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[QUOTE="Cowtown, post: 2434113, member: 2350"]
Surely you're not implying it's supposed to work the other way around? But first, if I may, an anecdote :). I was reffing a tournament game many years ago, and was chatting pregame with the host team's coach, a very good coach with a long record of success beating teams from schools a lot bigger than his. His center was shooting from outside the arc (and missing), and he stops me and says to the kid, "What are you doing? Go warm up near the basket. I've got [I]short[/I] guys who can miss from out here." The point is that one of the smartest coaches I know understands how to play and win doing what you're scoffing at.

There are some fundamental concepts of the game at work here: the basket is 10 feet high, so 7 footers are closer to it than 6 footers, so tall players are more valuable closer to the rim than small players;  and smaller players are historically better ball handlers because their hands are closer to the floor. It's always been that way and always will be, and we all know why. If you don't, stop reading now and go watch hockey or wrestling.

I can teach players to be ball handlers and to make layups. Consistent long range shooting is more difficult, and that's why it's more rare. So, while it's also true, as you're implying, basic basketball is not the only way to play the game, the big point in all this is that if you can't do the most fundamental things well and often, then you're going to have a lot of trouble doing other things, and thus a lot of trouble winning games. At any level. Just IMHO.
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