"The man was 7’6 with the complete package and he was scared to mix it up in the paint" - Former NBA champion reveals the hardest matchup he has had in his career

The NBA is one of a kind. In a sport where small and shifty guards are currently prominent, there was a time when bigger and larger players dominated. In that era, size was prioritized over skill.

NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins, a former Boston Celtics center, engaged in a festive Q&A with his Twitter followers on Monday.

One user asked who was the hardest player to guard. The former NBA champion responded:

"Yao Ming!!! The man was 7’6 with the complete package and he was scared to mix it up in the paint."

If the modern era has proved anything, it's that there have been big men who weren't highly skilled yet still found success, and vice versa.

However, a blend of the two isn't uncommon. Since the 21st century began, there have been many big men who have been dedicated to acquiring the skills to flourish in the modern game. Yao Ming was one of them.

Ming's legacy holds high to this day. Ming, remains the only player to be named an All-Star in all the years he was healthy (eight times in nine seasons).

Ming's ability to commandeer the paint in addition to his dominance on defense meant he was a prized possession throughout his NBA tenure.

Ming's career was nothing short of revolutionary. The success of the 7-foot-6 center was immense and will not be forgotten by the Houston Rockets. The Chinese player's legacy is set in stone.

The shifting landscape of the NBA

Dallas Mavericks vs. Golden State Warriors: Game 5

The beginning of the 2000s witnessed a significant surge in franchises which depended on smaller, quicker, three-level scoring guards as their marquee players.

They believed such players possessed the key to success. The best examples of such are Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Klay Thompson and, most importantly, Stephen Curry.

The evolution brought forth by Curry and Thompson into today's league is reflected in every game. The number of players who have had to expand their arsenal in order to thrive in the league since has increased across the league.

Although this notion holds a ton of weight now, it would be delirious of fans to render the skills of centers of the past two decades as obsolete.

Today, a number of big men have adapted their style to fit the changing needs of the NBA. That includes Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid and Karl-Anthony Towns.

Essentially, in order to succeed, one must have an expansive range of weapons to nullify the opposition and prosper.