(Or 20. Data Provided By 15,159 Sets. Gervin made 12 All-Star teams between the ABA and NBA, and was an All-League player nine times. (The latest, and for my money the best, entry in the canon is "When the Garden was Eden" by New York Times columnist Harvey Araton who writes with the benefit of history and perspective on his side.). The anticipated plateau of salaries never arrived, and continues today. Successful Sports Betting Tips. The Warriors, Blazers, Bullets and Sonics all had their moments in the sun. 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. The competition between the two leagues became fierce. We adapted Google's Privacy Guidelines to keep your data safe at all times. Rick Barry Honorable Mentions FAQ Who are the best basketball players of the '70s of all time? In addition, the decade saw the merging of the ABA and the NBA, the two top leagues of the time. For the most accurate and up-to-date information, consult individual encyclopedia entries about the topics. Courtesy of Flickr. 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. My argument was that it was a time of testing new limits, of parity and of transition. Easily the greatest ABA player ever, Julius Erving had no trouble making the transition to the NBA in 1976. Original/Reprint: Original. What? . These coaches do not understand the game of basketball, as far as Im concerned. See the rankings as for this Basketball Player Sets set on 3/2/2023 3:23:10 PM. Sooners' 1970s all-decade team - OUInsider 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. Part of the merger agreement was the settlement of the Oscar Robertson lawsuit, which ended the dreaded reserve clause. And, of course, hes since won two titles (and counting?) 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. 2. 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. The Best Basketball Player Alive Every Year, 1980s They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Could the Rolls-Royce Backcourt of Walt Clyde Frazier and Earl The Pearl Monroe handle the modern-day Golden State Warriors Splash Brothers? 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. Yes, the NBA consisted of just 8 to 14 teams during this period, so capturing championships was a statistically easier feat for a single franchise, but even that fact doesnt minimize Russells historic accomplishments. He never averaged fewer than 10 rebounds in the seventies, and also never dipped below two blocks per game.Although Hayes was only 69, he played the center position with more ferocity than nearly anyone else in the game, and was known as one of the toughest competitors in the league. 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. 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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 38 Famous NBA Basketball Players in the 80s - Hood MWR http://www.basketball-reference.com/about/bpm.html, Steph CurryThe Male Machine Gun Molly? Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 2. They were no strong national rivalries, no dynasties, no epic G.O.A.T. Before the seventies, many players spent their summers barnstorming (making a few hundred bucks for a week or two of work) or working a white-collar job selling insurance or cars. The easy answer would be to point to a lack of analytics (seriously, how did they survive without WAR, BPM, or VORP?)[1]. Basketball has not escaped the fashion roller-coaster of the past century. 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 . Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. 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. But he was so much more than a dazzling smile. He wasn't just a pure shooter and scorer. . The dataset includes stats on over 3000 Players NBA Players from 1947-2018. 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. See our ethics statement. Boston Celtics, American professional basketball team based in Boston, Massachusetts. How 1970s NBA pioneers paved the way for today's game He might belong ahead of Hayes on the first team All-1970s. In 1971, the San Francisco Warriors changed cities and names, leaving the Cow Palace. 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. Parish was drafted in 1976 by the Golden State Warriors and didnt retire until 1997, capping off a 21-year career. Oh, the humanity. 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. Players hit 40 or more home runs 20 times in the 1970s with Willie Stargell, Johnny Bench, and George Foster reaching the total twice. Jordan played college basketball for three seasons under coach Dean Smith with the North Carolina Tar Heels. Please play responsibly. Was . Best NBA Defensive Players of All Time | Stadium Talk The league was a creation of sports promoter Bill Byrne, who had previous involvement in start-up ventures such as the World Football League (1974-1975) and the American Professional Slo-Pitch League (1977-1980). The Top Ranked Basketball Players of the 1970's Not only does he routinely pull off feats that Ive never before seen, he has consistently evolved his game to fix the relative weak spots he was previously criticized for. He was voted as an all-star five times in the 1970s. (LogOut/ The shirts were fastened like a current-day body suit to keep them from becoming untucked. You can't just change your wiring on stuff like that. Malone entered 1981-82 ready to exact vengeance. Cowens was known for his intensity that could get him in trouble with some fights. Sooners' 1970s all-decade team By Joey Helmer Apr 18, 2020 12 NORMAN, Okla. Welcome to the glory years known as the Barry Switzer Era. Pretty much all you can ask for from the best ever, no? Moreover, his rivalry with Magic Johnsonwho, spoiler alert, youll see a bit later in this listduring the 1980s launched basketball into an unprecedented level of national popularity that the sport has never fallen from. David Thompson: Thompson was an incredible scorer whose exploits rivaled those of Gervin and Maravich, and is considered one of MJ's chief inspirations. . 