Wingspan is one detail Warriors coach Steve Kerr takes seriously and might consider when deciding on lineups and rotations for the defending champions. Things didnt improve in Portland, as ankle and foot injuries (along with two separate broken wrists) cost him 78 games over his first two seasons. The average man has a wingspan about 2 inches more than his height. Bill Walton III. NBA Hall of Famer Bill Walton is back in the news for attacking his homeless neighbors in San Diego. He left the game with 6,215 points (13.3 ppg), 4,923 rebounds (10.5 rpg), and a .521 shooting percentage in 468 regular-season contests. 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. 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. The Celtics' legendary playmaker is the only person in NBA history to win MVP, Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year in a career. OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) Not until Nate McMillan began being fitted for custom-made suits a few years into his NBA career three decades ago did he understand just how far his arms reached. But when I think about the prospect of Shaq playing nowwith more long and skilled big men to line up against, and fewer fellow kaiju roaming the painted area to batter him every time he catches the ballI wonder whether a Shaq who came along in 2020 might have been better served staying down around the 290 pounds of his salad days for a little longer. 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. His aptly titled 2016 memoir Back from the Dead distills and expands Bill's essence in a rambling narrative that, . In 1981 he underwent radical surgery to restructure his battle-scarred left foot. 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. Yet each visit he made, among the first things measured was his wingspan, 7-6. Hakeem likely couldve become a passable 3-point shooter with enough commitment. 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. But I've grown into it." Photos by PR Photos Look at John Stockton's arms or Avery Johnson's arms and they're very long, and their hands are very big. Position C/PF. Most of us have the same wingspan as our height. Walton first appeared on the national stage as a lanky college kid who exhibited a winning attitude on the court and an anti-establishment attitude off it. Its also worth noting what led to the blossoming of Wilts playmaking in the late 60s: He reportedly wanted to dispel the notion that he was a selfish player. 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. Though remembered by many for a career plagued by injuries and a personal life spiced by controversy, Bill Walton won high praise from players and coaches alike during his checkered career. He was a very athletic player. At one time, they were long enough, and I can still put my own shoes and socks on, he quipped. When it comes to Arizona, he prefers to refer to the Wildcats as "the kitties." He claimed to be around the 6ft 11 mark, and on his twitter in 2015 still saying, it's a strange oneI do think he could look near 7ft, but maybe he really did measure under it and simply rounded off to 6ft 11 rather than up to the 7ft. He wanted to be loved more than anything else, and yet he was convinced that nobody loves Goliath.. Chamberlain experienced fabulous success playing one way, fielded criticism from fans and pundits over it, and then just decided to play an entirely different way to prove a point. But several NBA players pop off the chart because of their long arms. 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. You guessed it: The one who turned the 1984 draft into prom night. Grammy Award-winning singer John Mayer talks about the influence Basketball Hall of Famer Bill Walton has had on him during guest appearance on 'Throw It Down . Walton inducted himself. He wasnt just a lumbering giant, either: Chamberlain could sky to block shots and snare rebounds, and sprint the length of the court to fill the lane on the break. Paolo Banchero leads the way as the Kia Rookie of the Year chase begins to head for the finish line. OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) Not until Nate McMillan began being fitted for custom-made suits a few years into his NBA career three decades ago did he understand just how far his arms reached. The average man has a wingspan about 2 inches more than his height. And he was cocky, even to the Trail Blazers coaching staff. The lower body injuries turned catastrophic late in the 1977-78 season, when Walton, already dealing with right foot pain, suffered a sprained left ankle that sidelined him for weeks. That is not the case for young players. He returned for the Blazers postseason opener, but despite a pain-killing injection before Game 2, he couldnt continue past halftime; subsequent X-rays revealed a broken navicular bone. A two-time NBA champion, Bill Walton could do it all -- and often did -- throughout an injury-plagued career. The NBA playoffs begin Saturday, and an extra inch of reach can lead to a blocked shot or steal that might alter a series or a season. Many Clippers were outraged at the price the team had to pay to acquire the injury-plagued, 26-year-old Walton: forward Kermit Washington, center Kevin Kunnert, a first-round draft pick and $350,000. While at UCLA in the early 70s, he was arrested during an anti-Vietnam War rally, publicly criticized Richard Nixon and the FBI, and reportedly flirted with leaving basketball to pursue spiritual