KD On How Centers Like Jokic and Embiid Changed The NBA Forever

In this clip, Kevin Durant (The Phoenix Suns) talks about how centers like Joel Embiid (The Philadelphia 76ers) and Nikola Jokic (The Denver Nuggets) changed The NBA forever.

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[kewltony]

A 36% 3 point shooter is equivalent to a 54% 2 point shooter. That's what changed the game.

[hixta]

Y'all are bringing up Dirk and Bosh, but KD was talking about big men needing to have multiple skills now. He mentioned Dray because, although he's not tall, he plays the 4 and 5. Can defend 1-5, dribble, make plays, and shoot (sometimes)😂

[andysauro]

Things Draymond does at the Center position that back up KD's point:
- Rips dribbles on back to the basket post-ups (can't dribble around him)
- Grabs the rebound and pushes hard in transition
- Can cheat off the weakest player on the floor, doubling post players, and still close out on the shooter same possession
- Can switch screens, drop, and hedge at will based on floor spacing
- Elite Short-Roll passer
- Can take contact and remain completely vertical

Y'all really don't give Draymond enough credit for what he can do. Probably because he's easily one of the most hateable on-court players to go against (can't deny that lol)

[allainangcao]

It’s funny how Durant talks about bigs when he himself is taller than is own bigs. 😂

[hkl]

Yall all seem to forget that Sir Charles Barkley was the same height as Gary Payton, playing Power Forward at 6'4" is wild!!

[hugedisappointment]

Arvydas was the OG of this, he did all of that stuff at 7’3”

[xxtooshiestyxx]

C Webb was throwing behind the back passes when he played for GSW in the early 90s

[thiccpotato]

Manute Bol hit 6 threes in a game once at 7’7” lol truly the pioneer

[sportsmediapolice]

Why does Lamar Odom get forgotten about??? Bro was playin the 4 and 5 at 6 11 and running the point too.

[DaSuperFan]

Toni Kukoc - a 6’10 Croatian, In 1996 was bringing the ball up, passing slick as that’s what he was known for, hitting 3’s and while he wasn’t the strongest, he was still putting that body on other team’s bigs. He was one of the icebreaker for bigs playing G, and helped make international players get a chance in the NBA.

[Amun]

Joker is so good, because he still can play in the post as well. If the others caught on, ... Giannis, hello...

[pauljoseph]

Mike D'Antoni changed the league with his all out offense philosophy

[paulthompson]

I think Rasheed and dirk were truly pioneers for big men of today. Sheed could shoot threes with both hands

[edred]

Some of ya’ll are too young to remember Chuck Hayes on the Rockets

[pzooka]

There are so many factors besides draymond as to why big men are more skilled today than ever before. 1. Defensive rule changes 2. Growing presence of euro-players in the league 3. The 3 point shot is being exercised by more players now than ever, where as in the 2000’s and prior it was just seen as a specific role on a team rather than a team’s entire game plan and/or skillset
These are just a few examples but the list goes on the further you investigate

[kerke]

Jokic is so interesting for this reason. Offensively, he is the most complete player, not among just centers but, in the league but he still plays a lot with his back to the basket. He has that great footwork where you have no answer for him in that situation.

[kawhistraightface]

It was initially Dirk. And then after Spo using Bosh as a stretch 5 to create space in the lane for Wade and Bron.

[dariusgoatland]

The game changes out of necessity. The dead ball era sparked the 3 point revolution, the rise in pace from the lowest in history to the highest in 60 years, & the destruction of traditional positions.

The four disappeared, the best centers in the game were rim protectors & pick setters, & many teams adopted small ball lineups with stretch 5s. That era opened up the paint for bigs to dominate defenses with spacing & playmaking, which led to the emergence of skilled bigs once again running the league.

The next change will be in response to that.

[khalxd]

Kg would be a perfect 5 today bit like AD

[wilburkowitz]

When defense became deemphasized, everything changed. Like the inflated quarterback statistics today versus those of the offenses run by the great QBs of the 60s, 70s, and 80s.