Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules. Basketball is one of the world's most popular and widely viewed sports.
Basic rules
A regulation basketball hoop consists of a rim 18 inches (45.7 cm) in diameter and 10 feet (3.05 m) high mounted to a backboard. A team can score a field goal by shooting the ball through the hoop during regular play. A field goal scores two points for the shooting team if a player is touching or closer to the hoop than the three-point line, and three points (a "3 pointer") if the player is "outside" the three-point line. The team with more points at the end of the game wins, but additional time (overtime) may be issued when the game ends with a tie. In the anime, it is based on FIBA rules of 10 minutes per quarter, with 5 fouls causing an ejection. The ball can be advanced on the court by bouncing it while walking or running (dribbling) or passing it to a teammate. It is a violation (traveling) to walk with the ball, carry it, or to double dribble (to hold the ball and then resume dribbling).
Basketball court
Various violations are generally called "fouls". Disruptive physical contact (a personal foul) is penalized, and a free throw is usually awarded to an offensive player if he is fouled while shooting the ball. A technical foul may also be issued when certain infractions occur, most commonly for unsportsmanlike conduct on the part of a player or coach. A technical foul gives the opposing team a free throw.
Basketball has evolved many commonly used techniques of shooting, passing, and dribbling, as well as specialized player positions and offensive and defensive structures (player positioning) and techniques. Typically, the tallest and strongest members of a team will play the "center" or "power forward" positions, while slightly shorter and more agile players will play "small forward", and the shortest players or those who possess the best ball handling skills and speed play "point guard" or "shooting guard".
While competitive basketball is carefully regulated, numerous variations of basketball have developed for casual play. Competitive basketball is primarily an indoor sport played on carefully marked and maintained basketball courts, but less regulated variations are often played outdoors in both inner city and rural areas.
Positions
The Generation of Miracles and their basketball positions
Although the rules do not specify any positions whatsoever, they have evolved as part of basketball. During the first five decades of basketball's evolution, one guard, two forwards, and two centers or two guards, and one center were used. Since the 1980s, more specific positions have evolved, namely:
Point guard: usually the fastest and shortest on the team. Takes command of the team and calls the plays, much like a Quarterback in American Football. Usually has good ball handling and a good shot. Passing skills, steals and court vision are characteristic abilities of point guards. Notable PGs are Seijūrō Akashi, Makoto Hanamiya, Kazunari Takao, and Shun Izuki. Notable point guards from the NBA past and present: Bob Cousy, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West (who could also play shooting guard due to his ability to score), Earvin "Magic" Johnson (once started at center as a rookie for his injured teammate, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), Isiah Thomas, Gary "The Glove" Payton, Penny Hardaway, John Stockton, Jason Kidd, Steve Nash, Chris Paul, Rajon Rondo, Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook, John Wall, Damian Lillard, Kyrie Irving, Kyle Lowry, Luka Dončić, and Stephen Curry.
Shooting guard: creates a high volume of shots on the offense, and is responsible for guarding the opposing teams shooter as well. They take many shots; especially 3 pointers, and are able to cut to the basket as well. Notable SGs are Shintarō Midorima, Tatsuya Himuro, Reo Mibuchi, and Junpei Hyūga. Notable shooting guards from the NBA past and present: Michael Jordan, Reggie Miller, Kobe Bryant, Clyde "The Glide" Drexler, Allen Iverson (who played point guard during his early years before primarily switching to shooting guard), Ray Allen, Tracy McGrady, Vince Carter, Richard "Rip" Hamilton, Dwyane Wade, James Harden, DeMar DeRozan, Devin Booker, Jaylen Brown and Klay Thompson.
Small forward: not big enough for the frontcourt, too slow for the backcourt. A very well rounded player, can do everything any other position can do, just not as well. They're very fast and strong, however they're not fast or strong enough for the other positions. Notable SFs are Ryōta Kise, Kotarō Hayama, and Shōgo Haizaki. Even though Kuroko's position is noted as a question mark, his assumed positions would be closest to small forward out of the five. Notable small forwards from the NBA past and present: Elgin Baylor, John Havlicek, Julius Erving, Larry Bird, James Worthy, Dominique Wilkins, Scottie Pippen, Grant Hill, Paul Pierce, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Carmelo Anthony, Jayson Tatum, and Rui Hachimura.
