According to The Sporting News, during one game Coach Ramsay said to Walton as he was coming off the court, Great job. Walton shot back, Great job yourself.. Its not how big you are, its how big you play. 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. Any time you think you're too small to make a difference in the world you've never spent the night alone in bed with a mosquito. This would still play: At 7-foot-1 with a reported 7-foot-8 wingspan and 9-foot-6 standing reach, having starred at both 250 pounds as a lithe rookie and a muscular 300-plus pounds during his latter years with the Lakers, Chamberlain had more than enough size, length, and strength to challenge even the burliest modern bigs. Press Esc to cancel. He returned for the Blazers postseason opener, but despite a pain-killing injection before Game 2, he couldnt continue past halftime; subsequent X-rays revealed a broken navicular bone. William Theodore Walton III Twitter : BillWalton (Big Red, Grateful Red, Red Baron, Redwood, Chief) Position: Center Shoots: Right 6-11 , 210lb (211cm, 95kg) More bio, uniform, draft, salary info Hall of Fame 2x All Star 1976-77 TRB Champ 1976-77 BLK Champ 2x NBA Champ 2x All-NBA 2x All-Defensive 1976-77 Finals MVP 1977-78 MVP 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. 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. Once he hit the other side of 30, thoughand once he got with George Karl, Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp, and the gang in SeattlePerkins started more aggressively stretching his game out to the perimeter, becoming one of the first full-fledged floor-spacing bigs in the game. I was born tall, he said. 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. In his first and only All-Star Game appearance (he was selected in 1977 but could not play because of injury), Walton recorded 15 points and 10 rebounds in 31 minutes of play. The Trail Blazers lost the series in six games and the services of Walton forever. Off the floor I worried. 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. They can control the basketball, they can do things with it. Raised in France, Gobert kept growing from ages 15-19. By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our, Man fatally injured when SUV falls on top of him near Gages Lake, Antioch officials want to focus on plans rather than gender-identity debate; This is a distraction from getting these projects completed. Walton first appeared on the national stage as a lanky college kid who exhibited a winning attitude on the court and an anti-establishment attitude off it. One of the benefits is his ability to corral and slam home lob passes that are high and might be off target. 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. He was a very athletic player. In his best yearthe 2006-07 campaign, when he earned his first and only All-Star nodOkur averaged 18 points and 7.2 rebounds per game, shooting 38.4 percent from 3-point range on 4.2 attempts per 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. (Walton later sued the team; the case was settled out of court.). At one time, they were long enough, and I can still put my own shoes and socks on, he quipped. The staggering array of injurieswhich would require some three-dozen surgical procedures over the yearscost Walton three full seasons in what should have been his prime and kept him from ever experiencing the sort of professional success for which he seemed destined while starring for John Wooden. Doing the talking for Walton was controversial sports educator and activist Jack Scott, whose presence only made an already strange situation more bizarre. Bill Walton, Former ABC/ESPN/NBC Basketball Announcer, NBA All-Star Basketball Player, UCLA All-American, and one of the fifty greatest players in NBA history, provides a place to meet and greet fans. It cant buy happiness, and I just want to be happy., Many who knew Walton, including Wooden himself, felt the young center was too susceptible to fringe ideas. Fortunately for Portland, Waltons skills spoke louder than his tongue. 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. "You make up a lot of ground. K.C. I see opportunities that should be rejected, but it scores. If your wingspan is more than your height, thats kind of abnormal. How Far Can This Version of James Harden Take the Sixers? What Are the Characteristics of a Great NBA Sixth Man of the Year? But several NBA players pop off the chart because of their long arms. Defense 94. Once limited to descriptions of birds, wingspan has become one of the most important measurements for basketball prospects over the past decade. NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLCs Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network, *Translations are limited to select pages, NBA Legends: Profiling the league's greats, Kia Rookie Ladder: State of chase after All-Star, NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer Wednesday 3/1, How the Spurs celebrated Black Heritage Night, NBA set to celebrate Noches neBA program, NBA DFS Picks: Yahoo plays and strategy for Feb. 28. I see people, they drive to the basket, I say, I must be missing something. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. . Bill Walton, byname of William Theodore Walton III, (born November 5, 1952, La Mesa, California, U.S.), American collegiate and professional basketball player who is considered one of the best all-around post players in the sport's history. 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. Height 6'11" (210cm) Wingspan 7'3" (220cm) Weight 210 lbs (95 kg) Team Portland Trail Blazers. