Alright so last week I noticed folks arguing about how wingspan matters for defense, specifically that P.J. Washington guy. Everyone keeps mentioning his crazy long arms. I figured, screw it, why not see what the fuss is about myself? Let’s get real-world with it.
Getting My Hands Dirty
First off, I dug around for what P.J.’s measurements actually are. Dude’s like 6’7” tall but his wingspan? Close to 7’2”. That’s wild. So I grabbed a tape measure and marked that wingspan out on my garage wall – fingertip to fingertip. Standing there looking at it… man, that’s way wider than I expected.
I even tried holding my own arms out all exaggerated, trying to match that reach. Lasted maybe 30 seconds before my shoulders started screaming. Makes you realize how much effort guys like that need just to carry those arms around all game!
The Court Test
Next day, I hit the local court. My plan was stupid simple: fool around with defense while really focusing on stretching out my arms. Forget fancy footwork for a sec; just see what pure reach could do.
Here’s what I forced myself to do:
- Guard a spot slightly further back than normal.
- Keep my arms constantly wide, like I was trying to hug the court.
- Always have my hands up and active, ready to swat or poke at the ball.
- Try closing out on imaginary shooters by running at them with arms already high.
Sounds basic, right? But forcing myself to use that reach constantly? That was the experiment.
What Actually Happened
At first, it felt awkward. Like, really awkward. Walking around like a scarecrow defending. But after half an hour? Stuff started clicking.
- Way More Deflections: Just walking near dribblers with my arms wide, that extra reach meant my fingertips kept brushing or tipping passes I usually wouldn’t touch. One bad pass? Bam, easy poke-away. That sht felt amazing.
- Contesting Everything: Standing a step further back felt weird initially. But guarding my guy, when he finally tried a jumper? I didn’t have to jump as high or get as close. Just lifting my arms straight up meant my hands were suddenly right in his face from a safer distance. Felt like cheating! Made his shot way harder without me flying past him.
- Closing Out Easier: Running at a pretend shooter? Instead of getting close then raising my hands, I kept ‘em high while running. By the time I got near, my hands were already covering his view. Saved effort and time.
The Real Takeaway
It wasn’t about being quicker. It was about owning more space without needing to sprint everywhere. Those long arms buy you extra reaction time. Mess up a little? That reach gives you a second chance to mess with the ball or disrupt a shot. Guarding guys felt less frantic. Like I had a bigger safety net.
Honestly? That long wingspan is like a built-in cheat code for defense. Makes sense why Washington can be such a pest even when he’s not the fastest guy out there. He literally takes up more space just standing still. Trying to replicate even a fraction of that? Totally changed how I see perimeter defense now. It ain’t just footspeed; it’s airplane wings you wear.
