Y'all can't just pretend Clyde was a different player than he was. I've been a Blazers fan since 1987 so I know his game inside and out. He was my favorite from the beginning. But his weaknesses are glaring now.
His shot was broke as fukk. It's just not good form. No matter how much he practiced it wouldn't be good. He shot 31.8% on 2600 career threes. Went down to 28.8% in the playoffs. That is awful for a 2-guard, especially in that era when the three was rarely defended. When it came to the biggest series, in his prime, where it mattered? 2-12 in the entire 1990 Finals, 4-18 in the 1991 WCF, 3-20 in the 1992 Finals, and 2-13 in the 1995 Finals.
He got a lot of assists because they led the league in fast breaks and he also broke down defenses and the Blazers had weapons all over the floor. But he was not actually an elite passer or decision maker with the ball.
I'll give that he was athletic as hell and had size. But that's not enough anymore if you cant shoot, don't use your left, and have low ball IQ.
Whoever compared him to Harden, it doesn't work because Harden's entire game is predicated on bball IQ, elite shooting, and flopping. Clyde don't have any of that.
You're making the same mistake and most in these type of discussions thinking you can just pluck a 90s player into this game without taking the differences in eras into account. Stockton was capable of scoring more than he did he just played a different game in a different era. Stockton was always a good shooter, and even from distance when he decided to shoot. Plus he was a master of the pick n roll which is even more of a staple now than when he played. You put a prime Stockton in today's league with a big that can score plus shooters and he'd easily be one of the best point guards in today's league.
His shooting isn't the issue, him being 6'1" with limited athleticism is the issue. There were plenty of series in the 1990s where the Jazz needed more scoring from Stockton, and he couldn't bring it. That would be even more true now.
You're don't think there ain't six-foot-tall White boys out there with a wet shot and sharp passing skills? Why ain't none of them doing ANYTHING in the league today?
Like Clyde Drexler wouldnt be a scoring machine in this era
28% 3pt shooter in the playoffs and 17% on the Finals, how da hell would he be a scoring machine in this era?
Youre wrong about Mark Price. He was the father of splitting the pick and roll plus could finish with either hand. He would eat today.
No one in the NBA is 6'0" with zero hops and can be a star anymore. It just ain't happening.
Like I said before, you don't think there aren't 100 six-foot white guys out there who have a wet shot and can split the double-team? Why ain't they dominating the league?
