Height: 6'3"

Weight: 187 lbs.

Vertical: 36.5"

3/4 court sprint: 3.08

Player on player Evaluation:

"For me, Westbrook is a bit of a mismatch. He's taller, longer, faster, stronger, jumps higher, you name it. He's developed a great feel and understanding of the game. The biggest step he's taken in the last year has been his understanding of the NBA game. He's a decent shooter but he's really great at finishing around the rim and making plays in the lane. I try to make him shoot outside jump shots and make it hard for him to get into the paint, because that's where he's at his best. Nobody really knows how to guard him because he's such a phenomenal athlete."
-- Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns

Gerald Wallace

Height: 6'7"

Weight: 220 lbs.

Vertical: 40" ( 2004 estimate)

3/4 court sprint: N/A

Coach on player Evaluation:

Wallace, a veteran of nine NBA seasons with Sacramento and Charlotte, was "shockingly athletic" when he got here, said Rick Adelman, his first pro coach. Earned himself a nickname too: "Crash."

"I never saw a guy who could run and jump like that," Adelman said. "He played one year at Alabama and played in the AAU, where his whole life he just stood around on defense and knew nothing about how to play. But you let him run and jump, he was almost dangerous to himself. The stuff he would try was just crazy. I never saw anybody cover ground like him, and I saw him do dunks that were incredible. He's developed into a nice player where he uses his athletic ability to his advantage. But when he came in as a rookie, he was so raw ... but he made practices fun to watch."

--"One man's list of the NBA's greatest athletes ever" by Steve Aschburner NBA.com

My Notes: Even though I am a Portland fan, this truly surprised me. I have loved Gerald Wallace's contribution to the team, and I have always thought he was a great athlete, like many in the NBA, but the glowing support he got from many of these "Athletic Teams" put together by journalists and bloggers astounds me. I thought maybe he would make an honorable mention selection on my list, but I wasn't sure if even that was being a bit bias, but after seeing him voted to these teams again and again, and hearing others assessment of him, he clearly deserved to make this team. Incredibly, Steve Ashburner (who wrote the piece above) of NBA.com, had made an Athletic team of all time. A list that includes Jordan, Chamberlin, Lebron, and Wilkins to name a few. Now, on that list of 10 Gerald was voted 10th, but still, not bad company to keep...

Other lists Wallace has made include "Freaks of Nature: LeBron James and the 15 Most Athletic Players in the NBA" By Allen Kim (Knicks Featured Columnist) on October 15, 2010, and "NBA Power Rankings: The 10 Most Freakishly Athletic Players in the League" By Eric Shapiro (Correspondent) on November 17, 2010 - Miami, who voted Gerald Wallace as 8th on his list.

Dwyane Wade

Height: 6'4"

Weight: 220 lbs.

Vertical: 35"

3/4 court sprint: 3.08

Player on Player Evaluation:

"Wade is as tough a cover as you'll find. His body is strong and solid and his big hands are like mitts. That gives him a huge advantage offensively because he can do so many different things with the ball. He's so crafty with his shot fakes and the way he splits double teams, too. His smarts make him really hard to guard. Everybody knows he's going to go left, but there's really nothing you can do. You just have to hope he's having an off night. He's the best there is right now."
-- Dorell Wright, SF, Warriors

Nate Robinson

Height: 5'9"

Weight: 180 lbs.

Vertical: 43.5"

3/4 court sprint: 2.96

Blogger on Player Evaluation:

"Unlike most short players, Nate is built like a rock. Having played football in college, Nate is certainly strong enough to dunk on the towering centers in the league, something he has done on numerous occasions.Nate is the only three-time NBA Dunk Contest champion. A rare feat that may go unchallenged for quite some time, if not ever. Also, who could forget him rejecting 7'6" Yao Ming? Absolute classic."

--By Allen Kim (Knicks Featured Columnist) on October 15, 2010

Rudy Gay

Height: 6'8"

Weight: 230 lbs.

Vertical: 40.5"

3/4 court sprint: 3.32

Blogger on Player Evaluation:

Rudy Gay's natural physical tools stack up among the very best in the NBA. Gay is 6'8", but he has an absolutely freakish 7'3" wingspan and 40.5-inch vertical. Gay is an elite run-and-jump athlete who finishes with authority above the rim. This unbelievable high-flying ability has given him a reputation as an instant highlight waiting to happen. Gay is also an excellent slasher to the hoop because of his fantastic first step, and he can run the floor very well.

