It seems to me that the NBA has a high enough talent pool that they wouldn’t have to field anybody under 6’ 5", yet guards in the NBA are often in the 6’-6’2" range. Is this because that’s just where some incredibly talented shorter players can fit in, or is it that there are actually some advantages to being smaller?
Well as Hubie Brown always says the NBA is all about match-ups. Smaller guys are faster and generally a guy who is 6’6 is going to find it difficult to keep up with a guy who is 6’1 (there are exceptions of course MJ and Kobe could/can keep up with pretty much anyone). While the concept of a traditional point guard may not be what it once was, if your team doesn’t have one the other team will surely use it against you.
Is there some kind of physics style explanation for shorter people being faster?
another thought might be some form of institutional inertia… This is just a WAG, but if you’re 6’8", even though you may have the quickness and skills to play point guard, you’ll probably be playing in the frontcourt somewhere anyway, in high school, and in college, because the colleges don’t have the resources the NBA does. In other words, perhaps part of the reason that point guards are short now (relatively speaking) is because point guards have ALWAYS been short. I could be completely wrong, of course, but it makes a certain twisted amount of sense to me.
I think that, as a rule, tall kids are slightly less coordinated at younger ages. Coaches are going to want kids with good or excellent hand-eye coordination to do most of the ball handling. This is how it begins. Once players have time to develop motor skills, you can find players at various heights able to handle. It is very advantagous to have a tall point guard… if they are reasonably quick. The height allows them to see the floor and distribute the ball to the right people at the right time. Against pressure defense, the dribble should be pretty hard and fast. The ball handler should keep the dribble pretty low. The less time the ball is in the air - between the hand and the floor, the less opportunity the defender has to steal. The dribble should be at a pace and height that would allow the handler opportunities to make moves.
The simpler answer is that usually, the shorter kids learn to handle sooner. The taller players are generally wanted near the basket.
Playing the point takes a special set of talents. It’s the point guard’s job to move the ball down the court, set up plays, pass, take outside shots, catch long rebounds, draw charges, steal, and defend opposing guards. Speed, coordination, and intelligence are often more important than height. That’s why Muggsy Bogues (5’3") and Earl Boykins (5’5") can have NBA careers.
If you’re a football fan, think of a point guard as something like a quarterback. This won’t be the biggest player on a team. The few taller point guards are memorable. Kobe Bryant (6’7") started at the point on the 1999-2000 Lakers. Magic Johnson (6’10") predominantly played point throughout his career.
Legendary Celtics coach Red Auerbach used to match his shorter players against his taller players during practice. The short guys always won.
You seem to be saying that shorter kids finish growing sooner and have more time to become coordinated and wind up with a better skill set. This part of your quote though seems to me to be a reason that maybe shorter people would make better ball handlers as it would be easier for them to dribble the ball low and run at full speed. Another thing that occurred to me is that because they have a lower center of gravity and smaller mass, they might be able to change directions quicker than a taller person.
I think if you are a talented basketball player under 6’5", you will not make the bigtime as a forward, because your lack of height will be too big a disadvantage. It’s less of a disadvantage for a guard, so a shorter guy can make it at that position if he has enough talent.
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Point guards are getting bigger and bigger. Compare the average height today to the 1970’s. I believe Magic Johnson was one of the first bigger men (6’7"?) to play the position successfully, he has been a model for others. There are still 6’2" players out there, but they are becoming the exception. I would guess the average is 6’5" and rising.
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“You can’t teach height” Big players are rare. Centers essentially have to be gigantic. Forwards need all the height they can get. So if you are a big person, you are pushed into forward or center, because these positions need height so desperately. Yao Ming apparently is a great passer with good vision and many guard skills. There’s a reason he’s at center.
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As mentioned, short people do have some advantages. Speed of acceleration, reaction times (smaller nervous system for signals to go through), easier to protect the ball.
Won at what??
Well, maybe but if you look at the PGs for all the teams that made the playoffs none of them are taller than 6’4.
Ok, so Alvin Williams is 6’5, but that’s it. There’s something else going on as well. Because of the value of being selected in the first round of the draft (guaranteed contract) exaggerating your height has become the norm. NBA 6’5 is a lot different than real-life 6’5.