Decades before Shaquille ONeal ripped mics with Fu-Schnickens, the Dipper was out here crooning, dog. His foot deadened by a painkilling injection, Walton attempted a comeback in the playoffs against the Seattle SuperSonics. At 7-foot-3, the pre-injury Sabonis had the springs to tip-dunk all over The Admiral and swat shots from the weak side with reckless abandon, plus the touch to step out on the floor and drain NBA 3-pointers. Walton inducted himself. How would the fresh-out-of-the-box version look? "It's not how big you are, it's how big you play. 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. One of the benefits is his ability to corral and slam home lob passes that are high and might be off target. The other end would be even more interesting. 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. In terms of his style of play, he was a rich man's Marc Gasol. I think hed do just fine now, too. 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. Walton is in the Hall of Fame, but he never had his arms measured end to end. 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. Today, the tallest of the Deadheads, the man whose wingspan could be seen towering over most others . If your wingspan is more than your height, thats kind of abnormal. 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. 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. 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. He played without pain for the first time in years, and he seemed happier than ever. He also set a career high with a .562 field-goal percentage. From 2005, when he became a full-time starter for Jerry Sloan, through 2010, when he suffered the ruptured left Achilles tendon that would effectively end his career, Okur shot 38.7 percent from 3-point range on 3.7 attempts per 36 minutes; put him alongside a pick-and-roll maestro point guard now, and hed likely double that. 1 Pick, and QB Movement Updates With Jeff Darlington. I think its something that makes a big difference, especially defensively, he said. Its not how big you are, its how big you play. Some of the best players Kerr faced had incredible reach. 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. Any time you think you're too small to make a difference in the world you've never spent the night alone in bed with a mosquito. 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.. 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. A fan of the Grateful Dead, the young Walton was a vegetarian, wore flannel shirts and multicolored headbands and toted his gym clothes in an onion bag. But I've grown into it." Photos by PR Photos The outspoken Free, among other San Diego teammates, accused Walton of being a malingerer. 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.. Walton emerged as the MVP of the Finals, overshadowing the electrifying Dr. I see people, they drive to the basket, I say, I must be missing something. One of the benefits is his ability to corral and slam home lob passes that are high and might be off target. This fact was shown indisputably in 1975 after Burleson graduated, and State tried to repeat their National Championship without him. Raised in France, Gobert kept growing from ages 15-19. 2x NCAA Tourney MOP. 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. In his prime, Hakeem seemed capable of covering half the court by himself, assessing threats and snuffing them out with unnerving efficiency. 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. I'm not as fast laterally, I'm not as athletic, I'm 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. And he was cocky, even to the Trail Blazers coaching staff. The average man has a wingspan about 2 inches more than his height. 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. 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. 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. Neither knew their wingspans then, and they still don't. Youre able to deflect the pass or block shots.. The Trail Blazers finished the season 58-24 and Walton received the NBA MVP award. Look at John Stocktons arms or Avery Johnsons arms and theyre very long, and their hands are very big. Whether he could stay nimble enough to meet that kind of challenge would go a long way toward determining how effective hed beand how much damage he could do on the other end. Some of the best players Kerr faced had incredible reach. The wingspan sure helps a lot of people," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said . In 1976-77, with Walton peaking, Blazermania hit Portland like a flash flood. A lot of basketball players dont, though, they have wider wingspans. Its not how big you are, its how big you play. Other vital statistics like weight or shoe size measurements have been sourced from newspapers, books, resumes or social media. 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. One of them was fellow Time Machine All-Star Andrei Kirilenko, who was also one of just two players in NBA history with multiple 5x5 gamesat least five points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocksto his credit. Weight, Net Worth, Age, Parents, Wife & More Height October 19, 2022 How Tall Is Bill Walton?- Bill Walton is an American sportscaster and former professional retired basketball player. Walton is in the Hall of Fame, but he never had his arms measured end to end. NBA teams paying closer attention to players' 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. I would actually love to play in this NBA, he told Jackie MacMullan and Kirk Goldsberry. 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. A lot of basketball players dont, though, they have wider wingspans. The NBA's Noches ne B A celebration starts in March, where teams will commemorate fans and players across Latin American and U.S. Hispanic communities. If youre wondering what it might look like, the Big Baryshnikov has a comp handy. 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. Its much more important than your height, Kerr said. Top NBA Duos, Bears No. While playing only 19.3 minutes per contest, he averaged 7.6 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 2.1 apg and 1.33 bpg. Youre able to deflect the pass or block shots.. TV Schedule Home Bio Walton Gallery Wooden News Speaking Grateful Dead Duane Roth Best of Recently Book List Latest News TV Schedule PDF Even if we set aside his infamous bedroom claimswhich, of course, we most certainly would notWilt still would be an object of unbridled fascination today. Needless to say, Hakeem could hang. 