Don't care much for negroball or basketball in general, but always wondered how somebody as chubby as Donutchich can be such a prolific player, especially in sports, where nimbleness and agility seem to be such a key asset along other skills. He's basically a murican hamboiger meme, while still being young. Could he fare the same in the 90s, where likes of Denis Rodman would just bully him off the pitch by simple hand check, while MJ looked like 5% body fat uber athlete, who could jump higher without preparation than most track and field jumpers now days?
Seems that the game is rigged for great shooters with little to no athleticism now days so they can harvest fouls and be protected like little babies all the time. No wonder Chich is always crying to referees, when something doesn't get called his way, especially in international tournaments.
That is true, but only because players and teams are smarter.
Teams now (in the past decade and half) realize that shooting 35% from 3 point line (that is 105 pts per 100 attempts, and 35% is the worst league average in over 2 decades), is better than shooting 45% from mid-range (90 points per attempts) and they do remove it from the equation, and it open things for everyone, it is easier to attack the basket, easier to get to the ft line as teams has more areas to cover on defense. Guys like Rodman will be confused now and won't know what to do.
Luka might not fit the typical athletic player, but he is a physical monster, one of the strongest in his size, and has amazing ability to change directions. What is more is his deceleration ability, which is his best athletic trait, he is one of the most gifted ever in it. Think of Pedri/Iniesta and la Pausa, he goes full speed and then stops so quickly, before defender is able to react, that gives him the separation he needs.
The 90's basketball won't stand a chance against current teams regardless of the rules, current teams are smarter, better shooter, more skilled and actually bigger and overall more athletic. It isn't like J Kidd and Stockton for example were athletic freaks, Barkley had twice the fat percentage of Luka and was dominant.
MJ was anomaly btw, his midrange game was historically great, while his 3pt wasn't good. This was a unique skillset, the closest to him is Kawhi but the later had shit injury and an awful uncle.
