2021-2022 ROSTER TALK: [ARCHIVED]

[dirkfansince1998]

The two biggest desires I have for any defender is good lateral quickness and a large wingspan.

I have great awareness and knowledge of schemes and give lots of effort - you don’t want me out there trying to guard anyone in the nba.

With that logic all great athlets should be good defenders but they aren´t. Mavs best example is THJ. Good athlet. Can move his feet but destroys the entire scheme because he is a bad team defender.
I think the 2nd part is a joke but a lot of people are underrating the mental/smarts aspects of the game. We rarely talk about it but over the season players spend hours (more likely days) in film study sessions. Learning tendencies or memorizing opposing set plays. And just like in any other sport the best of the best go the extra mile.
I think Shane Battier was famous for his insane preparation and it turned him into one of the best wing defenders of his generation.