-- By Eric Shapiro (Correspondent) on November 17, 2010 - Miami

Amar'e Stoudemire

Height: 6'10"

Weight: 245 lbs.

Vertical: 35.5"

3/4 court sprint: 3.25

Blogger on Player Evaluation:

"Amar'e is the reincarnation of Shawn Kemp himself. He is easily one of the most, if not the most, vicious dunkers in the NBA... Stoudemire treats the rim as if it's some cheap Fischer Price hoop and the players that stand in his way like ragdolls. Pre-microfracture surgery and Stoudemire would easily be starting at the power forward position [ on the all athletic team]"

-- By Allen Kim (Knicks Featured Columnist) on October 15, 2010

Starters:

Derrick Rose

Height: 6'3"

Weight: 190 lbs.

Vertical: 40"

3/4 court sprint: 3.05

Player on Player Evaluation:

"Rose is a true MVP candidate right now. He's playing the best basketball of anyone in the league. He's just dominating games, and he's one of the best athletes around and only getting better. Everyone said his shooting was weak, and he's answered that. I love his approach to the game and the intensity he brings. He really deserves all the credit he's getting because he's legit. People are always talking about him as the MVP for a reason. He's just a special player."
-- Deron Williams, PG, Nets

LeBron James

Height: 6'8"

Weight: 260 lbs.

Vertical: 44" ( Reported)

3/4 court sprint: N/A

Player on Player Evaluation:

"LeBron is probably the best athlete I've ever seen. Definitely the best in the game right now. There's really nothing he can't do with his speed and quickness. And I can't even begin to tell you how strong he is. But the way he understands the game is just as impressive. He sees the whole floor and is constantly trying to set people up. That's a mark of greatness. Being a point guard, I have a good understanding of his game because he plays a point guard type role. To be that size with that kind of game is just amazing to me."
-- Chris Paul, PG, New Orleans Hornets

Josh Smith

Height: 6'9"

Weight: 240 lbs.

Vertical: 39.5"

3/4 court sprint: 3.24

Blogger on Player Evaluation:

"With one of the highest verticals in the NBA and the authority to make even NBA players cower in fear, Smith is a force to be reckoned with in the paint. It's fitting that Josh is a member of the Atlanta Hawks, as he is the Dominique Wilkins of our generation and probably the closest we'll see to the Human Highlight Reel."

--By Allen Kim (Knicks Featured Columnist) on October 15, 2010

My Notes: I would Play Smith at the 3 and James at the 2, where he could handle the ball.

Blake Griffin

Height: 6'10"

Weight: 251 lbs.

Vertical: 35.5"

3/4 court sprint: 3.28

Blogger on Player Evaluation:

"Griffin has supplanted LeBron James as the best athlete in the league. His combination of leaping ability and strength puts him in a position to score anywhere around the basket and continues to mystify his opponents. Guarding Griffin is like picking your poison. On the ground he brutalizes opponents with brute force, whether by lowering his shoulder or tearing down a powerful rebound. Let him spring into action and he's soaring for an arena-shaking signature slam. ("People don't even jump with him anymore," says one scout.) Terrific balance and agility let him execute his pet spin move before exploding off the floor. "He's incredibly physical and aggressive and has a motor that never stops," says Dirk Nowitzki. "It's easy to be in awe of how high he jumps but then you realize you don't want to get dunked on." While shooters can have an off night, Griffin's athletic ability impacts the game 82 nights a year."

--By Chris Palmer
ESPN The Magazine

Dwight Howard

Height: 6'11"

Weight: 265 lbs.

Vertical: 35.5"

3/4 court sprint: 3.14

Player on Player Evaluation:

"When Howard's covering me I just try to keep moving in order to negate his strength. I stay aggressive on the offensive end and make him work. He's just so good at everything so you constantly have to try new things. I have a lot of respect for Pau, but Howard is the best center out there."
-- Joakim Noah, F-C, Chicago Bulls

Honorable Mention:

Guards:

Shannon Brown

Jason Richardson

Kobe Bryant

Rajon Rondo


Small Forwards:

Andre Iguodala

Tyrus Thomas

Carmelo Anthony

Kevin Durant

Forwards/Centers:

Pau Gasol

LaMarcus Aldridge

Javale Mcgee

Anthony Randolph

Last Note: I left some space on the bench of this team, 3 spots. Who do you think should fill it?