NBA Legend Talks About Hating the New NBA Style of Play

The NBA has changed a lot over the last few years. The pace, the shooting, and even the types of bodies that are playing the game have made it a completely different product than it was years ago. Some people like the change, others don’t.

Older NBA stars have widely been outspoken about not being a big fan of the new style changes. They remember a grittier, more methodical, and strategic game. Now they feel like it’s just a bunch of athletes running up and down the court, chucking threes. 

Penny Hardaway recently spoke about the changes in the NBA game. 

"I started noticing when warm-up lines went from layups to all threes. I was like, 'Wow, I never thought the game would evolve to this level,' where the big man doesn't want to post up anymore, and the mid-range shot is almost obsolete because it's either threes or layups. Over the years, to me, it's just getting worse and worse. Not in a bad way—it's fun for the fans—but for me to watch, it's a little irritating.

Because I’m in college coaching, I see the fundamentals and playing team ball. In the NBA now, no one shoots layups anymore; everyone is just hunting that three. For guys that were pure in the game, it’s a little difficult because you want to see the chess match, not just the track meet."

Hardaway isn’t the only person who feels this way. There are tons of NBA fans and former players who don’t love the way the game has changed. Unfortunately for them, it isn’t changing back to the 90s style any time soon.