enlightenment. Its legit. Wilt Chamberlain was a great offensive player, Dr. Jack Ramsay, Waltons coach in Portland, told Sport magazine. "There's a lot of guys, Draymond (Green) is the same way, small, undersized power forward but can guard plenty of guys because of his length. The mind reels at all the possibilitiesand at all the vitriol his burner accounts might unleash. Before he got to the NBA, McGee wasnt even aware of his wingspan. It destroys the team, the Clippers Lloyd B. 1 to play a stretch-5 against him to try to draw him out of the middle and keep him from walling off the paint, or run dozens of pick-and-rolls aimed at getting him switched onto guards and forcing him to defend in space. That reaction underlines another reason Id love to see him now: Hed be an unbelievably alluring subject for modern media coveragea larger-than-life character whose outsize public figure would be rivaled only by his raw-nerve sensitivity. Hed need to be as adept as ever at bursting past defenders with one-dribble power moves, spinning away from them to elevate for alley-oops, and rim-running in transition. Walton, 29 years old, returned to the court for the 1982-83 season, playing about one game a week as many as his doctor would permit. You make up a lot of ground. "It's nothing that I heard about until I got to the league, or right before I got into the league, they're like, 'We'd like to measure your wingspan.' He was named to both the All-NBA Second Team and the NBA All-Defensive First Team. We've seen him block guys at the rim and also get his hands on some basketballs off the dribble.". When Bill Walton dominated at UCLA in the 1970s, no one ever measured his wingspan from fingertips to fingertips and arms outstretched. Youre able to deflect the pass or block shots.. Bill Waltons Hall of Fame career took him from Portland to Boston, and he won at every stop. 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. 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. Waltons combative relationship with the press further sullied his image. Give It the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar. Walton is in the Hall of Fame, but he never had his arms measured end to end. 1973 UCLA, led by Bill Walton, sets an NCAA record for consecutive victories with its 61st win, an 82-63 victory over Notre Dame. 1 Pick, and QB Movement Updates With Jeff Darlington. (Walton later sued the team; the case was settled out of court.). Before he got to the NBA, McGee wasnt even aware of his wingspan. When Bill Walton dominated at UCLA in the 1970s, no one ever measured his wingspan from fingertips to fingertips and arms outstretched. During his first two years in Portland, Walton had sprained an ankle, broken his left wrist twice and dislocated two toes and two fingers. Determined to get back into uniform, Walton ignored the skepticism of doctors who said he would never play again. But Waltons history of injury didnt keep the Portland Trail Blazers from making the gangly ex-Bruin the No. Walton, along with George Mullen, penned an op-ed in San Diego Times, in which he advocated for . Former American Basketball Player. The Trail Blazers finished the season 58-24 and Walton received the NBA MVP award. "A wingspan always helps people, whether it's blocking shots or deflections on defense.". That would be pretty rad, because Orlando Shaq could fuckin move, man: Maintaining that staggering combination of power and quickness would be critical for a modern-day ONeal. J, who pumped in 40 points in Game 6. In addition to the brawn he used to bulldoze his way to the basket, Chamberlain also flashed a soft touch on non-flush finishes, and was an early adopter of the fadeaway jumper that would become part of the repertoire of so many great low-post scorers in future generations: And while theres some dispute about just how valuable his passing was to his teams offensive performance, Chamberlain could facilitate with his back to the basket, finishing second in the league in assists in the 1967-68 season and turning in what remain the two highest assist-per-game averages of any center in league history: Context matters in a players development. Warriors 7-foot center JaVale McGee went through only a handful of pre-draft workouts for NBA teams, hardly a prized prospect after a career at Nevada. In 49 playoff games he averaged 10.8 points and 9.1 rebounds. Bill Walton's unique style and skills led him to 2 NBA championships during his Hall of Fame career. But whats the legacy of the blockbuster album? Walton won 1 MVP Award, was selected to play in 2 All-Star Games, and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1993. After the 1984-85 campaign Walton went shopping. Its much more important than your height, Kerr said. Weve seen him block guys at the rim and also get his hands on some basketballs off the dribble.. Free (later World B. The controversies that had embroiled Walton up to this point were mild compared to what would follow. Its not how big you are, its how big you play. He was such a force down low that the NBA literally changed the rules, and the width of the lane, to mitigate his influence. RotoWire considers the best player values in Yahoo fantasy leagues for Tuesday night's 10 game slate. That is not the case for young players. Meg and Spanners also discuss Aston Martins positive press focusing on Fernando Alonso and touch on Ferraris consistent performance. Once limited to descriptions of birds, wingspan has become one