Basketball is a most taxing sport and in order to be the best, one needs to have both the skills and one’s fitness. A basketballer’s health plays an important role in the game. There have been several conversations around the younger generation of players in the NBA today allegedly having made the sport ‘soft’.

Stars of the game such as LeBron James and James Harden have brought several achievements to the game but despite everything that they do, there is constant pressure to be even better from all around. The newest to comment on their role in the NBA is an ex-leaguer from the Washington Wizards. What he has to say about the current state of the NBA might not sit well with current veterans such as LeBron.

An ex-NBA star questions the dedication of current players such as LeBron James

A professional athlete always gives their all to the sport that they grew up with. Having said that, critics always have the right to comment on any aspect of the game that they deem fit. Recently, ex-NBA star Gilbert Arenas commented on the current state of the NBA on his podcast, Gil’s Arena.

The 3x NBA All-Star talked about the fitness levels of the vets of the game and what is causing them to appear in fewer games per season. The vets in question here include the likes of LeBron James Anthony Davis, and James Harden.

Arenas said that the players are not doing the amount of practice that is required. He added, “Their bodies are not even in shape to move like it used to.” While talking about their training during the off-season, he said, “They’re not training at all.”

Arenas went on to compare the vets and their training with what he used to do as an active player. He said that they are “deconditioned” and that is why their fitness levels have dropped and why they are not playing as much as they should.

Although these are opinions coming from an ex-player, it is up to the fans, critics and the players themselves to decide how much truth lies in them. However, Arenas explained his stance as he continued in the podcast.

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Gilbert Arenas reasons why the quality of games has dropped

Arenas explained his opinion by noting the major shift in how the game is played now. He said that during his time, they were running 2.1 miles per game following a guard. Now it has dropped, as “these guards are doing a mile, mile five [1.5 miles] at best.”

He said that the reason behind it is that the distance between the three-point lines on each side is shorter than the layup and what is required to guard someone who is coming for a layup. The game has surely evolved over time, but for that to mean that the quality of the game has been brought down is an interesting take, coming from a veteran himself.

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Let’s see how LeBron James and the ballers today respond to Arenas’ information. Meanwhile, share your own views on his stance in the comments below!