Positions have become obsolete in the NBA thanks to some freak athletes that can do it all.
Back in the NBA heyday, you played your position and that's about it. Point guards were the ones that brought the ball up and were the facilitators in the game. Shooting guards were spot up shooters that had unspeakable range or skills. Small forwards were the versatile athletes that were able to do it all. Power forwards were asked to score often in the key and in the midrange. Centers were the towers that rarely seemed to leave the key on offense or defense. They also protected the rim from anyone looking for an easy bucket.
Picture from forum.ge.
There were a few outliers, but they still usually stuck to a specific position. Earvin "Magic" Johnson is one example off the top of my head. The guy was a giant point guard at 6 foot 9 inches. Other point guards didn't stand a chance at guarding him, but he would blow past any other defender. This is why Johnson is regarded as one of the best point guards to ever play the game.
In the NBA now, we've got guys like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo that can basically play any position on the floor. They've got the ball handling skills of a point guard, range of a shooting guard, versatility of a small forward, length of a power forward or center and the defense to go with it.
Picture from slamonline.com.
This is one thing the NBA has going for it. They have some of the best athletes in the world. These athletes can instantly make any team better just by being on the floor. Sometimes though, these players think they're the only one that can do something.
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