Out of the Wormhole
Pause on BASKETBALL MAY OR MAY NOT BE JAZZ to talk crossovers.
This isn't a complete dissertation on the state of the crossover, obviously, but at least addresses key modalities. Straightforward: the x-axis asserts the function of the crossover while the y denotes perceived importance (substance vs. style). There's a third dimenson measuring quality of said crossover, but it's not visible from Earth, and you already know the answers anyway.
posted by Ziller @ 8/13/2009 03:04:00 PM
28 comments
28 Comments:
I totally forgot to tell Tom to include the Oscar Robertson quote that prompted this entire inquiry,and I don't to violate the perfect description he wrote above.
So to paraphrase, in his memoirs, Robertson laments more than once that kids today don't know the fundamentals, like the crossover. Huh? This attempt to distinguish between a "fundamental" crossover and "the kids today" lead to comparing guys who are a threat to take a jumper vs. those who aren't.
Lang had a really funny line about these comparisons that I will get his permission to reproduce on Twitter.
Z-Bo can do a crossover? I always imagined his left to right as more effective boxing than playing basketball.
What was the purpose of including Z-Bo on here?
If you wanted to get real fancy, it would be neat to look for the centrality of the crossover to a player's game...
You should just make the Names bigger or smaller based on the quality. because AI's crossover really needs a complete chart of its own.
Shouldn't Roy be more towards center? He uses it to get into the paint all the time.
Yo, by the way any chance that BBB is going to do any Roy merch?
Isn't Z-BO included bc of this? (Video not available any more.)
CP3?
A little early on the Jennings judgment, he's got a reliable double-cross-to-three-pointer in his arsenal. The kid is AI-esque.
"Sleepy" T-Mac totally made my day.
Oh T-Mac.
@Ryland: Now I remember. Thanks for providing that.
The video you provided didn't work. This one does:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4xH85iDDIs
Should we interpret the shadows on AI's as that his crossover has become more essential as he has gotten older? I would argue the opposite.
Who are Evans and Wallace?
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Tyreke. Then I'm guessing John Wall?
This is by no means comprehensive, just a way to classify/assess these things. Of course we discussed Paul, but since this chart was thrown together while both doing ten other things at once, he slipped through the cracks. You can place him as you see fit and win a prize!
Does "essential" mean "necessary to create space or to drive" or "foundational to the player's style"?
Either way, I think you have AI a little too close the Unnecessary axis. But the shadow effect is fantastic.
One of my first reactions to the diagram was, "I don't think I've ever seen Wade cross anyone over. Does he actually do it?" So, I went to youtube and found that the world has created mix of him moving the ball from one had to the other as part of an effective basketball move. Frankly, I was unimpressed.
And that reaction made me wonder whether there's a difference between "changing hands" and "crossing over"? I don't mean to start another fast v. quick v. speed debate, but ... Although I've now seen video evidence of Wade changing hands, I still don't associate the crossover with him. Maybe the difference is the presence or absence of a psychological aspect to it that should be recorded on a z-axis: is it used to confuse, dishearten, and shame an opponent.
wv: driveri--Italian word for a crossover at the far ends of the Necessary and To Drive axes.
With maybe a little adjustment, like the drastic resituation of rondo, this needs to be made available as poster art.
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Very nice chart - Wade at the center is perfect.
Marbury has a house and wife and kids on the south side of the Unnecessary line.
Point of contention - Shouldn't Roy be at the absolute top of the Essential line? I feel like he's the most efficient player I've ever seen play the game. Maybe Deron and Rose and he are splitting hairs, but I think Kobe and Rondo both should be lower, the latter esp
Because this is the best place to share these things ...
The Hidden Side of Hoops at the White House
My god. I didn't buy into Usain Bolt completely before... but 9.58 is pushing boundaries.
"He crossed the line watching the clock before blowing kisses to the crowd, hugging his friend Powell and completing a lap of honor roared on by some 70,000 cheering fans in the Olympic stadium."
I just spent an hour listening to the new Polvo record and trying to decipher my thoughts on this chart. All I really learned is that I really like the new record on the first listen. Good work as usual.
Where does Dwight Howard fall?
I don't remember that statement in Big O's book, but I think he might have been referring to the crossover move out of the triple-threat, not the crossover dribble. The Triple-Threat X-Over is the one MJ killed people with.
Damn. You're probably right. Oh well--now that question's answered, and we've got a funny map for today's players.
As it should be. Easily enough that people can get it and the community at Hostpph is happy about it.
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