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[cons]

i think it would be only the "casual fan" who could've truly believed scal was not a good basketball player.
u don't make it that far / get paid millions if you can't play the game - regardless of your physical appearance.
  anyone who's actually played at any kind of high school / college level or higher would know scal (and anyone in the NBA) can really play - maybe just not be really great against each other.

[scaryjerry]

he got paid millions to pay basketball and was judged by nba standards...no kidding he can destroy guys off the street

[sofutomygaha]

ha!

No question Scal is much better than any of those guys, but if a dude at the gym played me like Scal was playing them, I'd probably get chippy in a hurry. Look at those hand checks. Look at those ugly bumps in the post.

[mgent]

Just a question, were any of the dudes that played against him even close to his height?

One thing I've learned is, when dealing with average ball players (the kind you'd find at the park), a heighth disadvantage is almost impossible to deal with 1v1.

Scal is a legit 6'9" isn't he?

That's unbelievably false.  One of biggest misconceptions in sports.  Maybe the average tall basketball player has more incentive to work on his game, but what you're saying simply isn't true, ESPECIALLY 1 on 1.  A decent speed advantage can be much more deadly if used properly and more so than in a team setting where angles are a bigger factor.

You are wrong, sorry.

Put a short guy against a tall guy and the tall guy just backs down the little guy into the post.  The tall guy woudn't need a whole lot of skill to do so either, just a strength advantage.

Height is a huge advantage in basketball, but it doesn't trump all other physical attributes or skills.  There are defensive tricks that one can use to stop a bigger guy who is just trying to back his way into the post against you. 

If he's got more than a foot on you and even a little basketball skill, then you are definitely fighting an uphill battle, but I know from personal experience that players who are taller, but slower and less skilled, can be beaten by shorter players in a game of one on one.

I'd bet almost any PG or SG in the NBA could beat any PF or C in a game of 1 on 1.  Height's main advantage comes from rebounding (which isn't even always true, see Faried, Rodman, Rondo, Kidd), and there wasn't even any of that in the Scallenge.  Nor did he back down the competition ONCE, and the only post shot he took within 5 feet was off a spin move (jump hook that he missed).

Ballhandlers that were much quicker than Scals couldn't get past him, what chance would a bigger guy have getting to the rim?

[slamtheking]

Just a question, were any of the dudes that played against him even close to his height?

One thing I've learned is, when dealing with average ball players (the kind you'd find at the park), a heighth disadvantage is almost impossible to deal with 1v1.

Scal is a legit 6'9" isn't he?

That's unbelievably false.  One of biggest misconceptions in sports.  Maybe the average tall basketball player has more incentive to work on his game, but what you're saying simply isn't true, ESPECIALLY 1 on 1.  A decent speed advantage can be much more deadly if used properly and more so than in a team setting where angles are a bigger factor.

You are wrong, sorry.

Put a short guy against a tall guy and the tall guy just backs down the little guy into the post.  The tall guy woudn't need a whole lot of skill to do so either, just a strength advantage.

Height is a huge advantage in basketball, but it doesn't trump all other physical attributes or skills.  There are defensive tricks that one can use to stop a bigger guy who is just trying to back his way into the post against you. 

If he's got more than a foot on you and even a little basketball skill, then you are definitely fighting an uphill battle, but I know from personal experience that players who are taller, but slower and less skilled, can be beaten by shorter players in a game of one on one.

I'd bet almost any PG or SG in the NBA could beat any PF or C in a game of 1 on 1.  Height's main advantage comes from rebounding (which isn't even always true, see Faried, Rodman, Rondo, Kidd), and there wasn't even any of that in the Scallenge.  Nor did he back down the competition ONCE, and the only post shot he took within 5 feet was off a spin move (jump hook that he missed).

Ballhandlers that were much quicker than Scals couldn't get past him, what chance would a bigger guy have getting to the rim?

I have no doubt you'd lose that bet 90% of the time. 

The only chance a much-shorter player has against a much-taller player is that his shot is falling and the big guy's isn't.  (That and get the game to be a make-it-take-it so the smaller guy can just keep shooting).

I'm 5'5" and (in my prime) could shoot the lights out and played a bunch of guys who were a heck of a lot taller than me.  I did win some but those guys didn't worry about me blocking their shots nor about me grabbing any rebounds anywhere near them.  Basically I had to hit almost every shot and hope they missed when they shot.  it's not impossible but a shorter guy is at a significant disadvantage. 

Scal, at 6'9", has a big advantage over any Joe Schmo he plays because he's much taller and he's capable of hitting jumpshots -- particularly when he doesn't have to worry about being blocked

[mgent]

Just a question, were any of the dudes that played against him even close to his height?

