20 Second Timeout

The Groaning and Grumbling About the NBA's 65 Game Rule is Unfounded

Media members, players, and fans are groaning and grumbling about the NBA's rule that a player must participate in at least 65 games to be eligible for most regular season awards, including regular season MVP. The main complaint is that it is somehow unfair that a player who misses at least 22% of the season (at least 18 games out of 82) is barred from winning the regular season MVP. It should be emphasized that this rule was collectively bargained and agreed upon by the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association.

The NBA's regular season has lasted 82 games since 1967-68, with the only exceptions being the lockout shortened seasons in 1998-99 (50 games) and 2011-12 (66 games), and the COVID-19 shortened seasons in 2019-20 (64-75 games) and 2020-21 (72 games).  

I have noted that it used to be a given that NBA players tried to play in as many games as possible:

In 1982-83--when Moses Malone and Julius Erving led the Philadelphia 76ers on a glorious, record-setting 12-1 playoff run culminating in a 4-0 NBA Finals sweep of the defending champion L.A. Lakers--39 NBA players played in all 82 regular season games, and Clemon Johnson played in 83 regular season games (51 with Indiana, followed by 32 with Philadelphia). An additional 22 players played in 81 regular season games. Those numbers were typical for that era; in 1981-82, 42 players played in all 82 regular season games, and three players played in more than 82 games, while an additional 21 players played in 81 regular season games. 

It was a given during that era that MVP level players rarely missed games. From 1967-82, the NBA regular season MVP played in 81 or 82 games every year except for 1978, when 1977 NBA Finals MVP Bill Walton captured the regular season MVP despite being limited to 58 games due to injuries--and Walton was not "load managing": he was legitimately injured. Erving won four regular season MVPs during his ABA/NBA career; in those MVP seasons, he played in 84, 84, 84, and 82 games (the ABA regular season lasted 84 games). Malone won three regular season MVPs during his ABA/NBA career; in those MVP seasons, he played in 82, 81, and 78 games.

Playing all 82 games used to be a badge of honor for NBA players.

From 1983-98, every NBA regular season MVP played in at least 76 games, 11 regular season MVPs played in at least 80 games, and six regular season MVPs played in all 82 games. In the lockout shortened 1998-99 season, regular season MVP Karl Malone played in 49 of 50 games. From 2000-11, every NBA regular season MVP played in at least 71 games, and six of them played in 81 or 82 games. In the lockout shortened 2011-12 season, regular season MVP LeBron James played in 62 of 66 games. From 2013-2019, every NBA regular season MVP played in at least 72 games, and three of them played in at least 80 games. In the COVID-19 shortened 2019-20 season, regular season MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo played in 63 of 73 games. In the COVID-19 shortened 2020-21 season, MVP Nikola Jokic played in all 72 of his team's games. In the past three regular seasons, 2023 MVP Joel Embiid played in 66 games, 2024 MVP Nikola Jokic played in 79 games, and 2025 MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander played in 76 games.

The 65 game rule was not needed previously because (1) it was a given that players tried to play in as many games as possible, and (2) it was a given that the regular season MVP would play in the vast majority of that season's games. If the rule had existed in the past, the only MVP race that would have had a different outcome is 1978, when George Gervin would have won because Bill Walton would have been disqualified. I am fine with the voters choosing Walton--who dominated during the 1977 season (when he played in 65 games and finished second in regular season MVP voting) before dominating during the 1977 playoffs (leading Portland to the NBA title while winning the Finals MVP) and then dominating during the first part of the 1978 season before getting injured--but I would also be fine with the voters choosing Gervin based on Gervin playing at a very high level while participating in all 82 games. 

The 65 game rule is needed now because (1) it is no longer a given that players try to play in as many games as possible and (2) the league, the players, and the MVP voters are so soft that without a firm rule in place an award for full season excellence might be given to a part-time player. Specifically regarding this season, it is unfortunate that several MVP caliber players may fall below the 65 game threshold, but if that happens then the MVP award should go to the best player who performed on a full-time basis. Contrary to the groaning and grumbling, that would not represent an injustice or some kind of dramatic break with history; it would maintain the correct way that MVP voting has consistently been done: a big part of being an MVP is being available for most of your team's games, and the voting trends from before the 65 rule game existed demonstrate this.

Kawhi Leonard is a good example. He is a two-time NBA Finals MVP (2014, 2019) because he was the best performer on the winning team while playing in every game of both of those series. It would have been illogical to give the Finals MVP to a player who missed several games in those series. During Leonard's 14 season career, he has played in at least 65 games four times (he still has a chance to reach the 65 game mark this season if he plays in at least nine of the Clippers' remaining 10 games). In those two seasons, he finished second and third in regular season MVP voting, and he won a Defensive Player of the Year award. His only other top five finish in regular season MVP voting happened in 2020, when he ranked fifth after playing in 57 out of 72 games. Leonard won the 2015 Defensive Player of the Year award in 2015 despite playing in just 64 games, but Draymond Green (who played in 79 games that season) had more first place votes (45-37). Under the current rule, Leonard would not have won the 2015 Defensive Player of the Year award, and that would have been a fair result: if you are not available to your team for a substantial portion of the season, then your "value" is diminished accordingly and it is difficult to argue that you are the "most valuable." 

The 65 game rule is not harming any players because from a practical standpoint it is not eliminating from award consideration anyone who would have likely won an award based on the way that voting has been done historically. The rule merely codifies the unwritten rule that existed for decades and it does so in a way that emphasizes to players the importance of being available. Players get paid guaranteed money whether they play or not, but they should not be guaranteed consideration for awards during seasons when they miss a substantial number of games. The number 65 is no more arbitrary or punitive than any other number, and having a defined rule in place is a sad necessity considering how soft the NBA has become; the alternative would be a farcical situation in which a player is named MVP despite playing barely half the season. 

The regular season MVP award is named after Michael Jordan, who played in all 82 games in four of his MVP seasons and who played in 80 games in his other MVP season; if the NBA gets rid of the 65 game rule and a player who plays in 50 or 60 games wins the regular season MVP then the award should be renamed for Joel Embiid or Adam Silver or perhaps the "Advanced Basketball Statistics Load Management MVP Award."

Labels: Bill Walton, Julius Erving, Kawhi Leonard, load management, Michael Jordan, Moses Malone, NBA MVP

posted by David Friedman @ 10:23 PM

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Reflections on Bill Walton's Legacy

The global basketball community is mourning the passing of Bill Walton, who died this morning at the age of 71 after a long battle with cancer. Despite being plagued by injuries, Walton is one of the most accomplished and decorated players in basketball history. He led UCLA to undefeated national championship seasons in 1972 and 1973 before losing to David Thompson's North Carolina State squad in the 1974 national semifinals. Walton was honored as the Naismith College Player of the Year in all three of his varsity seasons (1972-74), and he was the Most Outstanding Player in the NCAA Tournament in 1973 and 1974. In UCLA's 87-66 championship game win versus Memphis State in 1973, Walton scored 44 points on 21-22 field goal shooting while also grabbing a game-high 13 rebounds. That is perhaps the greatest single game performance in college basketball history, and Walton is on the short list of the greatest college basketball players ever, along with Bill Russell and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (known as Lew Alcindor during his college career). Walton admired UCLA Coach John Wooden, and often quoted Wooden's sayings, such as "Failing to prepare is preparing to fail" (which originated with Ben Franklin), and "Never mistake activity with achievement."

Walton played just 468 regular season games during an NBA career spanning 1975-88, but he earned the 1977 NBA Finals MVP, the 1978 regular season MVP, and the 1986 Sixth Man Award. Walton's 1977 Portland Trail Blazers are the youngest championship team in NBA history, and the Trail Blazers started 50-10 the next season before Walton suffered a serious foot injury; with a healthy Walton, that squad could have been contending for NBA titles into the 1980s. After retiring as a player in 1988, Walton had a long career as a basketball commentator on TV, overcoming a stuttering problem to become an Emmy Award winner and one of the sport's most beloved characters.

Walton always focused on team success more than individual honors, so the twin highlights of his NBA career were the championships he won in 1977 as a dominant player and in 1986 as a sixth man for a powerful Boston team featuring fellow Hall of Famers Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, and Dennis Johnson. In between those two peaks, Walton spent nearly a decade in basketball wilderness but he refused to give up his belief that he could reach the mountaintop again.

Portland trailed Julius Erving's Philadelphia 76ers 2-0 in the 1977 NBA Finals before reeling off four straight wins. In the decisive sixth game, Walton and Erving had a showdown for the ages: Erving poured in 40 points on 17-29 field goal shooting while dishing for eight assists and grabbing six rebounds, but Walton led the Trail Blazers to a 109-107 win with 20 points, 23 rebounds, seven assists, and eight blocked shots. Walton averaged 18.5 ppg, 19.0 rpg, 5.2 apg, and 3.7 bpg during the 1977 NBA Finals. 

Walton and Erving are both members of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 1993. They participated in a memorable Legends Roundtable with Bill Russell and Bob Lanier in 2011. I met all four of those legends, and I interviewed Erving and Lanier. Russell is the greatest winner in North American team sports history, while Erving, Lanier, and Walton were at the height of their powers when I first learned to love basketball as a child. It is sobering that Erving is the only one of those four who is still living. 

Erving posted a heartfelt tribute to his friend and on-court rival:

After the 1977 championship season, Walton played in just two more playoff games with Portland before leaving the team acrimoniously in 1979 as a result of how the franchise handled his injuries. David Halberstam memorably told the story of Portland's championship season and the sad aftermath in his classic book The Breaks of the Game. 

