The NBA Enforcer - The Guy with the Dirty Job
By R.G. Gaznabi
Dennis Rodman.
These two words on a basketball court usually meant serious hustle, tenacious D, cleaning up the boards, getting under your skin and pretty much doing everything it takes (usually on defense) to stop the opponent.
And if Rodman was guarding you, it pretty much meant you're done (scoring...and to some extent breathing) for the day.
Dennis Rodman was an enforcer who'd be a first time selection if the NBA ever came up with an Enforcer's Hall of Fame. If I had any say, I would put Rodman in the regular Hall of Fame. Inspite of all his shenanigans, the man has five NBA rings. And he was usually the most dominant defender and "enforcer" in all those teams. Michael Jordan himself mentioned that the Bulls couldn't have achieved their second three-peat without Dennis Rodman (as compared to Horace Grant). Rodman was not only a ferocious rebounder but he was also a lock-down defender at any position. He would one day body up the collossal Shaq and the next day he would guard a nimble footed forward like Shawn Kemp (if you forgot, Kemp was All-NBAer in 1996). But that's not where it ends with Rodman. It's the other intangibles that he brings together with his defense and rebounding that makes him special...that makes him an enforcer.
Dennis Rodman will get inside your head.
What does that mean? It means that he will put the element of fear in the opponent. He will body you up. He'll bang under the boards, he'll bang in midcourt and there are times when he'll bang you even during a timeout. He will make sure that when you get on that court (and sometimes even before that) all you will be thinking is "What's Rodman gonna do if I go for a layup?". And usually the answer is, "Rodman will either block your shot or put a hard foul on your a** with zero regard for your health." Basketball is a game of reflexes. If you keep hearing a voice in your head saying that you better think twice before you do something on the court, that will definately take you out of your flow. And that's what Dennis Rodman did. And that's what made him a Hall of Fame (HOF) Enforcer in my book.
Bill Laimbeer, a former teammate of Rodman, was another HOF Enforcer who had scant respect for the opponent and didn't even try to hide it. But once again, he helped the Detroit Pistons to two championships (1989 and 1990) with his smashmouth style of play.
Now, not all NBA players who now play the enforcer role are in the same mold as Rodman or Laimbeer. But there's still a few who can make Rodman proud from time to time. Ron Artest is one of the them. He is a fearless, bull of a defender who will do anything to stop you from scoring. And if you have any concern about your health, it'd be wise not to get on Artest's bad graces. Just ask Michael Jordan. In an off-season scrimmage Artest broke two of MJ's ribs. Some say it happened inadvertently. While some say MJ was talking trash to Artest and Artest just took matters into his own hands (and then to MJ's ribs). Plus there is the historical Ron Artest brawl saga where he went into the stands during an NBA game to beat up some guy who threw a coke can at him.
Now, Ron Artest is one of top two-way (i.e. offense and defense) players in the NBA and can lock down players in multiple position. But just like Rodman, Ron Ron's reputation precedes him and most players who are being guarded by Artest will definately have multiple thoughts going through their minds that often distracts them from their natural game.
Another current example will be Reggie Evans, another tenacious rebounder and defender. This guy will do anything, and I mean anything, to hold his opponent down. Case in point, last season's playoff game Evans grabbed the testicles of Clippers center Chris Kaman.
YES...just grabbed it. No questions asked. And it just might make Chris Kaman (and all other NBA players for that matter) to think at least a little bit when they're going up against Reggie Evans.
You might say, geez all these guys are like thugs. And my answer is, that's exactly right.
If you check carefully most successful NBA teams have at least one "enforcer" in the team. Not all these enforcers are as blatant about their crimes (I call it craft) like Rodman, Laimbeer or Artest. But there are players who are definately playing the enforcer role in so many of these NBA champions.
Just look at the Spurs. A squeaky clean team image. But just ask any NBA wing player about the Spurs' Bruce Bowen and they'll tell you how Bowen will do anything, clean or dirty, to thwart someone to them away from their game.
Same goes for the Heat who have guys like James Posey and Alonzo Mourning playing the enforcer role. No matter how much star power D.Wade and Shaq brought in, they could not have done it without Zo and J. Posey's defense.
Phil Jackson's first Laker three-peat wouldn't be possible without the services of Rick Fox, another deadly, but glamorous (Hollywood actor, married to Vanessa Williams) enforcer.
The current Pistons had Ben Wallace (he's with the Bulls now) and Rasheed Wallace.
Bottom line, the enforcer is one of the most important and necessary roles for any successful NBA team.
So, even though it's not the most glamorous job in the NBA, the enforcers are abosolutely critical for a team's success and hopefully more fans (and GMs) will appreciate these guys doing the dirty jobs...the often invisible but always effective NBA Enforcer.