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. UNC Basketball: The best 1970s and 80s teams that never existed Spalding created some of the first padded shorts worn by basketball players during this era. Olympic Games Anthropometry for other sports in 2012. Nevertheless, he was an awesome force who dominated the sport for two decades and perfected the sky hook, one of the most gorgeous shots the game has ever seen. On defense, he was one of the most feared rim protectors of his time, swatting away every attempt that was thrown up. I have a confession to make: even though Im a lifelong devotee to all Seattle sports team, I had a fan-fling with the San Antonio Spurs teams of the late 90s and early 2000s. What hasn't been said about Gervin? Best-known for his underhand free throw technique, Rick Barry was not someone to be taken lightly on the basketball court.He was a 12-time All-Star selection between the ABA and NBA, and also made a total of 10 All-League teams between the two leagues. He led the league in scoring three straight times from 1974-1976, pouring in over 30 points per game in each season. Indeedy. UK Basketball All-Decade Team: 1970s Edition Check out his website at https://www.adamcriblez.com/. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. He didn't play for really excellent teams until joining the Showtime Lakers in '80s, however, which hampers his legacy. NBA Top Moments: 1970s | NBA.com - National Basketball Association After the Converse "Chuck Taylor All Stars" and before Michael "Air" Jordan was the 1970's. Investors founded the ABA in 1967 as a rival to the more established NBA (then just an eight-team league). 12. But they somehow managed to turn the simple act of making the extra pass into an exercise of communal cool. The 1970s were a golden age for basketball. Hayes was perhaps Kareem's only true rival, even though they didn't run into each other much in the NBA. List of all the NBA and ABA Players Born in 1970 - Basketball-Reference.com List of all the NBA and ABA Players Born in 1970 1969 1971 Select Year: 84 Players Active players are bold; * Indicates Hall of Famer 6 of 13. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. 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. Al Lankford, Lee Averaged a double-double through much of his career with the Generals, scoring more than 20 points per game as a senior.. Cowens was only 69 at the center position, but he was one of the most prolific rebounders of the era. Bidding wars almost bankrupted both leagues and soon even marginally talented players made six-figure salaries. 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. Plus, he was hilarious in Airplane! By comparison, Steph Curry attempted 789 three-pointers *himself* this season (connecting on 41.1%) and the Golden State Warriors hoisted over 2,500 (making 38.3%) as a team. During his career as a center, Abdul-Jabbar was a record six-time NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP), a record 19-time NBA All-Star, a 15-time All-NBA selection, and an 11-time NBA All-Defensive Team member. 1970s NBA Average Height: 6'6 Average male height: 5'8 Notable stars of the decade: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Julius Erving, Elvin Hayes, John Havlicek 1980s NBA Average Height: 6'6 Average male height: 5'8 1970-71 Kansas Jayhawks Men's Roster and Stats - College Basketball at Our apologies, George Mikan, K.C. 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. 1970-71 Topps Basketball Complete Set - Premier 7.5 - eBay Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. Hayes averaged 23+ points and 14+ rebounds per game during the 1970s, he gets lost in the conversation when people talk about the greatest players in NBA history, but the Big E should always be in that conversation. Remembering 1972 U.S. Olympic squad, 40 years later - ESPN And how might retired NBA legends fare in todays game? He was named an All-Star every year of the decade that he played, from the 1969-1970 season through the 1977-78 season.Havlicek did retire shortly before the three-point line was introduced to the NBA, but he was still known as one of the best jump shooters in the league. The Rockets' forward led the league in minutes, rebounds and win shares . The '70s were not an easy time for basketball, defined as they were by drugs and dissension, as well as the notion that the sport was simply too urban (read: too black) for middle America. Product: Set. Known as Clyde Frazier, Walt brought the razzle dazzle to Madison Square Garden in the seventies. This site is using Cloudflare and adheres to the Google Safe Browsing Program. Something not often mentioned about West is his excellent defense. In 1975-76, Brewer had his best season as a Cavalier, averaging a. For better or worse, basketball fans love to compare different eras of their favorite sport. Calvin Murphy San Diego/Houston Rockets 1970-79 Calvin Murphy was a scoring machine at Niagara and San Diego rolled the dice on the 5-foot-9 guard in the second round of the 1970 NBA Draft..