Walton averaged 11.9 ppg and 9.0 rpg in part-time duty with the Clippers from 1979-85, first in his hometown San Diego, and then in Los Angeles after the team moved. Walton enjoyed the healthiest season of his career in 1985-86 as the first player off of the bench for one of the greatest NBA teams ever, the 67-15 Boston Celtics that cruised to the championship with a 15-3 playoff run. He averaged 7.6 ppg, 6.8 rpg, and 1.3 bpg while shooting .562 from the field in 80 games. That was Walton's last hurrah, as injuries limited him to 10 regular season games in 1986-87, and spot duty in 12 playoff games as the Celtics lost to the L.A. Lakers in the 1987 NBA Finals. Walton missed the entire 1987-88 season due to injuries before officially announcing his retirement. 

Walton was an elite rebounder, passer, and defensive player. He was an efficient scorer who had a .521 career field goal percentage. Walton was selected to both the NBA's 50 Greatest Players List and the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team.

As tributes pour in for Walton from teammates, opponents, and fans, it is evident that he will be remembered not only for his basketball greatness, but for the impact he had on the many lives that he touched.

Labels: Bill Russell, Bill Walton, Boston Celtics, Dennis Johnson, John Wooden, Julius Erving, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kevin McHale, Larry Bird, Portland Trail Blazers, Robert Parish, UCLA

posted by David Friedman @ 11:50 PM

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Would NBA Players Give Up Guaranteed Salaries in Exchange for Amending the Player Participation Policy?

Prior to this season, the NBA instituted a Player Participation Policy to curb load management and implemented changes in the Collective Bargaining Agreement stipulating that any player who fails to play in at least 65 out of 82 regular season games is ineligible for several major awards, including regular season MVP. Joel Embiid has already missed 13 games this season, and now that he has reportedly suffered a lateral meniscus injury it is almost certain that he will not meet the 65 games played threshold. Some media members and some NBA players have complained that in light of his high level play this season--including a 70 point game and a league-leading 35.3 ppg scoring average--it is not fair for Embiid to be automatically disqualified from MVP consideration.

Missing a lot of games is not an aberration for Embiid, an injury-prone player who sat out every game of his first two NBA seasons. He played 31 games in his third season, 2016-17, and since that time he has played at least 65 games in a season just twice (66 in 2022-23, 68 in 2021-22). Embiid is not only frequently unavailable during the regular season, but he often disappears during the playoffs: his playoff numbers for scoring, rebounding, and field goal percentage are all significantly lower than his regular season numbers, he has never won a second round series, and he has an 0-3 game seven record. Embiid has only won one series that went past five games, which indicates that (1) he only wins in the playoffs when his team is markedly superior to the opposing team, and (2) he tends to wear down over the course of a series.

Embiid won the regular season MVP last season, but is the above resume an MVP resume overall? There is no disputing that Embiid is a very talented player, but is he an MVP-level all-time great player? Put another way, should an MVP be expected to play more than 65 regular season games per year and deliver more in the playoffs than a bunch of second round losses? 

The Philadelphia 76ers obtained Embiid's draft rights by tanking, and they most assuredly have not tanked to the top. Tanking and load management are two sides of the same counterfeit coin, because both practices minimize the value of winning regular season games. The NBA was much better when tanking and load management did not exist, and when players like Julius Erving and Moses Malone took pride in playing every game: "From 1967-82, the NBA regular season MVP played in 81 or 82 games every year except for 1978, when 1977 NBA Finals MVP Bill Walton captured the regular season MVP despite being limited to 58 games due to injuries--and Walton was not 'load managing': he was legitimately injured. Erving won four regular season MVPs during his ABA/NBA career; in those MVP seasons, he played in 84, 84, 84, and 82 games (the ABA regular season lasted 84 games). Malone won three regular season MVPs during his ABA/NBA career; in those MVP seasons, he played in 82, 81, and 78 games."

Bill Walton's regular season MVP in a 58 game season is an aberration, and Embiid is not Bill Walton. Embiid has never led a team to the Eastern Conference Finals--let alone an NBA title--and there is no indication that he will ever be durable enough to avoid wearing down or getting injured before or during the playoffs. Think about that: Bill Walton--the poster child for injury-prone players--proved to be more durable when it matters most than Embiid has been up to this point in his 10 year NBA career. By traditional standards, Embiid has never had an MVP-caliber season. 

With the Player Participation Policy and the aforementioned changes to the Collective Bargaining Agreement in place, NBA fans are now seeing star players on the court--as opposed to sipping wine on the sidelines--more often than has been the case for the past several years. The NBA should not reverse this positive trend. Most working people are either paid based on showing up for work every day (i.e., paid by the hour) or based on performance; few people have salaries that are guaranteed regardless of their attendance or performance. If NBA players want to be eligible for postseason awards--and for contractual bonuses connected to those awards--without a minimum games played threshold then there is a simple solution: eliminate guaranteed contracts, and transition to paying each player per game played: Don't play, don't get paid. Under those rules, if players want to miss more than 17 game checks and hope that the award voters will still select them for MVP or the All-NBA Team, go for it.

I am not "blaming" Embiid or anyone else for being legitimately injured (there is no indication that Embiid is load managing). My two-fold point is (1) By definition the regular season MVP is (or should be) a player who plays at a very high level while missing very few games, and (2) players should not expect to both receive guaranteed paychecks despite missing a large number of games and be eligible for major awards: something has to give--either give up the guaranteed money, or accept that it is fair to expect major award winners to both stay healthy and not engage in load management.

Labels: Bill Walton, Joel Embiid, Julius Erving, load management, Moses Malone, Philadelphia 76ers, tanking

posted by David Friedman @ 12:28 AM

5 comments

NBA's 75th Anniversary Celebration Game Provided Stirring Trip Down Memory Lane

On Wednesday night, ESPN and ESPN2 did a simulcast of the Brooklyn Nets-New York Knicks game; ESPN did a regular broadcast, while ESPN2 presented an NBA 75th Anniversary Celebration game featuring old-school graphics from the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, plus guest appearances from legendary players and broadcasters. Dave Pasch and Hubie Brown handled the ESPN duties, while Mike Breen, Mark Jackson, and Jeff Van Gundy--each clad in 1970s-style yellow ABC blazers--hosted the 75th Anniversary Celebration Game. Normally, I would be glued to any broadcast featuring Brown, but I could not resist the stirring trip down memory lane provided by the 75th Anniversary Celebration Game. I have been following pro basketball since I was a young child in the 1970s, and this sport has been a huge part of my life: I love to play basketball, I love to watch basketball, and I love to write about/analyze basketball. The game changes and evolves, but my fascination endures.

Oscar Robertson was the first guest, as the first quarter of the 75th Anniversary Celebration Game focused on the 1960s. He talked about how competitive the NBA was when the league had just eight teams, and he mentioned playing each team 13 times per season. When Robertson was a rookie in 1960-61, his Cincinnati Royals were a Western Division team. The Royals played the other three Western Division teams--the Bob Pettit/Cliff Hagan-led St. Louis Hawks, the Elgin Baylor/Jerry West L.A. Lakers, and the Bailey Howell/Gene Shue-led Detroit Pistons--13 times each, and they faced the four Eastern Division teams--including Bill Russell's dynastic Boston Celtics stacked with future Hall of Famers, Wilt Chamberlain's Philadelphia Warriors, the Dolph Schayes/Hal Greer-led Syracuse Nationals, and the Willie Naulls/Richie Guerin-led New York Knicks--10 times each. 

Robertson also praised the skills of today's players, and he marveled at Kevin Durant's ability to handle the ball so fluidly at seven feet tall. 

Marv Albert was the next guest. He talked about the 1960s--when his career began--but he also discussed covering the 1992 Dream Team (the only real Dream Team; the other teams were Team USA, but not Dream Teams). Albert said that when he first did a Dream Team game at the Tournament of the Americas he got chill bumps as the players came on to the court, and he added that without question this was the greatest set of talent ever assembled on one team in sports history. Albert explained that his trademark "Yesss!" call evolved from the "gyrations" of NBA referee Sid Borgia, channeled through one of Albert's friends who would do play by play while he and others played pick up games. Albert recalled that he first said "Yesss!" during a broadcast after a Dick Barnett jump shot, that fans and players began repeating the line back to him, and he soon incorporated it into his routine--but only for spectacular shots and/or shots that happened at key moments.

The second quarter focused on the 1970s. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar talked about doing the Mikan drill as a fifth grader, and how this practice helped transform him from a gangly, awkward player into a skilled player who wielded the sport's greatest weapon ever: the skyhook. Asked why more players do not shoot the skyhook, Abdul-Jabbar provided a very insightful answer: he said that coaches do not teach the shot properly, because after a player masters the Mikan drill fundamentals he should learn to shoot the skyhook in a way that fits his athletic abilities; Abdul-Jabbar insisted that it would be wrong to try to teach another player to shoot the skyhook with the exact same form that he used, because his form was based on his physical characteristics. 

Abdul-Jabbar said that Wilt Chamberlain was the strongest player he ever faced, but quickly noted that he never played against Shaquille O'Neal. He explained that both big men were physically imposing in a similar way, but with different physiques.

Another guest representing the 1970s, Bill Walton, was in typical form: he talked straight through his whole segment without giving anyone a chance to ask a question. He remembered playing against NBA players as a 14 year old high schooler, and he noted that Marty Glickman (who also influenced Marv Albert) helped him to overcome his speech impediment. Walton praised David Stern and Adam Silver as two NBA commissioners who have helped grow the sport. Stern was certainly a trail blazer, but I am much less impressed by Silver's legacy thus far.

My favorite NBA decade is the 1980s. In 1981, Julius Erving, after winning three ABA regular season MVPs and two ABA Finals MVPs, became the first non-center to win an NBA regular season MVP since Oscar Robertson (1964), and two years later Erving teamed with Moses Malone for a glorious, record-setting championship run. The Bird-Magic rivalry was outstanding, and the Isiah Thomas-led back to back champion Detroit Pistons remain underrated. Michael Jordan's incredible NBA career began in the 1984-85 season, though he did not start winning championships until 1991.

