Sports

Shane Battier: There will be a female NBA player in my lifetime

Stuart Dezenhall Contributor
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In the wake of Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban saying he would draft Baylor female basketball star Brittney Griner, a debate over the legitimacy of a female player in the NBA has spread across the sports landscape.

Miami Heat forward Shane Battier added some fuel to the argument for a female player in the NBA, saying “There’s no doubt that in our lifetime, there will be a woman NBA player.”

Though the 6’8″ Griner certainly makes the most compelling case to become the first female NBA player based on her unique size, there is serious doubt about how she would fare against men.

Used to being by far the tallest player on the court, in the NBA Griner would be merely average in height and would face players with far more athleticism.

The best bet for a female NBA player will likely be a player that has advanced dribbling and shooting abilities — skills that would allow her to succeed from the outside rather than going up against seven-footers in the post.

It would certainly be fun to see Griner lace ’em up against some NBA players, but we may have to wait to see a woman actually play in a professional game.

With Battier turning 35 in September, we have a bit of time before his prediction runs out.

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Tags : nba
Stuart Dezenhall