Basketball Genes

Wednesday, May 25th, 2016

According to a Wall Street Journal analysis, almost half of NBA players are related to elite athletes — defined as anyone who has played a sport professionally, in the NCAA, or at national-team level:

While other leagues feature notable dynasties — the Manning’s of the NFL or the Griffey’s in baseball — only about 17.5% of NFL players and 14.5% of MLB players are related to other elite athletes, based on a similar study.

The connectedness in the NBA likely comes down to the importance of height in elite basketball. The average NBA player is about 6-feet, 6-inches tall, which is 11 inches taller than the average American male, according to Census data.

Comments

  1. Beyond Taste says:

    “6-feet, 6-inches tall, which is 11 inches taller than the average American male”

    6-feet, 6-inches is 72 + 6 = 78 inches.
    78 – 11 = 67 inches or 5-feet, 7-inches.

    Wow! Illegals have really pulled down the average height.

    Make America tall again!

  2. Slovenian Guest says:

    I never watched the NBA; it was always too “inbred” for me, wink wink. Local European basketball is much better; our teams are still pale paced, and you hear more polka at those games than hip hop. Imagine that, no aping around. Or check out some of our female basketball players, no lesbians like in the WWNBA either, giggity!

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