If you are a basketball fan why do you think it's such a great sport? What do you love about it?

[thegreenyogi]

[ChiTown33]

Lots of reasons. It's the athleticism. It's fast paced, lots of scoring. Most teams are in it till then end. It's a team sport but there is still a lot of 1 on 1 isolation plays that not only showcase individual creativity but it inspires kids in thier driveways to act out what they see

There are a few things I do not like about the game though. I'm a purist. Not so pure that I don't think there should be a 3 point line. But it should not be actively encouraged. To me it was and will always be a post game. And today's game has bastardized it into a 3 point shootout. And rule changes over the past 20 years have largely engineered the physicality out of it. Adam Silver called it "cleaning up the game". And I get it. The NBA is trying to protect it's star names. But they have turned it into a one way game where no defense is played.

[thegreenyogi]

Very interesting.

[spartan55]

@ChiTown33
My sentiments exactly. Clean up the game huh? Guess that means you can't actually guard anyone now. (doesn't seem like the desire is there anyway) Analytics has ground the game into a three point contest which I cannot watch. If low post, back to basket types somehow come back I will probably come back.
I NEVER missed the playoffs in the late 80s and 90s. I wanted to see Laimbeer and Mahorn get elbowed in the head...😂 🏀

[ChiTown33]

@spartan55 👍👍💯

[spartan55]

@ChiTown33
It just boggles my mind not ONE big man has perfected the sky hook since Kareem. His shot was impossible to block, and his body positioning down on the blocks was a thing of beauty.

[ChiTown33]

@spartan55 yeah well there are a lot of things that aren't duplicated. Not all of them good. I remember when Rick Barry tried to help Shaq with his freethrows, and recommended Shaq try shooting them "Granny" style like he did. And Shaq told him he'd rather miss every freethrow then to shoot freethrows "granny" style.🤣
I'll be honest, I never like the sky hook. And when I played basketball I played the 5. It just never felt like I had control of the ball fully taking hookshots. Maybe that's it. If it doesn't feel natural to you it just doesn't feel natural.

[spartan55]

@ChiTown33
The Showtime Lakers are a group I despised when they were active, now I love watching old videos of them (and other favorites). I kind of kick myself that I didn't appreciate the greatness. At 5'10 a sky hook was never going to be in my (very limited) bag. I had a buddy who would throw a few up in pickup games...😂

[WhitneySnow]

I’m not a sports fan, but I’m impressed by how graceful and agile basketball players are. Like dancers. In fact, a guy I know at college who’s a dance major played basketball in high school.

[Anonymous]

It just ended so it's 4 months too early for that question.

[AI Opinion]

Basketball is an exhilarating sport known for its fast pace and dynamic gameplay. I love its combination of athleticism, strategy, and skill, which creates thrilling moments on the court. The camaraderie and teamwork it fosters are essential, as players work together to achieve success. Plus, basketball's global reach has made it a cultural phenomenon, uniting fans worldwide. The excitement of a buzzer-beater or a perfectly executed play keeps me captivated every time. 🏀✨

[Zack-Bann]

I could write a five page essay on this one


But I’ll keep it short:
It’s a mirroring of real life.


In basketball just like in life you’re in a struggle to come out on top and in order not to be beaten down you need to work hard


But hard work on it’s own doesn’t pay off without chemistry. If your team is pulling in every direction you will have one frustrating game after the next


So you need to know how to work with others


And then you need to be able to hold your breath for a long time
True champions are not necessarily the most skilled.
But they are the ones who can buckle down and go the distance when it matters the most

[thegreenyogi]

I really like this point of view.

[OneViewpoint]

Insert that description for any team sport at any level or corporation or military on the planet and you have the pitch for any "motivational" speaking gig. It's generic pablum. And no it's not a metaphor for real life. It's a children's game. It's not life and death. It's not other people's livelihoods and healthcare at stake. It's not wiping out the life savings of millions. It's not creating millions of refugees or saving millions from a pandemic. It's not changing human civilization with new technology. It's just a fun game. With constant action and high scoring.

[abc3643]

Hoops can be rather dramatic. I am finding that I like the WNBA more now than the NBA. It's a long story but has to do with something I believe: "Sports is mythology written in real-time."

The NBA just isn't a mythmaker any more and, while there are some decent players, there aren't really any household names anymore of relevance.

The WNBA is just the opposite in a way with each year bringing in a college star who is going to make an impact. For instance, this year, it's Paige Bueckers. Last year, Caitlyn Clark and Angel Reese. In years past, Breanna Stewart and Britney Griner.

I don't think I could name 5 NBA players at the moment.

I have to admit that, as a UCONN fan (mostly of the women's team), I am more versed in the women's players.

[HawkPerception]

I've never been into watching sports much. But I did used to play soccer pretty competitively when I was younger, even traveling abroad to play.

To me, basketball seems like a game where it's more about how tall you are than skilled (because being tall gives you an insane advantage to deny shots and dunk the ball). I saw a normal citizen challenge a professional player in a shoot off, and easily win.

The athleticism required in basketball has never impressed me that much. That's why I get bored watching it.

[Miristheiss]

Well, I used to be. I am getting older and I don't really watch it that much anymore except for our local college team... which plays in a 20,000 seat stadium.

I grew up playing it and I loved playing it. That love for playing it just transferred into me rooting for my favorite teams.

I am a big Michael Jordan fan.

Do you like basketball?

[thegreenyogi]

I've never really followed it but I hear about it a lot and I like to learn about things in general hence why I ask these kinds of questions.

[NathanDavis]

I'm not a fan of it, however... I did get to watch some games when MJ was still there, it got all so popular back then... even our soccer games were full of Chicago Bulls' jerseys...

[Tsmit240]

Since I was a baby when Space Jam came out I was always a fan. Then I played it a 4 years old, the years of playing nba 2k. I have so much history with the game of basketball

[Anonymous]

Old man 'good ol days' incoming I was a huge NBA fan until Jordan retired. It's such a different game now, players just jack as many threes as possible.

[DrPepper12]

It's not. 🥱 Only need to watch the last 2 minutes which is actually 15...

[dustybiker2]

Yeah boring to watch

[spartan55]

Nothing like a 30 point lead not being enough. ...🙄

[WonderingManII]

Not a basketball fan, but I think the female players of women's basketball are attractive.

[Anonymous]

It's one of the most interesting team sports.

[dustybiker2]

Playing. I was good back when I played.

[eagle1951]

i miss playing the game