The third quarter guest who discussed the NBA in the 1980s was Dick Stockton, who is one of the most gracious people I have ever had the privilege of interviewing. I have an indelible memory of the first time I met him: "When I approached Stockton face to face--without prior notice--at a Cleveland Cavaliers game and asked him if he could take a few moments to answer some questions for my upcoming Andrew Toney article, he could have politely--or impolitely--declined: he was a big-time national TV star who had no idea who I was. Instead, Stockton warmly agreed to my request and he enthusiastically answered my questions. I bumped into him on a few subsequent occasions at other games and he always gave me a friendly greeting. I can assure you that this is not typical behavior in this business."

Stockton shared his memories of covering the great Celtics-Lakers NBA Finals in the 1980s. He made two interesting points: (1) those series were competitive, but often the individual games were blowouts as first one team asserted its will over the other, and then the situation reversed in the next game; (2) CBS marketed team matchups over individual matchups, which Stockton liked because he firmly believes that basketball is a team game. Breen recalled that Stockton influenced his style by telling him that broadcasting is about reaction and not just preparation; Stockton said that viewers will react a certain way to what happens during a game, and if the broadcaster is not in tune with that then he loses credibility. Stockton deflected some of the praise directed toward him by making a point of lauding Sandy Grossman, Pat O'Brien, and the rest of the NBA on CBS crew, stressing that it was a team effort and not just about the announcers.  

My favorite NBA broadcasting duo of all-time is Dick Stockton doing play by play alongside analyst Hubie Brown; they first teamed up at CBS, and then they later reunited at TNT. Stockton talked about Hubie Brown's meticulous preparation and attention to detail. Stockton has such a great grasp of what it takes to have a top notch NBA game broadcast: he is right that the play by play announcer must have the ability to react to game flow changes, and he is also right that no analyst matches Brown's ability to not only prepare for a game but to then seamlessly weave into the telecast the insights that he gained from his preparation. Stockton noted that Brown talks to the viewer like he would talk to a player who he is coaching. I will always remember Brown telling me that he never talks down to the viewer but rather attempts to help the viewer understand basketball's strategic nuances. 

Several of the guests talked about how blessed and fortunate they feel, so I must say that I feel blessed and fortunate that I have had the opportunity to interview Robertson, Erving, Stockton, Brown, and so many other legends.

In the fourth quarter, guest Bob Costas recalled covering not only Michael Jordan's six NBA titles, but also having a close-up view of the excellence of the other stars of the era--many of whom played on the Dream Team. Costas noted that the standard set by the Dream Team led to the emergence of international players on the NBA stage. Asked to weigh in on the ubiquitous Michael Jordan-LeBron James comparisons, Costas said simply, "Statistically they be may be equal, but Jordan was greater." Costas explained that Jordan has had a greater impact on the game by virtue not only of winning more championships but also having more iconic moments, from winning the 1982 NCAA title at North Carolina all the way to the Dream Team and his six NBA titles. Costas emphasized that taking Jordan over James is not a knock on James, comparing this to a baseball historian taking Willie Mays over other great players.

Breen asked Costas about starting his career not in the NBA but in the ABA. Costas is an ABA guy through and through, and it was great to listen to him add some much needed ABA flavor to the telecast. Costas recalled serving as the play by play announcer for the Spirits of St. Louis from 1974-76, and he talked about the noteworthy "in perpetuity" deal executed by the team's owners, the Silna brothers; in exchange for giving up the right for their team to join the NBA via the ABA-NBA merger, the Silna brothers received a share of NBA TV revenue "in perpetuity," which turned into a windfall worth at least several hundred million dollars.

The NBA has a rich history that has produced indelible memories, and it was tremendous fun to revisit so many of those great moments.

Labels: Bill Walton, Bob Costas, Dick Stockton, Hubie Brown, Jeff Van Gundy, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Mark Jackson, Marv Albert, Mike Breen, Oscar Robertson

posted by David Friedman @ 1:06 AM

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Seth Davis Writes the Definitive John Wooden Biography

Seth Davis nailed it. In Wooden: A Coach's Life, Davis finds an excellent balance between praising John Wooden for his NCAA championships (10, six more than anyone else--a record that will likely never be approached) and for the sage advice that Wooden gave to the young men who he mentored, while also acknowledging the darker side of Wooden's story: Wooden was a brilliant coach, but behind his first-rate tactics lurked the shadowy figure of Sam Gilbert luring the most talented athletes to UCLA--and, as former UCLA player Lucius Allen put it, "UCLA wouldn't have won any championships without athletes. And without Sam Gilbert, they wouldn't have had the athletes." As the hagiography around Wooden grew, Gilbert's name receded into the footnotes of history, but Davis claims that the NCAA did not name its basketball championship trophy after Wooden because the organization did not want to "dredge up too many stories about Gilbert. Better to leave that carcass buried" (p. 472).

Davis' book was published in hardcover in 2014, the same year that I entered law school and that my daughter Rachel was born, and during the subsequent years I never found the time to write a review that would do full justice to Davis' extensive research and excellent writing. Perhaps one of the few positives of the ongoing global pandemic is that now I have the opportunity to finish projects such as this one.

Davis tells Wooden's life story in four parts, each named for one of the calendar seasons. Wooden was born 110 years ago, so even long-time and/or knowledgeable basketball fans may not be very familiar with Wooden's "Spring" years, during which Wooden grew up in modest circumstances in Indiana and became an excellent basketball player. Wooden is so famous as a coach that many fans may not be aware that he was the first person to be inducted in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame both as a player and as a coach (Bill Sharman, Lenny Wilkens, and Tommy Heinsohn subsequently accomplished this). Wooden led Martinsville High School to three consecutive Indiana High School championship game appearances (1926-28), and one title (1927).

During his high school years, Wooden met Nell Riley, who he claimed to be the only girl he ever dated. Wooden was very shy, while Nell was outgoing, but they soon became an item, and they married after Wooden finished college.

Even though Wooden was a star basketball player, he chose his college based on academics, not athletics, selecting Purdue because of its outstanding civil engineering program. However, after Wooden enrolled at Purdue he discovered that the civil engineering program required attendance at a special camp during the summers, something that Wooden could not do because his family needed the money that he earned from summer jobs. Wooden switched his major from civil engineering to English.

During Wooden's playing career at Purdue, the NCAA Tournament did not exist, and no official national champion was selected, but four years after he graduated the Helms Athletic Foundation retroactively named national champions dating back to 1901. Purdue went 17-1 in 1931-32 (Wooden's senior season) as Wooden set the Big Ten single season scoring record with 154 points, and the Helms Athletic Foundation determined that the Boilermakers were the national champions for that season. Wooden was chosen as one of the five top players in the country for the 1931-32 season, and in 1943 the Helms Athletic Foundation honored Wooden by selecting him to its all-time All-Star team for the first 50 years of basketball, calling him "probably the greatest all-around guard of them all."

After graduating from Purdue, Wooden became the athletic director/basketball coach at a high school in Dayton, Kentucky. He spent a couple years there before accepting the athletic director position at South Bend's Central High School in Indiana. Wooden filled many roles in both of his early jobs, but at Central he was not initially the head basketball coach; that position was already filled, so he served as the assistant coach, but it did not take long before he became the head coach.

The attention to detail, the focus on fundamentals, and the firm belief in the value of the running game--principles that Wooden internalized during his high school and college playing career--characterized Wooden's coaching even during his early years toiling in relative obscurity.

During the first few years that Wooden coached high school basketball, he also played professional basketball. Pro basketball was in its early days. The NBA had not been formed, and the professional ranks consisted of barnstorming teams, plus a few loosely organized leagues. Wooden was the leading scorer in one of those leagues--the Midwest Basketball Conference--during the 1934-35 season. He also made 134 consecutive free throws during that season. The Midwest Basketball Conference became the National Basketball League, which later merged with the Basketball Association of America to become the National Basketball Association, but Wooden retired as a player many years before the NBA existed.

After serving in the Navy for two and a half years without leaving the country during World War II, Wooden returned to Indiana and resumed coaching at Central High School. Soon, though, he accepted an offer to be the head basketball coach at Indiana State Teachers College.

Even fans who know a lot about Wooden's NCAA Tournament success at UCLA may not realize that he coached NCAA basketball for 17 years before winning his first championship at that level. Wooden's Indiana State teams posted a 44-15 record during his two seasons there, including a second place finish in the 1948 National Association of Intercollegiate Basketball (NAIB, the forerunner of the NAIA) Championship.

The "Spring" section of the book concludes with Indiana State's 82-70 loss to Louisville in the 1948 NAIB Championship, and Wooden accepting an offer to become UCLA's head coach. Davis retells the story of how Wooden ended up at UCLA: on the fateful evening when Wooden would decide whether to coach at the University of Minnesota or UCLA, a storm temporarily took down phone service in Minnesota. UCLA called Wooden at the appointed time, Wooden accepted their offer--having not heard anything from the University of Minnesota--and Wooden did not change his mind after the representative from the University of Minnesota called late. The University of Minnesota would have been Wooden's first choice, but after he agreed to go to UCLA he did not look back. What Davis classifies as Wooden's "Summer" begins in sunny California in 1948.

When Wooden arrived at UCLA, the school's only basketball tradition was losing. UCLA had posted just two winning seasons in the previous 17 years, and at one point the Bruins had lost 39 consecutive games to crosstown rival USC. UCLA finished with a 22-7 record in 1948-49, Wooden's first season at the school. During Wooden's first 15 years at UCLA, the Bruins never had a losing season, and only twice did they finish lower than second in their conference--but Wooden's UCLA squads did not post a single official win in the NCAA Tournament (not including victories in consolation round games) until 1962.