Power forward: are extremely tall big men or wide shorter men, typical power forwards are not fast or good jumpers. They play a very center-like way, and are very crafty. They are typically faster than a center, but not faster than a small forward. With good strength, some are able to power out a center. Many power forwards in the NBA can be used as centers, or may be the tallest players in the team, but with slimmer build than centers, so they start as PFs. Notable PFs are Daiki Aomine, Taiga Kagami, and Chihiro Mayuzumi. Notable power forwards from the NBA past and present: Kevin McHale, Karl Malone, Dennis Rodman, Charles Barkley, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol, Chris Bosh, Kevin Love, Blake Griffin, Anthony Davis, Giannis Antetokounmpo (entered the league as a tall SF), and Kristaps Porzingis.
Center: are most if not always the tallest on the court. Ranging from 6'10" and above, they use height and power to score points and hustle for boards. Great centers come with a variety of post moves, most are unable to shoot 3-pointers consistently, but can make mid range jumpers. In the modern NBA, however, it is common for big men at both the 4 and 5 positions to develop a 3-point shot which helps space the floor for their team. There has also been a recent influx of "small ball" centers, ranging from 6'9" and under but still have enough weight and power to play the position. Notable Cs are Atsushi Murasakibara, Teppei Kiyoshi, and Eikichi Nebuya. Notable centers from the NBA past: Bill Russell, Wilt "The Stilt" Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Robert Parish, Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon, Patrick Ewing, David Robinson, Alonzo Mourning, Dikembe Mutombo, Shaquille O'Neal Tyson Chandler (Due to his small frame when he entered the NBA, he started as an oversized SF), and Yao Ming. Notable centers from the NBA present: Al Horford, DeMarcus Cousins, Andre Drummond, Marc Gasol, DeAndre Jordan, Joel Embiid, Karl-Anthony Towns, Nikola Jokic (Due to his passing skills, he has started at point guard on one occassion), and Bam Adebayo (A modern example of a small ball center).
The above descriptions are flexible. For most teams today, the shooting guard and small forward have very similar responsibilities and are often called the wings, as do the power forward and center, who are often called post players. While most teams describe two players as guards, two as forwards, and one as a center (or 2 guards, 1 swingman (SG/SF) and two big men (PF/C), or even two centers), on some occasions teams choose to call them by different designations. There are even exceptional cases where taller forwards cover the point guard spot. They are known as "point-forwards" like Scottie Pippen late in his career or for a more modern example, players like LeBron James or Ben Simmons.
While the positions are not enforced, they are usually the best route to win games. Some teams may use something called a 'small' lineup, where they take out the center and occasionally the power forward to create a lineup of small and quick players. It's highly effective if used in the correct scenario.
This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia (view authors).
In Kuroko no Basuke
Basketball plays an important role in Kuroko no Basuke, as it is the main theme. All the characters that have appeared either play basketball, are coaches or are managers. The manga only focuses on high school basketball, with teams from different schools competing against each other. These teams compete in tournaments, like the Interhigh, the Winter Cup and the Nationals. This basketball scene mainly takes place in Tokyo.
Over-Analysing the Realism of Kuroko’s Basketball – 1Up Culture
It’s always nice to find two of your favourite things combined together, and it’s even better when it actually works. So when I came across the anime “Kuroko’s Basketball” (also known as ‘The Basketball which Kuroko Plays’ and ‘Kuroko No Basuke’), which combines basketball with what essentially amounts to superpowers, it was an easy sell. With the third and most likely final season done and dusted, and because the NBA season doesn’t start for another month and I’m having withdrawals, I wanted to look back on the series and analyse the ‘powers’ that are present.
The series has had some criticism heaped on it because it got too unrealistic as some crazier talents were introduced, but I’ve always maintained that many of these abilities, while mightily exaggerated, were designed within the realms of actual basketball. So I’m going to break down a few of the abilities on display and consider their real world potential. I’ll be ranking the abilities through two measures: How overpowered they are in the anime/manga, and how possible it would be to replicate it in a real world game. I’ve also compiled clips from the anime to represent each power, and also a close NBA analogue to see how it might work in real life.
