http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/brian-scalabrine-dominated-competition-boston-one-one-challenge-231654445--nba.html

Pretty interesting. One of the guys he dominated was on Syracuse's roster just last year.

Those guys like LeBron and Kobe and Durant that make it look easy mask just how hard they're really playing.

Great video. Just goes to you show you that even the worst professional players are professionals for a reason.

I laugh when people say that last year's Alabama team could beat the worst professional NFL team. Or even give them a run.

Cool video, thanks for sharing.

I'd like to see Rudy Fernandez do one of these. He wouldn't be able to push guys around like Scal did.

I would like to see a shorter guy do this. My guess is they'd be just too damn fast. The thing is, even the "short" guys in the NBA are pretty tall. And with good hops, plus speed.

That was one of the things so shocking about this--Scalabrine is 6-9. He's not a ball handler. But ....BANG...one step and he's around you for the dunk. That was what was so funny--here's a 6-9 guy that looks not like an NBA athlete beating people off the dribble.

It's what is really so comical about how good these guys are.

I remember we had a guy in HS that was 6-6. Looked, physically and in his face, like Michael Jordan. You could not get him the ball outside the post. He just couldn't handle it. No future in basketball even though he dominated teams. Well, some teams.

You still see it in college. Teams press because there are so many guards that can't break it down. But by the time you're in the NBA...Bynum can break a press. So you don't bother.

That's why it just cracks me up when people talk about how they don't play defense in the NBA. They do. It's just that guys have offensive skills. You can get out in a guys face in college. You do that in the NBA and unless you're lightning fast...goodbye.

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I laugh when people say that last year's Alabama team could beat the worst professional NFL team. Or even give them a run.

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It is incredible how people underestimate professional athletes. Just for an example...count, one-Tennessee, etc. from snap to release for a game for these NFL QBs. Their ability to make decisions AND act on them with the speed they do is unreal. I have a suspicion McCarron would spend a TON of time on his back. Or throwing to the defense.

FWIW, one year at Texas I stayed the summer and was there when the Spurs worked out. I actually lifted weights with Vinny del Negro in our Rec Center there. Will Perdue was on that roster and he didn't look like an athlete to me. But I actually was allowed to watch them practice and the guy was fast. Strong. It was just funny.

Yeah, Perdue could look overmatched. But that was against top NBA centers. Against you, he'd dribble right around you.

[This message has been edited by Jacques (edited 1/29/2013 1:35a).]

White Mamba

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I laugh when people say that last year's Alabama team could beat the worst professional NFL team. Or even give them a run.

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2007 Flordia Gators could beat some NBA teams - signed CBS columnist.

That team: J. Noah, A. Horford, C. Brewer (All Juniors), Mo Speights (Frosh)- NBA players.
Walter Hodge - Polish League
Lee Humphrey - Greek League to D League
Taureen Green - Turkey League
Chris Richard - D-League/China
Dan Werner - Italian League

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/story/10102396

The worst team in the NBA that year: Memphis
Pau Gasol
Rudy Gay
Mike Miller
Damon Stoudamire
Brian Cardinal
Kyle Lowry
Chucky Atkins
Hak Warrick
Strotenial Swift

While I believe major upsets can happen in basketball, I would still put my money on Memphis.

Side note: What a great year to go to the FedEx Forum and watch games. It was like watching in your own living room...so quiet and no one around.

The best player I know at my local gym was matched up against Eduardo Najera (a mediocre NBA energy guy) the other day. Najera torched him.

You are wrong about the florida team.

You think a collegiate team would beat the worst NBA team?

I've played with Matt Bullard a few times. Guy is unbelievably good. If you make an NBA roster you can flat out ball.

I played pick up at a gym where Kyle Lowry, Rashard Lewis, and a few other pros used to frequent. Up close, Lowry is just so unimpressive. Obviously he can ball, but it's shocking he's as good as he is.

awesome.

The NFL/NCAA gap is larger than the NBA/Kentucky gap. An 18 year old high school senior Kidd-Gilchrist would abuse Scalabrine.

That argument doesn't make any sense. You're comparing a #2 pick to an NBA benchwarmer. That's like comparing Adrian Peterson to some special teams scrub.

Plus it's apples and oranges. You can't play football one on one.

people dont realize how good the role/niche players in the NBA are. They probably totally dominated all the other levels on the way there. They were probably the best player in every league (HS, AAU, College) on their way to the NBA. Any player on an NBA roster is really, really good.

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An 18 year old high school senior Kidd-Gilchrist would abuse Scalabrine.

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As he should, since he has the talent to be a lottery pick in the NBA draft. Of course an NBA-caliber prospect is going to be a decent contest for a NBA player. You basically just agreed with the point that if you have NBA talent, you are at a whole different level than the average Joe baller at the gym or even decent college players, even if you're a benchwarmer against other NBA talent.

I do wonder how Brian Cardinal (aka "The Janitor") would do in this kind of contest.

[This message has been edited by madd_ag_05 (edited 2/1/2013 12:10p).]

It would be interesting to see someone play that's not known for their offense, like a Reggie Evans.

One-on-one, Reggie Evans would probably back any college player in the country down all the way under the basket and dunk every time. Not many college guys have the physique to match up.

Plus, in college Evans averaged 15.4 points and 11 rebounds on 50% shooting. Not great, but pretty stout for major conference basketball.


From wikipedia:

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[Evans] attended Coffeyville Community College in Coffeyville, Kansas from 1998–2000 and then transferred to the University of Iowa. In 2001, Evans led the nation in free throws attempted, free throws made, and double-doubles. He led the Big Ten Conference in rebounding in 2001 and 2002, and was named Big Ten Tournament MVP in 2001 and Second Team All-Big Ten in 2002. He was Honorable Mention All-American in 2001.

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Like people have said, pretty much everyone in the NBA was BMOC up until they hit the league. Makes the superstars that much more impressive.
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Dennis Rodman was putting up 25+ a game in college. Dennis Rodman. Anyone who has made it to the professional level of basketball has cut their teeth at least a little bit when it comes to the most natural and fundamental part of the game: putting a ball in a basket.

Toddlers that have a two foot hoop on their door don't practice defense. They focus on getting the ball in the hoop. It's the most basic part of the game. You don't get to the highest level of the sport without excelling at that aspect one time or another in your career.

Reggie Evans would destroy us, guys. DESTROY US.

[This message has been edited by Head Ninja In Charge (edited 2/1/2013 3:58p).]