this post was submitted on 27 Oct 2023
1 points (100.0% liked)

NBA - Main

28 readers
1 users here now

Game analysis, highlights and everything else that is happening in the NBA.

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
communick@nba.space
1
Was Harden the first player that the blogbois got right or was there someone else before him? (alien.top)
submitted 2 years ago by Lonely-Persimmon3464@alien.top to c/nba@nba.space
8 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

We all know Harden as the original blogboi player, a player that analytic enthusiasts claimed would be a superstar because of his efficiency and advanced stats, even in his rookie season. I have to admit I doubted them at the time, but they were right.

There's also the infamous EG and Jokic situation, a guy fascinated by advanced metrics predicting this role player would be a superstar

My question is: was Harden the OG blogboi player? Or just the most famous case of advanced metrics being right? Any other examples of this before that?

top 8 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] Alear55@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

3rd overall pick and it was clear as day that he was too good to be a 6th man on the thunder lol. Harden is amazing and everyone knew he was gonna be a star in the league stop this analytics nonsense (both hate and love)

[–] shanmustafa@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

millsap

per 36 people loved him

[–] orwll@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

We all know Harden as the original blogboi player, a player that analytic enthusiasts claimed would be a superstar

Do we? I don't remember that level of hype around Harden as a rookie.

And I don't remember a big community of people doing serious analytics at that time. It was Hollinger and maybe a handful of others.

[–] uncledooey@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

He was drafted 3rd overall, what are you talking about

[–] Parlett316@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Kevin Martin, stats dudes loved him. You could say he was the OG Moreyball player until Harden went super nova.

[–] Professional-Ant8445@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

Kevin Martin was the first name that came to mind and also a perfect example of why stats with no context/eye test is useless.

He was a bad defender, playmaker, low bball iq. Had a good jump shot and got a lot of free throws so his TS% was high. But definitely a worse player than his stats indicated.

[–] DrownedInBeans@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

The opening chapter of Michael Lewis's book The Undoing Project goes into Darryl Morey's early analytics in the 2000s. It is not a basketball book at all but that first chapter is relevant.

[–] Professional-Ant8445@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

Kevin Love was getting a lot of hype among bball nerds based on his impact as a rookie. Getting like 13/10 in 15 mins consistently.