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. Given his love for the spotlight, his polarizing on- and off-court presence, and his sensitivity to blowback, how would a figure as towering as Wilt Chamberlain play in the social media era? All You Touch and All You See: Dark Side of the Moon at 50. Once limited to descriptions of birds, wingspan has become one of the most important measurements for basketball prospects over the past decade. Wellat the risk of disrespecting a stand-up dude for the second time in the space of one columnlets ask David Robinson, against whom Sabonis held his own when the Soviet Union nearly knocked off Team USA in the gold-medal game of the 1986 FIBA World Championship, and when the USSR did defeat the Americans in the semifinals of the 1988 Summer Olympics (despite Sabonis playing shortly after recovering from his first Achilles rupture): Legendary big-man coach and talent evaluator Pete Newell told Sam Toperoff of The Atlantic Monthly in 1986 that he thought Sabonis could conceivably become the greatest player in the game and he would have taken the Lithuanian over Patrick Ewing in the 1985 draft if he had played for an American team. Ive always been tall. In 2012, he became a college basketball analyst for Pac-12 games on ESPN. West only stood 6'2 which would make his wingspan 9.5% greater than his height. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Even so, the collection of skills at that size, with that flair, and with the athleticism to play like a point guard at 7-foot-3 would be intoxicating to watch nowa perfect fit for where the center position is, and where it could go from here. 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. Between 1993 and 2001, he fired up 5.0 long balls per 36 minutes of floor time, and cashed them in at a cool 38.2 percent clip. Bill Walton. Olajuwons fluidity, length, and quickness would flourish in an era when a big mans defensive value is predicated on being able to both protect the rim and guard in space. Raised in France, Gobert kept growing from ages 15-19. Weve already covered point guard, shooting guard, small forward, and power forward. Before he got to the NBA, McGee wasnt even aware of his wingspan. He wanted to be winning. Youre able to deflect the pass or block shots.. 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 terms of his style of play, he was a rich man's Marc Gasol. He has been going with a center by committee based on matchups. Ive always been tall. I see people, they drive to the basket, I say, I must be missing something. But several NBA players pop off the chart because of their long arms. Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo is nicknamed the Greek Freak in part because he stands 6-11 with a 7-3 wingspan and giant hands. He was named to the Pacific 8 All-Conference first team 3 times and was Pac-8 Conference Player of the Year for three consecutive years. Look at John Stocktons arms or Avery Johnsons arms and theyre very long, and their hands are very big. 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. 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. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. A wingspan always helps people, whether its blocking shots or deflections on defense.. 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. 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. You make up a lot of ground. 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. How Far Can This Version of James Harden Take the Sixers? But Waltons history of injury didnt keep the Portland Trail Blazers from making the gangly ex-Bruin the No. The Walton-led Blazers rampaged through their first 60 games with a 50-10 record. I think hed do just fine now, too. In 1976-77, with Walton peaking, Blazermania hit Portland like a flash flood. When Bill Walton dominated at UCLA in the 1970s, no one ever measured his wingspan from fingertips to fingertips and arms outstretched. Coaches marvel at players with long arms, figuring they will more easily grab rebounds, block shots, steal passes and shoot over defenders. Fewer possessions means fewer shots, rebounds, assists, and block opportunities to go around. sltrib.com 1996-2023 The Salt Lake Tribune. 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. 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. The most accurate reports found that West had an 81 inch wingspan, which would translate to 6'9. Walton enjoyed a blazing start as a rookie, averaging 16.0 ppg, 19.0 rpg, 4.4 apg and 4 bpg in his first seven contests. Whats legacy, anyway? 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. 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. You look at size of hands, wingspans. Walton inducted himself into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993. 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. The average man has a wingspan about 2 inches more than his height. But several NBA players pop off the chart because of their long arms. Before playing a single minute in the NBA, Walton knew the pains on injuries. William Theodore Walton III Twitter : BillWalton (Big Red, Grateful Red, Red Baron, Redwood, Chief) Position: Center Shoots: Right 6-11 , 210lb (211cm, 95kg) More bio, uniform, draft, salary info Hall of Fame 2x All Star 1976-77 TRB Champ 1976-77 BLK Champ 2x NBA Champ 2x All-NBA 2x All-Defensive 1976-77 Finals MVP 1977-78 MVP 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. Browsing: bill walton wingspan How Tall Is Bill Walton? He would need to stay trim and explosive enough to cover a ton of ground, because you can bet that every modern offense would make it Job No. 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. Its like someone died in the family.. Then, in February,. 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. Then came the injuries. Yet each visit he made, among the first things measured was his wingspan, 7-6. If your wingspan is more than your height, thats kind of abnormal. 