| There is no debate over the fact that fundamentals | | | | Kevin McHale, George Mikan, Earl Monroe, Hakeem |
| skills have eroded slowly over the past 25 years. The | | | | Olajuwon, Shaquille O'Neal, Robert Parish, Bob Pettit, |
| Michael Jordan era ushered in a new individual style of | | | | Scottie Pippen, Willis Reed, Oscar Robertson, David |
| play. Instead of pivoting, shooting, cutting, passing, | | | | Robinson, Bill Russell, Dolph Shayes, Bill Sharman, John |
| and defending, young players focused on a different | | | | Stockton, Isiah Thomas, Nate Thurmond, Wes |
| set of skills. A thorough analysis of the NBA's All-Time | | | | Unseld, Bill Walton, Jerry West, Lenny Wilkens, and |
| Top 50 players make one thing crystal clear; the best | | | | James Worthy. |
| players ever were dedicated to the game's | | | | As you coach young people in the sport of basketball |
| fundamentals of passing, dribbling, and shooting. And | | | | please consider these questions: |
| they loved the game. | | | | - Did Arizin, Cousy, Jones, Russell, and Shayes spend |
| Forget the ads for vertical leap, exploding to the rim, | | | | their time working on vertical leap? |
| and miracle "jumping shoes". They may help you | | | | - Did Larry Bird lean on his athletic ability throughout |
| jump higher but will never make you into a | | | | his high school, college, and NBA career? |
| well-rounded basketball player. The game is and | | | | - Why did Julius Erving become a well-rounded, |
| always will be about fundamentals. The same is true | | | | fundamental player after he realized he could jump? |
| for the sports of football, baseball, and golf. | | | | - How much time did Stockton, Monroe, Frazier, |
| Have you ever heard a coach interviewed after a | | | | Greer, Archibald, Thomas, and Wilkens spend on |
| tough loss say, "If we just would have executed | | | | learning the fundamentals of ball handling and passing? |
| more tip dunks or 360 degree slams, we would have | | | | - Why did Pistol Pete Maravich dribble at the theater |
| won." I doubt you have ever heard that said. Instead | | | | and out the window of a moving car? |
| you hear NFL, MBL, or NBA coaches say, "We need | | | | - Why is George Mikan known as the "Father of Post |
| to get back to the basics of the game . When we | | | | Play". |
| get away from them, nothing good ever happens." | | | | - How many of these 50 players spent their time |
| That's the statement I've heard hundreds of times | | | | become better jumpers? |
| over the past 25 years. A commitment to the basic | | | | - How high would you rate the basketball IQ of this |
| fundamentals of any game lead to progress, growth, | | | | group? |
| and success. | | | | - What are the traits that this group of players have |
| The following is a list of the NBA's All-Time Top 50 | | | | in common? Without fundamentals, knowledge of the |
| Team: | | | | game, and a love for basketball, how many of these |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Nate Archibald, Paul Arizin, | | | | 50 players would have made this team? NONE! If you |
| Charles Barkley, Rick Barry, Elgin Baylor, Dave Bing, | | | | are a coach of young people, heed the message of |
| Larry Bird, Wilt Chamberlain, Bob Cousy, Dave | | | | this article. Bells and whistles work on kid's bikes, but |
| Cowens, Billy Cunningham, Dave DeBusschere, Clyde | | | | get you nowhere in basketball. The key to improving |
| Drexler, Julius Erving, Patrick Ewing, Walt Frazier, | | | | as a player is and always be about hard work, |
| Gerorge Gervin, Hal Greer, John Havlicek, Elvin Hayes, | | | | perseverance, and honoring the time proven |
| Magic Johnson, Sam Jones, Michael Jordan, Jerry | | | | fundamentals of the game. Don't miss this bus! |
| Lucas, Karl Malone, Moses Malone, Pete Maravich, | | | | |