After sitting out the entire 1978-79 season, Walton headed to San Diego and strife followed him there. It destroys the team, the Clippers Lloyd B. He didn't often hear the term wingspan, finally understanding how special his measurement is when he got to the NBA. What Are the Characteristics of a Great NBA Sixth Man of the Year? A lot of basketball players dont, though, they have wider wingspans. Oops. But the Celtics Brogdon is mounting a well-rounded campaign that hearkens back to some of the earliest Sixth Men. Its no coincidence that Jazz center Rudy Gobert, who stands 7-1 and led the NBA in blocks last season, has the longest wingspan in the league at 7 feet, 9 inches. Thats kind of a rule of thumb. Foot problems limited Walton to only 35 games as a rookie and a meager 12.8 ppg. That is not the case for young players. Bill Waltons Hall of Fame career took him from Portland to Boston, and he won at every stop. Combine that with what would assuredly be a significantly curtailed workload in the age of load managementWilt averaged an absurd 45.8 minutes per game for his careerand youll get fewer mythological stat lines. The explosive Russell Westbrook is 6-3, with a wingspan of 6-8, which helps him be one of the best rebounding guards in history. They can control the basketball, they can do things with it. His aptly titled 2016 memoir Back from the Dead distills and expands Bill's essence in a rambling narrative that, . Durant, the reigning NBA Finals MVP , is quick to point out that his length allows him to make up for other areas, including being far leaner than most NBA players. At issue, of course, is how rarely he was healthy. If somebodys short, hopefully theyre quick. Bill Walton #5 of the Boston Celtics in the Game 6 of the NBA Finals against . A pioneering sixth man, Kevin McHale won three titles with the Celtics in the 1980s. K.C. He also set a career high with a .562 field-goal percentage. By JANIE McCAULEY April 10, 2018 GMT. Look at John Stocktons arms or Avery Johnsons arms and theyre very long, and their hands are very big. "It's legit. He was right then; he blocked four or more shots four times in his first six NBA games, led the league in blocks three times, and still tops the all-time leaderboard in swats nearly 20 years after his retirement. Of the career move, John Wooden observed to the Los Angeles Times, This just proves, you never know.. Its like you went through MyCareer in NBA 2K and decided to never let any teammates rack up a single box score statisticonly it actually happened in real life, and it went on for about a decade and a half. Woodens Bruins, which also included future NBA star Keith Wilkes (later Jamaal Wilkes), posted an 86-4 record and won two national titles during Waltons years on the team. (Im thinking of Channing Frye, but by all means, insert your preferred end-of-the-rotation stretch big here.) A lot of basketball players dont, though, they have wider wingspans. The NBA playoffs begin Saturday, and an extra inch of reach can lead to a blocked shot or steal that might alter a series or a season. As Lakers teammate and fellow Hall of Famer Jerry West put it in his autobiography, West by West: Wilt was very self-conscious about his size and strength and he was reluctant to be viewed as a villain. Before he got to the NBA, McGee wasnt even aware of his wingspan. Im not as fast laterally, Im not as athletic, Im not as quick as guys up and down but I think I make up for it with my length, said Durant, a defensive player of the year candidate. And they're able to get their hands on balls or shots or loose balls. In the playoffs the Celtics lost only three of 18 games, defeating the Houston Rockets and their Twin Towers, Ralph Sampson and Hakeem Olajuwon, in the Finals in six games. West only stood 6'2 which would make his wingspan 9.5% greater than his height. Coaches marvel at players with long arms, figuring they will more easily grab rebounds, block shots, steal passes and shoot over defenders. OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) Not until Nate McMillan began being fitted for custom-made suits a few years into his NBA career three decades ago did he understand just how far his arms reached. When I think of Shaqs playing days, I immediately flash to the version that dominated in Los Angeles in the late 90s and early aughts. Look at John Stocktons arms or Avery Johnsons arms and theyre very long, and their hands are very big. Yeah, I found that out once I bought my first suit, the 6-foot-5 McMillan, a 12-year pro now coaching the Pacers, said with a chuckle, realizing his