Warning! Spoilers for all three seasons ahead. Generally if you’ve seen the player in action you should be fine as I don’t mention final scores or anything too critical to the plot, but you might get a moment or ability spoiled if you aren’t too careful with what you read.
Kuroko Tetsuya’s Misdirection
The phantom sixth man of the Generation of Miracles (GOM), Seirin star player and titular character, Kuroko’s basketball style is utterly unique (mostly…). At first glance he doesn’t seem all that dangerous, and that’s entirely the point. Slipping through offense and defensive sets undetected, he is able to change the trajectory of a pass or come from nowhere to steal the ball.
At the core of this is the concept of misdirection. While star players like Kagami Taiga draw eyes on them because of their skill level, Kuroko directs attention away from him. While his power base develops the most of anyone in the series, to the point where he becomes a far more prominent player and more than just a shadow, at the core of his game is essentially being invisible on the court until he makes a play.
Overpowered-ness: 5/10
Real World Possibility: 6/10
This is a tough one, and its ‘possibility’ comes down to what level you play at. Even at the top level you will sometimes see a player manage to sneak out of an opponent’s coverage and get wide open (this is easier with someone like James Harden guarding you). The scramble to stop this mistake often leads to easy shots, which Seirin use to great effect . At lower levels, players might drop their focus on a weaker player completely to try to stop a better player, leading to similar chances. It’s not exactly misdirection, but it can achieve a similar effect. Ballwatching, where a player’s attention is on the ball rather than the player, tends to be the defender’s mistake, and this is why much of Kuroko’s initial play revolved around him never holding the ball for too long.
If Kuroko is on the court too long this power is lost as people grow accustomed to him, and when his play becomes more spectacular the effect is also lost (this becomes a major plot point in one of the later games). Both of these aspects help ground the concept of misdirection, but in reality it would only take one or two of his touch passes or steals to get noticed, as opposed to a sizeable chunk of the game. The theory behind it is sound enough, especially when working in conjunction with a stronger player like Kagami (and since many players do watch the ball rather than the man), but it also uses some leaps on logic to make it applicable. Misdirection Overflow, a variant which helps the team disappear, is far less realistic.
On the topic of Kuroko, his touch passes, while extravagant, are perfectly reasonable. The Ignite Pass and Ignite Pass Kai are less so however. Full court passes happen (see Kevin Love) but not with the kind of action Kuroko uses, and definitely not with the kind of power and speed seen in the Kai variation. The best case example of this is seen below with Manu Ginobli, which has already been Kuroko-ised for my benefit.
Midorima Shintaro’s Three Point Range
While Kise is the first GOM Kagami faces, Midorima proves to be one of his more important opponents. Facing off twice in close matches as well as interacting quite a bit off the court, the big shooter from Shutoku is one of the more well rounded GOM characters. His ability is also one of the more impressive. He was touted early on as the team’s shooter, being able to knock down three point shots with ease. What becomes apparent though is he can knock them down from anywhere. First proclaiming his range extends to the half court line, and then knocking several shots down from full court. He is so confident in his shot that he routinely starts walking back on defense (when he’s not shooting from full court) before the ball has swished through the basket. He’s not just capable of making this nigh impossible shots, he expects to make them.
Overpowered-ness: 8/10
Real World Possibility: 2/10
Look, knocking down long distances shots is possible. There are plenty of YouTube videos of NBA stars and even amateurs doing so in practice. Doing so in a game, especially consistently, is another matter entirely. There’s a reason you only see shots from half court and beyond taken when the quarter is about to end. The chances of hitting them are too slim to justify being ‘open’, and trying it in a game is a sure way to get benched. Stephen Curry, who’s making a case for being one of the greatest three point shooters in NBA history, averages 44% from beyond the arc. Midorima would consider that a horror stretch of bad shooting. Also, regular shooting form is generally sacrificed to make that kind of distance, but outside of taking longer to shoot Midorima still retains his form. Truthfully, this ability would be more overpowered in real life than it was presented in the anime. Consistent full court shooting ability? That’s a game-breaker right there.
