ABSTRACT
Basketball as it is played in college and professional leagues today was not always a reflection of the schoolyard game. The folklore of basketball is rife with stories of flamboyant players who were benched, pulled from games, or jeered by hecklers for exhibiting the flair associated with the playground. Almost every fan has heard a coach or broadcaster say, “That was a schoolyard play,” which is generally uncomplimentary. However, a combination of trends has made the improvised play and the blind pass more acceptable in conventional games. Indeed, some scholars and purist coaches would say the pendulum has swung too far—that the contemporary game is “too street.”