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Walton inducted himself into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993. Last, but certainly not least, for the Time Machine All-Stars: the men in the middle. That might seem like a bit of an exaggeration: After all, Sabonis still starred in the States, averaging a double-double in Year 3, posting a player efficiency rating over 20 in six of his seven NBA seasons, and playing an integral role on Trail Blazers teams that went to consecutive Western Conference finals, including one that came within a hellacious fourth-quarter comeback of beating Shaq, Kobe, and the Lakers in 2000. As a collegian, he suffered tendinitis in his knees and injured his back. Its possible that version of Sabonis wouldnt be a generational sensation in the modern game. Its legit. Jones keyed several championship runs in Boston, both as one of its players and later as its coach. He stayed in shape by playing beach volleyball and tennis and by cycling sometimes with Grateful Dead drummer and close friend Mickey Hart. That would be pretty rad, because Orlando Shaq could fuckin move, man: Maintaining that staggering combination of power and quickness would be critical for a modern-day ONeal. Find the latest Bollywood News and Celebrity Gossips from Latest In Bollywood. Walton refractured the navicular bone in the fourth exhibition game of the 1979-80 season and played only 14 regular-season contests, averaging 13.9 points. Every asset that a player has might make up for something else. 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. Thats kind of a rule of thumb. 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. Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo is nicknamed the Greek Freak in part because he stands 6-11 with a 7-3 wingspan and giant hands. He was such a force down low that the NBA literally changed the rules, and the width of the lane, to mitigate his influence. Dude was a chiseled-from-granite gazelle with rocket boosters in his heels, a legit Defensive Player of the Year who could fit into any style or tempo. Career (468 games, 1974-87): 13.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.2 blocks per game, 52.1% FG, 66.0% FT. Weve seen him block guys at the rim and also get his hands on some basketballs off the dribble.. He spoke only to reporters he knew would present him favorably, while shunning the others, who were mostly Portland locals. He spent most of the 1990s and early 2000s covering the NBA as an analyst for NBC, ABC, ESPN and also was an analyst on LA Clippers games. 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 the midst of those broadcasting days, Walton was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993. There will be some statistical cherry-picking, because cherries are delicious, and there will be some decisions made purely on aesthetics, because we hold it as true that things that look dope should be prioritized. 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. Please enter a valid email and try again. 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.. Coaches marvel at players with long arms, figuring they will more easily grab rebounds, block shots, steal passes and shoot over defenders. He was named to both the All-NBA Second Team and the NBA All-Defensive First Team. Take a look back at the late 1970s Blazers and the impact Bill Walton had on them. His arms are long and he can block shots. Type above and press Enter to search. I was with the Boston Celtics when Russell came into the league, Lakers Coach Bill Sharman told the Los Angeles Times. Today, a prep prospect with Chamberlains physical attributes and skill would probably be given the green light to create at an early age, sanding off some of the rough edges in his ball handling and footwork. He didnt often hear the term wingspan, finally understanding how special his measurement is when he got to the NBA. it's like your wingspan . A lot of basketball players dont, though, they have wider wingspans. Plus, a Salt Lake City Recap. Most of us have the same wingspan as our height. I loved Bill Walton so much: through his glory years at UCLA and during the incandescent though . Once limited to descriptions of birds, wingspan has become one of the most important measurements for basketball prospects over the past decade. A steady vet who knows his role on defense, whos good in the locker room, and whose heart wont start racing in the postseason would make an awful lot of money sticking around these days. Its also worth noting what led to the blossoming of Wilts playmaking in the late 60s: He reportedly wanted to dispel the notion that he was a selfish player. You look at size of hands, wingspans. He could score, too, but you could run your whole offense through him, and his basketball IQ was off the charts for a 7-footer., Maybe the most exciting thing about the idea of bringing a young Sabonis to the present day is that wed get to see what he wouldve looked like playing against elite opposition every night. 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. What if he played with the Boston Celtics earlier in his 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. 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. Waltons combative relationship with the press further sullied his image. ), People dont understand that when he was younger, Sabonis was a perimeter player and he played facing the basket, longtime NBA coach George Karl, who had gotten an up-close look at him during two stints coaching in Europe, told Abrams. "There's a lot of guys, Draymond (Green) is the same way, small, undersized power forward but can guard plenty of guys because of his length. If somebodys short, hopefully theyre quick. Bill Walton is an American sportscaster and former professional retired basketball player. It was Burleson's tremendous wingspan clearing out underneath the basket that allowed Monte Towe and David Thompson to work their magic. Divac was pretty spry for a giant, ably running the floor to create for others or to finish plays as the trailer, and he used his length and instincts to be a disruptive defender, averaging about 3.5 stocks (steals plus blocks) per 36 minutes during his Lakers tenure. Give a young Wilt a steady diet of reps as a creator in the half court and more space to work with, and who knows what alternate pathways to dominance might open? Any time you think youre too small to make a difference in the world youve never spent the night alone in bed with a mosquito. And theyre able to get their hands on balls or shots or loose balls. Bill Walton was one of the best-passing big men in NBA history, able to facilitate championship-caliber offense. 