Just as little by little human beings evolved, adapting to changes in the world, as sports do, they adapt as players evolve, which brings significant adjustments that make each of the disciplines that are peculiar to them unique. we know like sports.
Basketball in particular is no stranger to it, since its inception has undergone constant and considerable changes that make it the evolved sport that is today.
With the need to make tall men (who through history have mastered the sport) leave their comfort zone known as the paint (area closest to the hoop) where they were dominant, the leagues slowly sought Counter this domain and is where the idea of the line of 3 points, located about 25 feet from the hoop, just over 7 meters away. Giving him that appeal of worth 3 points instead of the traditional 2-point baskets.
The initiative arises from alternate leagues to the NBA at the beginning of the 30s, however officially it did not get involved in a league until the 1940s and it was in a match of the University League of the United States (NCAA). Over time, this modality was gradually adopted by the rest of the leagues and it was not until the 70's (1979 exactly) that the NBA formally introduced this rule.
With the passing of the years the league was adapting to what was a new stage in its history, players and coaches changed their game mode little by little to take advantage of this new facet on both offensive and defensive.
However, despite the fact that throughout history we have been a participant in great legends that shone with their own light through long distance shots, as in the case of Reggie Miller (For many the main reference in long distance shots) , Steve Kerr, Larry Bird, Peja Stojakovic, Robert Horry, Michael Jordan himself, Ray Allen, the triples have never dominated the league but have been an occasional weapon for players and coaches.
History shows us that basketball was always a game where penetrations (attacking the hoop either in double steps or a spectacular dunk), the low post game and the middle distance shots were always his cover letter, but the launch behind the triple line has been used to a lesser extent.
But the history there did not stop, the process was slow, I even consider that it was a transition that took decades but that is here to stay.
For the 2000's era, basketball begins to change, the game begins to open and less visible players begin to arrive in previous years; high players capable of dunk half and long distance in addition to doing so consistently, players like Cris Bosh, Kevin Love take the lead and open the way for what today today tends to be "normal" or "necessary" to stay in the league.
For this time everything changes, the basketball takes a drastic change and is used in a totally different way, but it is not until the time of 2010 that this resource explodes so that interns and players already consolidated in the league decided to adapt before disappearing or retire, to give examples of Greg Popovich as coach of San Antonio, reluctant to believe in 3-point pitches, and tall players like Driwht Howard, who lived off the inside game.
Leaving aside the fanaticism, but keeping the reality before you, the basketball had a drastic change from the hand of a particular player, as well as at the time Michael Jordan did to see the whole world how wonderful this sport was with its plays and exploits, likewise a player belonging to this era gave the whole world, women, children and adults that basketball can be played at a great level without the need of a great physicist, and being his letter of introduction the long distance launch. Sthepen Curry is his name, player of the Golden State Warroir, 2 times Most Valuable Player (MVP) and twice Champion of the League, with dedication and a lot of work he developed that launch that today identifies him, and in spite of not arriving to the league being a good prospect or causing great impact, managed to break the paradicmas and shine with their own light.
So much was the impact achieved by that player, that although it is true that the past two seasons there were better pitchers both in percentage and scored baskets in the area of three points that he, without doubt his seasons of 2014,2015,2016 where he had a of them with more than 400 tripled shots (only player to achieve it), he made the world and all the players, as well as the sport in general, see that it was time to change, that the triple era was here to stay.
Evidently this was the case, players, coaches and teams adapted, molded and worked to change, tall players currently use long range shooting as their offensive weapon, coaches are succeeding in their teams by means of offensive schemes that allow them to find shooters open with a large percentage of hits. And last but not least, young people every year arrive in the league with the launch of triple more and more developed, the case of Diamant Lillard with Portland that broke the record of Curry in faster to score 100 triples, record that was recently broken by a debutant in the league, the Chicago Bulls, Lauri Markkanen. Also the case of Donovan Mitchel who a few weeks ago became the player who has reached the fastest 150 triples in his career.
In short, today's basketball is a very different from its beginnings, and although many prefer the basketball of previous years where they played more physical than anything else, it is not necessary to deny that today we are in the presence of a collective basketball and with players with multiple skills capable of doing everything on the field, among several of them we can mention some of them: Demarcus Cousins, Anthony Davis, Karl-Anthony Twons, Dreamond Green, Al Horford, Kristan Porzingis, Kevin Durant, Lebron James , Paul George, Jason Tatum, Ryan Anderson, Lauri Markkanen, Mirotic, Trevor Ariza, Sthepen Curry, Kyrie Irving, Cris Paul, James Harden, Diaman Lillard, Klay Thompson, Jr Smith, Donovan Mitchel, among many others, who can also Play near the hoop, score from long distance.
And if I'm sure of something, it's that this triple was here to stay and that this legacy will continue to be in good hands.
Images edited and compiled by this author @danielct.