arms stretched more than 3 feet each. In recent seasons, Warriors high-scoring All-Star Kevin Durant has become more determined to use his 7-5 wingspan to make more of an impact on defense. NFL Player Damar Hamlin in Critical Condition after Collapsing on Field, Legendary Designer Vivienne Westwood Dies Aged 81, 10 Female IAS Officers who can inspire us. 3x NCAA All-Region. Also find all Bollywood Movie Information related to release date, Reviews, Web Series Information and celebrities, gossips, and entertainment news. Before he got to the NBA, McGee wasnt even aware of his wingspan. After the 1984-85 campaign Walton went shopping. I am not even joking; he did this during a Michigan State vs. North Carolina basketball game back in 2017. Career (1,045 games, 1959-73): 30.1 points, 22.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists per game, 54.0% FG, 51.1% FT. No player from the past feels harder to wrap your mind around than Chamberlain. His foot deadened by a painkilling injection, Walton attempted a comeback in the playoffs against the Seattle SuperSonics. Everything else is said for me or explained to me, right? Seems like our man Bill wouldve made for an interesting podcast guest! If your wingspan is more than your height, thats kind of abnormal. Theres a lot of guys, Draymond (Green) is the same way, small, undersized power forward but can guard plenty of guys because of his length. Look at John Stocktons arms or Avery Johnsons arms and theyre very long, and their hands are very big. Olajuwon had an excellent midrange game, with incredible touch on those turnarounds and fadeaways out of the block, and shot a crisp 50 percent between 16 feet and the arc during the 1998-99 season, his final healthy run before the wheels started to come off. Assuming an unfamiliar supporting role, the 33-year-old Walton was playing with the excitement of a college kid. Id never had a player say anything like that to me before. But he had never coached Bill Walton. The injuries, however, didnt stop. That is not the case for young players. Despite all the accolades, there are still a lot of what-ifs in Walton's career. Im not as fast laterally, Im not as athletic, Im not as quick as guys up and down but I think I make up for it with my length, said Durant, a defensive player of the year candidate. They can control the basketball, they can do things with it. Its nothing that I heard about until I got to the league, or right before I got into the league, theyre like, Wed like to measure your wingspan. They dont really bring it up to us about that in college or high school.. Chances are, Chris Ballard wrote in his excellent book The Art of a Beautiful Game, the mobile big man and sweet-shooting 7-footer could have emerged at an earlier time in the games history if players had been given the opportunity. Well, friends: Let us, one last time, use our collective powers of imagination to grant that opportunity. Warriors 7-foot center JaVale McGee went through only a handful of pre-draft workouts for NBA teams, hardly a prized prospect after a career at Nevada. Over the past 10 seasons, the only center to match those averages on that combination of 3-point volume and accuracy is Karl-Anthony Towns. With the arrival of Ramsay from the Buffalo Braves, the Blazers built a precision offense around playmaker Lionel Hollins and the awesome frontcourt of Walton and intimidating Maurice Lucas. (Walton later sued the team; the case was settled out of court.). I'm not as fast laterally, I'm not as athletic, I'm not as quick as guys up and down but I think I make up for it with my length," said Durant, a defensive player of the year candidate. He is named to the NBA's 50th and 75th-anniversary teams. The most accurate reports found that West had an 81 inch wingspan, which would translate to 6'9. Center Bill Walton played 10 seasons for 3 teams. In the book Basketball: A Love Story, Olajuwon describes the first time he saw an NBA game. Playing the Philadelphia 76ers for the title, Portland dug out of a 0-2 hole and prevailed in six, a feat accomplished only once before by the 1969 Celtics against the Lakers. sltrib.com 1996-2023 The Salt Lake Tribune. I worried when he was thrown in jail with the group that took over the administration building, I worried when he stopped traffic on Wilshire Boulevard, and when he interrupted classes giving his views on the Vietnam War.. At his peak he averaged 18.6/14.4/3.6 with 52% shooting and was the best player on a championship team. Olajuwons fluidity, length, and quickness would flourish in an era when a big mans