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. During the season he was hampered only by a broken nose, the 13th of his 13-year career. A pioneering sixth man, Kevin McHale won three titles with the Celtics in the 1980s. Walton also used the time off to attend Stanford law school. Like all massive 5s, hed have to prove capable of defending in space and handling jitterbug guards on switches in the pick-and-roll. 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. A daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute. This does not change the fact that, shortly after he won MVP honors, Dream summarily digested him.). Its much more important than your height, Kerr said. But a version of Perkins who starts spreading his wings a bit earlier, when he still had the athleticism to be a problem on the offensive glass and explode for tip dunks, and even the quickness to be a threat running off of pindown screens for catch-and-shoot looks, might have been more than a role playerand maybe even quite a bit more. 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. Waltons career-long struggle with injury and pain began even before he achieved fame at UCLA. Before playing a single minute in the NBA, Walton knew the pains on injuries. He claimed to be around the 6ft 11 mark, and on his twitter in 2015 still saying "I am 6'11"" .. "I love it now.it took me a while to get used to standing out in the crowd, looking awkward, feeling uncomfortable. Look at John Stocktons arms or Avery Johnsons arms and theyre very long, and their hands are very big. Finally, there is Johnny Kerr, who was . Before he got to the NBA, McGee wasnt even aware of his wingspan. 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.. The mind reels at all the possibilitiesand at all the vitriol his burner accounts might unleash. 3x NCAA All-Tourney. Here was a man who once claimed to have bested a mountain lion in single combat. By visiting Celeb Heights you agree to its. 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. (Nearly.) You just do what Rudy Tomjanovich and Co. did in 1994 and 95: Surround him with shooters in a four-out set, and watch as he kicked the ball out of double-teams to open cutters and perimeter marksmen, or used that absolutely lethal face-up game to decimate overmatched defenders. Then, in February, after a 113-92 trouncing of Philadelphia, Walton was forced to the sideline with an injured left foot. The Walton-led Blazers rampaged through their first 60 games with a 50-10 record. In 33 games for the Clippers, Walton averaged 14.1 points, the fourth-highest total of his career, while shooting .528 from the field, a career high at the time. During his 13 years in the league, he played in only 44 percent of regular-season contests and left the game with a modest 13.3 scoring average. But several NBA players pop off the chart because of their long arms. During his first two years in Portland, Walton had sprained an ankle, broken his left wrist twice and dislocated two toes and two fingers. sltrib.com 1996-2023 The Salt Lake Tribune. Neither knew their wingspans then, and they still don't. That is not the case for young players. 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. Raised in France, Gobert kept growing from ages 15-19. Bill Walton. One of them was fellow Time Machine All-Star Andrei Kirilenko, who was also one of just two players in NBA history with multiple 5x5 gamesat least five points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocksto his credit. His arms are long and he can block shots. Then came what many felt was the death knell of Waltons career. I was born tall," he said. In fact, some of them might have translated even better to todays leagueand might have been even more enjoyable to watch in the 2020 NBA than they were in their heyday. Chamberlain essentially wrote the scoring record books of his era, using his physical dominance to overpower nearly every opponent he faced. You remember him: the irresistible force who tipped the scales after adding all that bulk to withstand the legions of Hack-a-Shaq implementers, the immovable object whom noted giant Yao Ming described in 2003 as like a meat wall, and the mountainous MVP who Juggernauted his way through the league to the tune of 27-and-12 on 57.5 percent shooting for a smooth eight years. Bill Walton, Former ABC/ESPN/NBC Basketball Announcer, NBA All-Star Basketball Player, UCLA All-American, and one of the fifty greatest players in NBA history, provides a place to meet and greet fans. TV Schedule Home Bio Walton Gallery Wooden News Speaking Grateful Dead Duane Roth Best of Recently Book List Latest News TV Schedule PDF He was named to the Pacific 8 All-Conference first team 3 times and was Pac-8 Conference Player of the Year for three consecutive years. I decided it might be cool to write about some of these players. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. 1 to play a stretch-5 against him to try to draw him out of the middle and keep him from walling off the paint, or run dozens of pick-and-rolls aimed at getting him switched onto guards and forcing him to defend in space. Most of us have the same wingspan as our height. The average man has a wingspan about 2 inches more than his height. When Bill Walton dominated at UCLA in the 1970s, no one ever measured his wingspan from fingertips to fingertips and arms outstretched. Coaches marvel at players with long arms, figuring they will more easily grab rebounds, block shots, steal passes and shoot over defenders. Yet each visit he made, among the first things measured was his wingspan, 7-6. While at UCLA in the early 70s, he was arrested during an anti-Vietnam War rally, publicly criticized Richard Nixon and the FBI, and reportedly flirted with leaving basketball to pursue spiritual enlightenment. His arms are long and he can block shots. Look at John Stocktons arms or Avery Johnsons arms and theyre very long, and their hands are very big. Other vital statistics like weight or shoe size measurements have been sourced from newspapers, books, resumes or social media.
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