Paul George shows off his best Midorima impression below, keeping a pretty regular form throughout too. As for walking back before the shot has landed, we’ve seen it done successfully (Stephen Curry) and unsuccessfully (look up Nick Young celebrates 3 point miss on Youtube)
Aomine Daiki’s Formless Shot
The ace for the Generation of Miracles, the former light to Kuroko’s shadow, and the primary antagonist for most of the series, Aomine Daiki proves to be the true litmus test of Seirin’s growth. When suitably challenged by a worthy opponent, Aomine is able to unleash an array of impossible shots alongside his blinding speed and agility. The formless shot, developed in his early days playing streetball as a kid amongst men, negates the need for orthodox shooting form. This allows him to take shots as he fades and falls across different angles. They are highlight plays in every sense of the word, and prove to be a real thorn in the side of Kagami and Seirin.
Overpowered-ness: 9/10
Real World Possibility: 4/10
There is a reason street ball rarely works in the NBA. Flashy moves and crazy off-balance shots might look cool, but they are high risk, low reward scenarios. If you’re looking for examples of the Formless shot in the NBA, your best bet is to search for circus-shots. These are typically last option prayers as a player finds himself off-balance and cornered. When it works, it throws the crowd into a frenzy, but the circus shot is almost exclusively reserved for last ditch efforts rather than a go to move like it is with Aomine. And while he basically never misses, the typical circus shot ends with a turnover and possibly a fast break for the other team. It’s not that these shots don’t happen in the NBA, but they don’t form the basis of an offense, and you certainly wouldn’t be so sure of taking them in a game like Aomine is.
Aomine’s formless shot might not really work in the real world, but that isn’t to say his game is completely unrealistic. The change of pace dribble moves he uses are effective and dangerous tools in games, and the street ball philosophy of flashy dribbling can be seen by Jamal Crawford types in the NBA. His game style is best linked with Allen Iverson, who combined street ball with athletic ability and even pulled out his fair share of circus shots. The body control to execute the formless shot, while exaggerated with some of the angles, is a part of getting bumped and completing a shot. Iverson below demonstrates a real case example of that body control as well as the borderline unfair finish.
Murasakibara Atsushi’s Defense
[Not much in the way of examples on Youtube, to get the full picture you’d need to watch the episodes he’s in, but here’s an AMV to give you an idea]
Of all the Generation of Miracles, Murasakibara Atsushi’s abilities are the least specialised. While each other member has one completely unique ability, the big centre from Yosen was just a beast. His only specialised move, Thor’s Hammer, is just a powerful dunk. But for most of the show the focus is on Murasakibara’s defense. Heading up the best defensive team in the league Yosen, known as the Shield of Aegis, Murasakibara and co managed to keep two consecutive teams from scoring at all in the Winter Cup. He is able to guard the entire area within the attacking team’s 3 point line, making any shot that isn’t a three ripe for blocking, and his agility allows him to defend multiple shot attempts if people try to pass out of a shot he’s defending. It’s an ability, but it lacks the specifics of a Formless Shot or Emperor’s Eye.
Overpowered-ness: 7/10
Real World Possibility: 7/10
His abilities are pushed to unrealistic standards sure, but the ability to nullify an offense is not unheard of. The reality of the situation would be more missed shots than straight blocks, but a long and agile player with great defensive instincts like Anthony Davis can create the kind of havoc shown by Murasakibara. Part of why he is so deadly on defense is that he also has a strong defensive team backing him up. Even some of his more impressive offensive feats, like breaking the backboard or dunking on multiple defenders, has been done by his most accurate physical, offensive and personality analogue: Shaquille O’Neal (coincidentally, Murisakibara is my favourite on the show, and Shaq is my favourite all time basketballer).
To get an idea of what his defense would look like it real life, here’s a clip of Anthony Davis covering most of the court (#23 in navy). Through the play he directly affects all four players who touch the ball, and aids in denying the fifth one a touch. Yes the rest of the team is doing their job, but even before he blocks two shots in the space of two seconds (from different shooters) you can see him forcing the offense to pass out of plays and rethink their moves. So while Murasakibara being the unholy spawn of Davis on defense and Shaq on offense is a thought no NBA team wants to have to face off against, the way he plays isn’t all that unrealistic. In fact, Murasakibara Atsushi may be the most realistic player on the Generation of Miracles. Now that is a scary thought.
