# Fastest Player Currently in the NBA from Baseline to Baseline?



## Seanzie (Jun 9, 2003)

This is an on-going argument I've been having with a couple of my friends. Who do you guys consider the fastest player in the NBA right now? Concrete numbers would be cool, but since none really exist, who do you consider fastest?

I usually make the argument for Derrick Rose. A few others I've heard are Russell Wesbtrook, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.


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## Kidd (Jul 2, 2009)

John Wall is lightning fast.


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## Tersk (Apr 9, 2004)

Rodrigue Beaubois


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## Diable (Apr 26, 2005)

They run some sort of sprints at the combine you'd think. They should have suicide races in the all star break, see how many volunteers they have for that.


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## ATLien (Jun 18, 2002)

Rose is a lot faster than the three you mentioned. LeBron and Wade, really?


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## kbdullah (Jul 8, 2010)

It's gonna be a point guard. Lebron and Wade are fast for their positions, but they aren't quicker than the top point guards.

Rose, Westbrook, Wall come to mind and you also do have guys (yes, like Roddy) who strike you as fast but you haven't seen enough of them to really peg them at the top.


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## Maravilla (Jul 6, 2010)

Barbosa is still likely in the ballpark for fastest in the league.


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

With or without the basketball?


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## BlakeJesus (Feb 1, 2006)

Jeff Teague looked pretty quick


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## sMaK (Jun 13, 2002)

Nate Robinson played DB at Washington so I'd imagine he's pretty fast. Rondo is another one who is probably really fast.


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## AirJay (Aug 5, 2005)

Without a basketball probably Nate Robinson or another miniature PG. With the basketball I would guess Teague, Beaubois, Barbosa, or Rose.


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## Pump Bacon (Dec 11, 2010)

Imo you can probably count Nate and Rondo out. Nate had knee surgery in March and Rondo was banged up throughout the year including dealing with plantar fasciitis. 

I'd go with Westbrook. He's also got amazing stamina, dude was still quick even in 3OT.


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## Sleepepro (Oct 24, 2008)

Didn't Harris do it in like less than 4 seconds during the allstars one year?


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## Tooeasy (Nov 4, 2003)

monta ellis is another speedster.


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## futuristxen (Jun 26, 2003)

Why would people think the fastest would be a small point guard? They may look faster but longer strides cover more ground quickly. 

If we're talking quickness I think it's Rose, Teague, or Wall--but end to end, it's gotta be someone 6-7 to 6-9.


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## ChrisWoj (May 17, 2005)

I agree with Xen. It will be someone a bit taller, slightly longer legs with a more powerful stride. And Harris doing it in four seconds? Not impressive. If baseball players can hit low 3s for 90 feet out of a batters box, NBA athletes can certainly do it.


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## Diable (Apr 26, 2005)

As I understand it long legs take longer to reach top speed. They would help you in the 100 meter dash against Usain Bolt, assuming that you were able to work out the problems with a long stride which complicates the entire process. When you watch professional sprinters you see that some take long strides and some take shorter more frequent strides. A basketball court is only 28 meters, so the important thing is to reach top speed as quickly as possible.


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## roux (Jun 20, 2006)

futuristxen said:


> Why would people think the fastest would be a small point guard? They may look faster but longer strides cover more ground quickly.
> 
> If we're talking quickness I think it's Rose, Teague, or Wall--but end to end, it's gotta be someone 6-7 to 6-9.


Not really, you are talking about 100 feet from one end to another, quickness out the gates is going to trump a long stride in that short of a run


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## Pump Bacon (Dec 11, 2010)

JJ Barea ftw


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## Seanzie (Jun 9, 2003)

I was talking about who can get up the court fastest with the ball in their hands. It doesn't really mean much if you're fast without the ball in your hands.

I always find myself impressed when Rose gets out and runs. His dribbling technique on the fast break is really something to behold.


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## seifer0406 (Jun 8, 2003)

At gunpoint, who's faster between Oden and Yao?


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## goodfoot (Feb 28, 2009)

They both would get hurt and have to crawl half the race.


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## DaBruins (Jul 30, 2003)

IMO probably John Wall or Darren Collison


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## yodurk (Sep 4, 2002)

Derrick Rose & John Wall are the 2 standouts when moving WITH the basketball, based on the eye test. I'm sure Westbrook is up there too.

Lebron James has the fastest "top speed", meaning he is the fastest when he gets momentum going and he'd probably win in a 100-meter dash, but from a standstill the guards would have a quicker start.

It's hard to know who'd win without a basketball in their hands, we just don't witness guys running full speed without the ball too often, at least that's not where our attention is during a game.


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## Spaceman Spiff (Aug 2, 2006)

Ish Smith


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## 77AJ (Feb 16, 2005)

I would have to go with Aaron Brooks.


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## o.iatlhawksfan (Mar 3, 2006)

ChrisWoj said:


> And Harris doing it in four seconds? Not impressive.


Can you do it?


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## Diable (Apr 26, 2005)

It's rather routine for a point guard to go the length of the floor and get off a good shot in around 3.5 seconds of clock time, obviously they try to do this in the most advantageous way, letting the ball roll as far upcourt as possible for example. Still since you know that it's common for speed position football players to run the 40 yard dash in around 4 seconds you'd have to suspect that the fastest basketball players can the length of the court in just over 3 seconds.


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## EGarrett (Aug 12, 2002)

http://www.draftexpress.com/nba-pre...ll&sort2=ASC&draft=0&pos=0&source=All&sort=16

Looks like the fastest guys on record, in order, were Cookie Belcher, Sonny Weems, Nate Robinson, and _Joe Alexander_.

Interesting.


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## John (Jun 9, 2002)

futuristxen said:


> Why would people think the fastest would be a small point guard? They may look faster but longer strides cover more ground quickly.
> 
> If we're talking quickness I think it's Rose, Teague, or Wall--but end to end, it's gotta be someone 6-7 to 6-9.


Just say James if you want.


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## Job (Feb 28, 2011)

Westbrook, Rose and Wall look fast. What all these Guards have in common is they really don't seem that much slower while dribbling.


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