They can control the basketball, they can do things with it. 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. Its possible that version of Sabonis wouldnt be a generational sensation in the modern game. We've seen him block guys at the rim and also get his hands on some basketballs off the dribble.". After the playoffs Walton demanded to be traded and accused Portland management with providing him poor medical treatment. (For what its worth: Robinson would be a worthwhile choice for this exercise, too. Despite the late-season injury, Walton earned the NBA MVP award. He didnt often hear the term wingspan, finally understanding how special his measurement is when he got to the NBA. People followed him on Twitter. How come that shot isnt blocked? he recalled. After Game 2, X-rays showed that the navicular bone below Waltons left ankle was broken. He has been going with a center by committee based on matchups. Its like someone died in the family.. But a version of Perkins who starts spreading his wings a bit earlier, when he still had the athleticism to be a problem on the offensive glass and explode for tip dunks, and even the quickness to be a threat running off of pindown screens for catch-and-shoot looks, might have been more than a role playerand maybe even quite a bit more. The average man has a wingspan about 2 inches more than his height. Yet each visit he made, among the first things measured was his wingspan, 7-6. During the season he was hampered only by a broken nose, the 13th of his 13-year career. A lot of basketball players don't, though, they have wider wingspans. Portland fell to the bottom of the Pacific Division in 1975-76, though Walton started to come into his own, scoring 16.1 ppg, pulling down 13.4 rpg and demonstrating excellent passing skills from the low- or high-post in 51 contests. Even if a contemporary Dream never stretched all the way out, though, we already know the best way to unleash him as a menace in a modern offense. ), People dont understand that when he was younger, Sabonis was a perimeter player and he played facing the basket, longtime NBA coach George Karl, who had gotten an up-close look at him during two stints coaching in Europe, told Abrams. Every asset that a player has might make up for something else. Something about Hakeems game always seemed to bridge eras; sure, he was a rim-rocking dunker and an aggressive shot-swatter, like centers of the past, but damn, since when did 7-foot, 250-pounders move and shake like that? it maybe is Bill a little closer and gaining more height, there's other shots they look closer in team photos, or just general photos. Browsing: bill walton wingspan How Tall Is Bill Walton? Heights are barefeet estimates, derived from quotations, official websites, agency resumes, in person encounters with actors at conventions and pictures/films. 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. That is not the case for young players. Give It the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar. You make up a lot of ground. My name is Giannis Antetokounmpo., Career (470 games, 1995-2003): 12.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.8 steals, 1.1 blocks per game, 50.0% FG, 32.8% 3FG, 78.6% FT. By the time Sabonis finally came to the NBA in 1995, he was already 31 years old with a pair of ruptured Achilles tendons and a litany of leg and groin injuries rendering him a pale imitation of what he once was. All You Touch and All You See: Dark Side of the Moon at 50. Its no coincidence that Jazz center Rudy Gobert, who stands 7-1 and led the NBA in blocks last season, has the longest wingspan in the league at 7 feet, 9 inches. Money doesnt mean anything to me. When youre that big, you cant hide much. Weve seen him block guys at the rim and also get his hands on some basketballs off the dribble.. It's no coincidence that Jazz center Rudy Gobert, who stands 7-1 and led the NBA in blocks last season, has the longest wingspan in the league at 7 feet, 9 inches. That is not the case for young players. Look at John Stocktons arms or Avery Johnsons arms and theyre very long, and their hands are very big. 2x NCAA Tourney MOP. Its like you went through MyCareer in NBA 2K and decided to never let any teammates rack up a single box score statisticonly it actually happened in real life, and it went on for about a decade and a half. 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. 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.. Thats kind of a rule of thumb. "At one time, they were long enough, and I can still put my own shoes and socks on," he quipped. 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. 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. 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. Before he got to the NBA, McGee wasnt even aware of his wingspan. There was no denying Waltons success in the media realm, though. But Walton can do it all.. A wingspan always helps people, whether its blocking shots or deflections on defense.. The Spurs are showcasing the importance of Black culture in their community for the month of February. 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. Whats legacy, anyway? I had no problem with him during the season, Wooden told the Los Angeles Times. When Bill Walton dominated at UCLA in the 1970s, no one ever measured his wingspan from fingertips to fingertips and arms outstretched. Woodens Bruins, which also included future NBA star Keith Wilkes (later Jamaal Wilkes), posted an 86-4 record and won two national titles during Waltons years on the team. He claimed to be around the 6ft 11 mark, and on his twitter in 2015 still saying "I am 6'11"" .. "I love it now.it took me a while to get used to standing out in the crowd, looking awkward, feeling uncomfortable. Oakland, Calif. 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. Walton played in 55 games in 1983-84 and 67 in 1984-85, while the Clippers won 30 and 31 games, respectively. He cut his hair, started eating meat again, stopped hanging out with Jack Scott, trimmed his Lincoln-esque beard, and tried to mend fences with the press. 1973 UCLA, led by Bill Walton, sets an NCAA record for consecutive victories with its 61st win, an 82-63 victory over Notre Dame. So, before you say, Shaq cant play in this era today, Im already playing. 