During the late 1950s and early 1960s, Wooden was not even the most successful college coach on the West Coast, let alone a candidate to be considered one of the greatest coaches of all-time. Pete Newell led the University of California, Berkley to the 1959 NCAA Championship and an appearance in the 1960 NCAA Championship Game. Newell had previously won an NIT title with the University of San Francisco, and then in 1960 he coached the gold-medal winning Team USA squad in the Olympics, becoming the first coach to win an NIT title, an NCAA title, and an Olympic gold medal; to this day, only Bobby Knight and Dean Smith have matched that coaching triple crown. Newell's Cal Berkley teams regularly beat Wooden's UCLA teams during the 1950s.

Although Wooden was a very successful coach by many measures during the first portion of his college coaching career, there was little indication that during the 12 season period spanning 1964-75 he would lead the Bruins to an unprecedented 10 NCAA championships. The dramatic change to Wooden's career arc can be attributed to many factors, including his adoption of the 2-2-1 full court press as a defensive strategy for the entire game as opposed to being a special tactic utilized only when the Bruins were trailing. Wooden gladly took (and received) most of the credit for developing the 2-2-1 full court press, but Davis writes that Jerry Norman--a player under Wooden at UCLA, who then became a UCLA assistant coach--is the one who worked out the details, and who convinced Wooden to implement the plan. Davis states that it bothered Norman that Wooden did not publicly acknowledge the important role that Norman played in UCLA's success.

As is often the case in sports, perhaps the most important factor was talent: Wooden's 1964 squad that went 30-0 and won the NCAA title featured a pair of future NBA guards: Walt Hazzard (a 10 year pro who made the NBA All-Star team in 1968) and Gail Goodrich (a five-time All-Star, an NBA champion in 1972, and a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee in 1996).

The "Autumn" section of Davis' book begins with the Bruins defending their NCAA crown. UCLA's 1965 squad went 28-2 and became the fifth school to win back to back NCAA titles, joining Cincinnati (1961-62), San Francisco (1955-56), Kentucky (1948-49), and Oklahoma A&M (1945-46). The Bruins fell short in 1966, but then won an unprecedented seven consecutive NCAA titles from 1967-73. Wooden retired after leading the Bruins to the 1975 championship. Since then, only three Division I teams have won back to back NCAA titles: Duke (1991-92), Florida (2006-07), and Villanova (2018-19).

The start of that run of seven straight championships coincided with, not coincidentally, the sophomore season of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, then known as Lew Alcindor. During that era, freshmen were not eligible to play for the varsity. Alcindor (I will retain Davis' practice of referring to him during his UCLA years by the name he used at that time) made his UCLA debut on November 27, 1965, when he led the UCLA freshman team versus the UCLA varsity team, an annually held contest that was different on this occasion for two reasons: it was broadcast on local television for the first time, and it was the opening night for UCLA's new, 13,000 seat arena named Pauley Pavilion. Alcindor's team beat the varsity--the two-time defending national champions, and the consensus number one ranked team in the country--75-60.

Alcindor averaged 33.1 ppg and 21.5 rpg while leading the 1965-66 UCLA freshman team to a 21-0 record. During his three varsity seasons, Alcindor averaged 26.4 ppg and 15.5 rpg while shooting .639 from the field. UCLA won three straight NCAA titles and lost just two games during those years. A strong argument can be made that he is the greatest college basketball player of all-time; a strong argument could be made that he is the greatest basketball player of all-time, period, but that discussion is beyond the scope of this article.

Despite all of the team success and personal accolades that Alcindor achieved during his time at UCLA, he was often not happy at the school. He was born and raised in New York City, so living in California was a bit of a culture shock. Alcindor also faced a lot of racism and scrutiny, plus he did not always enjoy playing under Wooden, and he was aware that other schools would provide illegal benefits that UCLA did not provide at that time. Davis notes that after UCLA went 30-0 and won the 1967 NCAA championship, Alcindor and guard Lucius Allen seriously considered transferring to another school. The players confided in former UCLA star Willie Naulls, who was sympathetic but who also did not want them to leave UCLA. Naulls introduced Alcindor and Allen to Sam Gilbert, and thus opened the most sordid chapter in Wooden's career.

Gilbert was a hard-driving real estate developer who had made millions of dollars in California's post-World War II building boom. He knew that many of UCLA's players felt undervalued and underappreciated. Wooden was a great coach, but he was often distant from his players, and he rarely took a personal interest in them (after he retired, a softer side of Wooden emerged, and that is the image of Wooden that the general public has). Gilbert showered the players with attention--and he also showered them with money, either directly or indirectly, such as taking them to a store owned by a friend who would let the players pick out whatever merchandise they wanted free of charge. Gilbert's actions violated NCAA rules, but for many years the NCAA was not interested in closely examining the inner workings of college basketball's most successful team; why kill the goose that hatches the golden egg, even if that egg is a bit tarnished upon closer examination?

Jerry Tarkanian, who eventually received a $2.5 million settlement from the NCAA after battling the organization in court for decades regarding the due process violations inherent in its selective enforcement practices, once said, "Recently, the NCAA got so mad at Kentucky, they put Cleveland State on probation for another two years." You could replace UCLA for Kentucky in that sentence to get an accurate depiction of the NCAA's enforcement practices at the height of Wooden's career.

There is no doubt that Wooden was a well organized and well disciplined coach. He enjoyed success at the highest level before Gilbert arrived on the scene, winning three NCAA titles, a mark equaled at that time by only Adolph Rupp--but if Gilbert had not intervened to keep Alcindor and Allen in the UCLA fold, it is doubtful that Wooden would have finished his career with 10 NCAA titles. Davis quotes this telling passage from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's autobiography (Alcindor had changed his name by the time he wrote the book): "Sam steered clear of John Wooden, and Mr. Wooden gave him the same wide berth. Both helped the school greatly. Once the money thing got worked out, I never gave another thought to leaving UCLA."

Davis extensively covers both of the famous 1968 UCLA-Houston showdowns. Houston won 71-69 in the "Game of the Century" at the Houston Astrodome when Elvin Hayes dominated Alcindor, who was limited by an eye injury that he suffered not long before that contest. UCLA gained revenge in the NCAA Tournament, winning 101-69 en route to the second of Alcindor's three consecutive NCAA titles.

After Alcindor graduated and joined the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks, the Bruins still had a stacked lineup featuring several future pros, including Sidney Wicks, Curtis Rowe, and Henry Bibby. UCLA went 28-2 in 1969-70, and 29-1 in 1970-71 en route to two more NCAA titles.

Wooden's next Hall of Fame center joined the freshman team for the 1970-71 season before leading UCLA's varsity to NCAA titles in 1972 and 1973. Bill Walton was an injury-prone player dating back to high school, but when he was healthy he performed at an elite level. By nature and by skill set, Walton was not as dominant of a scorer as Alcindor, but Walton matched Alcindor as a rebounder and defender while being a superior passer. Walton grew up in California, and since an early age he had dreamed of playing for UCLA. Walton reached his peak as a college player in the 1973 NCAA Championship game versus Memphis State, when he scored 44 points on 21-22 field goal shooting in UCLA's 87-66 win.

Davis documents Gilbert's increasing influence on UCLA's basketball program during the dynasty years, and Davis notes that there is no doubt that Gilbert provided illegal benefits. Davis writes, "To call all of this an open secret would not do it justice. It wasn't even a secret. Gilbert's relationships with UCLA basketball players made him one of the most well-known people in Los Angeles" (p. 369). It is true that other schools also provided illegal benefits and/or had boosters who provided illegal benefits, but--as Tarkanian noted--even if it could be argued that (almost) everyone was doing it, it could also be argued that the NCAA selectively enforced its rules, which created an uneven playing field that carved out a distinct advantage for the schools whose violations the NCAA ignored.

UCLA "slumped" to 26-4 in 1973-74, losing more games that season than the team had lost in the previous four seasons combined. North Carolina State, led by the fantastic future Hall of Famer David Thompson, defeated UCLA 80-77 in double overtime in the Final Four. North Carolina State then beat Marquette 76-64 to win the championship.

Wooden had been considering retirement for several years, but he did not relish the notion of leaving the game for good on a down note after so many championship seasons. He decided to return for one last campaign, but he only revealed his intentions to a few people, each of whom he swore to secrecy. Even after the departure of Hall of Famers Walton and Keith Wilkes (later known as Jamaal Wilkes), UCLA still had a strong roster, led by AP All-America selection Dave Meyers and Marques Johnson, who became a five-time NBA All-Star. The Bruins went 28-3, closing out the Wooden era with a 92-85 win versus Kentucky in the 1975 NCAA Championship game.

"Winter" begins with Gene Bartow succeeding Wooden as UCLA's coach. Asked about UCLA's chances in 1976, Wooden replied, "I don't think I left the cupboard bare." Davis writes, "Wooden did Bartow no favors with that remark. With one turn of a phrase, Wooden solidified the perception that if UCLA won another championship, it would be because he stocked the program with great talent. If if it didn't, well, it must be because the Bruins were not well coached" (p. 447). Wooden did not stop there. During the 1976 season, Wooden said, "I'm going to answer honestly and I don't want this to seem in any way critical. I think the program was slowed by the coaching change. It took the new coach time to get acquainted with his players and it took the players time to get acquainted with him" (p. 449). Wooden concluded that before he retired he thought "this year's team would be the strongest I ever had, and that next year's would be even stronger" (p. 449). Wooden did not just throw Bartow under the bus: he trampled him. One might wonder (1) How Wooden could say with a straight face that the 1976 team was stronger than the teams led by Alcindor or Walton and (2) why Wooden retired if he thought that the best was yet to come for the program.

Wooden left behind more than talented players, and high expectations. He also left behind booster Sam Gilbert--the main reason the proverbial cupboard had not been bare for quite some time. Davis repeats assertions by several different people that they believed that Gilbert had connections to the mafia. Davis wavers between suggesting that UCLA's administration and the coaching staff tolerated Gilbert because he was integral to the basketball program's success, and suggesting that UCLA personnel were too afraid to demand that Gilbert stop providing illegal benefits. It is evident that, regardless of UCLA's position about Gilbert, the NCAA did not have nearly as much interest in investigating the Bruins as it did in pursuing a vendetta against Tarkanian.

