PSA . In the 1970s Barry claimed six NBA All-Star bids, three ABA All-Star bids and three All-NBA first team nods. (Russell Westbrook's head perks up.) I know I risk getting run out of my beloved Chicago on a rail for daring to suggest His Airness isnt the best player ever but, well, I just dont think he is. He wasn't just a pure shooter and scorer. Pistol Pete was one of the best scorers of the 70's. He led the NBA in scoring in the 1976-'77 season. See below where Professor Flannery waxes on Clyde and the Knicks. The mans desire to be the best is legendary and propelled him to six championships, five MVP awards, All-Star appearances in every full season he played, and the status as possibly the best defender ever. And how might retired NBA legends fare in todays game? Elvin Hayes 4. Rick Robey was drafted #3 overall. Original/Reprint: Original. This site is using Cloudflare and adheres to the Google Safe Browsing Program. The 69 Johnson (making him the NBAs tallest point guard) not only posted the best assists-per-game mark in league history (11.2) but had a tremendous all-around game, as well. But a decade before kids wanted to Be like Mike, they wanted to operate above the rim like Dr. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. But in his rookie year, Russell completely changed the franchises course and established the Celtics as the winningest team in the NBA. (Editors Note: For a brief excerpt of the book, click here; for author reflections, click here.) Until others called the 80s and 90s the same. More famously, when the New Orleans Jazz signed aging guard Gail Goodrich away from Los Angeles in 1976, the league awarded the Lakers three first-round draft picks (one of which became Earvin Magic Johnson). With no further adieu, here are your All-1970s teams. With one of the coldest nicknames in NBA history, Iceman George Gervin was one of the best scorers in the NBA during the seventies and early eighties. Another, less easily explained difference, is that NBA players coming of age in the seventies grew up playing a game in which *every* shot counted for two points. He also led the U.S. national basketball team to . Because they played in New York at a time when the literary branch of sportswriting was blossoming, there have been numerous magazine pieces, books and even movies about the books dedicated to this particular team. Missouri Valley Tournament 2023: Bracket, schedule, scores, teams, and more. He was never the best player in either league -- Dr. J and Kareem ensured that -- but he was always in that second tier as a really great scorer. -- Flannery. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). Two rival leagues (the NBA and ABA) were . 1901. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. And while his free throw routine may have looked silly to some, it worked like a charm; Barrys 91.3 percent free throw percentage was the best of anyone in the decade by over seven percentage points. The three-pointer debuted in the NBA in late 1979, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson dominated the early years of the 1980s, Michael Jordan arrived a few years later and the rest is history. In 1970, three expansion teams enteredthe Buffalo Braves, Cleveland Cavaliers and Portland Trail Blazers. How to keep your Expected Value bets Positive? But, well, he played alongside another top-25 talent in Scottie Pippen and was coached by the strategic genius Phil Jackson during his most productive years. Next time you put a pair of Nike Cortez or Vans Sk8 High on know the history behind them. Billy Cunningham: The Kangaroo Kid didn't win a title in the '70s (he was a Wilt sidekick on that great '67 team) but he cranked out some great seasons with the Sixers and the Carolina Cougars of the ABA. Battle for the soul of basketball: Meet the All-1970s NBA (and ABA)team, The Clippers Russell Westbrook experiment is off to a terrible start. The pictures are all taken from the time to give you a better idea of how the sneakers were worn. Abdul-Jabbar was a six-time MVP and six-time NBA champion, cementing his legacy as not just the greatest of the decade but one of the greatest in league history. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Hayes was responsible for stopping UCLA's amazing college streak when it was Lew Alcindor manning the middle; they went on to play on different coasts most of the time in the pros. Hondo was the original sixth man, but by the 1970s, he was a dominant fixture in the NBA. At their best the Knicks were a hybrid of downtown artistry mixed with old-school values. (Photo on right by: Ronald Martinez/ Getty Images) These days, when basketball players hit the court, there is so much swish-swashing of damn clothing going on, it's hard to focus on anything else. Most famous player ever? Drake and Bradley are the favorites in the MVC mens basketball conference tournament. Tall Tales and Short Shorts: Dr. J, Pistol Pete, and the Birth of the Modern NBA. Elvin Hayes Career Highlights THE BIG E! UK welcomed its first African-American basketball player in Tom Payne, an All-American high-schooler from Louisville . Although many small changes took place during the seventies, three major changes rocked the very foundation of the league: its embrace of the slam dunk and three-point shot; salary escalation; and the arrival of free agency. They appreciated the game on its merits, and embraced the athletes as individuals and fellow entertainers. Basketball has not escaped the fashion roller-coaster of the past century. When Dr. James Naismith nailed a peach basket to a spot ten feet above the gym floor, he didnt account for dribbling, let alone slam dunks, hyper-athletic seven-footers, or J.R. Smith. The dataset includes stats on over 3000 Players NBA Players from 1947-2018. Pretty much all you can ask for from the best ever, no? T&Cs apply. He averaged 20+ points, 6+ rebounds, and 6+ assists per game during the decade while guiding the New York Knicks to a pair of championships. Who Is Better: Lebron James Or Wilt Chamberlain? . His pro career essentially spanned the entire decade, and he racked up five All-Star bids, two first team All-NBA nods and a scoring title. Get the best deals on 1970s Athletic Shoes for Men when you shop the largest online selection at eBay.com. Nash is one of the best, most productive point guards in the league, having won back-to-back season MVP trophies after reaching the age of 30. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, March 4, 4:50AM. Top 9 Greatest World Series Upsets of All Time, Top 10 Pound for Pound Boxers of the 1980s, NBA Top 10 Power Rankings at the All-Star break: The Ten teams that can win it all, The Greatest College Basketball Team of All Time, Esteban de Jesus, Roberto Duran y AIDS (1972-89), Ranking the decade: Top ten NBA point guards of the 2010s. J Julius Erving against LeBron James? : Gender and Styles of Play in Modern Basketball, Review of Tall Tales and Short Shorts | Sport in American History, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. But here again, when I played years ago, if you shot a shot outside and hit it, the next time Im going to be up on top of you. Artis was great and underappreciated, but Cowens was better. It's hard to understand why this is a debate, as great as West was. Money was hard to come by for basketball players in the early days of the league as well. Though Frazier was a model point guard, running the offense and dishing out a plethora of sweet dimes, he also possessed a skill that would foreshadow the direction of the position. Bob McAdoo was a poster child for seventies basketball. Now players could subsist without off-season work and, for the first time in league history, make life-changing money playing pro basketball. We present them here for purely educational purposes. As magnificent as earlier players were, they never had to deal with the 24/7 stresses of 21st century media, which James has with aplomb. He was fifth in total minutes played for the decade and was also fifth in points scored.Lanier was also unusually-adept at shooting free throws for a big man, averaging 77 percent for his career. He finished his NBA career in '76 having averaged 20-10. Nash led the 15th seeded, and lightly regarded, Santa Clara to an improbable upset win over 2 seed Arizona in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. They were drilled at an early age to work the ball into position for a shot close to the basket. [1] To earn "consensus" status, a player must win honors from a majority of the following teams: the Associated Press, the USBWA, The United Press International and the National Association of Basketball Coaches. As a sophomore, he led the "Flying Clouds" to . Find out more. Oh, the humanity. RUSTON - The Southland Conference, as part of its year-long 50th Anniversary commemoration, has announced its 1970s and 1980s All-Decade Men's Basketball teams which includes 10 former Louisiana Tech greats. Michael Ray Richardson 8. He was an All-Star every year from 1970-76, and from 1970-75 he was named to both an All-NBA Team and an All-Defensive Team for each season. He can be reached at acriblez@semo.edu and followed on Twitter at@AdamCriblez. Oscar Robertson versus Russell Westbrook? I have defended the '70s before, notably in Free Darko Presents: The Undisputed