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Versatile and/or positionless players

Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:09 pm
by Mike G
At b-r.com we see the % of minutes for every player at each of the 5 traditional positions. Some have played 100% of their minutes at a single position; and I found 26 with significant minutes and less than 50% at any position.
Ranked by lowest % at any position:

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player     tm   PG   SG   SF   PF   C
Oubre      GSW   0   36   38   25   1
Robinson   Mia   0   41   34   25   0
Roby       OKC   0    0   24   42  34
Shamet     Brk  14   35   43    8   0
Harden     Brk  29   44   28    0   0

Nwaba      Hou   0    9   44   40   7
Satoransky Chi   4   42   44   11   0
Milton     Phl   3   46   44    7   0
Watanabe   Tor   0    8   44   46   2
Windler    Cle   0   46   43   11   0
https://www.basketball-reference.com/te ... ml#all_pbp
Some players in these lists have yet to find a position where they are particularly effective. Others are terrific at several.
Highest % of minutes at secondary position:

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player     tm   PG   SG   SF   PF   C
Wiggins    GSW   0    0   48   49   3
O Porter   Chi   0    3   48   49   0
J Green    Dal   2   50   47    2   0
P Williams Chi   0    2   47   51   0
T Davis    Tor   5   48   46    1   0

Doncic     Dal  49   46    5    0   0
J Johnson  SAS   0    5   46   49   0
J Brown    Bos   0   46   51    3   0
J Hall     OKC   5   45   47    2   0
Bradley    Hou  49   45    6    0   0
I did not spot any 50-50 players with >200 minutes
Players who have gotten real minutes at 3 positions:

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player    tm   PG   SG   SF   PF   C
Harden   Brk   29   44   28    0   0
Oubre    GSW    0   36   38   25   1
Robinson Mia    0   41   34   25   0
Harris   Brk    0   25   48   27   0
Roby     OKC    0    0   24   42  34

D Miller OKC   28   49   24    0   0
LaVine   Chi   24   50   26    0   0
Hampton  Den   26   51   22    0   0
Diallo   OKC   18   52   26    4   0
Thybulle Phl   29   53   17    2   0
Korkmaz  Phl    0   17   58   24   1
A few have played 4 positions for at least 4% of their time:

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player      tm   PG   SG   SF   PF   C
Shamet     Brk   14   35   43    8   0
Nwaba      Hou    0    9   44   40   7
Diallo     OKC   18   52   26    4   0
Ennis      Orl    4   32   52   12   0
Satoransky Chi    4   42   44   11   0
Watson     Tor    5    4   63   28   1
We are now in the 'position-less' zone rather than what most would consider 'versatile'.
And 2 players have been ascribed at least 2 minutes at every position:

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player  tm   PG   SG   SF   PF   C
Watson  Tor   5    4   63   28   1
J James Sac   2   10   68   20   1
Several of these guys appear in multiple lists. To rank them all, I've added their % like this: (#1 pos) + 2*(#2pos) ... + 5*(#5 pos). A player who is 100% in a single position gets a 1.00; a 50-50 guy (there are none) would be 1.50, and there are about 70 players at or above this level; all have performed in at least 3 positions.

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versatility       tm   PG   SG   SF   PF   C
1.89   Oubre     GSW    0   36   38   25   1
1.87   Shamet    Brk   14   35   43    8   0
1.86   Harden    Brk   29   44   28    0   0
1.84   Robinson  Mia    0   41   34   25   0
1.82   Roby      OKC    0    0   24   42  34

1.79   Nwaba     Hou    0    9   44   40   7
1.77  Satoransky Chi    4   42   44   11   0
1.77   Harris    Brk    0   25   48   27   0
1.77   D Miller  OKC   28   49   24    0   0
1.74   Diallo    OKC   18   52   26    4   0

versatility       tm   PG   SG   SF   PF   C
1.74   LaVine    Chi   24   50   26    0   0
1.70   Thybulle  Phl   29   53   17    2   0
1.69   Hampton   Den   26   51   22    0   0
1.68   Ennis     Orl    4   32   52   12   0
1.68   Hampton   Orl   39   49   11    2   0

1.67   Milton    Phl    3   46   44    7   0
1.67   Dotson    Cle   39   47   14    0   0
1.66   Watanabe  Tor    0    8   44   46   2
1.65   Oni       Uta   13   48   39    0   0
1.65   Windler   Cle    0   46   43   11   0

versatility       tm   PG   SG   SF   PF   C
1.64   Bazemore  GSW    0   35   51   13   1
1.63   Dozier    Den    3   43   47    6   0
1.63   Sumner    Ind   13   54   33    1   0
1.63  T-Anderson GSW    0   49   40   10   1
1.63   Harden    Hou   16   53   31    0   0
The most-versatile 20-20-20-20-20 player would have a 3.00 V-index
4 x 25 would be 2.50, and 3 x 1/3 is 2.00