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. With one of the strongest lineups in NBA history, Boston steamrolled through the regular season, compiling a 67-15 record. At the top of his form, Walton scored, passed, intimidated, hustled, and played the role of leader with the best centers of his day. When Bill Walton dominated at UCLA in the 1970s, no one ever measured his wingspan from fingertips to fingertips and arms outstretched. it's like your wingspan . Bill Walton owns a house in San Diego, California where he currently resides with his wife and 4 sons. Walton is in the Hall of Fame, but he never had his arms measured end to end. Finally, there is Johnny Kerr, who was . 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. (OK, I agree: That was a very Bill Waltonass thing to say.) In his 58 regular-season appearances, Walton averaged 18.9 ppg, 13.2 rpg, 5.0 apg and 2.52 bpg. Before he got to the NBA, McGee wasn't even aware of his wingspan. He was disruptive as hell, registering a block on more than 5 percent of his opponents 2-point tries and logging a steal on more than 2 percent of their offensive possessions; only six other players who have played at least 5,000 career minutes have done both. He also set a career high with a .562 field-goal percentage. He was named to both the All-NBA Second Team and the NBA All-Defensive First Team. That is not the case for young players. Its much more important than your height, Kerr said. If somebodys short, hopefully theyre quick. During the season he was hampered only by a broken nose, the 13th of his 13-year career. During his prime as a member of the Portland Trail Blazers in the mid-1970s a prime that lasted a mere three years Walton drew comparisons to such players as Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Russell. Chamberlain essentially wrote the scoring record books of his era, using his physical dominance to overpower nearly every opponent he faced. While playing only 19.3 minutes per contest, he averaged 7.6 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 2.1 apg and 1.33 bpg. The high arch believed to have made his foot bones susceptible to breaking was lowered. 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. Decades before Shaquille ONeal ripped mics with Fu-Schnickens, the Dipper was out here crooning, dog. Wingspan is one detail Warriors coach Steve Kerr takes seriously and might consider when deciding on lineups and rotations for the defending champions. Today, the tallest of the Deadheads, the man whose wingspan could be seen towering over most others . After the 1984-85 campaign Walton went shopping. . It's no coincidence that Jazz center Rudy Gobert, who. 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. Look at John Stocktons arms or Avery Johnsons arms and theyre very long, and their hands are very big. I think its something that makes a big difference, especially defensively, he said. You guessed it: The one who turned the 1984 draft into prom night. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. We've seen him block guys at the rim and also get his hands on some basketballs off the dribble.". Last, but certainly not least, for the Time Machine All-Stars: the men in the middle. I decided it might be cool to write about some of these players. 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. I think its something that makes a big difference, especially defensively, he said. NBA Hall of Famer Bill Walton is back in the news for attacking his homeless neighbors in San Diego. Wingspan is one detail Warriors coach Steve Kerr takes seriously and might consider when deciding on lineups and rotations for the defending champions. If your wingspan is more than your height, thats kind of abnormal. A lot of basketball players don't, though, they have wider wingspans. But Walton can do it all.. 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. Waltons satisfaction with capturing his second championship and winning the Sixth Man Award was immeasurable. Look at John Stocktons arms or Avery Johnsons arms and theyre very long, and their hands are very big. Position: Center. > Archive 75: Bill Walton| 75 Stories: Bill Walton. "I think it's something that makes a big difference, especially defensively," he said. He was a very athletic player. Determined to get back into uniform, Walton ignored the skepticism of doctors who said he would never play again. Neither knew their wingspans then, and they still dont. He led the league in both rebounding and blocked shots, averaging 14.4 and 3.25, respectively. Something went wrong. Career Stats 2x NCAA Tourney MOP. Mehmet Okur (2002-12): At the risk of veering too close to the territory of scraping-the-barrel Twitter highlight videos about how this player in 2004 WAS A PROBLEM, there was absolutely a minute there where the Turkish shooter was somebody you didnt really want to see on the perimeter late in a tight game: The 6-foot-11, 250-pound Okur was a perfect pick-and-pop partner for Deron Williams in Utaha legitimate 3-point threat who could pull opposing centers away from the paint to create more room for D-Will drives, Carlos Boozer and Paul Millsap post-ups, or whatever weird shit Andrei Kirilenko wanted to try. The wingspan sure helps a lot of people," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said . K.C. 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. 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. I'm a big believer in that.". Raised in France, Gobert kept growing from ages 15-19. But when you have the great game of basketball with all the ultimate winners of the genetic lottery its not how high you jump, its where you are and when you jump.. The average man has a wingspan about 2 inches more than his height. Paolo Banchero leads the way as the Kia Rookie of the Year chase begins to head for the finish line. He has been going with a center by committee based on matchups. How come that shot isnt blocked? he recalled. Its legit. That is not the case for young players. Other vital statistics like weight or shoe size measurements have been sourced from newspapers, books, resumes or social media. Still, foot problems continued to hamper the young center, and fans started wondering what the Blazers had gotten themselves into. The other? In The Breaks of the Gamean all-time great sports book not about the triumphs of the 1976-77 Trail Blazers team that Walton led to a championship, but rather about how things fell apart, for Walton and for the organizationthe great David Halberstam described a truly great basketball player as not necessarily someone who scored a lot of points; a truly great basketball player is someone of exceptional talent and self-discipline who could make his teammates better. The mind reels at all the possibilitiesand at all the vitriol his burner accounts might unleash. In todays game, though, with post-up play largely marginalized as teams look to work from the perimeter and attack defenses in space, would Chamberlain still be a high-volume source of offense? 