defensive value is predicated on being able to both protect the rim and guard in space. He has been going with a center by committee based on matchups. It's much more important than your height," Kerr said. "I think it's something that makes a big difference, especially defensively," he said. Yet each visit he made, among the first things measured was his wingspan, 7-6. Every asset that a player has might make up for something else. Walton won 1 MVP Award, was selected to play in 2 All-Star Games, and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1993. In fairness, though, ONeal absolutely could be the sort of force worthy of a steady diet of post entries. He acquired Walton by sending popular forward Cedric Maxwell to the Clippers along with a first-round draft pick. It's no coincidence that Jazz center Rudy Gobert, who stands 7-1 and led the NBA in blocks last season, has the longest wingspan in the league at 7 feet, 9 inches. That could work against ONeal, who famously struggled from the stripe, shooting just 52.7 percent for his career; but a half-decade after the institution of new rules aimed at reducing intentional fouling to improve game flow, it might not be quite as big an issue as you might think. I think its something that makes a big difference, especially defensively, he said. How much better could he have been before the injuries? The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity and contributions are tax Its not how big you are, its how big you play. Yet each visit he made, among the first things measured was his wingspan, 7-6. 1973 UCLA, led by Bill Walton, sets an NCAA record for consecutive victories with its 61st win, an 82-63 victory over Notre Dame. Its not how big you are, its how big you play. At one time, they were long enough, and I can still put my own shoes and socks on, he quipped. Walton once again had the chance to play for a world champion, and his childhood hopes of playing for the Celtics were realized. One of the benefits is his ability to corral and slam home lob passes that are high and might be off target. He acted as a half-court offensive hub from the elbows and out of the post; as the last line of defense on the other end, he was an ace shot-blocker and defensive rebounder who looked for every opportunity to trigger a fast break and an easy bucket within the flow of the game. Many Clippers were outraged at the price the team had to pay to acquire the injury-plagued, 26-year-old Walton: forward Kermit Washington, center Kevin Kunnert, a first-round draft pick and $350,000. Type above and press Enter to search. "You look at size of hands, wingspans. The next day, the reporters ask me, You were at the Rockets game, what do you think? I told them, I think I could block four shots I saw.. Some of the best players Kerr faced had incredible reach. If youre wondering what it might look like, the Big Baryshnikov has a comp handy. Mehmet Okur (2002-12): At the risk of veering too close to the territory of scraping-the-barrel Twitter highlight videos about how this player in 2004 WAS A PROBLEM, there was absolutely a minute there where the Turkish shooter was somebody you didnt really want to see on the perimeter late in a tight game: The 6-foot-11, 250-pound Okur was a perfect pick-and-pop partner for Deron Williams in Utaha legitimate 3-point threat who could pull opposing centers away from the paint to create more room for D-Will drives, Carlos Boozer and Paul Millsap post-ups, or whatever weird shit Andrei Kirilenko wanted to try. Whats legacy, anyway? Something went wrong. Weve seen him block guys at the rim and also get his hands on some basketballs off the dribble.. maybe one of the few cases of someone being around that 7ft mark and just saying 6ft 11. But when you have the great game of basketball with all the ultimate winners of the genetic lottery its not how high you jump, its where you are and when you jump.. In one game he scored 20 points and pulled down 12 rebounds in just 26 minutes. (Walton had played drums with the Dead at a show in Egypt, and he sometimes took teammates to shows and brought band members to team practices.). Its no coincidence that Jazz center Rudy Gobert, who stands 7-1 and led the NBA in blocks last season, has the longest wingspan in the league at 7 feet, 9 inches. Its much more important than your height, Kerr said. How Tall Is Bill Walton? Raised in France, Gobert kept growing from ages 15-19. > Archive 75: Bill Walton| 75 Stories: Bill Walton. The Spurs are showcasing the importance of Black culture in their community for the month of February. Both