Believe it or not, there was a time in which the NBA did not have a 3 point shot. It's true, look it up. Prior to the 1979 season, there was no such thing as the 3 point shot. As of 2016, the league has gone completely 3 crazy, to the point where championships are being decided not so much by how talented a player may be (although it still pays to have a superstar) it's whether or not they can shoot the 3 pointer. We're seeing 6'11 guys like Anthony Davis learning how to shoot the trey, and GMs are building teams that are built around the perimeter.
We've all marveled at the greatness of now 2-time MVP Stephen Curry and his video game like display of offensive wizardry and superhuman marksmanship from beyond the arc (and in some cases half court). As a matter of fact, he has been largely credited for how the league has morphed from the land of the giants to a jump shooting exhibition the likes of which have never been seen on the game's highest level. Teams that cannot shoot the 3 aren't long for success anymore. Centers are virtual dinosaurs, and the days of the Charles Oakley-like enforcers are passe. However, not everyone feels ready to embrace the new-age NBA, as evidenced by former player Tracy McGrady. For those who may not remember how great of a player "T-Mac" was, here's a hint:
Recently, upon being asked of his opinion of Curry winning the award, T-Mac felt the need to have his "Hey you kids, get off my lawn!" sermon on the Mount...
"For him to be the first player to get this unanimously, it just tells you how watered down our league is," he said. "Think about when [Michael Jordan] played, Shaq, I mean, those guys really played against top-notch competition, more superstars, I think, on more teams than it is in our league today."
Now, he has been joined by the chorus of one Sir Charles Barkley, who has long championed the cause of opposing the league allowing teenagers to be drafted (never realizing that it wasn't until 10 years ago when the league instituted a rule that players had to be one year removed from high school before joining) and thinking that led to the "watering down" of the league. They believe that these players do not possess the all-around skills to become great players by coming out so early. This is ironic considering that McGrady, who never played in college, became a great scorer and we've seen LeBron James, Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant become first-ballot Hall of Famers without ever having to deal with March Madness.
Even worse, the older generation seems to really have a problem with the evolving 3-point assault on the game. Yes, it has impacted the center position and makes it even more of a necessity to have great perimeter players, but think about this: change is inevitable in all walks of life. The advent of technology has changed our healthcare, education and private sector jobs. It has impacted how we communicate with loved ones and has created a bevy of careers not once thought of even 20 years ago (until 10 years ago, there was no need for a "social media director"). Sports is a microcosm of life, and when change occurs, we have to understand that it is not to destroy the traditions and values that we hold dear, but to show that there are different means to reach the end goal.
Take one look at our political theater, and you will notice the "Silent Majority" who support Donald Trump still holds on to what they consider traditional mores, not realizing that the rest of the world has advanced into new ideas and new levels of understanding. It's why more moms are pulling their kids out of football with the knowledge of terms like CTE, and why we are no longer allowed to smoke in a metal tube going 30,000 feet in the air. We may laugh at guys like Barkley and McGrady for their views, but ask yourself: are you still living in the past, unwilling to embrace the future?
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