Gilbert Arenas, a former NBA point guard, lists the best players of the current generation.
Former All-Star point guard Gilbert Arenas shared his ranking of the NBA’s top five generational players during a guest visit on the Pat Bev Podcast. The players, who have a mixture of new and ancient names, all have one thing in common: they’re all physical freaks of nature. “You have Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, Kevin Durant, Victor Wembanyama, LeBron James, and Wilt Chamberlain. You also have Magic Johnson.” I am aware that Zion and Ja are meant to be generational.
When Arenas discussed his thoughts on “generational” NBA skill, it sparked a lot of discussion among NBA fans. To him, the phrase describes athletes whose style of play is uncopyable, like Giannis Antetokounmpo and other players with unreplicable physical advantages. Even though Arenas averaged 20.7 points per game as an All-Star for the Wizards, he wouldn’t classify himself as generational because all of his skills are transferable and widely used in the basketball community.
It’s difficult to dispute that 7’1″, 275-pound big man Wilt Chamberlain, a four-time MVP, was a legendary player. He was unbeatable in his day, setting numerous statistical marks that are being broken today by fusing his incredible power with his size. His influence and supremacy on the court were unmatched, and they are the kind of things that happen maybe once every ten years.
The only player in the new generation to receive an endorsement from Arenas is Victor Wembanyama, the former first overall choice, who makes sense considering that he is a 7’4″ stretch big man. Furthermore, even though Ja Morant and Zion Williamson have the potential to claim that title for themselves, they have not yet shown that they are on the same level.
Arenas makes a valid argument regarding the difference between hard work and inherent talent, but I believe his definition of a “generational” talent is much too narrow. Even though they might not have had the same natural advantages as other players, NBA stars like Kobe Bryant, Nikola Jokic, Stephen Curry, and others had an impact on the game that is difficult to match. Just as there will never be another LeBron James, there will never be another Stephen Curry.