Tatsuya Himuro’s Mirage Shot
Sorry for the lack of video, apparently the Yosen series isn’t worth breaking up into specific clips outside of the final moments. The Mirage shot was used by Kagami’s old friend Himuro to confuse the Seirin defense. The shot allows Himuro to ‘fake’ a shot if people try to block his jumper, by throwing it to himself in a way that makes the defense think he’s shooting. After they’ve missed the block, he then takes a second shot which is now unguarded. If they don’t bite on the jumpshot, then he simply shoots it. Either way, it’s all but a guaranteed two points. It’s made possible because of how smooth Himuro’s game is. He easily transitions from fake to dribble to shot making it hard for the defense to react, both to his normal plays and the Mirage Shot.
Overpowered-ness: 6/10
Real World Possibility: 0/10
In the real world, it’s illegal. Fakes are perfectly fine, and we see it plenty both in the real game and in Kuroko. But the mirage shot, which is basically Himuro throwing it slightly in the air to himself to then shoot, is a rule violation. The only way it would be legal is if the ball is touched by the opposition player on the first release, which would let Himuro re-gather the ball and shoot. Otherwise it’s a violation. Maybe if he wasn’t covering one of his eyes with his hair he’d see the problem with this shot.
Seijuro Akashi’s Emperor Eye
While Aomine was billed as the ace of the Generation of Miracles, as the show went on a figure loomed over the rest of the players. Seijuro Akashi, point guard and captain of the Generation of Miracles as well as Rakuzan high (despite being a first year) was quickly built up as the most dangerous threat. His main weapon was the Emperor Eye, which allowed him to see his opponent’s every movement, from subtle shifts in body weight to their damn heart beat, to which he could “see the future of his opponent’s moves”. With this he would stop shot attempts, intercept passes and most impressively, break the ankles of virtually any defender who tried to stop him, allowing him to score unopposed.
Overpowered-ness: 9/10
Real World Possibility: 6/10
This is a weird one, because it gets described in different forms. Initially several players would describe the Emperor’s Eye as allowing Akashi see briefly into the future, which more or less instantly threw it into the realms of impossibility. But as the show went on, it became less about that and more about reading a player’s precise movements (this is especially true when Kise replicated it while using Perfect Copy). While being able to see a player’s heartbeat is ridiculous, reading your opposition’s movements is one of the best ways to anticipate a play. As such, blocking Midorima’s shot or breaking someone’s ankles is perfectly realistic. At the top level players study footage of their opponents, to the point they too can essentially predict how they might attack on offense and in turn negate that.
The ‘ankle breaker’ component of Emperor’s Eye is also realistic. It is a popular highlight play, and is executed much in the same way Akashi does it, using dribble moves to throw the defender off-balance, and often completing one final move which brings them down. Watch the below clip of Andre Igoudala to see this kind of move in action. Reading someone’s balance makes this far easier, so the theory behind Akashi’s eye works in this scenario if you approach is not as foresight but acute judgement of a player’s movements. At a top level though you’re not breaking everybody’s ankles. Even the elbow pass Akashi pulls off against Shutoku has been done in an NBA game before by ‘White Chocolate’ Jason Williams.
Various: Zone and its Variations
Warning: This next section is pretty spoiler heavy. Proceed with caution.
This is the pinnacle of a player’s strength. Only a few chosen ones – true greats – can enter what is called the zone, a period of time where the individual is at peak athleticism and ability. He can move faster, jump higher and pull off moves so effortlessly that nobody can really stop you…unless your opposition number can enter the zone too. It’s on a time limit though, and once that expires the player is basically wrecked stamina wise.
There are also variations of this displayed in the game between Rakuzan and Seirin. Both team’s aces enter the zone on their own, and the time limit aspect here is more or less thrown out the window. Both display a variation on the zone however. First, through Akashi’s skillful point guard play he helps his entire team enter a weaker form of zone, and then Kagami reaches a ‘second level’ of zone, which is known as Direct Drive Zone. This stage creates lightning fast team orientated play to get open looks, though one mistake can break this zone.
