You look at size of hands, wingspans. Walton won 1 MVP Award, was selected to play in 2 All-Star Games, and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1993. He had the athleticism of Kareem, and he could shoot the 3-point shot. The statistical record is just unfathomable: 37.6 points and 27 rebounds per game as a rookie; 50.4 points in 48.5 minutes per game in 1961-62, headlined by the 100-point performance that still stands as the highest-scoring game in history; the most 40- and 50-point games ever, as well as the longest streaks of 20-, 30-, 40-, and 50-point games; basically every major rebounding mark in existence; etc. Over the past 10 seasons, the only center to match those averages on that combination of 3-point volume and accuracy is Karl-Anthony Towns. Durant, the reigning NBA Finals MVP , is quick to point out that his length allows him to make up for other areas, including being far leaner than most NBA players. In Loose Balls, Terry Plutos iconic oral history of the ABA, former ABA commissioner Mike Storen recalls that in negotiations over trying to get Walton to come to the counterculture league, Waltons representative made it clear that the two wanted Bill to be the highest-paid professional athlete in the history of mankind, and to be on a great team surrounded by a lot of talent so that the responsibility for winning and losing does not fall directly on Bill. Again: He might fit in just fine today.). Yet each visit he made, among the first things measured was his wingspan, 7-6. How much better could he have been before the injuries? (The arrangement was not unprecedented; Elgin Baylor squeezed in a game a week for the Lakers in 1962 while serving in the Army Reserve.) Walton was even more spectacular in 1977-78 that is, as long as he was healthy. Needless to say, Hakeem could hang. If somebodys short, hopefully theyre quick. But several NBA players pop off the chart because of their long arms. In an ESPN feature published earlier this year about the evolution of NBA big men, Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said that if his notorious envelope-pushing team had ONeal on the roster, I would give him the ball 1,000 times, is my guess. Once he got it, keeping him from getting to the rimand from putting his man inside itwould be an awfully tall order, and would likely result in even more trips to the line for someone who averaged nearly 10 attempts per 36 minutes for his career. He wanted to be winning. Weve already covered point guard, shooting guard, small forward, and power forward. Walton, having lost all faith in Portlands medical team, demanded a trade, sat out the entire 1978-79 season when one wasnt granted, and left to sign with the San Diego Clippers. Olajuwon had an excellent midrange game, with incredible touch on those turnarounds and fadeaways out of the block, and shot a crisp 50 percent between 16 feet and the arc during the 1998-99 season, his final healthy run before the wheels started to come off. Paolo Banchero leads the way as the Kia Rookie of the Year chase begins to head for the finish line. Youre able to deflect the pass or block shots.. A wingspan always helps people, whether its blocking shots or deflections on defense.. Before he got to the NBA, McGee wasnt even aware of his wingspan. Please enter a valid email and try again. "At one time, they were long enough, and I can still put my own shoes and socks on," he quipped. I was born tall, he said. Its nothing that I heard about until I got to the league, or right before I got into the league, theyre like, Wed like to measure your wingspan. They dont really bring it up to us about that in college or high school.. Foot problems limited Walton to only 35 games as a rookie and a meager 12.8 ppg. In recent seasons, Warriors high-scoring All-Star Kevin Durant has become more determined to use his 7-5 wingspan to make more of an impact on defense. But the damage was done: Hed only play 169 games between 1979 and 1985. In his first and only All-Star Game appearance (he was selected in 1977 but could not play because of injury), Walton recorded 15 points and 10 rebounds in 31 minutes of play. The wingspan sure helps a lot of people, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said . Inspired by rule changes that allowed for zone defenses, easier double-teams, and more effective swarms of players holding the ball in the post, the game has moved away from just dumping the ball down to your big man on the block and letting him cook. What We Learned From Testing, and a Bahrain GP Preview, Succession Hall of Fame: Which Side Are You On?. In 1991, Walton won a Sports Emmy for best live television sports telecast and was named one of the top 50 sports broadcasters of all-time by the American Sportscaster Association in 2009. Walton inducted himself into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993. Portland rose from fifth to second place in the Pacific Division and stunned the league by gliding past the talent-rich Denver Nuggets in six games, and sweeping the Abdul-Jabbar-led Los Angeles Lakers to reach the Finals. I am not even joking; he did this during a Michigan State vs. North Carolina basketball game back in 2017. Some of the best players Kerr faced had incredible reach. Bill Walton was a lifelong stutterer until receiving some speech tips and guidance from Hall of Fame broadcaster and Syracuse University track legend Marty Glickman. His arms are long and he can block shots. You remember him: the irresistible force who tipped the scales after adding all that bulk to withstand the legions of Hack-a-Shaq implementers, the immovable object whom noted giant Yao Ming described in 2003 as like a meat wall, and the mountainous MVP who Juggernauted his way through the league to the tune of 27-and-12 on 57.5 percent shooting for a smooth eight years. Outside of a select few scorers who still get a bunch of low-block touches, like Joel Embiid or LaMarcus Aldridge, post-ups these days are more often a vehicle for creating catch-and-shoot 3s, or a way to attack mismatches when defenses switch themselves into a mouse in the house situation, than a main feature of an attack. Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo is nicknamed the Greek Freak in part because he stands 6-11 with a 7-3 wingspan and giant hands. Those are my five, but theres always room for more time travelers, so lets hit a few honorable mentions: Vlade Divac (1989-2005): Bigs who can pass, forever and ever, amen. The average man has a wingspan about 2 inches more than his height. He could pass and run the floor, dribble. Its not like adjusting for pace and contemporary minutes management would make Wilt just another dude, though. 2x NCAA Tourney MOP. A lot of basketball players dont, though, they have wider wingspans. Im a big believer in that., More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball, This March 25, 2018, photo shows Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert in action during an NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors in Oakland, Calif. From executives and scouts to coaches and analytics types, teams are paying closer attention to wingspan when considering players _ especially with what long arms can mean making a defensive impact. A wingspan always helps people, whether its blocking shots or deflections on defense.. Any time you think youre too small to make a difference in the world youve never spent the night alone in bed with a mosquito. Any time you think youre too small to make a difference in the world youve never spent the night alone in bed with a mosquito. After the playoffs Walton demanded to be traded and accused Portland management with providing him poor medical treatment. Its nothing that I heard about until I got to the league, or right before I got into the league, theyre like, Wed like to measure your wingspan. They dont really bring it up to us about that in college or high school.. Once limited to descriptions of birds, wingspan has become one of the most important measurements for basketball prospects over the past decade. That might seem like a bit of an exaggeration: After all, Sabonis still starred in the States, averaging a double-double in Year 3, posting a player efficiency rating over 20 in six of his seven NBA seasons, and playing an integral role on Trail Blazers teams that went to consecutive Western Conference finals, including one that came within a hellacious fourth-quarter comeback of beating Shaq, Kobe, and the Lakers in 2000. Bill Walton's unique style and skills led him to 2 NBA championships during his Hall of Fame career. That is not the case for young players. It is as if Agony and Ecstasy are Bill's Scylla and Charybdys, with his 7'+ wingspan wide enough to touch both simultaneously. The explosive Russell Westbrook is 6-3, with a wingspan of 6-8, which helps him be one of the best rebounding guards in history. Some of the best players Kerr faced had incredible reach. After achieving superstardom playing for John Woodens powerhouse UCLA Bruins in the early 70s and winning three straight College Player of the Year Awards, Walton was destined to become an NBA legend. Bill Russell was a great shotblocker. Whats legacy, anyway? Extremely intelligent but besides that, he has tremendous basketball instinct.. Waltons combative relationship with the press further sullied his image. In fact, some of them might have translated even better to todays leagueand might have been even more enjoyable to watch in the 2020 NBA than they were in their heyday. Rob Slater on November 5, 2015. A lot of basketball players don't, though, they have wider wingspans. I see people, they drive to the basket, I say, I must be missing something. If your wingspan is more than your height, thats kind of abnormal. In recent seasons, Warriors high-scoring All-Star Kevin Durant has become more determined to use his 7-5 wingspan to make more of an impact on defence. It seems more likely that ONeal would still need to do the lions share of his damage within arms reach rather than suddenly developing a feathery touch from 23 feet. After several Celtics said they liked the idea of having Walton as a teammate and as a backup for workhorses Robert Parish and Kevin McHale, Red Auerbach made the deal happen. Im not as fast laterally, Im not as athletic, Im not as quick as guys up and down but I think I make up for it with my length, said Durant, a defensive player of the year candidate. Later, he admitted much of his aloofness or unwillingness to talk was due to a speech impediment, which he would later receive successful therapy for. Washington Bullets, with his ability to grab rebounds and find open outlets under the floor, or the non-selfish ways of Bill Walton when playing for the Portland Trail Blazers. It's much more important than your height," Kerr said. Neither knew their wingspans then, and they still don't. 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