Guide to Pro Basketball History. His impact didnt stop on the offensive end of the court; Havlicek also made eight All-Defensive Teams in his career, epitomizing what it meant to be a two-way player. University of California at Berkeley was given an outdoor basketball court for women by philanthropist Phoebe Hearst. UCLAs Lew Alcindor. ABC News Live. While Kareem put up a whopping 38,387 points during his playing days, I cant look past the fact that he spent a good chunk of his career receiving passes from Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson, the two greatest point guards of all time. Here's another argument: the '70s represented a battle for the soul of basketball. His height is 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m), and his weight is 205 lb (93 kg). Rookie Road may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Clockwise from upper left: Issel, Lanier, Mount and Maravich (not pictured: Murphy). A high scorer and rebounder, the purveyor of the Sky Hook and a thoughtful off-court presence, it's really a shame KAJ isn't more beloved. When the Boston Athletic Association, the pre-cursor to the NBA, awarded prize money to the winning team . He went on to play for Brazil until 1982 before finally calling time on a glittering eighteen-year career in the yellow and green of his home country, retiring as one of the most revered Brazilian . [This list was originally published in April 2014. His free-throw shooting, on the other hand. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. The Celtics won a pair of titles and were often very good, but they were a distinct entity from the Russell/Red teams of the '60s. These debates boil down to a very simple premise: basketball was different in the past. Mac remains one of the greatest athletes in Buffalo history, though, which is something. Dugan has called him the best player he's ever coached. 1986 Boston Celtics - Were they the greatest Team? http://www.basketball-reference.com/about/bpm.html, Steph CurryThe Male Machine Gun Molly? Known as Clyde Frazier, Walt brought the razzle dazzle to Madison Square Garden in the seventies. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. When it comes to the 1970s, there was no greater basketball player than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.In fact, Abdul-Jabbars game has transcended eras, as he remains one of the greatest players to ever pick up a basketball. Johnsons otherworldly passing set the stage for the Showtime L.A. Lakers teams that captured five championships during his 13 years with the franchise. One on One (1977) PG | 98 min | Drama, Sport 6.5 Rate Or write about sports? Kareem was the best pro basketball player of the '70s -- that's more or less beyond debate -- but hoops came out the other side fully enthralled with shooters and high-flyers. Boasting five players who averaged. The Logo retired in 1974, but he did enough in those first five seasons of the decade to warrant inclusion. See the rankings as for this Basketball Player Sets set on 3/2/2023 3:23:10 PM. The potential matchups are endless (and, to be honest, probably pointless). Dan Issel, Calvin Murphy, Gail Goodrich, Spencer Haywood, Lou Hudson, Paul Silas, Dave Cowens, Bill Walton*, * Bill Walton should have challenged Kareem for decade supremacy but his feet betrayed him at the moment when he was ready to take over. What are boosted odds in sports betting strategies? When Bill Walton signed a huge contract with the San Diego (later Los Angeles) Clippers in 1979, his former team received two players and a first-round draft pick in return, essentially gutting Waltons new team. This was the period of time that reallyhelped build the foundation to sneakers as we know it today. The Knicks legend was All-NBA six times, All-Defence six times, a seven-time All-Star and helped New York win its only two NBA titles in 1970 and 1973. Top 10 Boxers of the 1990s: Was Roy Jones Jr. the best? For whatever reason, he kept it in his pocket and Alcindor signed with the Milwaukee Bucks for a $250,000 annual salary. One big on-court change was the three-pointer, arguably the most exciting part of the modern NBA. TGT Play! Odds Deals Podcasts US USA Arizona California Colorado Connecticut Florida Georgia Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Louisiana Maryland Michigan New Jersey New York North Carolina Ohio Pennsylvania Tennessee Texas Virginia [1] Curious as to what these terms mean? In 1970, the average player earned a $35,000 salary (equivalent to around $224,000 today). The 1970s are not the most fondly remembered decade of pro basketball. Moreover, he not only faced the incredible