The Ringer NBA Show Reflecting on 25 Years of NBA Evolution With Ben Taylor
12 snips
Sep 5, 2025 Ben Taylor, author of ‘Thinking Basketball’ and creator of the YouTube channel of the same name, joins to discuss 25 years of NBA evolution. He highlights the unique skill sets of players like Jason Kidd and James Harden, debating their impact on the game. The conversation dives into the innovative tactics reshaping offenses, like those of the Grizzlies, and how teams might emulate styles seen in the Pacers' play. They also speculate on future trends in basketball strategy and the significance of players like Franz Wagner in unlocking their teams' potential.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Measure Players By Teammates' Lift
- Player impact is best measured by how teammates' shot quality changes when a player is on versus off the court.
- Ben Taylor stresses looking beyond box-score stats to subfactors like turnovers, rim pressure, and outside shot profile.
Rewatching Jason Kidd Changed Views
- Ben Taylor recounts re-evaluating Jason Kidd with new data and video tools, finding different strengths than old box-score views suggested.
- He explains Kidd raised teammates' shot quality despite being an inefficient shooter himself.
Harden's Regular-Season Lift Is Limited
- James Harden excelled as a regular-season offensive engine but produced a smaller teammates' lift than the very best playmakers.
- Harden's teams saw teammates' true shooting rise about 2–3 percentage points on court versus the 5+ points some top players deliver.