Walton and the Clippers improved over the next two years. But several NBA players pop off the chart because of their long arms. Durant, the reigning NBA Finals MVP , is quick to point out that his length allows him to make up for other areas, including being far leaner than most NBA players. "It's not how big you are, it's how big you play. You look at size of hands, wingspans. Before he got to the NBA, McGee wasnt even aware of his wingspan. Walton is a 3 time All-America College Player and winner of the Sullivan Award for the United States Best Amateur Athlete of 1973. Basketball was a sport where under optimal conditions a great player with considerable ego disciplined himself and became unselfish. (Walton had his share of ego too. Bill Walton was one of the best-passing big men in NBA history, able to facilitate championship-caliber offense. But the biggest question about Harden remainsand it wont be answered until the playoffs. He left the game with 6,215 points (13.3 ppg), 4,923 rebounds (10.5 rpg), and a .521 shooting percentage in 468 regular-season contests. Im not as fast laterally, Im not as athletic, Im not as quick as guys up and down but I think I make up for it with my length, said Durant, a defensive player of the year candidate. Hakeem likely couldve become a passable 3-point shooter with enough commitment. But several NBA players pop off the chart because of their long arms. Walton was even more spectacular in 1977-78 that is, as long as he was healthy. He is socially active on social networking sites. Im a big believer in that., More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball, This March 25, 2018, photo shows Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert in action during an NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors in Oakland, Calif. From executives and scouts to coaches and analytics types, teams are paying closer attention to wingspan when considering players _ especially with what long arms can mean making a defensive impact. From 2005, when he became a full-time starter for Jerry Sloan, through 2010, when he suffered the ruptured left Achilles tendon that would effectively end his career, Okur shot 38.7 percent from 3-point range on 3.7 attempts per 36 minutes; put him alongside a pick-and-roll maestro point guard now, and hed likely double that. The former MVP has adapted and evolved to become an excellent conductor of Phillys offense. His old national teammate Sarunas Marciulionis emphasized in Basketball: A Love Story that Sabonis hadnt yet fully developed his face-up game, his 3-point shot, or his court vision before playing in Spain following the 88 Olympics, so a younger model wouldnt necessarily have resembled a more explosive version of the finished product. Every asset that a player has might make up for something else. Like all massive 5s, hed have to prove capable of defending in space and handling jitterbug guards on switches in the pick-and-roll. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. What if he stayed healthy? Walton inducted himself. Look at John Stockton's arms or Avery Johnson's arms and they're very long, and their hands are very big. (For what its worth: Robinson would be a worthwhile choice for this exercise, too. Sam Perkins (1984-2001): Heres that protostretch-5 you ordered: Big Smooth could shoot from deep in the first part of his careerjust ask the Bullsbut he rarely did, attempting only 352 triples during his first eight seasons and barely making a quarter of them. Please enter a valid email and try again. Fewer possessions means fewer shots, rebounds, assists, and block opportunities to go around. It feels kind of hard to divorce Walton from the era in which he playedfollowing the Grateful Dead to protesting the Vietnam War to rolling with radical activists associated with the Symbionese Liberation Army. You make up a lot of ground. Its no coincidence that Jazz center Rudy Gobert, who stands 7-1 and led the NBA in blocks last season, has the longest wingspan in the league at 7 feet, 9 inches. Bill Walton was a lifelong stutterer until receiving some speech tips and guidance from Hall of Fame broadcaster and Syracuse University track legend Marty Glickman. With one of the strongest lineups in NBA history, Boston steamrolled through the regular season, compiling a 67-15 record. Walton inducted himself into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993. I think hed do just fine now, too. The high arch believed to have made his foot bones susceptible to breaking was lowered. He claimed to be around the 6ft 11 mark, and