In today’s NBA, scoring rates have soared by 15-20 points per game compared to the past decades, a phenomenon often celebrated as a victory for the pace and space era, where the three-point shot reigns supreme. Yet, amidst the cheers, there are dissenting voices echoing the sentiments of the late Kobe Bryant, who famously dubbed this trend as “accidental basketball.” Recently, Shaquille O’Neal stirred the pot by resurfacing Bryant’s critique of today’s NBA on his Instagram story, casting a shadow over the modern NBA’s offensive tactics.
Kobe Bryant’s Critique of Today’s NBA Offense Echoes Through Shaq’s Reminiscence
The Kobe documentary scene that Shaquille O’Neal shared is a part of Kobe’s open monologue on the 2019 Knuckleheads Podcast. During this interview, Bryant really expressed his disappointment with the shape of the NBA offense today. He said that for now, our offense was without any logical design. Already forgotten are the times of carefully crafted offensive constructions designed to uncover the chinks in the defense; this is because in the modern game, it is just enough to pass the ball long and around until a shooter appears outside.
Bryant admitted that, during his time in the league, each of his strategies were fleshed out and later modified or neutralized according to different teams’ strengths. However, the present day era, being an endorser of what Kobe used to discuss as “serial basketball,” to both Kobe and Jackson’s dismay, is known to be the king of the three point shots.
Besides, even Kobe, the Lakers icon hesitated to praise James Harden, whose individual magical performances on the court were not really what Bryant appreciated as being harbingers of championship potential in Harden. Kobe Bryant, probably the most accomplished basketball player of this generation, further predicted that the offensive talents of James Harden — dominating with jaw-dropping scoring and passing — will not return enviable victories in the playoffs. Whilst Kobe’s retrospection ends with him in 2024, he still continues to play the same way he did while he was benchwarming for the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2012. His reluctance to admit defeat thereby confirms Kobe’s doubts.
Kobe’s Bryant must be valued for the directions he set on the way to the NBA and for showing the effectiveness of current trends for passing the ball around. What is exactly happening ? Are we witnessing the actualization of Kobe’s prophesies, or is it still incumbent on us to switch over to a better and more structured way of playing the game? The answer depends on the current developments. Whether resonant for a long time in the memory of an average basketball commentator is just somebody’s guess.
Comments