Overpowered-ness: 9/10
Real World Possibility: 7/10
The biggest problem caused by the zone was that is became something of a crutch in staging comebacks. While it was an amazing feat to see Aomine and then Kagami reach this stage, it started to lose its edge as it kept getting used, to the point you were expecting it in each game. The time limit function helped to build drama, but that limit became rather arbitrary and only affected a player when the writers wanted it to. It ended up being a little ‘cheap’ in the anime, although it made for some amazing moments.
In the real world, being ‘in the zone’ is an accepted phrase for when a player is playing at his absolute best. This can happen at any level and indeed in any sport. I myself have had those patches in a game where everything just comes easy to me and everything I do works. Even the Akashi team variant is feasible. This is done through Akashi making perfect passes, and again receiving the ball at the perfect spot makes a shot or drive to the basket so much easier. Get this consistently, and the rhythm the team can build lifts the entire group’s play up significantly. Of course, in real life there is no lightning trailing from the eyes of a player in the zone, but we can’t have everything. The anime (and manga) take some liberties with the concept, and while in universe it had some flaws there is some legitimacy to the concept if you accept that it operates differently to how Kuroko’s Basketball presents it.
I’m also going to rope in Kise Ryouta’s Perfect Copy here, since it works as a similar time limit based ‘superpower’ akin to zone, where he is able to replicate all of the GOM’s abilities over a five minute span. In the end it’s more a specialised version of ‘zone’, but for an example of Kise’s copycat nature just compare Kobe Bryant’s entire play-style with Michael Jordan’s…
The best recent example of a player being ‘in the zone’ probably comes from Klay Thompson’s record breaking quarter. Everything just clicked and he could do no wrong. It’s also an example as to why a ‘Midorima’ player would be so overpowered in real life. He’s knocking down three’s with the defense scrambling to stop him. Imagine that from half court and beyond.
Conclusion
Many of the abilities shown in Kuroko’s Basketball are not entirely unrealistic, but they are amplified ten fold for the sake of the anime/manga. Many of the other minor abilities, like Hyuga’s Barrier Jumper (step-back), Kagami’s Meteor Jam (Blake Griffin throwdown style dunk) and Kiyoshi’s Vice Claw are also parts of the game that you can see in the NBA. They are presented as dramatic and special, and they are, but what is often overlooked in this anime is how accurate the game is portrayed. Constantly there are accurate strategies employed like the box and one, full court press and techniques like screening and drawing fouls. Even some of the psychological aspects of a game has a base grounded in the realistic and are presented in surprising detail, to the point it is clear that the creator didn’t just pick the sport because it could be flashy, but because they actually enjoy the game.
As a basketball fan, it added a lot to what was a fun if over the top series. Yes some of the powers were ridiculous if the series tried to be completely realistic, but it never tried to be that. This was a world where basketball ability could essentially be determined by the colour of your hair. But for all of the outrageous moments presented in Kuroko’s Basketball, there was also a surprising level of detail to it all. Honestly, the most consistently unrealistic part of the series when it came to the depiction of basketball was in the amount of time they had to think and talk. Between their monologues and internal patterns of thought there would have been so many shot clock violations. Ultimately, the abilities presented here are kind of crazy, but Kuroko was always aiming to be a super powered game of ball, so the more ludicrous moments come with the territory. What it does well is incorporate these elements within a functioning analogue to the sport, grounded in some kind of basketball strategy and ability.
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Football rules! "Kuroko's Basketball" - Chapter 26
The Generation of Miracles sat in the living room and waited for Akashi to come, the boys were due to have two weeks off soon so they wanted to convince Seijuro to go home, but it wouldn't be that easy to convince him since he wanted to spend two weeks of hellish training
His silhouette was finally visible, Aomine breathed in, his hands were trembling, well, like the others, Kise hid behind Daiki and quietly already saw his funeral. Akashi opened the door and looked amazingly at the guys
- Why don't you sleep, we have a game tomorrow, - Akashi answered, he put the papers on the table and sat down in front of the guys, - Is there something on my face or what?
