Part Three: The Revolution Televised - Tall Wingmen & Small Postmasters

The American Basketball Dilemma - Talent Vs. Height Vs. Position: An NBA Chronicle (6-part Series)

As the game of basketball has changed, the level of play and the evolution of changes have been in great effect on the professional stage, particularly in the National Basketball Association. While size has traditionally been a barometer of measure in player positioning, skill levels have been heightened to levels so high that size alone cannot properly be the lone component in ascertaining where players best fit on the hardwood. Much of that guesswork and sense of great change in play takes place with players whose skills defy the traditional prototypes, particularly bigger players who play positions that are largely assumed by smaller players, and vice versa. Exemplifying this phenomenon are three players of exceptional ability and size--Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Scottie Pippen and Charles Barkley.

Magic Johnson, a career Los Angeles Laker in his 13 seasons of professional basketball, is known as being the best point guard in the history of professional basketball, more specifically in the NBA. It wasn't just his ability to lead a team to multiple championships or having a personality that lent itself to positively infectious basketball habits, it was his size that helped to critics and fans to see the game differently. While considered a "guard/forward" early as an L.A. Laker, it was clear that the 6'9" Johnson was a true point guard. As the tallest full-time point guard in professional basketball history (and actually an inch taller than his listed height), Johnson showed that the exceptional size of a player doesn't mean too terribly much when skill levels are also exceptional. As a Hall of Fame inductee, Johnson paved the way for many players who have shown great ability with considerable physical measurements, and that he flourished as a point guard only strengthened the idea of breaking the old school formula of "size = position".