However, Gilbert's conduct became increasingly brazen, and players who believed or hoped that he was providing benefits to them out of the kindness of his heart often learned the hard way that this was not the case when the bill landed in their mailboxes. Davis reports that after they became NBA players, several former UCLA players received letters from Gilbert demanding that they pay him back for the help that he had provided during their college years. Davis writes that at least one player just wrote a check to Gilbert to be done with the matter. Bill Walton took a different approach, authorizing Jack Scott to include a letter from Gilbert in a book titled Bill Walton: On the Road With the Portland Trail Blazers. Scott quoted Walton in the book as well: "It's hard for me to have a proper perspective on financial matters, since I've always had whatever I wanted since I enrolled at UCLA. I hate to say anything that might hurt UCLA, but I can't be quiet when I see what the NCAA is doing to Jerry Tarkanian only because he has a reputation for giving a second chance to many black athletes other coaches have branded as troublemakers. The NCAA is working day and night trying to get Jerry, but no one from the NCAA ever questioned me during my four years at UCLA" (this quote appears on p. 468 of Davis' book without a direct page citation to Scott's book).

The NCAA could no longer ignore Gilbert's illegal connections with UCLA. Ultimately, the NCAA did not look as far back as Wooden's tenure, but the NCAA identified a variety of improper actions that took place in the post-Wooden era. The NCAA also found other violations involving UCLA that led to the dreaded conclusion that there had been a "loss of institutional control." UCLA was forced to vacate its 1980 NCAA Tournament appearance (which had included a loss in the championship game), forbidden to participate in postseason play in 1982, and placed on probation for two years. Gilbert was not directly named in the report, but everyone understood which person was meant when the NCAA ordered UCLA to "disassociate one representative of its athletic interests from participating in any recruiting activities on behalf of the university in the future."

Wooden's public take on the matter was to express relief, but not surprise, that no violations had been found dating back to his tenure as coach. It is hard to believe that anyone as smart as Wooden could really be that clueless about had happened during his program's glory years. The Los Angeles Times conducted its own investigation, and shattered any illusions about the Wooden era when it published a two part story on January 31, 1982 and February 1, 1982. Davis summarizes the newspaper's findings: "Headlined 'Sam Gilbert and UCLA,' the stories laid out in devastating detail a wide range of violations and suspicious activity that dated back to the 1960s. After interviewing more than forty-five people, many of whom were Wooden's former players, the Times concluded that 'the nine infractions the NCAA listed were insignificant when compared with many others dating back to the Lew Alcindor-led-championship teams of the mid-1960s" (pp. 470-471).

In 1987, Gilbert was indicted by a federal grand jury on racketeering and money laundering charges related to a marijuana smuggling operation that dated back to the 1970s, but Gilbert was terminally ill by that time and he passed away before he could be put on trial. Gilbert's son Michael was convicted, and he served over five years in federal prison.

Davis writes that the 1994 film "Blue Chips" was a not so subtle shot at UCLA's cheating, inspired in part by Wooden's old rival Pete Newell, a consultant for the movie. In "Blue Chips," the fictional "Western University"--sporting UCLA's blue and gold colors--had a coach whose integrity was being threatened by the actions of a rogue booster. Unlike in real life, though, the coach (played by Nick Nolte) lost his job after confronting the booster at a press conference.

Davis gives the last word on the subject to Mike Littwin and Alan Greenberg, the Times' writers whose reporting uncovered violations by Gilbert and UCLA that the NCAA could not--or did not want to--find: "Wooden knew about Gilbert. He knew the players were close to Gilbert. He knew they looked to Gilbert for advice. Maybe he knew more. He should have known much more. If he didn't, it was only because he apparently chose not to look" (p. 474).

As time passed, Gilbert's name receded into the mists of history, while Wooden became more popular and respected than he had been even at the height of his coaching career. He gave well-received speeches during which he talked about his now-legendary Pyramid of Success. Wooden delivered a good and necessary message about hard work, focus, and dedication; there is no doubt that those values played a crucial role in his success, and that they helped his players not only at UCLA, but also later in life as well.

Wooden's legacy is complex and layered. He was without doubt both a great player and a great coach. He had already won several championships before Sam Gilbert appeared on the scene--but Wooden did not become the "Wizard of Westwood," elevated above all other college basketball coaches, until his program was able to recruit and retain an incredibly talented group of players, including two of the greatest and most dominant centers of all-time.

It is fascinating to compare and contrast John Wooden with Bobby Knight, who won three NCAA titles during his Hall of Fame coaching career. Although Wooden was not quite so kind and gentle as his reputation suggests--as Davis documents--even at his most aggressive moments Wooden's demeanor was not much like Knight's. Knight displayed what can best be described as sociopathic, bullying, and narcissistic behaviors toward friend and foe alike, and those negative traits brought an end to his coaching career at Indiana. Yet, there is no evidence that Knight ever cheated to recruit a player, or to keep a player academically eligible. Knight ran a clean--if dictatorial--ship, and he steered that ship to great success in an era when most of his competitors, including the sainted Wooden, benefited greatly from bending, if not breaking, NCAA rules. Both Wooden and Knight have a host of former players who praise them for the positive influence they exerted. In the end, if we are honest then we are forced to see both legendary coaches not as superhuman icons but as people who achieved greatness yet also displayed flaws and weaknesses.

Davis ends the book on a personal note, describing the three times that he interviewed Wooden. The reader can tell that Davis feels a clear-eyed affection and admiration for Wooden; Davis did enough research to know about both Wooden's greatness and Wooden's flaws, and Davis appreciated Wooden as, in the words of Marques Johnson, "a great coach, a great person, but not a god."

Regardless of how you feel about Wooden, the NCAA, or college basketball, Davis' book provides a detailed and balanced narrative spanning nearly the entire breadth of the 20th century.

Errata

1) On page 240, the 1965 UCLA team is referred to as the "fourth repeat champion in the twenty-six year history of the NCAA Tournament." As noted above, the Bruins were the fifth repeat champion at that time.

2) On page 396, Davis refers to Memphis State's Larry Kenon as "Dr. K." That nickname never really stuck--for the obvious reason that Julius Erving was already widely known as "Dr. J." Kenon later told Sports Illustrated, "Call me Mr. K or Special K or any kind of K, but not Dr. K. There's not but one Doctor." Erving and Kenon won the 1974 ABA championship as teammates with the New York Nets before Kenon was traded to the San Antonio Spurs.

3) On page 437, Davis refers to Kentucky player Rick Robey as "Rick Roby."

4) On page 438, Davis states that UCLA defeated Kentucky 82-75, but the correct score is 92-85.

Labels: Bill Walton, Bobby Knight, Indiana State, John Wooden, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Lew Alcindor, Pete Newell, Sam Gilbert, Seth Davis, UCLA

posted by David Friedman @ 11:17 PM

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Sam Smith's 2002 List of the 10 Greatest NBA Centers

Back in 2002 when Sam Smith wrote for the print edition of the Chicago Tribune (instead of Bulls.com, his current employer) and before he received the prestigious Curt Gowdy Award from the Basketball Hall of Fame, he wrote a nice tribute in honor of the recently retired Patrick Ewing. At the end of that article, Smith offered his list of the 10 greatest NBA centers, with a brief comment about each player. Here is Smith's list, along with his comments:

1) Wilt Chamberlain: "Most dominant big man in NBA history."
2) Shaquille O'Neal: "May pass Wilt if he stays around."
3) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: "Most productive player in NBA history."
4) Bill Russell: "Winningest but surrounded by best players ever."
5) George Mikan: "Dominated the premodern era."
6) Hakeem Olajuwon: "Graceful big man who played like a guard."
7) Moses Malone: "Moved around and made everyone better."
8) David Robinson: "Bill Russell without the teammates."
9) Bill Walton: "The Sandy Koufax of the NBA--five great years."
10) Patrick Ewing: "Or perhaps Nate Thurmond, Willis Reed, Bob Lanier, Artis Gilmore, Jack Sikma or Wes Unseld."

I included three centers in my Pantheon: Russell, Chamberlain and Abdul-Jabbar (listed here in chronological order). O'Neal was not eligible because I only considered retired players. It is very difficult to make meaningful comparisons of players who played in different eras under different conditions/with different rules but I would still go with Russell, Chamberlain and Abdul-Jabbar as the three greatest centers in pro basketball history. If winning is the most important criterion in terms of ranking individual impact in a team sport, then Russell has to be listed first: he was the one indispensable player on the greatest dynasty in pro basketball history. Smith is correct that Russell was "surrounded by best players ever" but Russell's presence also enabled those players to maximize their potential individually and collectively.

Chamberlain set records that will never be broken and he was a more complete all-around player than Russell; Chamberlain could control the game individually at either end of the court, while Russell was a dominant defender/rebounder who was a complementary scorer and a fine passer/screener. The classic, unanswerable dual hypothetical question is if Chamberlain would have won 11 rings had he played with the Celtics or if Russell would have won more than two rings had he played with the various teams that employed Chamberlain. Or, to put it more simply, "Was Chamberlain a better player than Russell but Chamberlain only rarely had the right supporting cast or was Russell a better player than Chamberlain because Russell consistently brought out the best from all of his teammates?"

Abdul-Jabbar may be the most underrated great player in pro basketball history; his sky hook is the sport's greatest single weapon and he was much better as a rebounder and defender--particularly during the first half of his 20 year career--than most people realize. He represented an amalgamation of Chamberlain and Russell, possessing both the ability to be a dominant scorer as well as the ability to blend with various kinds of teammates in order to win multiple championships.

