Whats PSD's definition of "Talent"

[nickdymez]

I've been hearing this word thrown out ever since Lebron said he was taking his to south beach. But what exactly does it mean? Are "Talent" and "Skills" synonomous?

[b@llhog24]

No.

[RonE Coleman]

Talent for me is skills, technique, post moves, footwork, etc. (Guys like Jordan in his 30s, Kobe, Pierce come to mind) (Even look at guys like Andre Miller, he is no where near a physical specimen but has had a good career by being smarter than other people and having a lot of technique.

Lebron is talented but relies on freak athleticism and raw ability. Its impossible to stop a 6'9 275 man driving to the rim at full speed without fouling him. That's not talent, that is simply being a Freak of nature.

[b@llhog24]

"Talent"

1) the natural endowments of a person

2) a special often athletic, creative, or artistic aptitude

"Skills"

1) the ability to use one's knowledge effectively and readily in execution or performance

2) dexterity or coordination especially in the execution of learned physical tasks

3) a learned power of doing something competently : a developed aptitude or ability.

Merriam-Webster

[nickdymez]

Talent for me is skills, technique, post moves, footwork, etc. (Guys like Jordan in his 30s, Kobe, Pierce come to mind) (Even look at guys like Andre Miller, he is no where near a physical specimen but has had a good career by being smarter than other people and having a lot of technique.

Lebron is talented but relies on freak athleticism and raw ability. Its impossible to stop a 6'9 275 man driving to the rim at full speed without fouling him. That's not talent, that is simply being a Freak of nature.

This is why i ask.

[Chronz]

"Talent"



"Skills"



Merriam-Webster

What if your skill is aided by your talent? Like Bird has great court vision, I would say thats a talent but others say the art of passing is a skill too. What then?

[nickdymez]

What if your skill is aided by your talent? Like Bird has great court vision, I would say thats a talent but others say the art of passing is a skill too. What then?

This.

[Money_23]

What if your skill is aided by your talent? Like Bird has great court vision, I would say thats a talent but others say the art of passing is a skill too. What then?

every player needs a combination of talent and skill to be at least a competent player. You can't find out whether you are talented at something if you don't put forth any effort in it in the first place. Both are very closely connected.

[b@llhog24]

What if your skill is aided by your talent? Like Bird has great court vision, I would say thats a talent but others say the art of passing is a skill too. What then?

Court vision is a talent imo because it's innate. I'm not so concerned with your first premise because obviously having a skills + talent would make you a more productive/effective player. Players like Tmac, Vince, Hakeem are great examples of this. I remember you saying something along the lines of "if Gerald Green (an insanely talented individual) ever gets a handle (which is a skill) then it's over for the league." I was just answering the OP's question in a general sense.

[torocan]

What if your skill is aided by your talent? Like Bird has great court vision, I would say thats a talent but others say the art of passing is a skill too. What then?

Court vision is a talent. Understanding that vision is a knowledge based skill. Passing is a physical skill.

One defines the ability to see what is happening, another is the comprehension to assess a situation and make correct decisions, while the last is the physical response to those assessments.

Talent in the NBA is too often measured in physical attributes (hops, speed, strength, lateral movement, etc), and not enough credit is given to non-physical attributes (heart, competitive spirit, court vision, and leadership).

Nash has no Hops, mediocre speed, average strength. It's the non-physical attributes that make him special.

Unfortunately, the non-physical attributes are harder to see.

And people often confuse physical attributes with skill based attributes. Like the ability to shoot a free throw is more about skill than athleticism. With correct form, decent eyesight and sufficient practice anyone can become a good free throw shooter.

This applies as well to most forms of jump shooting.

While there are skills that are heavily dependent on athleticism. Dunking, first step, speed down the floor all apply here, however once you reach a certain threshold, the benefits of additional athleticism becomes somewhat marginal. For example, once you can run faster than most other players on the break, how much does it really benefit you to run 20% faster than that? Or if your eyes are good enough to see the hoop clearly, how much more would a sniper's vision really help you on a free throw?

It makes one wonder how many potentially gifted NBA players get missed because they don't jump high enough....

[Minimal]

I knew this thread will come out sooner or later. I have already answered the question in top 10 talent thread.

Talent=Skill

[JasonJohnHorn]

Here is what Webster's says:

tal·ent (tlnt)
n.
1. A marked innate ability, as for artistic accomplishment. See Synonyms at ability.
2.
a. Natural endowment or ability of a superior quality.
b. A person or group of people having such ability: The company makes good use of its talent.
3. A variable unit of weight and money used in ancient Greece, Rome, and the Middle East.

It would seem using this definition, talent would speak to innate talent, like athleticism. In that case, passing and shooting would be seen as skills, but size, stregnth and athleticism would be talent.

[Ebbs]

They aren't synonymous or seperate

[ManRamForPrez24]

People used to bash LeBron because they said he was really only good because of his athleticism and natural talent, rather than skill. They certainly are not synonymous...but rarely is it completely one or the other. They usually compliment each other or even fuel the other. They often do mean the same thing.

But there is a difference

However, I personally don't see why we care whether someone is successful because of talent or skill. Who cares HOW you get it done? It doesn't matter. If you're great, you're great. Doesn't matter how it gets done. LeBron isn't any less the player because he is an exceptionally athletically talented. Results are all that matter.

[lolPhillies]

I've been hearing this word thrown out ever since Lebron said he was taking his to south beach. But what exactly does it mean? Are "Talent" and "Skills" synonomous?

Threads like this are why the NBA forum is trash. Who gives a rat's rear end what "PSD's" definition of a word is. The only definition that should concern you are anyone else is the one found in any credible dictionary of the English language. Because that's what the actual word means. Words don't mean what you want them to mean or what's convenient for you to have it mean. In the time it took you to make this a thread, you could have looked up definitions in several credible dictionaries and educated yourself further. Instead you made a worthless thread because you feel the need for attention or want to troll.

A recommendation to people like this guy: Next time you have a genuine question about what something means, look it up yourself. If you have issues with what the answer is and feel compelled to discuss it further, then make a thread. This isn't a classroom nor a library, we aren't here to educate you for free. This is just beyond ridiculous. Let me go make a thread in the NFL forum now: What does "exasperation" mean to you? To me it means, "hungry". I will even add a poll.

What a worthless thread.