Dennis Rodman.
These two words on a basketball court usually meant serious hustle, tenacious D, cleaning up the boards, getting under your skin and pretty much doing everything it takes (usually on defense) to stop the opponent.
And if Rodman was guarding you, it pretty much meant you're done (scoring...and to some extent breathing) for the day.
Dennis Rodman was an enforcer who'd be a first time selection if the NBA ever came up with an Enforcer's Hall of Fame. If I had any say, I would put Rodman in the regular Hall of Fame. Inspite of all his shenanigans, the man has five NBA rings. And he was usually the most dominant defender and "enforcer" in all those teams. Michael Jordan himself mentioned that the Bulls couldn't have achieved their second three-peat without Dennis Rodman (as compared to Horace Grant). Rodman was not only a ferocious rebounder but he was also a lock-down defender at any position. He would one day body up the collossal Shaq and the next day he would guard a nimble footed forward like Shawn Kemp (if you forgot, Kemp was All-NBAer in 1996). But that's not where it ends with Rodman. It's the other intangibles that he brings together with his defense and rebounding that makes him special...that makes him an enforcer.
Dennis Rodman will get inside your head.
What does that mean? It means that he will put the element of fear in the opponent. He will body you up. He'll bang under the boards, he'll bang in midcourt and there are times when he'll bang you even during a timeout. He will make sure that when you get on that court (and sometimes even before that) all you will be thinking is "What's Rodman gonna do if I go for a layup?". And usually the answer is, "Rodman will either block your shot or put a hard foul on your a** with zero regard for your health." Basketball is a game of reflexes. If you keep hearing a voice in your head saying that you better think twice before you do something on the court, that will definately take you out of your flow. And that's what Dennis Rodman did. And that's what made him a Hall of Fame (HOF) Enforcer in my book.
Bill Laimbeer, a former teammate of Rodman, was another HOF Enforcer who had scant respect for the opponent and didn't even try to hide it. But once again, he helped the Detroit Pistons to two championships (1989 and 1990) with his smashmouth style of play.
Now, not all NBA players who now play the enforcer role are in the same mold as Rodman or Laimbeer. But there's still a few who can make Rodman proud from time to time. Ron Artest is one of the them. He is a fearless, bull of a defender who will do anything to stop you from scoring. And if you have any concern about your health, it'd be wise not to get on Artest's bad graces. Just ask Michael Jordan. In an off-season scrimmage Artest broke two of MJ's ribs. Some say it happened inadvertently. While some say MJ was talking trash to Artest and Artest just took matters into his own hands (and then to MJ's ribs). Plus there is the historical Ron Artest brawl saga where he went into the stands during an NBA game to beat up some guy who threw a coke can at him.
Now, Ron Artest is one of top two-way (i.e. offense and defense) players in the NBA and can lock down players in multiple position. But just like Rodman, Ron Ron's reputation precedes him and most players who are being guarded by Artest will definately have multiple thoughts going through their minds that often distracts them from their natural game.
Another current example will be Reggie Evans, another tenacious rebounder and defender. This guy will do anything, and I mean anything, to hold his opponent down. Case in point, last season's playoff game Evans grabbed the testicles of Clippers center Chris Kaman.
YES...just grabbed it. No questions asked. And it just might make Chris Kaman (and all other NBA players for that matter) to think at least a little bit when they're going up against Reggie Evans.
You might say, geez all these guys are like thugs. And my answer is, that's exactly right.
If you check carefully most successful NBA teams have at least one "enforcer" in the team. Not all these enforcers are as blatant about their crimes (I call it craft) like Rodman, Laimbeer or Artest. But there are players who are definately playing the enforcer role in so many of these NBA champions.
Just look at the Spurs. A squeaky clean team image. But just ask any NBA wing player about the Spurs' Bruce Bowen and they'll tell you how Bowen will do anything, clean or dirty, to thwart someone to them away from their game.
Same goes for the Heat who have guys like James Posey and Alonzo Mourning playing the enforcer role. No matter how much star power D.Wade and Shaq brought in, they could not have done it without Zo and J. Posey's defense.
Phil Jackson's first Laker three-peat wouldn't be possible without the services of Rick Fox, another deadly, but glamorous (Hollywood actor, married to Vanessa Williams) enforcer.
The current Pistons had Ben Wallace (he's with the Bulls now) and Rasheed Wallace.
Bottom line, the enforcer is one of the most important and necessary roles for any successful NBA team.
So, even though it's not the most glamorous job in the NBA, the enforcers are abosolutely critical for a team's success and hopefully more fans (and GMs) will appreciate these guys doing the dirty jobs...the often invisible but always effective NBA Enforcer.
posted by R.G. | 1:55 PM
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