pressure of being anointed The Chosen One by Sports Illustrated as a teenager, but hes actually exceeded the lofty expectations set for him. Understanding the marketability of high-flying, slam-dunking showmen, the NBA copied the dunk contest concept in 1977 (won by Indiana Pacer Dr. Absolutely. They were no strong national rivalries, no dynasties, no epic G.O.A.T. The Celtics had played for 10 seasons before Russell joined the team, never once reaching a championship series in that time. The glory of the '80s was only possible because of the work done by Dr. J, Skywalker, The Ice Man, Kareem and the Rolls-Royce backcourt in the '70s. Abdul-Jabbar also made 19 All-Star teams during his career and was a two-time Finals MVP, recording one of the most legendary and impactful resumes in league history.. J Julius Erving and Skywalker David Thompson headlined the leagues first slam dunk contest in 1976, but their in-game dunks might have been even more impressive. I put Pistol Pete on the first team over Jerry West primarily because my father raised me to believe Pistol Pete was the most exciting player ever. By decades end, that had jumped to $180,000 ($641,000 today). At the opposite end of the attractive play spectrum from Duncan is Shaquille ONeal. They didnt. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. The curation of this content is at the discretion of the author, and not necessarily reflective of the views of Encyclopaedia Britannica or its editorial staff. In the first season with a three-point line, Maravich's last season, Pete went 10 for 15 from three-point range. Gambling problem? Starting in 1966, he served as player-coach for the Celtics, becoming the first Black coach in the NBA and the first to win an NBA championship. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for VINTAGE HARD PLASTIC BASKETBALL PLAYER CAKE TOPPER / DECORATION 1970s at the best online prices at eBay! He made eight All-Star games in the seventies, only missing out in his rookie year and in 1978-79 when he was injured. He absolutely dominated the seventies, leading the NBA in points scored and blocks for the decade, as well as recording the second-most rebounds.Abdul-Jabbar was a force on the offensive end, armed with a skyhook shot that was seemingly unstoppable. Jo Jo White: It's a bit criminal that Jo Jo is just now being inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. He pulled down 14 rebounds per game from 1970-1980, and any game that he finished without a double-double was a rarity.. George Gervin: The Ice Man could have been a second-team guard here, but he'll be back on the '80s team thanks to some great work in that decade so I don't feel too bad about elevating West and Tiny. A member of six NBA championship teams as a player and two more as an assistant coach, Abdul-Jabbar twice was voted NBA Finals MVP. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? . $11.45 shipping. What hasn't been said about Gervin? Overall, the NBA in the 60's was good, but I find it hard to say it was the best decade of NBA basketball. Do you have a blog? Then the American Basketball Association (ABA) came along and celebrated the showmanship of their top stars. List of all the NBA and ABA Players Born in 1970 | Basketball-Reference.com We've added Women's stats dating back to 2009-10 on College Basketball Reference!. In 1977, the Denver Nuggets signed their star guard, David Skywalker Thompson to a record-setting, five-year, $4-million deal, because they knew he would receive similar offers from other teams (*cough* the Knicks *cough*), should he enter free agency. At the time, the best basketball players in the world were signed with Adidas and Converse, Nike was creating their first running sneaker, and Vans was makingsneakers tailored specifically for skaters. Shipping + Taxes Included In Price. My argument was that it was a time of testing new limits, of parity and of transition. Yeah. 1970-71 Kansas Jayhawks Men 's Roster and Stats | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com via Sports Logos.net About logos 1970-71 Kansas Jayhawks Men's Roster and Stats Previous Season Next Season Record: 27-3 (17-0, 1st in Big 8 MBB ) Rank: 4th in the Final AP Poll Coach: Ted Owens More School Info Big 8 Reg Season Champ The player who scored the most points in the 1970s was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The 1970s were a golden age for basketball. Erving was one of the defining figures of the game during the decade, combining exceptional athleticism and finesse in a style that has remained popular all these years later. Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh. College basketball conference tournament predictions: Picks for every mens league. How Many Championships Does Steph Curry Have? Oh, and while this has nothing to do with his ranking on this list, its still incredibly awesome and noteworthy that he has successfully fought off HIV for over two decades, helped de-stigmatize AIDS through his high-profile advocacy, and launched a second career as an entrepreneur who opens businesses predominantly in poverty-stricken areas in efforts to spur urban revitalization. He debuted in 1972 and proceeded to make an All-Star team seven times during the decade, continuing the great legacy of big men in the NBA.He was named MVP of the 1974-75 season, a year that came in the middle of a dominant run for the Buffalo Braves. These coaches do not understand the game of basketball, as far as Im concerned. The league officially adopted the three-point field goal in 1979 and the San Diego Clippers led the NBA that season with 543 three-point attempts (making 32.6%). Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Julius Erving Black and white basketball hustlers join forces to double their chances of winning money on the street courts and in a basketball tournament. Hes bigger than a good portion of the players in the NFL and yet he still moves as gracefully as the most nimble guards in basketball. The 2021 NBA Draft is less than three weeks away. Rick Barry Honorable Mentions FAQ Who are the best basketball players of the '70s of all time? 2. Do you have a sports website? Gambling Problem? He didn't play for really excellent teams until joining the Showtime Lakers in '80s, however, which hampers his legacy. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Walt Frazier 7. But ONeal wasnt just pure physicalityhe was surprisingly graceful for such a massive man and he had a deft touch with his close-range jump shots. Lew Alcindor's historic run to the NBA Rookie of the Year award was the talk of the 1969-70 season, but it was his sophomore campaign in 1970-71 where the Milwaukee Bucks big man took a transcendent leap towards the Hall of Fame.. With the acquisition of All-Star point guard and future Hall-of-Famer Oscar Robertson, the Bucks . All-Decade 1970s All-Stars on NBA 2K23. Check out his website at https://www.adamcriblez.com/. Rick Barry, a two-time NBA All-Star, made $45,000 in the NBA and jumped leagues for a $75,000 payday. college basketball player." . He was like living, breathing quicksilver on the court, a physical specimen in ways different from his contemporaries. Related: did you know that the 2013 Seattle Seahawks had the best defense in NFL history? If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and wants help, call or visit: (a) the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey at 1-800-Gambler or www.800gambler.org; or (b) Gamblers Anonymous at 855-2-CALL-GA or www.gamblersanonymous.org. He was a menace on the defensive side of the ball, racking up 400 more steals than any other player in the seventies.Like Gervin, he is a member of both the All-Time ABA Team and the NBAs 75th Anniversary Team. Cowens was only 69 at the center position, but he was one of the most prolific rebounders of the era. FLANNERY DISSENTS: I had Dave Cowens on my Third Team and forgot to include him on the Honorable Mention list when we pubbed this list. The four highest all-time NBA single-season scoring averages all belong to Chamberlainin his first four professional seasons. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. It didnt. Vtg Chuck Taylor All Star Blue Label OG Converse High Top 6.5 USA Player Name. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Easily the greatest ABA player ever, Julius Erving had no trouble making the transition to the NBA in 1976. Walton was so damn good that it's impossible to imagine a world where he stayed healthy and reached his potential. 26,045 Sets. Famously, he played center in place of the injured Abdul-Jabbar in the title-clinching game six of the 1980 NBA finals as a 20-year-old rookie. Most importantly, free agency also gave players newfound leverage in negotiations. 