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. When Bill Walton dominated at UCLA in the 1970s, no one ever measured his wingspan from fingertips to fingertips and arms outstretched. By JANIE McCAULEY April 10, 2018 GMT. A lot of basketball players dont, though, they have wider wingspans. I was born tall, he said. 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. 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. Waltons career-long struggle with injury and pain began even before he achieved fame at UCLA. Rewards Domination Rewards. 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. 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. He could score, too, but you could run your whole offense through him, and his basketball IQ was off the charts for a 7-footer., Maybe the most exciting thing about the idea of bringing a young Sabonis to the present day is that wed get to see what he wouldve looked like playing against elite opposition every night. A lot of basketball players don't, though, they have wider wingspans. 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. 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. Find the latest Bollywood News and Celebrity Gossips from Latest In Bollywood. What if he played with the Boston Celtics earlier in his career? They can control the basketball, they can do things with it. (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. Those who knew Walton the basketball player recognized him as a devastating force. You look at size of hands, wingspans. Yet each visit he made, among the first things measured was his wingspan, 7-6. In 1981 he underwent radical surgery to restructure his battle-scarred left foot. But I've grown into it." Photos by PR Photos (The arrangement was not unprecedented; Elgin Baylor squeezed in a game a week for the Lakers in 1962 while serving in the Army Reserve.) A wingspan always helps people, whether its blocking shots or deflections on defense.. He was a very athletic player. 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. If your wingspan is more than your height, thats kind of abnormal. Its not how big you are, its how big you play. Coaches marvel at players with long arms, figuring they will more easily grab rebounds, block shots, steal passes and shoot over defenders. The wingspan sure helps a lot of people, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said . Career (1,045 games, 1959-73): 30.1 points, 22.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists per game, 54.0% FG, 51.1% FT. No player from the past feels harder to wrap your mind around than Chamberlain. 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. Look at John Stockton's arms or Avery Johnson's arms and they're very long, and their hands are very big. I was born tall, he said. When it comes to the offensive side of the ball, Russell has never been credited for being a great offensive player. The average man has a wingspan about 2 inches more than his height. And the league rewarded him with the NBA Sixth Man Award, won by McHale the previous two seasons. 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. 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. He embodied the best of the positions present while hinting at an even brighter future. But when he was right man, was he right: At his peakthe 1976-77 season in which the Blazers won the title, and the 1977-78 campaign in which Portland was 50-10 when Walton broke his foot (he won MVP that year despite missing the final 22 games)Walton averaged 24.9 points, 18.3 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 3.8 blocks per 100 possessions. Walton signed a then-record seven-year, $7 million contract to play with the Clippers, who had played just over .500 ball the year before. In his 58 regular-season appearances, Walton averaged 18.9 ppg, 13.2 rpg, 5.0 apg and 2.52 bpg. But several NBA players pop off the chart because of their long arms. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. 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. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. Please enter a valid email and try again. At age 32 and with his comeback drawing to an inevitable end, Walton wanted more than just to be playing. At age 34, Walton retired after playing 10 games of the 1986-87 season. 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. Before he got to the NBA, McGee wasn't even aware of his wingspan. Once limited to descriptions of birds, wingspan has become one of the most important measurements for basketball prospects over the past decade. When it comes to Arizona, he prefers to refer to the Wildcats as "the kitties." Barton joins the Raptors after he was waived by the Wizards on Feb. 21. Whats legacy, anyway? According to The Sporting News, during one game Coach Ramsay said to Walton as he was coming off the court, Great job. Walton shot back, Great job yourself.. 