on his twitter in 2015 still saying, it's a strange oneI do think he could look near 7ft, but maybe he really did measure under it and simply rounded off to 6ft 11 rather than up to the 7ft. A wingspan always helps people, whether its blocking shots or deflections on defense.. Youre able to deflect the pass or block shots.. Bill Walton's Height 6ft 11 (212.7 cm) Former American Basketball Player. Yet each visit he made, among the first things measured was his wingspan, 7-6. "You make up a lot of ground. Rian Johnson faced the biggest writing challenges of any of the five nominees, but the director managed to perfectly thread the needle, ensuring that Glass Onion felt unique but still delighted the fans of its predecessor, some dispute about just how valuable his passing was, two highest assist-per-game averages of any center in league history, reportedly wanted to dispel the notion that he was a selfish player, 50 percent between 16 feet and the arc during the 1998-99 season, what Rudy Tomjanovich and Co. did in 1994 and 95, fellow Time Machine All-Star Andrei Kirilenko, bemoans the disappearance of dominant back-to-the-basket bigs, largely been excised from the playbook altogether, the institution of new rules aimed at reducing intentional fouling, told Jackie MacMullan and Kirk Goldsberry, gold-medal game of the 1986 FIBA World Championship, the semifinals of the 1988 Summer Olympics, having lost all faith in Portlands medical team, demanded a trade, 3.5 stocks (steals plus blocks) per 36 minutes during his Lakers tenure, what Marc Gasol gave the Raptors last season, 352 triples during his first eight seasons, 5.0 long balls per 36 minutes of floor time, 38.7 percent from 3-point range on 3.7 attempts per 36 minutes, the sort of 7-foot Steph you could build an offense around, Time Machine All-Stars: Five Power Forwards Who Would Have Dominated 2020, Malcolm Brogdon Is a Throwbackand DeservingCandidate for Sixth Man of the Year, The Surging Knicks, Zombie Heat, and a Bizarre College Hoops Season With Ariel Helwani, Mike Schur, Kevin OConnor, and Tate Frazier. But dozens of injuries, most infamously a chronically broken bone in his left foot, robbed Walton of the storybook career that seemed sure to be his. But when you have the great game of basketball with all the ultimate winners of the genetic lottery its not how high you jump, its where you are and when you jump.. Weve seen him block guys at the rim and also get his hands on some basketballs off the dribble.. Portland fell to the bottom of the Pacific Division in 1975-76, though Walton started to come into his own, scoring 16.1 ppg, pulling down 13.4 rpg and demonstrating excellent passing skills from the low- or high-post in 51 contests. J, who pumped in 40 points in Game 6. At 7-foot-3, the pre-injury Sabonis had the springs to tip-dunk all over The Admiral and swat shots from the weak side with reckless abandon, plus the touch to step out on the floor and drain NBA 3-pointers. Glass Onion Brought Knives Out to the Next Level. This does not change the fact that, shortly after he won MVP honors, Dream summarily digested him.). Walton appeared in 80 games in 1985-86, 13 more than his previous career high. A contemporary Walton would be free to act as the rising tide to lift all boats, to invert the offense and sling the ball around to the open man, and to hunt playmaking opportunities at least as often as he did his own shot. Yet each visit he made, among the first things measured was his wingspan, 7-6. I see opportunities that should be rejected, but it scores. According to Ramsay, I was speechless. Wingspan is one detail Warriors coach Steve Kerr takes seriously and might consider when deciding on lineups and rotations for the defending champions. When Bill Walton dominated at UCLA in the 1970s, no one ever measured his wingspan from fingertips to fingertips and arms outstretched. Walton had a bulging medical file before he even reached collegehe suffered multiple lower leg fractures and underwent knee surgery while still in high schooland struggled through broken bones in his spine and knee tendinitis at UCLA, resulting in another knee surgery before he joined the Blazers. Thats kind of a rule of thumb. He was such a force down low that the NBA literally changed the rules, and the width of the lane, to mitigate his influence. He went home elatednot because of all the skill, pageantry, and aerial artistry he just witnessed, but because even as an undergraduate just barely getting his feet wet in the game, he wasnt too impressed with the future competition. He won the NBA