Student of the game?

I had no idea I was a student of the game when I was a kid growing up watching basketball on television. But, I guess I was.
Back in the day, we pretty much only had one or two NBA games on television per week, usually on Sunday afternoon. It was the ritual in our neighborhood. We'd all sit in our respective houses and watch the game, then meet at Uncle Billy's house and play.
Apparently, we were all students of the game because, inevitably, someone would botch a move they'd seen on television earlier. The thing is, though, we watched the game closely enough to make mental notes. We ooh'd and aww'd over the great plays and snickered at the bonehead plays.
A lot of us would actually run outside and practice the moves we saw. I know I "borrowed" a lot of stuff like Kiki Vandeweghe's step-back, Mark Aguirre's between-the-legs set-up for his jumper, Kevin McHale's up-and-under, Bernard King's quick release. Isaiah Thomas did a look-away move on a fastbreak that I mastered. I, literally, ruined a VHS tape rewinding a move by Craig Hodges until I figured it out. I borrowed a baseline spin by Dominique Wilkins, used it once in my life and shook a defender so hard he got a headache.
You can't imagine how much time I spent perfecting the moves of the pros. The thing is, I only used them in the backyard or in random pickup games in a local gym. But we could put that much effort into our games just for bragging rights.
I watch athletes today playing in front of crowds, representing their schools and their families and we cared more playing in front of trees. I watch local games, searching for some signs of advanced play - a jump hook, a drop step, a spin move, hell, a friggin' pump fake, a give-and-go, a pick-and-roll.
Nothing!
I see stuff like this on television so I know these moves still exist.
I was talking to Coach Laymon yesterday after I watched some players botch a 2-on-1 fast break. The players didn't know how to run a 2-on-1.
"We work on that everyday," said Laymon.
"Work on it?" I said. "You shouldn't have to work on a fastbreak. That's common sense. Fill the friggin' lane. How stupid do you have to be to not know how to run a fast break?"
He laughed. Former El Dorado coach Warren Harshaw walked into the gym.
"Coach," Laymon began, "tell Tony that you have to work on a fastbreak with kids these days."
Harshaw smiled and shook his head.
"Yeah, you really do."
The coaches told me stories of how players today have to be told step-by-step how to do, what we considered instinctive parts of the game.
The game certainly has suffered. No one works on individual moves anymore. Back in the day, every guy had one or two favorite moves. Now, you'll be lucky to see anything other than 3-point heaves or out-of-control runs into the lane.
Basketball is becoming hard to watch in person, I think, because kids no longer watch on television. Where have all the students of the game gone?
I guess we've all grown up and become teachers of the game. Unfortunately, the classrooms are empty.