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? He could pass and run the floor, dribble. Then came the injuries. It's much more important than your height," Kerr said. He spoke only to reporters he knew would present him favorably, while shunning the others, who were mostly Portland locals. His aptly titled 2016 memoir Back from the Dead distills and expands Bill's essence in a rambling narrative that, . His arms are long and he can block shots. Kon Hai Alakh Pandey aka Physics Wallah Wife Shivani Dubey? RotoWire considers the best player values in Yahoo fantasy leagues for Tuesday night's 10 game slate. Coaches marvel at players with long arms, figuring they will more easily grab rebounds, block shots, steal passes and shoot over defenders. Here was a man who once claimed to have bested a mountain lion in single combat. Before he got to the NBA, McGee wasnt even aware of his wingspan. The most accurate reports found that West had an 81 inch wingspan, which would translate to 6'9. My generation is trying to straighten it out. That is not the case for young players. How Far Can This Version of James Harden Take the Sixers? 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. I was born tall, he said. Fewer possessions means fewer shots, rebounds, assists, and block opportunities to go around. Neither knew their wingspans then, and they still dont. Playing the Philadelphia 76ers for the title, Portland dug out of a 0-2 hole and prevailed in six, a feat accomplished only once before by the 1969 Celtics against the Lakers. . Oops. And theyre able to get their hands on balls or shots or loose balls. 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. "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.' . A pioneering sixth man, Kevin McHale won three titles with the Celtics in the 1980s. Money doesnt mean anything to me. In fairness, though, ONeal absolutely could be the sort of force worthy of a steady diet of post entries. The operation worked. 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. (Im thinking of Channing Frye, but by all means, insert your preferred end-of-the-rotation stretch big here.) 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. 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. The Trail Blazers finished the season 58-24 and Walton received the NBA MVP award. Some of the best players Kerr faced had incredible reach. His arms are long and he can block shots. Walton was awarded the NBA Finals MVP. Yet each visit he made, among the first things measured was his wingspan, 7-6. Happy Birthday Bill Walton: An Ode to the Tallest Deadhead. But the damage was done: Hed only play 169 games between 1979 and 1985. 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? "At one time, they were long enough, and I can still put my own shoes and socks on," he quipped. Yet each visit he made, among the first things measured was his wingspan, 7-6. If somebody's short, hopefully they're quick. J, who pumped in 40 points in Game 6. Before he got to the NBA, McGee wasnt even aware of his wingspan. When he was healthy, Walton had few peers. This does not change the fact that, shortly after he won MVP honors, Dream summarily digested him.). After his arrest as a junior, Walton issued a statement that read: Your generation has screwed up the world. When Bill Walton dominated at UCLA in the 1970s, no one ever measured his wingspan from fingertips to fingertips and arms outstretched. The average man has a wingspan about 2 inches more than his height. Height 6'11" (210cm) Wingspan 7'3" (220cm) Weight 210 lbs (95 kg) Team Portland Trail Blazers. 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. Some of the best players Kerr faced had incredible reach. He didnt often hear the term wingspan, finally understanding how special his measurement is when he got to the NBA. Walton also used the time off to attend Stanford law school. 1 overall pick in the 1974 NBA Draft. 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. That is not the case for young players. Youre able to deflect the pass or block shots.. 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. His foot deadened by a painkilling injection, Walton attempted a comeback in the playoffs against the Seattle SuperSonics. Wingspan is one detail Warriors coach Steve Kerr takes seriously and might consider when deciding on lineups and rotations for the defending champions. 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. 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. 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. But several NBA players pop off the chart because of their long arms. Take a look back at the late 1970s Blazers and the impact Bill Walton had on them. He didnt often hear the term wingspan, finally understanding how special his measurement is when he got to the NBA. Wilt Chamberlain was a great offensive player, Dr. Jack Ramsay, Waltons coach in Portland, told Sport magazine. He had the athleticism of Kareem, and he could shoot the 3-point shot. Center Bill Walton played 10 seasons for 3 teams. It was Burleson's tremendous wingspan clearing out underneath the basket that allowed Monte Towe and David Thompson to work their magic. Career Stats They were the last games he would play for more than two seasons, in which the Clippers won only 36 and 17 games, respectively. Portland's entire offense ran through him because he was such an exceptional passer for a center and he was a terrific defensive anchor. 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. 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. 81 inch wingspan, 7-6 Walton played 10 seasons for 3 teams milwaukee Bucks star Antetokounmpo... 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