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Comment by jl2718 | Hacker News Reader

First-off, I think this is interesting because athletes have hit the point of diminishing returns on physical abilities, and now the games are turning mental in every sport. The NBA has done a great job at turning strategy into a spectator sport. In the NFL, the possibly single worst athlete in the quarterback position is the best ever. They are changing too. I’m not sure MLB can adapt. I wonder whether this doesn’t just pave the way for eSports to take over.

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There are no games where the top physical specimens are without exception the best in the sport. The mind is without exception of fundamental exception to every sport, no matter what.

On the converse, esports also has fundamental physical characteristics: reaction time and ability to put out apm, for examples.

Eh...the NBA still has a ton of great athletes with dubious basketball IQ (Westbrook) and, conversely, guys with great basketball IQ who are held back by their limited physical skills (Ben Simmons, Rajon Rondo, dare I say Lonzo Ball). The best players are generally the ones who combine basketball IQ with the hand-eye coordination needed to sink jumpshots from anywhere or the athleticism to go over, through, or past the opponent at will.

Westbrook does have a good IQ but I can understand why some people could think that.

As for athleticism, I really, really, really dont understand where you are coming from with Ben Simmons lacking in that area. The only thing the guy doesn't have is a mid-range jumper. As for the rest he is a 6'10" point guard, so basically Magic Johnson with maybe a tad more athleticism.

Simmons is a great athlete, but not being able to shoot jumpers is more of a physical limitation than a mental one, so he still serves as a good counterexample to the argument that NBA success is primarily mental in nature.

I don't follow football but I'm curious. Who is the bad athlete/best player you're referring to?

Probably Tom Brady.

Tom Brady is notorious for how unathletic he was during the NFL combine before the draft (in which he was picked in the 6th round, #199). Here is a picture just to give you an idea: https://sports.cbsimg.net/images/blogs/Tom-Brady-shirtless-0...

Now I don't think there is much argument that he is the greatest player to ever play the game.

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