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. He stayed in shape by playing beach volleyball and tennis and by cycling sometimes with Grateful Dead drummer and close friend Mickey Hart. I also think Steve Kerr wouldve done horrible, unspeakable things to get someone like Vlade operating in that Andrew Bogut/Anderson Varejao/David West playmaking pivot role as Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson run all those split actions, flinging passes all over the place: I dont know. Then came what many felt was the death knell of Waltons career. The most accurate reports found that West had an 81 inch wingspan, which would translate to 6'9. Ive always been tall. )told Grantlands Jonathan Abrams back in 2011, [Sabonis] could do everything. Its legit. A two-time NBA champion, Bill Walton could do it all -- and often did -- throughout an injury-plagued career. Like all massive 5s, hed have to prove capable of defending in space and handling jitterbug guards on switches in the pick-and-roll. Neither knew their wingspans then, and they still dont. After sitting out the entire 1978-79 season, Walton headed to San Diego and strife followed him there. 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. Height 6'11" (210cm) Wingspan 7'3" (220cm) Weight 210 lbs (95 kg) Team Portland Trail Blazers. This is not intended to be a definitive, inarguable list, or a scientifically rigorous exercise. John Mayer on Walton's mentorship. He didnt often hear the term wingspan, finally understanding how special his measurement is when he got to the NBA. Years before the Kevin Garnetts and Kevin Durants of the world began lying about their heights to make themselves seem smaller, Walton was reported to be 7-foot-2 but listed as 6-foot-11 [because] he didnt like the stigma of being a 7-footer. Walton didnt want to be chained to the block and forced into the same old dump it down and drop step monotony; he wanted to be free to explore the outer limits of both his skills and those of his teammates. Its legit. Bill Walton #5 of the Boston Celtics in the Game 6 of the NBA Finals against . He didnt often hear the term wingspan, finally understanding how special his measurement is when he got to the NBA. ), 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. Wilt Chamberlain was a great offensive player, Dr. Jack Ramsay, Waltons coach in Portland, told Sport magazine. In the following 1977-78 season, Walton played 58 games in which he averaged career-high 18.9 points, 13.2 rebounds, five assists and 2.5 blocks. Oops. Im a different person now than I was when I came into the NBA, he said in an interview with Sport magazine. The wingspan sure helps a lot of people, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said . Every game was a challenge, and he didnt let any of us forget that.. One of the benefits is his ability to corral and slam home lob passes that are high and might be off target. It's no coincidence that Jazz center Rudy Gobert, who. He has been going with a center by committee based on matchups. Waltons career-long struggle with injury and pain began even before he achieved fame at UCLA. Neither knew their wingspans then, and they still dont. Its not how big you are, its how big you play. When it comes to the offensive side of the ball, Russell has never been credited for being a great offensive player. Its legit. At 7-foot-1 with a reported 7-foot-8 wingspan and 9-foot-6 standing reach, having starred at both 250 pounds as a lithe rookie and a muscular 300-plus pounds during his latter years with the. By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our, Man fatally injured when SUV falls on top of him near Gages Lake, Antioch officials want to focus on plans rather than gender-identity debate; This is a distraction from getting these projects completed. 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 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. But several NBA players pop off the chart because of their long arms. You guessed it: The one who turned the 1984 draft into prom night. I think its something that makes a big difference, especially defensively, he said. 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. But the biggest question about Harden remainsand it wont be answered until the playoffs. The other? 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. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. After the playoffs Walton demanded to be traded and accused Portland management with providing him poor medical treatment. If your wingspan is more than your height, thats kind of abnormal. (Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Dallas Mavericks guard Dennis Smith Jr. (1) takes the ball to the hoop, as Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) defends, in NBA action between Utah Jazz and Dallas Mavericks in Salt Lake City, Saturday, Feb. 24, 2018. deductible, Report a missed paper by emailingsubscribe@sltrib.comor calling801-237-2900, For e-edition questions or comments, contact customer support801-237-2900or emailsubscribe@sltrib.com. 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. But when you have the great game of basketball with all the ultimate winners of the genetic lottery it's not how high you jump, it's where you are and when you jump.". 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. When Bill Walton dominated at UCLA in the 1970s, no one ever measured his wingspan from fingertips to fingertips and arms outstretched. Once limited to descriptions of birds, wingspan has become one of the most important measurements for basketball prospects over the past decade. 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 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. The operation worked. Some of the best players Kerr faced had incredible reach. And theyre able to get their hands on balls or shots or loose balls. The wingspan sure helps a lot of people, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said . The high arch believed to have made his foot bones susceptible to breaking was lowered. "Every asset that a player has might make up for something else. Every asset that a player has might make up for something else. His old national teammate Sarunas Marciulionis emphasized in Basketball: A Love Story that Sabonis hadnt yet fully developed his face-up game, his 3-point shot, or his court vision before playing in Spain following the 88 Olympics, so a younger model wouldnt necessarily have resembled a more explosive version of the finished product. Browsing: bill walton wingspan How Tall Is Bill Walton? I would bring my length, I would bring my athleticness. Raised in France, Gobert kept growing from ages 15-19. 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. 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. Coaches marvel at players with long arms, figuring they will more easily grab rebounds, block shots, steal passes and shoot over defenders. In 49 playoff games he averaged 10.8 points and 9.1 rebounds. 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