If you flopped, we punished you more" - Larry Johnson shares his honest take on today's NBA
Larry Johnson
Every legend has his own take on today's NBA. But if we are to ask the insight of a 90s NBA bruiser like former Charlotte Hornets star Larry Johnson, we'll surely get a familiar response – the game is lacking physicality.
Flopping didn't exist in the 90s
In recent years, the storyline that today's NBA has been notably less physical has become a staple in basketball discussions. The old heads make a strong point, as modern-day players would rather flop than go hard. In fact, even 6-foot-9, 250-pound LeBron James famously said he probably should learn how to flop a few days ago.
Fortunately for guys like LeBron, it's no longer the 90s. Because if they played in that era and opted to flop during physical plays, make no mistake, Johnson would've taught them a lesson.
"Without a doubt, the game was more physical when I played," Johnson wrote in a recent Facebook post. "No one practices the inside game anymore and today everyone wants to shoot the ball. Toughness was a mindset. If you flopped, we punished you more."
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LJ's pick
For those who didn't know, Johnson was one of the most physical players of his generation. Some guys talk about being physical on the court, but Johnson lived it.
During his prime, Johnson primarily functioned as a two-way power forward. He rivaled the best fours of the 90s, such as prime Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, and Chris Webber. Indeed, it was a tough era, but "Grandmama" still stood out, earning two All-Star appearances in the process.
While it's totally understandable why Johnson is among those who are critical about the lack of physicality in today's NBA, on the other hand, he also acknowledges those who play hard despite being in the so-called "soft" era.
"We look at these youngsters, and I go 'Okay, who could have played with us?'…[Kawhi] Leonard, of course, I think cause he plays defense first," Johnson assessed. "So I think Kawhi definitely would've fit in. Of course, LeBron because he got the big body. He can play. I don't think he'd be as dominant as with us as he is with these youngsters, you know. He would get into some fights. It was a challenge; you know what I mean? You don't see a lot of physical play down low. I think even the center play is not there anymore. You got Joel Embiid. Embiid is just dominating everybody cause he is willing to go down low and do it."
Judging by how the game is being played these days, it wouldn't be a shock to hear more old-school players like Johnson share their blunt comments on modern-day NBA.