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. He had the athleticism of Kareem, and he could shoot the 3-point shot. The average man has a wingspan about 2 inches more than his height. A wingspan always helps people, whether its blocking shots or deflections on defense.. Portland won 11 more games in 1974-75 than in the previous year but failed to live up to its potential, largely because of Waltons health troubles. Bill Walton, Former ABC/ESPN/NBC Basketball Announcer, NBA All-Star Basketball Player, UCLA All-American, and one of the fifty greatest players in NBA history, provides a place to meet and greet fans. Look at John Stocktons arms or Avery Johnsons arms and theyre very long, and their hands are very big. 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. When Bill Walton dominated at UCLA in the 1970s, no one ever measured his wingspan from fingertips to fingertips and arms outstretched. 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. 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. You make up a lot of ground. This does not change the fact that, shortly after he won MVP honors, Dream summarily digested him.). A wingspan always helps people, whether its blocking shots or deflections on defense.. If somebodys short, hopefully theyre quick. 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. 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. Im a big believer in that., Donate to the newsroom now. In his 58 regular-season appearances, Walton averaged 18.9 ppg, 13.2 rpg, 5.0 apg and 2.52 bpg. 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. He also set a career high with a .562 field-goal percentage. 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. He was named to the Pacific 8 All-Conference first team 3 times and was Pac-8 Conference Player of the Year for three consecutive years. I am not even joking; he did this during a Michigan State vs. North Carolina basketball game back in 2017. He was right then; he blocked four or more shots four times in his first six NBA games, led the league in blocks three times, and still tops the all-time leaderboard in swats nearly 20 years after his retirement. The injuries, however, didnt stop. 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. Once limited to descriptions of birds, wingspan has become one of the most important measurements for basketball prospects over the past decade. (Walton had played drums with the Dead at a show in Egypt, and he sometimes took teammates to shows and brought band members to team practices.). Walton refractured the navicular bone in the fourth exhibition game of the 1979-80 season and played only 14 regular-season contests, averaging 13.9 points. 3x NCAA All-Region. And he was cocky, even to the Trail Blazers coaching staff. It's much more important than your height," Kerr said. And theyre able to get their hands on balls or shots or loose balls. Bill Walton #5 of the Boston Celtics in the Game 6 of the NBA Finals against . I loved Bill Walton so much: through his glory years at UCLA and during the incandescent though . He has been going with a center by committee based on matchups. Yeah, I found that out once I bought my first suit, the 6-foot-5 McMillan, a 12-year pro now coaching the Pacers, said with a chuckle, realizing his arms stretched more than 3 feet each. Look at John Stocktons arms or Avery Johnsons arms and theyre very long, and their hands are very big. Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. "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. But when you have the great game of basketball with all the ultimate winners of the genetic lottery its not how high you jump, its where you are and when you jump.. He embodied the best of the positions present while hinting at an even brighter future. Theres a lot of guys, Draymond (Green) is the same way, small, undersized power forward but can guard plenty of guys because of his length. 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. Rian Johnson faced the biggest writing challenges of any of the five nominees, but the director managed to perfectly thread the needle, ensuring that Glass Onion felt unique but still delighted the fans of its predecessor, some dispute about just how valuable his passing was, two highest assist-per-game averages of any center in league history, reportedly wanted to dispel the notion that he was a selfish player, 50 percent between 16 feet and the arc during the 1998-99 season, what Rudy Tomjanovich and Co. did in 1994 and 95, fellow Time Machine All-Star Andrei Kirilenko, bemoans the disappearance of dominant back-to-the-basket bigs, largely been excised from the playbook altogether, the institution of new rules aimed at reducing intentional fouling, told Jackie MacMullan and Kirk Goldsberry, gold-medal game of the 1986 FIBA World Championship, the semifinals of the 1988 Summer Olympics, having lost all faith in Portlands medical team, demanded a trade, 3.5 stocks (steals plus blocks) per 36 minutes during his Lakers tenure, what Marc Gasol gave the Raptors last season, 352 triples during his first eight seasons, 5.0 long balls per 36 minutes of floor time, 38.7 percent from 3-point range on 3.7 attempts per 36 minutes, the sort of 7-foot Steph you could build an offense around, Time Machine All-Stars: Five Power Forwards Who Would Have Dominated 2020, Malcolm Brogdon Is a Throwbackand DeservingCandidate for Sixth Man of the Year, The Surging Knicks, Zombie Heat, and a Bizarre College Hoops Season With Ariel Helwani, Mike Schur, Kevin OConnor, and Tate Frazier. The average man has a wingspan about 2 inches more than his height. 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. Give a young Wilt a steady diet of reps as a creator in the half court and more space to work with, and who knows what alternate pathways to dominance might open? Weve gone position by position over the past few weeks, aiming to pass some of our seemingly endless downtime by remembering some kick-ass players in a fun thought experiment. 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. NBA Hall of Famer Bill Walton is back in the news for attacking his homeless neighbors in San Diego. 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