Spencer Dinwiddie of the Dallas Mavericks courted controversy recently with some comments on a podcast. The player said that if he were playing in the ’50s, he would be ‘God’.
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While debates over the level of basketball across eras are common, Dinwiddie’s comments sparked debate for their boldness. Claiming that he would be the equivalent of Lebron James in the 50s was a comment that was bound to raise hackles.
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Spencer Dinwiddie has big claims, says he would be LeBron James in the 50s
The Dallas Mavericks point guard was on a podcast when these comments were made. In a discussion over legendary players, Dinwiddie paid his respects first before making these comments. Claiming that he meant no disrespect to players, Dinwiddie proceeded to discuss his prospects if he had played in the 1950s in the league.
Among the players he mentioned was the legendary Bob Cousy. Cousy, nicknamed the ‘Houdini of Hardwood’ is amongst the greatest point guards of all time. However, Dinwiddie said that even Cousy was not all that great when looking at the history of the NBA and the level of basketball today.
Physical differences over eras
A large part of Dinwiddie’s argument boils down to physical gifts. Cousy for example, stood at 6 ft 1”. Dinwiddie has been physically blessed. The Mavericks star measures up to 6 ft 6”. This height is fairly normal in the modern game. However, Dinwiddie argues that his physical gifts would have let him outstrip competitors in the 1950s.
Dinwiddie claimed that the difference in physical ability between him and the average 50’s player would be the same as the distance between him and LeBron in the modern day. Dinwiddie spelled it out. He would have been ‘God’ in the 50’s. They would have worshipped him, said the player. Dinwiddie said that he would have been LeBron in the 1950s. The hosts on the podcasts added fuel to the fire, arguing that the standards in the 50s were dismal.
It is no surprise that these comments have provoked discussion. A lot of criticism has boiled to pointing out that the Dallas star fundamentally misunderstands how eras work. A player in the 50’s grew up, trained, and consumed according to the standards of the 1950s.
The difference in standards is astronomical. The modern game is very different and disrespecting the stars who paved the way is in poor taste.
