So whether or not you believe the Rolls-Royce Backcourt could defuse the Splash Brothers or that Dr. J could take LeBron to school, theres no denying the league as we know it todayfull of three-pointers, highlight-reel dunks, and multi-millionaire free agentswas born in the 1970s. 1901. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. debates. 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. He pulled down 14 rebounds per game from 1970-1980, and any game that he finished without a double-double was a rarity.. 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. Cowens was only 69 at the center position, but he was one of the most prolific rebounders of the era. They were no strong national rivalries, no dynasties, no epic G.O.A.T. 6 of 13. Could the Rolls-Royce Backcourt of Walt Clyde Frazier and Earl The Pearl Monroe handle the modern-day Golden State Warriors Splash Brothers? Investors founded the ABA in 1967 as a rival to the more established NBA (then just an eight-team league). Plus his 30.1 points per game is the NBAs highest career scoring average. Get the best deals on 1970s Athletic Shoes for Men when you shop the largest online selection at eBay.com. The Golden Eagles (23-6, 15-3 Big East) wrap . Check out his website at https://www.adamcriblez.com/. Just as the game took a step back in the national consciousness, it survived and even prospered in some quarters, such as the Pacific Northwest. The pictures are all taken from the time to give you a better idea of how the sneakers were worn. Im going to pressure you with three-quarters, half-court defense. But he was so much more than a dazzling smile. If you buy something from an SB Nation link, Vox Media may earn a commission. 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. Abdul-Jabbar was dominant in all aspects of the game, but he was particularly unstoppable on offense. In the 10th and 11th round, the Atlanta Hawks drafted Mexican Manuel Raga and Italian Dino Meneghin; both were playing in the Italian league at the time. Sucker punch in OVC tournament leads to 3 ejections. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. But a decade before kids wanted to Be like Mike, they wanted to operate above the rim like Dr. See our ethics statement. 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. 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. Play Video. 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. Unless you agree with me, in which case this was the most meaningful thing Ive ever written. The Celtics had played for 10 seasons before Russell joined the team, never once reaching a championship series in that time. Also, his career totals were inflated by the fact that he played roughly 10,000 years in the NBA. Playing for the Detroit Pistons until he was traded in 1980, Lanier was the heart and soul of his teams and promoted a tough, intense culture. Vtg 70's AAU USA Basketball Shoes Upside Down Swoosh Logo Travis Size 3.5 Scott. The Logo retired in 1974, but he did enough in those first five seasons of the decade to warrant inclusion. Through the publication of this list, James has averaged a Robertson-esque 27.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 6.9 steals per game andunlike the Big Ohe was doing so against teams stocked with elite athletes and not players who smoked cigarettes at halftime. Hockey. Vtg Chuck Taylor All Star Blue Label OG Converse High Top 6.5 USA Player Name. Erving then reeled off 11 straight All-Star bids in the NBA after the merger. Basketball has not escaped the fashion roller-coaster of the past century. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. and fought Bruce Lee in Game of Death, so his cool quotient is easily the highest of anyone on this list. Captured consecutive state championships in 1970 and 1971 3-time All State choice Charles Smith - Harding - 1984 1984 McDonald's All American 1 st Team Parade Magazine All American in 1984 Captured state championships in 1983 and 1984 2-time All State honoree Chris Smith - Kolbe Cathedral - 1988 1988 Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year The anticipated plateau of salaries never arrived, and continues today. He racked up three championship rings and 12 All-Star appearances in his injury-shortened 13-year career. Let's take a look at some of the doper sneakers released in the 1970's. Not once. Learn more and register, Scores from any date in BAA/NBA or ABA history, Frequently Asked Questions about the NBA, WNBA and Basketball, Basketball-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREE. Call 1-800-522-4700. thegruelingtruth.com is available in the following countries: The bonus offer of was already opened in an additional window. 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.. AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, (select parishes), MD, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY, CA-ONT only.Eligibility restrictions apply. The 1970s are not the most fondly remembered decade of pro basketball. The Top 10 Best Basketball Players of the 1970's, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (born April 16, 1947) is an American retired professional basketball player who played 20 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers. . Most famous player ever? He finished his career eighth all-time in both points and steals as a player who truly had a complete game.His ability to dominate as a wing was something the NBA had not seen much of before, and his mark on the game will always be remembered. J Julius Erving against LeBron James? 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.". Plus, he was hilarious in Airplane! 