The Science of the NBA

I put together a visual called the NBA Archetype Chemistry Lab — and it’s based on the idea that today’s players aren’t just filling traditional roles. They’re combinations. Hybrids. Like chemical compounds.

Instead of boxing players into single labels like “point guard” or “rim protector,” this graphic breaks them down into archetype elements — SL (Slasher), SM (Shotmaker), FL (Floor General), HYB (Hybrid Freak), etc. Then it “synthesizes” them, showing players like Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton, and Wembanyama as the product of multiple skill traits.

It’s a playful but accurate way to show how the game has shifted. The specialist is dying, and we’re left with multidimensional players who defy labels. Wemby isn’t just a center. Haliburton isn’t just a passer. They’re chemistry experiments with guard tools, defensive instincts, and unique playmaking abilities — all in one frame.

Would love to hear what other player “formulas” you’d build.
What’s Shai made of? What’s Giannis? And who still plays like a pure element?

I wanted to rethink how we talk about NBA player development — not in terms of age or team systems, but through evolution. So I built a biology-inspired graphic that traces how player roles have mutated across eras.

This piece, “NBA Role Evolution: From Specialists to Superstars,” treats archetypes like living organisms. Each strand tracks the progression of a role — for example, how the “Post Bruiser” of the 90s (Charles Oakley) evolved into the “Paint Protector” (Mutombo), then into today’s “Mobile Anchor” (Jaren Jackson Jr.), and finally, the “Positionless Unicorn” (Wembanyama).

It’s a DNA map of basketball — showing how scorers, shooters, guards, and bigs have all adapted to the demands of modern play. Some roles went extinct. Others combined. And what we’re left with are athletes who blur the line between positions entirely.

The graphic isn’t meant to be definitive — it’s just one way to look at how fast the game is mutating. From static shooters to movement snipers. From floor generals to offensive conductors. It’s all part of the same genetic shift.

Curious what other “evolution trees” you think are missing — defensive wings? Stretch bigs? Or even coaches?

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