- No... - said Midorima
"Captain, let's get down to business," Aomine said, everyone looked at him
- Wow, so official? - Akashi grinned, - For the first time in my life, you need to order the most expensive wine from the most elite restaurant
- May I have some more sweets? asked Murasakibara
"Yes, today is a very good day. .." replied Seijuro
- I'm serious now! Can we go to Japan! shouted Aomine
- What? - Akashi looked at them, everyone was silent, after five minutes he smiled, - Of course, but we must defeat the next team with a score of 50/198 in our favor, more can be, but not less than
- It's unreal!
- How can this be!
- Easy and simple - Akashi went to his office
- He's a monster - Kagami replied and dropped the ball
- Did you just figure it out? You missed a lot,” Aomine replied, and Kise just nodded, Midorima took his phone and started calling someone
- Who are you calling, Midochi? asked Ryota
- Brother, he has a game soon, I wanted to congratulate him, - he answered, Aido answered the phone, Midorima's phone was broken, so their conversation could be heard in the room on the second floor
- What happened? Aido asked,
screaming in the background
- I just wanted to wish you good luck in the game - Midorima replied, and again the interference, Aido fell silent and those screams could be heard
- I've had enough! I'm opening a modeling agency! - someone shouted
- Why do you need a modeling agency? - another voice asked
- Yes, because the coach is handsome, the players are generally like angels, you can cut down a lot of money for them, think with your head! - shouted that
- So you want to sell them on the black market? - asked the third
- Kuro. ..
- Thank you, of course, but please don't call me for a month. Kai don't touch my talisman! - with these words, he hung up, midorima sighed heavily and sat down on the sofa
- it was always difficult with him, - answered midorima
- We already understood that, - they all said in unison
- Although it's strange that your brother plays football and not basketball - looked at Shintaro Kagami
- It's a pity, - everyone looked at Midorima, - In basketball, he can do not only three-point shots, but also dunks, he is an excellent power forward and center, a wonderful sniper, but he gave up everything because of football.
Notable PGs are Seijūrō Akashi, Makoto Hanamiya, Kazunari Takao, and Shun Izuki.
With good strength, some are able to power out a center. Many power forwards in the NBA can be used as centers, or may be the tallest players in the team, but with slimmer build than centers, so they start as PFs. Notable PFs are Daiki Aomine, Taiga Kagami, and Chihiro Mayuzumi.
There has also been a recent influx of "small ball" centers, ranging from 6'9" and under but still have enough weight and power to play the position. Notable Cs are Atsushi Murasakibara, Teppei Kiyoshi, and Eikichi Nebuya.
While most teams describe two players as guards, two as forwards, and one as a center (or 2 guards, 1 swingman (SG/SF) and two big men (PF/C), or even two centers), on some occasions teams choose to call them by different designations. There are even exceptional cases where taller forwards cover the point guard spot. They are known as "point-forwards" like Scottie Pippen late in his career or for a more modern example, players like LeBron James or Ben Simmons. 
All the characters that have appeared either play basketball, are coaches or are managers. The manga only focuses on high school basketball, with teams from different schools competing against each other. These teams compete in tournaments, like the Interhigh, the Winter Cup and the Nationals. This basketball scene mainly takes place in Tokyo. 
So I’m going to break down a few of the abilities on display and consider their real world potential. I’ll be ranking the abilities through two measures: How overpowered they are in the anime/manga, and how possible it would be to replicate it in a real world game. I’ve also compiled clips from the anime to represent each power, and also a close NBA analogue to see how it might work in real life.
At first glance he doesn’t seem all that dangerous, and that’s entirely the point. Slipping through offense and defensive sets undetected, he is able to change the trajectory of a pass or come from nowhere to steal the ball.
At lower levels, players might drop their focus on a weaker player completely to try to stop a better player, leading to similar chances. It’s not exactly misdirection, but it can achieve a similar effect. Ballwatching, where a player’s attention is on the ball rather than the player, tends to be the defender’s mistake, and this is why much of Kuroko’s initial play revolved around him never holding the ball for too long.
Misdirection Overflow, a variant which helps the team disappear, is far less realistic.