of the most important measurements for basketball prospects over the past decade. Sam Perkins (1984-2001): Heres that protostretch-5 you ordered: Big Smooth could shoot from deep in the first part of his careerjust ask the Bullsbut he rarely did, attempting only 352 triples during his first eight seasons and barely making a quarter of them. Neither knew their wingspans then, and they still dont. As Lakers teammate and fellow Hall of Famer Jerry West put it in his autobiography, West by West: Wilt was very self-conscious about his size and strength and he was reluctant to be viewed as a villain. At his peak he averaged 18.6/14.4/3.6 with 52% shooting and was the best player on a championship team. And theyre able to get their hands on balls or shots or loose balls. After years of trying and failing to conquer his free throw shooting demons, Chamberlain found success with underhand, granny-style shootinghe went 28-for-32 from the line that way in his 100-point gameonly to give it up because he felt like a sissy. He wanted to be cool, tall, vulnerable, and luscious, and he couldnt hide it. The NBA playoffs begin Saturday, and an extra inch of reach can lead to a blocked shot or steal that might alter a series or a season. Fortunately for Portland, Waltons skills spoke louder than his tongue. He called on two of the leagues premier teams, the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers. If somebodys short, hopefully theyre quick. Portland's entire offense ran through him because he was such an exceptional passer for a center and he was a terrific defensive anchor. With the arrival of Ramsay from the Buffalo Braves, the Blazers built a precision offense around playmaker Lionel Hollins and the awesome frontcourt of Walton and intimidating Maurice Lucas. Offense 91. sltrib.com 1996-2023 The Salt Lake Tribune. Weve seen him block guys at the rim and also get his hands on some basketballs off the dribble.. CelebHeights.com Rob Paul 2004-2023. Then came the injuries. NFL Player Damar Hamlin in Critical Condition after Collapsing on Field, Legendary Designer Vivienne Westwood Dies Aged 81, 10 Female IAS Officers who can inspire us. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. When Bill Walton dominated at UCLA in the 1970s, no one ever measured his wingspan from fingertips to fingertips and arms outstretched. John Mayer on Walton's mentorship. Eight Questions Ahead of The Mandalorian Season 3, From Grogus Force prowess to Dins and Bo-Katans Darksaber designs to Gideons future, here are the key considerations ahead of Mandos long-awaited return, LeBrons Injury Ends the Lakers Surge Before It Could Even Begin, Just when it seemed like things were clicking into place for Los Angeles, LeBron James suffered a foot injury that will sideline him for the most important stretch of the Lakers season. It feels kind of hard to divorce Walton from the era in which he playedfollowing the Grateful Dead to protesting the Vietnam War to rolling with radical activists associated with the Symbionese Liberation Army. Assuming an unfamiliar supporting role, the 33-year-old Walton was playing with the excitement of a college kid. Combine that with what would assuredly be a significantly curtailed workload in the age of load managementWilt averaged an absurd 45.8 minutes per game for his careerand youll get fewer mythological stat lines. Everything else is said for me or explained to me, right? Seems like our man Bill wouldve made for an interesting podcast guest! His arms are long and he can block shots. Yet each visit he made, among the first things measured was his wingspan, 7-6. The Walton-led Blazers rampaged through their first 60 games with a 50-10 record. If somebodys short, hopefully theyre quick. He didnt often hear the term wingspan, finally understanding how special his measurement is when he got to the NBA. He has been going with a center by committee based on matchups. Walton played in 55 games in 1983-84 and 67 in 1984-85, while the Clippers won 30 and 31 games, respectively. The 76ers had a chance to pull out Game 6, but both Julius Erving and George McGinnis missed medium-range shots that would have sent the game into overtime. What if he stayed healthy? It is as if Agony and Ecstasy are Bill's Scylla and Charybdys, with his 7'+ wingspan wide enough to touch both simultaneously. In fairness, though, ONeal absolutely could be the sort of force worthy of a steady diet of post entries. When he was healthy, Walton had few peers. Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. In todays NBA, the best offenses weaponize the threat of the 3-point shot to spread the floor; the best defenses scheme ways for long, smart ber-athletes to erase that space; and the best players tilt that spatial battle in their teams favor. What We Learned From Testing, and a Bahrain GP Preview, Succession Hall of Fame: Which Side Are You On?. 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. Like many other NBA greats, Walton went on to call games on television in 1991. In 1976-77, with Walton peaking, Blazermania hit Portland like a flash flood. The average man has a wingspan about 2 inches more than his height. When I think of Shaqs playing days, I immediately flash to the version that dominated in Los Angeles in the late 90s and early aughts. The idea was to expose the bones to less stress when Waltons feet hit the ground, particularly after skying high for a dunk or rebound. 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