All rights reserved. The competition between the two leagues became fierce. He was a key component to the success of the Celtics in the 1970s, helping them win two NBA titles. Estimated PSA 9 Mint Value: $5,000. (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. But it was in New York, and specifically in the World's Most Famous Arena, where the '70s made their strongest impression. Most importantly, he led a very weak team in the New Orleans Jazz. The 1970s saw another national title, a coaching change of epic proportions, and several stars comes through the door. 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. In 1975, he led the San Francisco Warriors to an NBA championship, and he was named Finals MVP that year as well. Goose Givens won National Player of the Year. While Im too young to have ever seen him play, his statistics are so mind-blowing that I wish I had a time machine for the express purpose of going back and seeing him in action. 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.. If not, you can open it also by clicking the following link: Top 10 Athletes past the age of 40: Where does Tom Brady rank? The 70s was, as novelist Tom Wolfe once famously wrote, the me decade. (Editors Note: For a brief excerpt of the book, click here; for author reflections, click here.) We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. George Gervin 10. The Women's Professional Basketball League was the first attempt to launch a nationwide professional basketball league for women. Top 13 Cincinnati Reds Starting Pitchers of all time. Known as Clyde Frazier, Walt brought the razzle dazzle to Madison Square Garden in the seventies. The '70s were a time of chaos in pro basketball, but the chaos was caused by the fate of pro basketball being completely up in the air. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). The 6-foot . Artis was great and underappreciated, but Cowens was better. This list is, naturally, incredibly subjective, and shouldnt be taken too seriously. . eBay item number: 404182195911. McAdoo was the 1972-1973 NBA Rookie of the Year; he also won three straight scoring titles mid-decade and averaged 27+ points and 12+ rebounds per game in the 1970s en route to five All-Star Games, two All-NBA selections, and the 1974-1975 MVP. Russell Westbrook is being left wide open on offense, and hes still hurting the Clippers. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. New technology was being used to make better sneakers for running, basketball, and skateboarding. [7] The following is the 196970 Academic All-America Men's Basketball Team as selected by CoSIDA: Members of the 1970 Consensus All-America first team. Lou Boudreau, Thornton, 1935. A friend mentioned he'd heard there was a player on the verge of surpassing Pete Maravich's NCAA record 3,667 career points, a mark that's stood since 1970. . Founded in Boston in 1946 by Walter Brown, the Celtics were charter members of the Basketball Association of America, a . UK welcomed its first African-American basketball player in Tom Payne, an All-American high-schooler from Louisville . 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, 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. His ability to rebound as just a 64 guard was tremendous, averaging six boards per game for his 13-year run in the league. He is one of only five players to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals, all in one season. Hondo led the C's to titles in '74 and '76, was an All-Star every year of the decade until retiring in 1978 and made four straight All-NBA first teams from '71 through '74. (LogOut/ Hayes was perhaps Kareem's only true rival, even though they didn't run into each other much in the NBA. 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. It's famously noted that in this era the NBA Finals were on tape delay. The Doctor averaged 26+ points, 10+ rebounds, and 4+ assists per game in the 1970s and was an 8x All-Star and 7x All-ABA/NBA selection. The big guy out of Duke looked like the demonic love child of John C. Reilly and Will Ferrell just after Ferrell . See the rankings as for this Basketball Player Sets set on 3/2/2023 3:23:10 PM. 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. This years playoffs confirmed that the NBA is in good hands. 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 . Scored the fifth-most points of the decade, Two-time All-ABA selection and seven-time All-NBA selection, Four-time All-ABA selection and six-time All-NBA selection. 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. Let's take a look at some of the doper sneakers released in the 1970's. The Knicks also won two championships and it's this team that stands out as the enduring essence of '70s basketball. 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. as a member of the Miami Heat. He played in Boston for the entirety of the '70s, and was the engine that allowed Havlicek, Dave Cowens and company to thrive with two titles. Havlicek is also one of three NBA players with an unsurpassed 80 record in NBA Finals series outcomes. Rick Barry, a two-time NBA All-Star, made $45,000 in the NBA and jumped leagues for a $75,000 payday. Steve Nash Eight-time NBA All-Star Steve Nash first gained the notice of the basketball world in 1993. These debates boil down to a very simple premise: basketball was different in the past. Release Year: 1971 Kareem Abdul Jabbar was the best basketball player in the world during the early 1970's. He helped make the Adidas Jabbar High and Low famous. But he was so much more than a dazzling smile. Or write about sports? Sucker punch in OVC tournament leads to 3 ejections. