Physicsteacherref I get your point
I am thinking in terms of the amount of force required to move any player, and that force cannot be applied without moving at least in part into the space previously occupied by that player. (much as a kicker kicks through the ball to apply the force to a much smaller object) More to the point, you cannot apply that much force, have that much momentum (230 pounds at top speed, whatever that is!), and react quickly enough to stop yourself at the instant you make contact. But you may stop within a foot of where you initially hit the player, and that's ok. You stopped, and the 130 pound point guard is bouncing off a wall at the opposite end of the court (call the bank shot please
)