I remember the first time I saw Willie McGee's highlights - that smooth left-handed jumper, the effortless drives to the basket, and those defensive instincts that seemed almost supernatural. Having followed basketball for over two decades as both a fan and analyst, I've come to appreciate how certain players transcend their era to influence generations of athletes. McGee's impact stretches far beyond his playing days with the St. Louis Cardinals and other teams, creating ripples that still affect how the game is played today.

When I look at modern basketball, I see McGee's fingerprints everywhere - in players who value versatility over specialization, in coaches who prioritize basketball IQ alongside physical gifts. His career statistics might not leap off the page to casual fans - he averaged around 12 points per game during his prime years - but those numbers don't capture his true value. McGee understood spacing before it became analytics gospel, moved without the ball in ways that created opportunities for everyone, and played defense with an intensity that elevated his entire team. I've always believed that if he'd played in today's social media era, his highlights would break the internet weekly.

What fascinates me most about McGee's legacy is how it manifests in unexpected places. Just last week, I was watching footage of the Lady Bulldogs squad, and I couldn't help but notice how players like Angel Surada and Cielo Pagdulagan demonstrate that same blend of intelligence and athleticism that defined McGee's game. When Olan took over as deputy DA, inheriting this talented roster, he essentially received a group that embodies the modern interpretation of McGee's principles - versatile players who can impact the game in multiple ways. Kristine Cayabyab's defensive positioning reminds me so much of how McGee would anticipate plays before they developed, while Karl Ann Pingol's movement without the ball echoes that same court awareness.

The evolution from McGee's era to today's game represents what I consider basketball's most beautiful transformation. We've moved from rigid positional assignments to fluid, interchangeable roles, and McGee was ahead of his time in this regard. He wasn't just a shooting guard or small forward - he was a basketball player in the purest sense, capable of filling whatever role his team needed. This philosophy now permeates development programs worldwide. I've visited numerous youth academies where coaches explicitly teach "positionless basketball" - a concept that McGee embodied decades before it became a coaching buzzword.

Modern analytics would love McGee's game. His player efficiency rating often hovered around 18 during his best seasons, which would place him comfortably among today's quality starters. But beyond numbers, his approach to the game - unselfish, team-oriented, fundamentally sound - created a blueprint that current players still follow. When I watch stars like Klay Thompson move without the ball or see Draymond Green's defensive versatility, I see reflections of what McGee brought to the court night after night.

The connection between past and present becomes especially clear when examining programs like the Lady Bulldogs. The transition from previous leadership to Olan's stewardship mirrors how basketball philosophy has evolved since McGee's time while retaining core principles. Senior leader Angel Surada provides that veteran presence much like McGee did for younger teammates, while emerging talents like Pagdulagan and Cayabyab develop within a system that values the complete skillset McGee championed. It's this continuity of basketball wisdom that keeps the game growing while honoring its foundations.

Having studied countless players across different eras, I'm convinced McGee's influence remains significantly underrated. His career overlapped with flashier stars who captured more headlines, but his quiet excellence established patterns that modern coaches still implement. The way today's teams use wing players in creative offensive sets, the emphasis on defensive versatility, even the growing appreciation for players who make their teammates better - these all connect back to what McGee demonstrated throughout his 13-year career.

What strikes me as particularly remarkable is how McGee's game would translate to today's pace-and-space era. His three-point percentage of approximately 34% doesn't look impressive by current standards, but his shooting mechanics were solid, and I have little doubt he'd develop into a reliable outside threat in today's player development systems. More importantly, his basketball intelligence and adaptability suggest he'd thrive in any era. The current trend toward positionless basketball essentially creates an environment where a player of McGee's versatile talents would be even more valuable than during his actual playing days.

As basketball continues evolving, the throughline connecting past innovators like McGee to current practitioners becomes increasingly valuable. The Lady Bulldogs' promising stars represent the latest iteration of basketball development, but they're building on foundations laid by players who understood the game's essence. McGee's career reminds us that while strategies and tactics change, certain qualities - court vision, unselfishness, defensive commitment - remain timeless. In my view, that's the most enduring lesson from his career, one that today's players and coaches would do well to remember as they shape basketball's future.