1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (born April 16, 1947) is an American retired professional basketball player with the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers. Free shipping for many products! You had Earl Monroe and Walt Frazier in the Big Apple, drawing attention and respect to the Mecca of basketball. Was . Parish was able to stick around for so long because of his great talent as a basketball player, making nine All-Star teams during his career as well as winning four NBA championships. The 70s was, as novelist Tom Wolfe once famously wrote, the me decade. When people knocked him for not winning championships early in his career, they overlooked that he almost single-handedly took an overmatched Cleveland Cavaliers squad to the 2007 NBA finals at just 22 years old. Other Links > Basketball > Visit Our Patreon Page to Create Your Own All-Time Fantasy Teams and See Other Bonus Material . Gervin was famous for his finger roll and seemed to score at will against any opponent the Spurs played against. New technology was being used to make better sneakers for running, basketball, and skateboarding. George Gervin 10. Dr. J isn't just symbolically important as a harbinger of the style that would arrive in the '80s: he was a two-time ABA champion and won the last three MVPs of the ABA. Malone entered 1981-82 ready to exact vengeance. Richardson was a four-time All-Star in the NBA. Hockey. NBA coach Pat Riley and players Isiah Thomas and Julius Erving have called, John Joseph Havlicek ( HAV-li-chek; April 8, 1940 April 25, 2019) was an American professional basketball player who competed for 16 seasons with the Boston Celtics, winning eight NBA championships, four of them coming in his first four seasons. He also happens to be one of the top five in-game dunkers ever. Julius Erving 3. 44,845 Sets. He worked at both ends. He led the league in minutes played for the decade, and also grabbed more rebounds than anyone else.He was no slouch when it came to scoring either, recording the second-most points of the decade behind only Abdul-Jabbar.Hayes was a 12-time All-Star, being selected in each of his first twelve years, and was also a six-time All-NBA selection. Steve Downing (1970-73) - overshadowed by his high school teammate George McGinnis for a long time, Downing came into his own after McGinnis left for riches of professional basketball. To learn more about the top ten players of the decade, keep reading below. Malone was the league's best player in 1981-82 by nearly every metric. There has never been a more enthralling backcourt than Clyde and the Pearl, and their ingenious styles were balanced by bedrock pros like Bill Bradley, Dave DeBusschere and the Captain, Willis Reed. Though Barry had many of his best seasons in the ABA, he also found success on a team scale in the NBA. If you buy something from an SB Nation link, Vox Media may earn a commission. Director: Ron Shelton | Stars: Wesley Snipes, Woody Harrelson, Rosie Perez, Tyra Ferrell Votes: 89,504 | Gross: $76.25M 66 (4) Blu-ray 8. Gervin made 12 All-Star teams between the ABA and NBA, and was an All-League player nine times. Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati: 2,973 points (1957-58 to 1959-60) "The Big O" averaged 35.1, 32.6 and 33.7 points in his three seasons. He is a member of the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, and an inductee in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Players must be 21 years of age or older or reach the minimum age for gambling in their respective state and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. 1970: 'Mr. Clutch' sinks a must-see 60-footer Jerry West showed he deserved his nickname when he buried a 60-foot, game-tying bomb at the buzzer in Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the Knicks.. You can't just change your wiring on stuff like that. Dave Cowens Career Highlights THE RAVE! But now they dont do that. Join our linker program. You also had the burgeoning troupe of high-flyers with style: guys like Julius Erving, David Thompson and George Gervin. The best basketball player of the 1970s was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. As Araton put it: "When The Captain and Clyde and the rest of the Old Knicks played, when the city and country convulsed with pain, oh what a beautiful game it was.". He is one of only five players to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals, all in one season. Teams: Atlanta Hawks (1970-74), New Orleans/Utah Jazz (1974-80), Boston Celtics (1980 . You still see them at the Garden and no sport has ever had a more dedicated celebrity fan than Jack Nicholson. Sneaker Name: Nike Cortez Year: 1972 The Nike Cortez was created by Nike Co-Founder and Oregon Head Track and Field Coach Bill Bowerman. Gilmore wasn't the most fluid looking player, but he dominated the paint on both ends in both leagues. Despite the creation of the National Basketball Players Association in 1954 (the first team sports players union), NBA owners held most of the power in the league until the merger. This brought an even greater influx of stars to the NBA, making for a great new era of basketball.

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