1. J.. Top 21 ACC Basketball Players of All Time: Where does Michael Jordan Rank? Change). John Havlicek 6. Why did NBA players not shoot more three-pointers in the late seventies and early eighties? 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. 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. The Women's Professional Basketball League was the first attempt to launch a nationwide professional basketball league for women. There have been some great shooters in the past. All-Decade 1970s All-Stars on NBA 2K23. 17 Reasons why Jordan is greater than Lebron, 16 Reasons why Lebron is greater than Jordan, The 18 greates Coaches in College Football History, The Top 21 Offensive Linemen in NFL History, 19 undeniable Lies in Disney's Remember the Titans. 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. Note: We wanted guys who brought it for an extended period of time, so the bar was set at 20,000 minutes, the equivalent of 25 minutes per game, 80 games per season for 10 seasons. Its time for BritannicaOK, one editor at Britannicato jump into the perpetually unresolved greatest ever in [insert sport here] fray. One of two players, along with Stephon Marbury, who couldn't find a way to co-exist with a young Kevin Garnett in Minnesota. Like it or not, the three-point field goal and the slam dunk have greatly changed the on-court product in the NBA. Lets pick a winner in every mens college basketball conference tournament. Ranking Explanations . But he didnt earn his place on this list though some sort of vague, ethereal winningness. Russell was one of the fiercest defenders of all time and he redefined the value of blocking shots, in addition to averaging an incredible 22.5 rebounds per game over his career. He is a retired professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association who played small forward (NBA). In 1971, the San Francisco Warriors changed cities and names, leaving the Cow Palace. Frazier held most Knicks records until . 1970s and the Chicago Bulls. 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. The 6-foot . 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. 17 Reasons why Jordan is greater than Lebron, 16 Reasons why Lebron is greater than Jordan, The 18 greates Coaches in College Football History, The Top 21 Offensive Linemen in NFL History, The Top 10 Seattle Mariners of all Time, 19 undeniable Lies in Disney's Remember the Titans, If you enjoy hearing from the legends of pro sports, then be sure to tune into The Grueling Truth sports shows, Where the legends speak. 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. 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. $44.99. Spalding issued women's basketball rules, edited by Senda Berenson, establishing 3 zones with 5-10 players per team; some teams used men's rules, some used Baer's rules, and some used Spalding's/Berenson's rules. (All this said, it's pretty clear that Kobe eclipsed him as the second best Laker guard ever right around 2009 or 2010. On defense, he was one of the most feared rim protectors of his time, swatting away every attempt that was thrown up. Spalding created some of the first padded shorts worn by basketball players during this era. 1970-71 Houston Cougars Men's Roster and Stats Previous Season Next Season Record: 22-7 ( Independent ) Rank: 14th in the Final AP Poll Coach: Guy Lewis More School Info Houston (Men's) School History Roster & Stats Polls, Schedule & Results On this page: Roster Per Game Team and Opponent Stats Per Game Totals Per 40 Minutes We forget how damn good Boston was in the '70s because their success then paled to that experienced in the '60s and '80s. The Knicks also won two championships and it's this team that stands out as the enduring essence of '70s basketball. 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. Sneaker Name: Nike Cortez Year: 1972 The Nike Cortez was created by Nike Co-Founder and Oregon Head Track and Field Coach Bill Bowerman. They didnt. ABA Commissioner George Mikan held a $1 million check he was to give Big Lew. This brought an even greater influx of stars to the NBA, making for a great new era of basketball. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. 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. National Basketball Association, book | 296 views, 8 likes, 1 loves, 0 comments, 0 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from ABC News Live: "The NBA is the most woke league because the players pushed it to. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. Indeedy. 26,045 Sets. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, March 4, 4:50AM. Dont be fooled by his humble small-college provenance and the Hick from French Lick nicknameLarry Bird was one of the fiercest competitors and greatest smack-talkers in NBA history. Most important player ever? How 1970s NBA pioneers paved the way for today's game 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. Could todays players deal with the more physical play of the 1970s? The 70s was, as novelist Tom Wolfe once famously wrote, the me decade. The uber-confident Bird had arguably the quickest release of anyone to ever play basketball and hed often let his defender know that the shot was going in soon after it left his hands. Two rival leagues (the NBA and ABA) were . 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. Oh, the humanity. 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). 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. Instead, coaches demanded that players only take the shot during late-game rallies to overcome huge deficits, often done in concert with a full-court pressing defense, hoping to create turnovers.