One thing I've learned is, when dealing with average ball players (the kind you'd find at the park), a heighth disadvantage is almost impossible to deal with 1v1.

Scal is a legit 6'9" isn't he?

That's unbelievably false.  One of biggest misconceptions in sports.  Maybe the average tall basketball player has more incentive to work on his game, but what you're saying simply isn't true, ESPECIALLY 1 on 1.  A decent speed advantage can be much more deadly if used properly and more so than in a team setting where angles are a bigger factor.

You are wrong, sorry.

Put a short guy against a tall guy and the tall guy just backs down the little guy into the post.  The tall guy woudn't need a whole lot of skill to do so either, just a strength advantage.

Height is a huge advantage in basketball, but it doesn't trump all other physical attributes or skills.  There are defensive tricks that one can use to stop a bigger guy who is just trying to back his way into the post against you. 

If he's got more than a foot on you and even a little basketball skill, then you are definitely fighting an uphill battle, but I know from personal experience that players who are taller, but slower and less skilled, can be beaten by shorter players in a game of one on one.

I'd bet almost any PG or SG in the NBA could beat any PF or C in a game of 1 on 1.  Height's main advantage comes from rebounding (which isn't even always true, see Faried, Rodman, Rondo, Kidd), and there wasn't even any of that in the Scallenge.  Nor did he back down the competition ONCE, and the only post shot he took within 5 feet was off a spin move (jump hook that he missed).

Ballhandlers that were much quicker than Scals couldn't get past him, what chance would a bigger guy have getting to the rim?

I have no doubt you'd lose that bet 90% of the time. 

The only chance a much-shorter player has against a much-taller player is that his shot is falling and the big guy's isn't.  (That and get the game to be a make-it-take-it so the smaller guy can just keep shooting).

I'm 5'5" and (in my prime) could shoot the lights out and played a bunch of guys who were a heck of a lot taller than me.  I did win some but those guys didn't worry about me blocking their shots nor about me grabbing any rebounds anywhere near them.  Basically I had to hit almost every shot and hope they missed when they shot.  it's not impossible but a shorter guy is at a significant disadvantage. 

Scal, at 6'9", has a big advantage over any Joe Schmo he plays because he's much taller and he's capable of hitting jumpshots -- particularly when he doesn't have to worry about being blocked

More talk without any substance.

We see guys beating players a foot taller than them every day in the NBA.  That's when they're sitting at the rim waiting for them, try pulling them 24 feet away.  NBA PGs are among the fastest people on earth, what makes you think PF/Cs have the lateral movement to stay with them, let alone consistently?  Likewise, who has the range and ballhandling to keep those much faster hands honest?

For the record, the shortest guy was the only one to block Scalabrine.

If height was so unstoppable why isn't it a league of 5 seven footers vs 5 seven footers?  They could surely beat any other shorter guy vying for a scholarship.

[bdm860]

i think it would be only the "casual fan" who could've truly believed scal was not a good basketball player.
u don't make it that far / get paid millions if you can't play the game - regardless of your physical appearance.
  anyone who's actually played at any kind of high school / college level or higher would know scal (and anyone in the NBA) can really play - maybe just not be really great against each other.

Ever watch Pros vs Joes? All those guys were really good at high school athletics, and just thought they never got the right chance, or it was all politics, etc.  Same thing watching things like the And1 tour, or the EBC, or whatever.  Those guys really think they're that good.

I've definitely heard tons of guys think they got a raw deal.  My coach didn't like  me, it was all politics, the day I was supposed to get my one shot I sprained my ankle, they didn't want me because I was white (seriously have heard that excuse), etc.

I think more than just the casual fan thinks they're good enough (or were good enough) to make the NBA, just nobody ever game them a chance.

Completely wrong, but hey most people think very highly of themselves.

[ManUp]

Scalabrine is a scrub, but he's an NBA scrub. I know the difference and would never challenge him to a game of 1 on 1 and expect to win. Any fan who doesn't understand that doesn't understand just how good NBA players are.

[pearljammer10]

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2013/01/22/toucher-richs-scallenge-no-challenge-for-brian-scalabrine/

Worth a watch.

Good to see a (former) Celtic winning for a change.

Love it. Good for Scal. Dudes were pretty tiny though.

[D.o.s.]

Scalabrine is a scrub, but he's an NBA scrub. I know the difference and would never challenge him to a game of 1 on 1 and expect to win. Any fan who doesn't understand that doesn't understand just how good NBA players are.

Exactly.
.0000000000000000001% of the people on the world are good enough at basketball to play in the NBA.