11-03-2021, 02:18 PM
(11-03-2021, 01:45 PM)cow Wrote: I'd have a hard time paying big money to anyone over 7 foot if I were a GM.That's an interesting perspective that seems to be getting more traction as time goes by and more research becomes available.
Gigantism is actually considered a medical disorder, albeit one with advantages in the case of basketball players. But it comes with increased risks, including a higher incidence of lower-body problems, as the human body isn't generally designed to meet the physical stresses of that much height and weight.
Research in basketball has indicated that ultra-tall players (over 7 feet) collectively tend to be sidelined for more games than shorter players (an average of around 25% of games, iirc), and that their bodies tend to deteriorate pretty rapidly after five-six seasons. Of course, any individual person could be different, but I imagine that is part of what we are seeing in KP.
Agree that basketball GMs would probably be wise to take that into consideration in assessing the probable longevity and availability of super-tall guys. Yao Ming comes to mind.