Mix and matching skills to visualize the ideal NBA player

Physical Traits:

Frame: Giannis Antetokounmpo

There are taller players. There are those whose arms stretch wider. Those measurements, however, come to the detriment of other traits like speed and agility, limiting the overall versatility of said guys.

Despite standing 6’11” with a 7’3” wingspan, this isn’t the case for Giannis Antetokounmpo, whose as nimble and mobile as some of the best perimeter threats in the game, an unexplainable gift that comes in handy when towering and outmuscling most of them.

His size comes to his aid when galloping towards the bucket at breakneck speeds whether in the halfcourt or transition, creating problems few defenses have been able to solve.

Hands: Kawhi Leonard

Words nor the official measurement of Kawhi Leonard‘s size 11.5-inch hands do those giant oven mitts justice.

They are roughly the same size as Shaquille O’Neal‘s despite being attached to a man who gives up about six inches. Leonard can palm a basketball with ease and didn’t get his nickname, The Klaw, by accident.

He can corral rebounds and strip any ballhandler. His control of the basketball has improved at the offense end with the utilization of a nifty push shot in the paint.

It’s not simply the size of his hands that make Leonard the choice here, because others — like Giannis — have larger ones. Kawhi has simply mastered their capabilities better than anyone else.

Strength: LeBron James

Conventional basketball wisdom suggests that when a player has a clear lane to the bucket, the defender’s best option is to wrap them up tight and make them earn their points at the free-throw line.

Countless times LeBron James has been the offensive player in this situation, and many occasions have seen him power through the blanket of contact for an And-1 bucket.

He’s listed at 250 pounds, but few believe the number is that low, not when he can get to the rim at will and push the burliest of big men off their axis.

James famously pumps in more than $1 million a year to maintain peak physical condition. Given his ability to play through any and all contact, it’s been money well spent.

Athleticism: Derrick Jones Jr.

You can debate whether he should’ve taken home the most recent Dunk Contest crown — he shouldn’t have. What nobody can debate are the incredible sky-walking feats Derrick Jones Jr. has proven capable of.

Armed with a vertical leap as high as 48 inches, Jones has an incredible list of dunks on his resume. He’s skied for alley-oops that seemed out of reach and hovered above the rim longer than anyone thought possible.

Jones is a constant threat to put some poor defender on a poster, and it doesn’t take a genius to see how those hops can come in handy out in transition.

Shiftiness: Chris Paul

Many NBA players can get build up enough steam or possess the speed to make a beeline for the bucket. But there’s a level of underappreciation for those who operate more east/west than north/south.

By taking his time in pick-and-rolls, Chris Paul gets to his desired spots on the court, even if it doesn’t get him closer to the rim. From there, CP3 can manipulate defenses frantically trying to adjust, allowing him the freedom to pick his shot selection accordingly.

An elite jumper and handles certainly helps, but it’s Paul’s desire and ability to exploit the crevices in a defense that make him difficult to slow down.

Speed: De’Aaron Fox

It might not show up in the speed and distance category of NBA.com’s player tracking data, but De’Aaron Fox is the fastest player in the NBA, especially according to De’Aaron Fox.

The third-year guard believes he can reach a top speed of 25 miles per hour. For comparison, Usain Bolt’s top speed is 27 miles per hour. In a SportsScience experiment, he was able to sprint from the 3-point line to the rim — with the ball — in just 1.28 seconds.

All you have to do is watch the tape to see Fox rapidly get from one end of the court to the other. And when neither the numbers nor the eye-test lies, the answer becomes clear.

Quickness: Russell Westbrook

Russell Westbrook‘s ability to change direction goes hand in hand with the ferocity he attacks the basket with. Being the explosive athlete he is doesn’t hurt either when it comes time to get where he wants on the court.

Quickness is admittedly a tough metric to measure given the lack of data supporting it and its proximity to speed. And yet, when considering those who are best at shifting gears with the ball in their hands, few hold a candle to Westbrook.