Quote:
Originally Posted by bk400
I agree with you in that defense at the NBA level can be very mixed, especially during the regular season. But the talent funnel (talent pool against roster spots) relative to the size of the contracts probably makes the NBA the most competitive sport in the world. I could see Premier League football as being tied with the NBA.
I don't think you can mail it in in the NBA for very long without being cut.
As for baseball, two words: Anthony Rendon. Also, I love baseball, but it's not nearly as physically intense as basketball. Guys are playing through injuries in the NBA that would put someone on the 10-day IL in baseball (like sprained ankles).
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According to a Google search, the NHL is the hardest and most competitive sport to go pro in. The odds of a teenage hockey player making the NHL is 1 in 613. So for instance, with a huge group of over 12,000 players, only 20 would make the NHL.
That number becomes 1 in 4,000 making the NHL in regards to US High School players.
Regarding the most skilled and difficult sports to play as discussed, ESPN did a study to find this out. According to the study, they had a panel of experts "made up of sports scientists from the United States Olympic Committee, of academicians who study the science of muscles and movement, of a star two-sport athlete, and of journalists who spend their professional lives watching athletes succeed and fail". Ten categories were chosen and each sport was ranked according to endurance, strength, speed, agility, flexibility, eye-hand coordination, etc.
Their findings concluded that Boxing was the #1 most skilled and difficult, followed by the #1 team sport Hockey (2nd overall). Baseball was #9 overall, Basketball #4 overall.