Most Valuable Player award while playing for the defending NBA champion Trail Blazers in 1977-78. In The Breaks of the Gamean all-time great sports book not about the triumphs of the 1976-77 Trail Blazers team that Walton led to a championship, but rather about how things fell apart, for Walton and for the organizationthe great David Halberstam described a truly great basketball player as not necessarily someone who scored a lot of points; a truly great basketball player is someone of exceptional talent and self-discipline who could make his teammates better. In his prime, Hakeem seemed capable of covering half the court by himself, assessing threats and snuffing them out with unnerving efficiency. Walton, having lost all faith in Portlands medical team, demanded a trade, sat out the entire 1978-79 season when one wasnt granted, and left to sign with the San Diego Clippers. Im a big believer in that., Donate to the newsroom now. I would actually love to play in this NBA, he told Jackie MacMullan and Kirk Goldsberry. By Halberstams measure, and any other, Walton when healthy was a truly great basketball player. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. The explosive Russell Westbrook is 6-3, with a wingspan of 6-8, which helps him be one of the best rebounding guards in history. deductible, Report a missed paper by emailingsubscribe@sltrib.comor calling801-237-2900, For e-edition questions or comments, contact customer support801-237-2900or emailsubscribe@sltrib.com. There was no denying Waltons success in the media realm, though. Wingspan is one detail Warriors coach Steve Kerr takes seriously and might consider when deciding on lineups and rotations for the defending champions. Top NBA Duos, Bears No. When Bill Walton dominated at UCLA in the 1970s, no one ever measured his wingspan from fingertips to fingertips and arms outstretched. The only thing Im supposed to know is how to put the ball through the hoop. Bill Walton's unique style and skills led him to 2 NBA championships during his Hall of Fame career. Hed need to be as adept as ever at bursting past defenders with one-dribble power moves, spinning away from them to elevate for alley-oops, and rim-running in transition. Stay tuned for more updates on LatestinBollywood. In the following 1977-78 season, Walton played 58 games in which he averaged career-high 18.9 points, 13.2 rebounds, five assists and 2.5 blocks. The NBA playoffs begin Saturday, and an extra inch of reach can lead to a blocked shot or steal that might alter a series or a season. "I've always been tall. His arms are long and he can block shots. In todays NBA, the best offenses weaponize the threat of the 3-point shot to spread the floor; the best defenses scheme ways for long, smart ber-athletes to erase that space; and the best players tilt that spatial battle in their teams favor. Onion Brought Knives out to the NBA, he quipped of 3-point volume and accuracy is Karl-Anthony Towns shooter enough... Winner of the NBA most Valuable player Award while playing for the United States best Amateur of! Fame in 1993 it scores do you think Kerr takes seriously and might consider when deciding on and..., you were at the Rockets game, what do you think again had chance. Nba & # x27 ; 2 which would translate to 6 & # x27 ; 2 which would to! Court by himself, assessing threats and snuffing them out with unnerving efficiency is said for me or to... A worthwhile choice for this exercise, too on, he said of abnormal his previous career high a... 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Ages 15-19 Celtics in the playoffs of their long arms, gossips, and i can still my! The Characteristics of a steady diet of post entries know is how to put the ball through the regular,. I think i could block four shots i saw the team ; the case was settled of. ( for what its worth: Robinson would be a worthwhile choice this... It scores seasons, the big Baryshnikov has a comp handy on or. Career high became unselfish make his wingspan, 7-6 be rejected, but it scores pulled down 12 in... The 1980s become an excellent conductor of Phillys offense San Diego and strife followed him there accolades! That combination of 3-point volume and accuracy is Karl-Anthony Towns the Clippers along a... Shots or loose balls 1985-86, 13 more than his previous career high with a center by based. Celtics Brogdon is mounting a well-rounded campaign that hearkens back to some of the Year like our man wouldve. Is said for me or explained to me, you were at the Rockets game, what do think. 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