So for the third time I am going to interject running into this thread.
The thing about comparing basketball is that it is very subjective.
Whereas running is objective.
I can score 100 points in a basketball game against the right competition.
When you have 4 guys that can average 45s flat splits it doesn't matter who they are competing against. There is no defense in track.
Is it possible that some of these pro basketball players that ride the bench haven't improved since college?
How would we know?
Do undrafted college kids get a legitimate tryout to take the place of some these bench riders who have contracts?
We know the pro players can't go back and compete for colleges.
Of course, physical maturity is a big advantage in basketball so the pros have a big advantage there.
In track, we know there are collegiates fast enough to beat pros.
But maybe that is because there is not a great quantity of people that pursue track as a profession.
Basketball surely has much more competition of people fighting to continue as a professional.
Just thinking out loud.
Some of these pro basketball teams just don't have any team chemistry and the players seem complacent with their paycheck.
In a one game scenario, a good college team may have a shot at a bad pro team in a 40 minute game.