Is this statement accurate?

[SideSwipe52]

During an interview with Collin Cowheard, ex NBA player Stephen Jackson stated that some NBA players today do not have love for the game and is spoilled. Is this an accurate statement, or is Stephon Jackson reaching, what say you SportsHoopla?


** Here is the quote from Jackson:


"I love the fact that players have control of where they want to play," Jackson said before Golden State’s 125-123 win over Sacramento on Thursday night at Oracle Arena. "But at the same time, guys got to be professional, too. I would be the first to say these guys these days, they're spoiled. A lot of them are spoiled.
"And I was talking to a Hall of Fame football coach and he said one thing he sees about basketball from the outside looking in, more players today are interested in what the game can do for them. They don't actually love the game like we did. I'm 41 years old, and I still play the game every day."

 

[trojanfan12]

I think there's a certain amount of accuracy to it.

When you look at the amount of money these guys make, it's kind of inevitable that, while there are guys that will use that money as motivation to try to get even better, there are also guys who will see their check, decide that they've "made it" and will stop working or not work as hard.

These guys might make a lot of money, but they are still human. So, it's just like any other job in the sense that some people show up for work because they actually like what they do and are motivated to do it well. And some just show up for the paycheck and just do enough to keep getting paid.

 

[tlance]

During an interview with Collin Cowheard, ex NBA player Stephen Jackson stated that some NBA players today do not have love for the game and is spoilled. Is this an accurate statement, or is Stephon Jackson reaching, what say you SportsHoopla?


** Here is the quote from Jackson:


"I love the fact that players have control of where they want to play," Jackson said before Golden State’s 125-123 win over Sacramento on Thursday night at Oracle Arena. "But at the same time, guys got to be professional, too. I would be the first to say these guys these days, they're spoiled. A lot of them are spoiled.
"And I was talking to a Hall of Fame football coach and he said one thing he sees about basketball from the outside looking in, more players today are interested in what the game can do for them. They don't actually love the game like we did. I'm 41 years old, and I still play the game every day."

I think he is wrong.

There are plenty of players in the NBA today who are there for the paycheck moreso than Love of the game. There are also plenty who Love what they do and are intrinsically motivated.

Just like there were plenty of both types in past generations.

Vets like SJax just tend to glamorize their era as being more pure. The reality is you have to go back to the stone ages of the NBA when players weren't getting big money to find a different dynamic.

 

[Black Adam]

During an interview with Collin Cowheard, ex NBA player Stephen Jackson stated that some NBA players today do not have love for the game and is spoilled. Is this an accurate statement, or is Stephon Jackson reaching, what say you SportsHoopla?


** Here is the quote from Jackson:


"I love the fact that players have control of where they want to play," Jackson said before Golden State’s 125-123 win over Sacramento on Thursday night at Oracle Arena. "But at the same time, guys got to be professional, too. I would be the first to say these guys these days, they're spoiled. A lot of them are spoiled.
"And I was talking to a Hall of Fame football coach and he said one thing he sees about basketball from the outside looking in, more players today are interested in what the game can do for them. They don't actually love the game like we did. I'm 41 years old, and I still play the game every day."

dig your av, bro. old Chiefs stack huddle from back in the Len Dawson days...

 

[thunderc]

No doubt the scales have tipped too much in the players favor. I don’t see how anyone could take an honest look at what happened wirh Davis and Lebron this year and not admit that.

 

[logic]

"Get off my lawn!"

"We walked 5 miles to school, and got whipped with a belt if we complained about it."

 

[trojanfan12]

"Get off my lawn!"

"We walked 5 miles to school, and got whipped with a belt if we complained about it."

You forgot that the walk to school was in the snow, uphill both ways and nothing but a cold pancake in my back pocket for lunch.

 

[trojanfan12]

This was discussed a little on the main thread.

Fun to talk about, but not happening.

They'd have to make the trade with a team that was good enough so they don't risk him just deciding to retire though.

 

[YourFriendGannon]

Jackson isn't exactly someone not known for being hypocritical at times as evidenced by a long track record of declarations. I take comparisons coming from him with a grain of salt. He can be interesting to listen to in other facets.

 

[trojanfan12]

I heard the interview and that isn't all that he said. He specifically said in the interview that not all guys love the game. He never stated it as a blanket statement that included everyone.

He did imply that there seem to be more players that don't love the game than back in the day, but he never included all or even most of them.

 

[WiggyRuss]

During an interview with Collin Cowheard, ex NBA player Stephen Jackson stated that some NBA players today do not have love for the game and is spoilled. Is this an accurate statement, or is Stephon Jackson reaching, what say you SportsHoopla?


** Here is the quote from Jackson:


"I love the fact that players have control of where they want to play," Jackson said before Golden State’s 125-123 win over Sacramento on Thursday night at Oracle Arena. "But at the same time, guys got to be professional, too. I would be the first to say these guys these days, they're spoiled. A lot of them are spoiled.
"And I was talking to a Hall of Fame football coach and he said one thing he sees about basketball from the outside looking in, more players today are interested in what the game can do for them. They don't actually love the game like we did. I'm 41 years old, and I still play the game every day."

I am sure there are guys that still love the game today, but overall i would say that

today's players:

1. get paid WAY more

2. get WAY better travel accommodations, better hotels, private planes, etc.

3. are babied way more injury wise ("maintenance days") being careful with injuries, concussion protocols

4. have way less back-to-backs, better schedules

all of that and they WHINE A WHOLE LOT MORE than the old school guys did.

 

[YourFriendGannon]

3. are babied way more injury wise ("maintenance days") being careful with injuries, concussion protocols

4. have way less back-to-backs, better schedules

And top players don't average near 40 minutes per game like they used to. As with football, the sport has become more physically demanding than it used to be and more dangerous in a way when the increasing athletic ability of the average player is exerted. Much of those issues are a correctional adjustment and some of the resting players, especially in the concussion protocol, is the product of more enlightened scientific data rather than coddling them.

Remember that virtually all professional basketball leagues around the world don't play anywhere near 82 regular season games. We've done it for 50 years and that's always been a little crazy IMO especially with some guys playing FIBA ball or the Olympics in the summer.

I mostly agree with your other points.

 

[YourFriendGannon]

I will say some of the resting of players has gotten out of hand. It really picked up 3 years ago like when the Nets sat Lopez and Thad Young the final two weeks.