O'Neal ranks no higher than fourth on my list. He relied on his physical prowess--not just size and strength but, at least early in his career, surprising agility and quickness. However, O'Neal was not consistently dedicated to staying in shape and consequently he missed a lot of games due to injuries and his athletic skills dissipated earlier than they might have if he had worked harder. Russell would have frustrated and outsmarted O'Neal had they faced each other when they were both in their respective primes. Chamberlain and O'Neal would have each scored a lot against the other but Chamberlain was a better passer and a better defender. The young Abdul-Jabbar was way too skilled and fundamentally sound for O'Neal; O'Neal now implores Roy Hibbert to "jump hook" opposing centers "to death" and that is exactly what Abdul-Jabbar would have done to O'Neal, using his height/reach advantage and impeccable footwork to launch sky hooks over O'Neal. Abdul-Jabbar would not have relished the body contact involved with guarding O'Neal--and strong centers like Moses Malone sometimes gave Abdul-Jabbar problems--but Abdul-Jabbar's length and his knowledge of basketball fundamentals would have helped him on defense as much as on offense in this hypothetical matchup.

Labels: Bill Russell, Bill Walton, David Robinson, George Mikan, Hakeem Olajuwon, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Moses Malone, Patrick Ewing, Sam Smith, Shaquille O'Neal, Wilt Chamberlain

posted by David Friedman @ 1:26 PM

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Wayback Machine, Part IV: The 1978 Complete Handbook of Pro Basketball

The cover of the 1978 Complete Handbook of Pro Basketball features a photo of Bill Walton fighting for rebounding position while clad in Portland's red road uniform. Walton had just won the 1977 Finals MVP after averaging 18.7 ppg, 19.0 rpg, 5.2 apg and 3.7 bpg during Portland's 4-2 victory over Philadelphia; during the regular season, Walton led the league in rebounding (14.4 rpg) and blocked shots (3.3 bpg) while also ranking eighth in field goal percentage (.528). Walton finished a distant second to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the regular season MVP voting but after Walton's dominance during Portland's 14-5 playoff run (which included a 4-0 Western Conference Finals sweep of Abdul-Jabbar's Lakers, though Abdul-Jabbar's individual numbers against Walton during that series were quite good) Walton seemed poised to challenge Abdul-Jabbar's status as the best player in the NBA. Walton won the 1978 regular season MVP (Abdul-Jabbar finished fourth, trailing George Gervin and David Thompson) despite playing in just 58 games due to injuries that ultimately would force him to miss the entire 1978-79 season and all but 14 games in the 1979-80 season. Walton would never again scale the heights that he reached in 1977 and 1978 (though he did capture a Sixth Man of the Year Award in 1986 while helping Boston win the final championship of the Bird-McHale-Parish era) and the 1978 CHPB cover photo that seemed to mark the beginning of a new era instead just captured an image from the brief, fleeting moment when Walton strode atop the basketball world.

The 1978 CHPB included 288 pages, 16 more than the 1977 edition but still short of the 304 pages in the 1976 CHPB. The 1978 CHPB contained 22 team profiles, lists of the 1977 NBA statistical leaders, a complete schedule, a list of all 170 players selected in the 1977 NBA Draft (including Lucy Harris, a seventh round pick by the Jazz) and a "TV/Radio roundup." Tom Meschery--described in a brief bio as "poet, player, coach and friend of Bill Walton"--wrote a feature article titled "The Bill Walton I Know," Peter Finney interviewed Pete Maravich for a piece titled "Pistol Pete's World of Jazz" and Meschery contributed "A Survival Kit for Coach Willis Reed."

Steve Hershey and Woodrow Paige--who is now better known as ESPN's Woody Paige--co-wrote the "Inside the NBA" article, forecasting that the L.A. Lakers would defeat the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1978 NBA Finals. That did happen--but in 1980, not 1978. Washington, picked to finish second in the Central Division, beat Seattle, picked to finish third in the Pacific Division, in the 1978 NBA Finals. Along the way the Bullets ousted the 76ers in the Eastern Conference Finals, while the SuperSonics took out the Lakers 2-1 in a first round miniseries. Here are some interesting notes, quotes and quips from the 1978 CHPB:

1) Meschery served as an assistant coach under Hall of Famer Lenny Wilkens during the early stages of Walton's Portland career. Meschery described rookie Walton as so skinny that he "was a man Washington Irving could have used as a model for Ichabod Crane" and added that Walton looked like "a skeleton impersonating a man." Meschery's initial skepticism about Walton's physique quickly dissolved after he watched Walton dominate during the 1975 training camp but injuries limited Walton to just 86 games in his first two seasons and prevented Walton from emerging as an elite player. Meschery noted that Portland's management became so frustrated by Walton's injuries and off-court controversies that the team seriously considered trading him at least six times during Walton's rookie season alone.

2) Who could have imagined that Maravich--coming off of his best pro season, when he led the league in scoring with a 31.1 ppg average--would die of heart failure barely a decade after Finney's interview with the Floppy Socked Mopped Top? Maravich told Finney, "I've always said I'll never be happy until they pour champagne over my head and put a championship ring on my finger. But I'm mature enough to know that fate plays a role in what happens to everyone...When you come down to it, I guess you can never be completely happy in this world." Maravich said that if he did not suffer a major injury he thought that he could play at least seven more seasons because of the way that he took care of his body; unfortunately, Maravich blew out his knee just past the midpoint of the 1977-78 season when he seemed to be en route to his second consecutive scoring title and he never regained his old form before retiring during the 1980-81 preseason. Maravich called himself "Pete Maravich's worst critic" and said that even though 1976-77 was his best season he was only content with about 20 of the 73 games that he played because in those 20 games he "shot and passed and made things happen and played defense the best I know how." Maravich made the All-NBA First Team for the second year in a row and finished third in MVP voting behind dominant centers Abdul-Jabbar and Walton so his performance in 1976-77 was a lot better than that harsh self-assessment suggests.

3) Meschery's "Survival Kit" for Reed--a rookie coach who would lead the New York Knicks to the playoffs with a 43-39 record but finished his coaching career with an 82-124 mark--consisted of a series of fictional letters written to Reed providing tongue in cheek advice about surviving the NBA grind.

4) Julius Erving made his NBA debut in 1976-77 after a five year ABA career during which he led the New York Nets to two championships in the league's final three seasons. Erving shared the ball with two other Philadelphia All-Stars (George McGinnis and Doug Collins) but still led the squad in scoring (21.6 ppg) while earning All-NBA Second Team honors. Erving's profile included these observations: "The ultimate in offensive weaponry...The Doctor is the most highly-respected player in the league by his peers...A complete player who gives you the impression he can score anytime he wants...The one genuine gate attraction in the league...As proof, the 76ers sold out 33 of their 41 road games...Very much the leader type who was shocked by the 76ers lack of discipline."

5) McGinnis received most of the blame for Philadelphia's collapse in the NBA Finals (the 76ers lost four straight games after taking a 2-0 lead against Portland): "Awful slump in playoffs took luster off a good season...Hates to practice and is probably more to blame than anyone for the team's schoolyard sessions...Doesn't move well without the ball and is not as physical as he should be with those muscles."

6) Collins, who is now Philadelphia's head coach after previous stints in Chicago, Detroit and Washington, was a great complementary threat alongside Erving and McGinnis: "The best, repeat, the best offensive guard in the NBA...Moves relentlessly without the ball...Missed 24 games with succession of groin pulls, which cost him a shot at All-Pro..."

7) Lloyd Free--he did not legally change his first name to "World" until a few years later--led the charge for the 76ers' "Bomb Squad," the bench players who shot first, second and third and did not bother to ask questions later: "A typical 76er...His enormous talent is exceeded only by his ego...Called by many the best leaper inch for inch in the league...Started 24 games when Collins was hurt and led team in scoring."

8) Kobe Bryant's father, Joe "Jellybean" Bryant, also came off of the bench for the 76ers: "Another typical 76er...Good offense, bad defense, big ego...A streak shooter with good range, who like Free has no conscience."

9) Walton's profile began with a simple rhetorical question: "Are there any skeptics remaining?...The Mountain Man has finally proved his worth after two disappointing, injury-riddled seasons...Years of glory ahead if he wants it."

10) In 1976-77, Abdul-Jabbar won the fifth of his record six regular season MVPs: "In love again...With basketball...Two years ago it seemed the fun had gone out of it but Jerry West showed up, brought in some new plays for Kareem and new players to surround him and the Big Man was, in the words of John Denver, far out...His sky hook is the most automatic two points ever invented."

11) Denver's Bobby Jones made a smooth transition from the ABA: "A computer spewed out Jones' name as the best overall player in the NBA last season...Won $10,000 as a result and promptly gave all of it to charity...That's Jones...Among league leaders in several categories--like field goal percentage, blocked shots, steals...(Coach Larry) Brown says he is the game's best all-around player and, now that the NBA has been exposed to him, many others agree."

12) The CHPB always included some colorful barbs. Here are the opening lines of Jim Eakins' profile: "Put six sheets of No. 5 ply typewriter paper on the floor and bet Eakins that he cannot jump higher than the pile...Collect your money...No leaper...His abilities have always been suspect but not his attitude."

13) Phil Jackson was nearing the end of the line with the New York Knicks: "So retire already...Threatened to quit until he found out what sheep herders make in Montana...Has slipped the past two years after building a reputation as a steady reliever...Knows his limitations and plays within them."

14) Maravich received some overdue praise after being unfairly criticized earlier in his career: "All-World (sorry, Lloyd Free)...Simply the best guard in basketball and finally getting the recognition he richly deserves...Highlight of season was 68-point performance against Knicks, but more impressive were his 13 games with 40 points or more...Became the first guard to win scoring title since Nate Archibald four years ago and only fifth ever...Now owns third-highest career scoring average for a guard (25.0) behind Jerry West and Oscar Robertson...Despite all the points, his greatest skill still is passing."