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. Neither knew their wingspans then, and they still don't. You make up a lot of ground. But the Celtics Brogdon is mounting a well-rounded campaign that hearkens back to some of the earliest Sixth Men. ), 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. By Halberstams measure, and any other, Walton when healthy was a truly great basketball 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. Oops. 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. A contemporary Walton would be free to act as the rising tide to lift all boats, to invert the offense and sling the ball around to the open man, and to hunt playmaking opportunities at least as often as he did his own shot. But a modern Wilt would profile, at minimum, as a mammoth rim protector and interior deterrent; think a thicker Rudy Gobert (a close analogue in terms of measurables) with a collegiate high jumpers hops. 1 Pick, and QB Movement Updates With Jeff Darlington. But several NBA players pop off the chart because of their long arms. Hakeem likely couldve become a passable 3-point shooter with enough commitment. 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. 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 acted as a half-court offensive hub from the elbows and out of the post; as the last line of defense on the other end, he was an ace shot-blocker and defensive rebounder who looked for every opportunity to trigger a fast break and an easy bucket within the flow of the game. 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 wanted to be loved more than anything else, and yet he was convinced that nobody loves Goliath.. Here was a man who once claimed to have bested a mountain lion in single combat. When Bill Walton dominated at UCLA in the 1970s, no one ever measured his wingspan from fingertips to fingertips and arms outstretched. They can control the basketball, they can do things with it. The wingspan sure helps a lot of people, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said . They don't really bring it up to us about that in college or high school.". He could pass and run the floor, dribble. Some of the best players Kerr faced had incredible reach. In his best yearthe 2006-07 campaign, when he earned his first and only All-Star nodOkur averaged 18 points and 7.2 rebounds per game, shooting 38.4 percent from 3-point range on 4.2 attempts per game. 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. That could work against ONeal, who famously struggled from the stripe, shooting just 52.7 percent for his career; but a half-decade after the institution of new rules aimed at reducing intentional fouling to improve game flow, it might not be quite as big an issue as you might think. Thats kind of a rule of thumb. He went home elatednot because of all the skill, pageantry, and aerial artistry he just witnessed, but because even as an undergraduate just barely getting his feet wet in the game, he wasnt too impressed with the future competition. The cellar-dwelling Blazers had finished with the second-worst record in the league in 1973-74, and Portland fans were thrilled at the arrival of a potential franchise player. Now, Im not saying that, if you plopped him into todays NBA, Memo would suddenly become the sort of 7-foot Steph you could build an offense around. Walton inducted himself About Us A wingspan always helps people, whether its blocking shots or deflections on defense.. He is also one of the greatest college . Nobody knew what Giannis Antetokounmpo would be until Jason Kidd decided to put the ball in his hands, or until Mike Budenholzer made everybody stand farther away to give him more room to breathe. 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. But dozens of injuries, most infamously a chronically broken bone in his left foot, robbed Walton of the storybook career that seemed sure to be his. It was Burleson's tremendous wingspan clearing out underneath the basket that allowed Monte Towe and David Thompson to work their magic. He won the NBA Most Valuable Player award while playing for the defending NBA champion Trail Blazers in 1977-78. So, before you say, Shaq cant play in this era today, Im already playing. He didnt often hear the term wingspan, finally understanding how special his measurement is when he got to the NBA. "If your wingspan is more than your height, that's kind of abnormal. At one time, they were long enough, and I can still put my own shoes and socks on, he quipped. 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. Former American Basketball Player. 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. How Far can This Version of James Harden Take the Sixers up to about... Block opportunities to go around to get back into uniform, Walton when was!, they can control the basketball, they were long enough, and I can put. Is Johnny Kerr, who. `` the Portland Trail Blazers from making gangly. Award was immeasurable definitive source for global and local news vital statistics like weight or shoe measurements. Be seen towering over most others than anything else, and their hands are very.! Be missing something wingspan and giant hands to head for the finish line dominance overpower... A broken nose, the 13th of his era, using his dominance. Themselves into who said he would never play again a passable 3-point shooter with enough commitment anything... Seen towering over most others Famer Bill Walton Second championship and winning Sixth! Or block shots pass and bill walton wingspan the floor, dribble. `` the,. 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