So, Here's the Thing… I don't think most "modern" bigs in the NBA are all that modern—with a few key exceptions.
The Narrative Right Now: We keep hearing how NBA players like Evan Mobley, Anthony Davis, and Jaren Jackson Jr. are unbelievably skilled for their size. But if you watched the league before, idk, 2000 I think you'd find their skill sets very believable.
Let's Be Honest… Elite big men have always been highly skilled. Think about guys like Hakeem Olajuwon, Tim Duncan, David Robinson, even a young Shaq.
These bigs could face up, put the ball on the floor, handle double teams, and score creatively in the post or midrange. Their footwork and finesse were already on another level. Some often functioned as playmakers when needed: passing out of the post, hitting cutters, finding open shooters, etc.
And this isn't just a '90s or 2000s thing either. Wilt Chamberlain literally led the league in assists one season! Toni Kukoc, we're talking '90s (the Bad Boy Pistons had JUST stopped whooping on people) was essentially a stretch 4 running offense on one of the greatest dynasties ever. And Chuck, before TV, was an underrated playmaker; often one of the top assist guys on his teams, not just a GOAT rebounder!
To be fair, the 2000s wasn't always the strongest era for bigs as a group. Outside of true stars (and I know we had quite a few!), a lot of big men were almost reduced to decoys—setting screens, rim running, rebounding, and not much else offensively.
Fast forward to today, and there are a few bigs who've broken out of that mold completely. Jokic, Giannis, KD, and even Sabonis aren't just skilled—they're the engines of their teams' offenses.
But when I watch Mobley, AD, or Jaren Jackson Jr., their games honestly remind me more of those traditional greats. They're versatile and polished—but not necessarily reinventing the position.
So what's actually changed? It's not that bigs suddenly got more skilled. It's that today's offenses give them more space, more freedom, and some teams are willing to fully lean into letting them cook.
This isn't a knock on any of the modern players I mentioned. I just wanted to show love to some of the legends and draw a through line between them and the modern game.
From my perspective, the game's evolution has a lot to do with how skilled bigs have ALWAYS influenced what's possible.