Facing off twice in close matches as well as interacting quite a bit off the court, the big shooter from Shutoku is one of the more well rounded GOM characters. His ability is also one of the more impressive. He was touted early on as the team’s shooter, being able to knock down three point shots with ease. What becomes apparent though is he can knock them down from anywhere. First proclaiming his range extends to the half court line, and then knocking several shots down from full court. He is so confident in his shot that he routinely starts walking back on defense (when he’s not shooting from full court) before the ball has swished through the basket. He’s not just capable of making this nigh impossible shots, he expects to make them.
There’s a reason you only see shots from half court and beyond taken when the quarter is about to end. The chances of hitting them are too slim to justify being ‘open’, and trying it in a game is a sure way to get benched. Stephen Curry, who’s making a case for being one of the greatest three point shooters in NBA history, averages 44% from beyond the arc. Midorima would consider that a horror stretch of bad shooting. Also, regular shooting form is generally sacrificed to make that kind of distance, but outside of taking longer to shoot Midorima still retains his form. Truthfully, this ability would be more overpowered in real life than it was presented in the anime. Consistent full court shooting ability? That’s a game-breaker right there.
This allows him to take shots as he fades and falls across different angles. They are highlight plays in every sense of the word, and prove to be a real thorn in the side of Kagami and Seirin.
It’s an ability, but it lacks the specifics of a Formless Shot or Emperor’s Eye.
Through the play he directly affects all four players who touch the ball, and aids in denying the fifth one a touch. Yes the rest of the team is doing their job, but even before he blocks two shots in the space of two seconds (from different shooters) you can see him forcing the offense to pass out of plays and rethink their moves. So while Murasakibara being the unholy spawn of Davis on defense and Shaq on offense is a thought no NBA team wants to have to face off against, the way he plays isn’t all that unrealistic. In fact, Murasakibara Atsushi may be the most realistic player on the Generation of Miracles. Now that is a scary thought.
The Mirage shot was used by Kagami’s old friend Himuro to confuse the Seirin defense. The shot allows Himuro to ‘fake’ a shot if people try to block his jumper, by throwing it to himself in a way that makes the defense think he’s shooting. After they’ve missed the block, he then takes a second shot which is now unguarded. If they don’t bite on the jumpshot, then he simply shoots it. Either way, it’s all but a guaranteed two points. It’s made possible because of how smooth Himuro’s game is. He easily transitions from fake to dribble to shot making it hard for the defense to react, both to his normal plays and the Mirage Shot.
Otherwise it’s a violation. Maybe if he wasn’t covering one of his eyes with his hair he’d see the problem with this shot.
Watch the below clip of Andre Igoudala to see this kind of move in action. Reading someone’s balance makes this far easier, so the theory behind Akashi’s eye works in this scenario if you approach is not as foresight but acute judgement of a player’s movements. At a top level though you’re not breaking everybody’s ankles. Even the elbow pass Akashi pulls off against Shutoku has been done in an NBA game before by ‘White Chocolate’ Jason Williams.
Proceed with caution.
Get this consistently, and the rhythm the team can build lifts the entire group’s play up significantly. Of course, in real life there is no lightning trailing from the eyes of a player in the zone, but we can’t have everything. The anime (and manga) take some liberties with the concept, and while in universe it had some flaws there is some legitimacy to the concept if you accept that it operates differently to how Kuroko’s Basketball presents it.
It’s also an example as to why a ‘Midorima’ player would be so overpowered in real life. He’s knocking down three’s with the defense scrambling to stop him. Imagine that from half court and beyond.
Constantly there are accurate strategies employed like the box and one, full court press and techniques like screening and drawing fouls. Even some of the psychological aspects of a game has a base grounded in the realistic and are presented in surprising detail, to the point it is clear that the creator didn’t just pick the sport because it could be flashy, but because they actually enjoy the game.
Ultimately, the abilities presented here are kind of crazy, but Kuroko was always aiming to be a super powered game of ball, so the more ludicrous moments come with the territory. What it does well is incorporate these elements within a functioning analogue to the sport, grounded in some kind of basketball strategy and ability.
Akashi opened the door and looked amazingly at the guys 
.." replied Seijuro 
.. 