Wayback Machine, Part I looked at the 1975 Complete Handbook of Pro Basketball

Wayback Machine, Part II looked at the 1976 Complete Handbook of Pro Basketball

Wayback Machine, Part III looked at the 1977 Complete Handbook of Pro Basketball

Labels: Bill Walton, Complete Handbook of Pro Basketball, Julius Erving, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Tom Meschery, Woody Paige, Zander Hollander

posted by David Friedman @ 7:38 AM

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Wayback Machine, Part II: The 1976 Complete Handbook of Pro Basketball

The 1976 Complete Handbook of Pro Basketball contained 304 pages, 16 more than the 1975 edition. Four diverse authors provided four interesting feature stories: Art Spander--who eventually was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and is also a respected golf writer--profiled Golden State Warriors' star Rick Barry, the second consecutive year that the CHPB included a feature about Barry; NBA Commissioner Emeritus Walter Kennedy--perhaps better known as J. Walter Kennedy, the namesake of the NBA's annual citizenship award--listed his All-Time NBA Team; Roger Director--who left sportswriting in the 1980s to become a writer, producer and story editor for hit TV shows such as "Moonlighting" and "Hill Street Blues"--described "The Zany World of the Globetrotters"; the Oregon Journal's Ken Wheeler examined the future prospects of an injury-prone young center named Bill Walton.

As usual, the CHPB included profiles of each of the NBA's 18 teams and each of the ABA's 10 teams, with mini-scouting reports on more than 300 players plus two pages listing the statistical leaders from both leagues. The CHPB had an "NBA TV/Radio roundup" of the local broadcasting crews for each NBA team and a complete 1975-76 NBA schedule but did not provide similar information regarding the ABA.

These notes and quotes will give you a revealing glimpse into the 1976 CHPB and, through that prism, a view of the basketball world in general at that time:

1) The vanity license plate on Rick Barry's $10,000 DeTomaso Pantera read "POO 24," a reference respectively to a horse Barry owned and Barry's jersey number; Spander commented, "Still, it's a bit unnerving to see this handsome, virile athlete with a license plate that reads POO." Spander detailed the whirlwind summer after Barry's Warriors won the 1975 NBA championship and he noted that Barry's brutal honesty--both as an interview subject and during stints as a CBS commentator--likely cost Barry the 1975 regular season MVP award (then selected by the players) even though, according to Spander, "No one will have a statistical season like Rick did--leading the league in two such disparate categories as steals and free throws, finishing second in scoring and being the only forward ranked in assists." Spander conceded that perhaps the actual winner, Bob McAdoo, had a season at least as good as Barry's (McAdoo led the league in scoring while ranking fourth in rebounding and fifth in field goal percentage) but called it "ridiculous" that Barry finished fourth in the balloting instead of first or second.

2) Here is Kennedy's All-Time NBA Team: forwards Rick Barry, Elgin Baylor, Joe Fulks and Bob Pettit, centers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, George Mikan and Bill Russell, guards Bob Cousy, Walt Frazier, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West and coach Red Auerbach. Kennedy mentioned that he regretted leaving out John Havlicek, Dolph Schayes, Lenny Wilkens and Dave DeBusschere. Abdul-Jabbar, Barry and Frazier were the only active players who made the cut; four year ABA veteran Julius Erving had yet to play an NBA game (except for some exhibition contests when he was briefly an Atlanta Hawk) and at the height of the NBA-ABA rivalry it is certain that Kennedy was not inclined to expand his list to include all of pro basketball as opposed to just the NBA (a few years later, basketball writers selected the NBA's 35th Anniversary All-Time Team, an 11 man unit that included nine of Kennedy's 12 selections, adding Erving and Havlicek to the mix while subtracting Barry, Frazier and Fulks). Kennedy refused to relegate any of his choices to the second team, arguing that those dozen NBA legends are so great they are all "first team." Memories of Fulks were likely already fading in 1976 and sadly may be almost completely gone now but Kennedy noted that Fulks' single game scoring record of 63 points--set in the pre-shot clock era--stood for more than a decade. Kennedy argued that Fulks "would be a superstar today" and noted that Fulks was one of just 10 players selected to the NBA's Silver Anniversary Team in 1971 (Pettit, Schayes, Paul Arizin, Russell, Mikan, Cousy, Bill Sharman, Bob Davies and Sam Jones were the others--and it must be remembered that the team consisted only of retired players, hence no Chamberlain, Robertson or West; the voters were players who had made the All-NBA First Team at least once in the league's first 25 years).

3) Director noted that Meadowlark Lemon got his start as a Globetrotter when Marques Haynes, then serving as the team's coach, took a fancy to Lemon and pulled the then-18 year old out of the crowd. Lemon joined the team full-time as soon as he finished his commitment to the U.S. Army. Director mentioned that the Globetrotters, who were of course once one of the best basketball teams in the world (even capable of beating George Mikan's Lakers), began their comedy routines as a way to stall during games and prevent running up the score against some of their outclassed opponents.

4) After an injury-plagued rookie season, Bill Walton received more attention for his political views and vegetarian diet than for his basketball skills. The Portland Trail Blazers issued an official statement that "deplored" public criticisms that Walton made of the FBI and the U.S. government. Meanwhile, many people wondered if Walton's body was sturdy enough and his mentality fierce enough to survive nightly battles in the paint. Walton said, "The people in Portland and the fans in the NBA have not yet seen me play my best basketball but they must remember I have been hurt. Caring for one's body is very important. Changing my diet to vegetarian, which consists of fruits and vegetables, nuts, grains, seeds, herbs and juices, has done wonders for me. Such a diet has brought back my soul's consciousness. The consciousness comes back when we stop eating the carcasses of dead animals. Better vibrations occur. Our values are to learn that health, our bodies and our lives are more important than the value of money." In case you only know Walton as Luke's father or the sixth man on Larry Bird's third and final Boston championship team, it should be mentioned that Walton endured a second injury-filled campaign in 1975-76 but in 1976-77 a relatively healthy Walton played in 65 regular season games and then led Portland to the NBA championship. In the 1977 and 1978 seasons (before Walton got hurt yet again) he played the center position about as well as anyone has ever played it in terms of the all-around game, the ability to impact the action through scoring, rebounding, passing, defending and leadership.

5) The Boston Globe's Bob Ryan--a name that is still quite familiar not just to basketball fans but also to television viewers--picked the Washington Bullets to repeat as Eastern Conference champions and the L.A. Lakers to win the Western Conference thanks to the acquisition of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar from the Milwaukee Bucks. He listed Boston and Buffalo as two other "major threats," while predicting that the defending champion Warriors might fall as far as third place in the Pacific Division. The Warriors actually finished with the best record in the entire league (59-23) and made it to the Western Conference Finals, where they lost in seven games to the 42-40 Phoenix Suns. The Lakers failed to win even half of their games and did not qualify for the playoffs. The Bullets had a solid season (48-34) before losing to Cleveland in the playoffs and then Boston defeated an injury-depleted Cleveland squad to make it to the NBA Finals for the second time in three years. The Suns fought valiantly but the Celtics picked up the second championship of the post-Bill Russell era. How could a Boston scribe like Ryan not see that coming? That just shows the perils of prognostication even for people who have a lot of experience and who enjoy insider access to the league.

6) John Havlicek's player profile said, "Formerly preferred playing forward, but now likes guard, where there's less banging and less endline-to-endline running." Havlicek's late career evolution foreshadowed a similar transition made by Julius Erving a decade later. One would think that guards run more than forwards, not less, so the stated reason for Havlicek's position change is a bit odd; Philadelphia shifted Erving so that he could post up smaller guards and also to make room in the lineup for Charles Barkley (it was not considered feasible to play two small forwards together, though later in his career Barkley would be deemed a power forward). As a Washington Wizard, Michael Jordan shifted in the opposite direction at times, moving from shooting guard to play small forward so that he could use his strength and post up skills without having to chase around smaller, quicker guards. Perhaps these transitions depend on an individual player's skill set, the roster composition of that player's team and the style of play in vogue in the league at the time.

7) This is the type of nugget that only the CHPB provided: Buffalo's Dale Schleuter "Holds unenviable distinction of being worst fighter in NBA history...Centers are ashamed to admit they've never kayoed him." Two thoughts: 1) Did Bert Randolph Sugar rank NBA fighters for the CHPB? 2) That kind of comment would be considered completely and totally politically incorrect in today's NBA, all the more so with the justifiable concerns about concussions and head injuries.

8) New York Knicks' forward Phil Jackson really got the treatment: "Before he shaved beard, looked like fuzzy erector set...Very intellectual; can even converse with (Bill) Bradley without an interpreter...To say that his style is awkward is to say that Jim Nabors will never play Hamlet." The future Zen Master is described as "Very intense, once got $1000 fine for shoving referee Earl Strom, but has since vowed to remain calm."

9) An unnamed player said of Wes Unseld, "When he sets a pick, it takes you 24 seconds to run around it."

10) Mike D'Antoni became famous for his "Seven Seconds or Less" offense in Phoenix but his player profile praised the "excellent hands and defensive anticipation" of the 24 year old backup guard for the Kansas City Kings.

11) Jerry Sloan's player profile noted that he "has the face of a washed-up middleweight" and that he is "Fearless and tactless on the court."

12) From the too much information department came this note about veteran center Nate Thurmond: "Has feet only a podiatrist would love."

13) Bob Lanier may be best known now for his community service work but he was a great, great player: "Such awesome grace has never before been present in a man of this size...Dainty movements coming from a man who sometimes weighs 280 suggests image of a ballerina elephant...The single most versatile offensive center--ever...Actually has more moves than Abdul-Jabbar, who has become almost strictly a hook man." Perhaps that praise may seem a bit extravagant but it is interesting to see how Lanier was perceived during the prime of his career.

14) Detroit Coach Ray Scott's nickname of "Chink"--in reference to his facial features--would go over even less well today than the ranking of Schleuter's purported lack of fighting prowess.

15) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar missed 17 games due to a broken hand after he punched a basket stanchion in response to Don Nelson poking him in the eye. Abdul-Jabbar averaged 30 ppg but critics sniped that he only ranked 29th in offensive rebounding (he ranked fifth overall in rebounding average with 14.1 rpg).

16) An ironic note that does not seem humorous in light of subsequent events: Kermit Washington, who later nearly killed Rudy Tomjanovich with the most infamous punch in NBA history, is said to "have the potential to be next heavyweight champ."

17) Seattle Coach Bill Russell "was hired to make chicken salad out of chicken you know what and has begun to do just that." Russell lasted a total of four seasons in Seattle, winning between 36 and 43 games each year after inheriting a 26 win team.

18) Bill Walton's player profile stated, "Uncomfortable around reporters and mumbles answers with head down most of the time." Walton transformed himself from a reluctant talker who had a speech impediment into a TV commentator who is famous for his propensity to expound at length on any number of subjects.

19) The Indianapolis Star's Dave Overpeck picked Kentucky to repeat as the ABA champions by defeating the Denver Nuggets but the Colonels lost 4-3 in the Semifinals to Julius Erving's New York Nets, who went on to claim the final title in league history with an upset victory over the powerful Nuggets.

20) Classic CHPB one liner about San Antonio's journeyman forward William Franklin: "Spurs added him in the middle of last year when they were looking for a little more help on the boards...That's what they got--little help."

21) Utah's Jim Eakins is described as "a superior backup center...Not a championship-style pivot as a starter, though." Eakins finished the season with New York and received most of the minutes at center in the playoffs as Erving had one of the greatest playoff performances ever while leading the Nets to the title. In one of his MVP acceptance speeches, offensive rebounder extraordinaire Moses Malone thanked his teammates for missing so many shots and in a similar vein it could be said that playing alongside Eakins, Rich Jones and Kim Hughes enabled--or required--Erving to put up such gaudy numbers in the 1976 ABA playoffs.

22) The New York Nets' "Scouting Report" noted that Erving is the team's primary playmaker, "the beginning and/or end of most of what the Nets do." Regarding the team's defense, Erving's "skills in this department are underrated."

23) Erving's player profile described him as "Probably the most exciting player in the game today with marvelous scoring sweeps to the hoop" but also noted that he "hits the jumper from three point range and within." The idea that Erving either never developed a consistent jump short or at least did not have one until midway through his NBA career is false. Erving did not have a great jump shot as an ABA rookie but he quickly added that skill to his repertoire. The player profile also mentioned Erving's defensive prowess: "Unusual for big offensive stars, he frequently takes the other team's top forward on defense."

24) The ABA section concluded with a team profile for the Baltimore Claws, the former Memphis Sounds; that franchise folded before the season even began, followed soon thereafter by the San Diego Sails and Utah Stars as the ABA contracted from a 10 team, two division league to a seven team league with no divisions. The final ABA All-Star Game pitted the league-leading Nuggets against the best players from the other six teams--and the Nuggets won, something to keep in mind in light of the fact that a few months later the Nets beat the Nuggets in a championship series with Eakins, Hughes and Jones manning the frontcourt rotation alongside Erving.

Wayback Machine, Part I looked at the 1975 Complete Handbook of Pro Basketball

Labels: Bill Walton, Complete Handbook of Pro Basketball, J. Walter Kennedy, Julius Erving, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Rick Barry, Zander Hollander

posted by David Friedman @ 4:15 AM

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Quotes from Legends Roundtable Featuring Julius Erving, Bob Lanier, Bill Russell and Bill Walton

On Friday January 14, NBA TV aired a "Legends Roundtable" featuring Julius Erving, Bob Lanier, Bill Russell and Bill Walton. Erving was the star of the show, both in terms of how much time he spent talking and in terms of how much the other three said about him.

The show's introduction featured highlights of the four players, with one of the voiceovers (George McGinnis, Erving's ABA rival and NBA teammate) declaring of Erving, "Without question, without any doubt, the absolute greatest forward that has ever put on a pair of basketball shoes."

Erving explained that the person who had the most impact on his basketball career during his formative years was Don Ryan, a then-19 year old Salvation Army coach from Hempstead, New York who mentored the then-nine year old Erving; Erving felt so strongly about Ryan's effect on him that when Erving was inducted in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993 and the Hall asked Erving what kind of banner/display Erving wanted Erving asked for a Hempstead Salvation Army banner and made sure that Ryan was there for the ceremony.

While Russell, Walton and, to a lesser extent, Lanier became nationally known stars as collegians, the young Julius Erving was putting up 27 ppg-20 rpg averages for the University of Massachusetts in the obscure (and now defunct) Yankee Conference. Erving received an invitation to the Olympic Development camp in 1970 but did not make the cut as one of the 40 best players; Erving said that this shook his confidence and that he returned home to coach at the local recreation center during the summer. However, Erving had been selected as one of four alternates, so when a player went down because of injury Erving was invited back to Colorado Springs to join the Olympic Development tour. Erving recalled that the other players on the tour--including future All-Star/current Sacramento Coach Paul Westphal--openly spoke about becoming pro basketball players, something that Erving had never seriously considered at that time. Erving proved to be the best player on the tour and that is when he first realized that playing professionally was not a distant dream but rather a likely possibility. That story is a powerful reminder that even the most talented people need the right opportunities in order to build their confidence and reach their full potential. "I didn't even have the mentality of thinking that I was going to be a pro, period, or a Hall of Famer," Erving remembered, "until after that camp, because once we got out (there) and we started playing and I performed as well or better than all the other guys there I said, 'If they're going to make it, I've got a pretty good chance of making it.'"

Walton declared, "The minute that Dr. J started floating over that court with the hair and the beard--he would just come at you and it was exhilarating." Erving added, "(Hall of Fame Coach) Lou Carnesecca used to talk about with certain athletes it's just like taking a blank canvas and when that player performs they are actually painting a picture. George Gervin and Tiny Archibald--that's what comes to mind for me when you watch them play: there's the arena and there is what this guy is doing. There are a handful of guys who painted pictures for people and those pictures made indelible impressions that they will have for the rest of their lives."

Walton said, "Dr. J had the responsibility and the pressure of everybody wanting something spectacular every single night. How did you deal with that responsibility?"

Erving replied, "I wanted to undertake the challenge of daring to be great. It's like, 'Nothing ventured, nothing gained' and 'No risk, no reward,' so I would hold that in my heart that I was not going to be afraid to dare to be great and to do something that maybe nobody had ever seen before. It's an individual expression and it's rooted in taking that up as a challenge." Erving spoke those words over the highlight clip for the "No Way Even for Dr. J Reverse Layup."

Erving also said that he adopted the motto of his college coach Jack Leaman: "Attitude is altitude"; Rod Thorn and Bobby Jones are just two of the many people who have raved about how great Erving was as a teammate: Erving explained, "I always brought a certain attitude to practice and to games because I knew it would take things to the next level if I had a positive attitude as the leader of the team."

Erving is a role model for the class and dignity with which all athletes should conduct themselves. He said that he was guided by this thought: "I always wanted to win without boasting and lose without crying. If you chew on that one, it's going to keep you in a good place that helps you maintain your sanity while all the madness is going on around you."

Russell said, "I thought that what distinguishes a great player is his presence. When he goes on to the court, his presence dominates the atmosphere." As Erving looked at Russell and listened intently, Walton delivered a knowing smile and pointed at Erving as if to say, "Dr. J embodied that trait to the fullest." Russell concluded, "It's like, if you're in the game and Doc's playing, everybody is watching him warm up." That sentiment echoes what a scout recently said to me about how everyone on the court knows that Kobe Bryant is the best player and defers to his greatness. As the saying goes, "game recognizes game"--players know who is great, who is good and who is just taking up space, whether the "game" is basketball, chess or writing: strip away the hype, strip away the nonsense and true greatness always shines through.

Lanier lamented that he was the only player on the panel who never won a championship and he asked the other three players what made their championship teams special. Erving replied, "Let me just set the record straight, too, because sometimes I am a little offended when the championship discussion comes about because I did not have an opportunity to win NBA championships or be a part of the NBA championship experience my first five years--but I wasn't just sitting around picking my nose: I was playing five years in the formidable ABA and I was part of two championship experiences there." That is a crucial historical point that I have made several times, including a 2001 article that I wrote for Basketball Digest about ABA statistics, a 2007 article that I wrote for NBCSports.com about the ABA's legacy and my Pantheon series article about Erving. Erving's performance in the 1976 ABA Finals--culminating in a classic 31 point, 19 rebound, five assist, five steal, four blocked shot effort in the decisive game six--has been described as "the greatest individual performance by a basketball player at any level anywhere--ABA, NBA, BAA or UCLA."

Erving then talked about his NBA Finals experiences: "In my first seven years in the NBA we were part of four championship experiences, three of which we did not win: one compliments of Bill (Walton) and two compliments of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers. So I had multiple opportunities to be in the championship arena, went to the Finals six times in 16 years--something that I am very individually proud of and also something that I am proud of for the Nets and 76ers organizations and for my teammates...Each of those times, succeed or fail, what it takes to get there is at the foundation and the core of it all. And that is the sense of setting a goal, being able to focus on it and then going through that process of trying to accomplish that goal. Even in the times when you come up short...I certainly did not feel at the end of the season, being the second place team, that it was all over. I actually felt more determined about coming back the next year because I knew that we probably could get back there again, until 1983 with the Sixers when I felt that the window was closing up after that--I didn't feel like the next few years that I played that I was ever on a team that had enough to accomplish what had already been accomplished in those previous 12 seasons, which was six attempts for the title and winning three times."

Lanier concluded the show by echoing a sentiment that he expressed to me in an interview almost six years ago: the most meaningful part of his NBA experience is that it has enabled him to have a positive impact on other people's lives.

Labels: Bill Russell, Bill Walton, Bob Lanier, Julius Erving

posted by David Friedman @ 7:32 PM

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