As the NBA continued to evolve, we began to witness what was once a rarity become more commonplace: the positionless player. Rather than fitting into a neat box and performing specific duties on the floor, this new type of player had more versatility and range. Mentally, they were agnostic to playing within a limited job description. They wanted all the smoke all over the floor and had the varied skillsets, attributes & athletic build of a 1 through 5 – offensively and defensively. Today, we pay homage to those special players who did it all on both sides of the court with finesse, grace, and sheer grit.

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Dynamic guard play comes in many forms. But during an era when the backcourt king of the hill was a 6’9” guard from Lansing, MI, ”small” guards had to really bring it. While some believe the lack of height is a deficit, others can imagine how being lower to the ground as a primary ball handler and defender can become a strength for the right savvy player. Now mind you, “small” is all relative when we’re speaking of NBA players. In most cases they’d still tower over most at a high school reunion, at a regular job…anywhere really. But on occasion, there were those outlier players who were truly small by anyone’s standards yet left big impressions on the hardwood and in our hearts. Tune in as we give our flowers to some of the most determined players this league has ever seen.

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Today we pay homage to the bucket-getters who perfected the art of scoring at the cup. The players who brought their hard hats to work and put their backs to the basket to bang and bump on the low block, and to assert their wills physically and mentally. The baseline ballerinas who dizzied and confused defenders with their immaculate footwork and timing. And the skilled technicians who frustrated opponents with indefensible jump hook & fadeaway packages. Don’t be confused, we’re not just speaking of big men. Tune in to hear who performed best in the paint during an era where high percentage two’s still had a dominant role in the NBA game of basketball.

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