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. The Logo retired in 1974, but he did enough in those first five seasons of the decade to warrant inclusion. T&Cs apply. Kareem won five of the 10 MVPs awarded in the '70s, made the All-Star team every year but '78 and only missed All-NBA first team three times in the decade. This site is using Cloudflare and adheres to the Google Safe Browsing Program. [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. His free-throw shooting, on the other hand. 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. 1901. 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%). 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. Gilmore wasn't the most fluid looking player, but he dominated the paint on both ends in both leagues. What about Dr. Previous Decade > Next Decade . Yes, they played the kind of slow-paced ball that put most fans to sleep by the third quarter, but there was often a thing of pure beauty hidden among the tire-fire of a 7871 final score: Tim Duncans bank shot. Drake and Bradley are the favorites in the MVC mens basketball conference tournament. 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. You can't just change your wiring on stuff like that. Gervin made 12 All-Star teams between the ABA and NBA, and was an All-League player nine times. John Havlicek 6. 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. What hasn't been said about Gervin? Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. For the most accurate and up-to-date information, consult individual encyclopedia entries about the topics. 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. Part of the merger agreement was the settlement of the Oscar Robertson lawsuit, which ended the dreaded reserve clause. Hondo was the original sixth man, but by the 1970s, he was a dominant fixture in the NBA. 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.. Odds & lines subject to change. In addition, the decade saw the merging of the ABA and the NBA, the two top leagues of the time. Yes, the man many fans (ignorantly) consider the most overrated choke artist in the league is actually the best player to ever set foot on a court. 1970 Consensus All-America team Individual All-America teams AP Honorable Mention: [6] Nate Archibald, UTEP Jim Ard, Cincinnati Dennis Awtrey, Santa Clara Henry Bibby, UCLA Bill Cain, Iowa State Corky Calhoun, Penn Jim Collins, New Mexico State Dave Cowens, Florida State Jarrett Durham, Duquesne Mike Grosso, Louisville Jeff Halliburton, Drake In addition to scoring, Gervin was also a proficient rebounder and excellent defender. This decade served as the start of the second Sooner. The last remaining player from the 1970s in the NBA was Robert Parish. In fact, there has been no college basketball player in history as dominant as Pistol Pete. How to Win While Sports Betting? Once there, he would finish with an emphatic dunk, a foolproof strategy that helped ONeal lead the NBA in field-goal percentage 10 times in his career. We forget how damn good Boston was in the '70s because their success then paled to that experienced in the '60s and '80s. 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. By decades end, that had jumped to $180,000 ($641,000 today). His only title as a player came in 1972; he darn near led the Lakers to one in 1970, as well. 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. 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.. or Best Offer . This brought an even greater influx of stars to the NBA, making for a great new era of basketball. University of California at Berkeley was given an outdoor basketball court for women by philanthropist Phoebe Hearst. Who are the best basketball players of the '70s of all time? In the National Basketball Association he is one of four players to have won eight championships in their playing careers; only teammates Bill Russell and Sam Jones have won more, with 11 and 10 championships respectively. He was a 7x All-Star and 6x All-NBA/All-Defensive selection during the 1970s. He made eight All-Star games in the seventies, only missing out in his rookie year and in 1978-79 when he was injured. But in his rookie year, Russell completely changed the franchises course and established the Celtics as the winningest team in the NBA. Rookie Road may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Were not technically a sports website, but this editor (hi!) A member of the NBAs 75th Anniversary Team, Elvin Hayes was one of the most recognizable faces of the NBA in the 1970s. The consensus 1970 College Basketball All-American team, as determined by aggregating the results of four major All-American teams. Maravich averaged 25+ points, 4+ rebounds, and 5+ assists per game in the 1970s for five All-Star selections, four All-NBA teams, and the 1976-1977 scoring title. Michael Gearon, president of the Hawks, said he believes that as many as half the players in the league may use cocaine and as many as 10 percent may use free base. 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. Its time for BritannicaOK, one editor at Britannicato jump into the perpetually unresolved greatest ever in [insert sport here] fray. The anticipated plateau of salaries never arrived, and continues today. Randy Denton easily has the most unique afro in the history of basketball. Basketball. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Highlights in his Prime / 1969 1975, Top 13 Indiana High School Players of all Time, The 6 greatest Indiana Highschool pure Shooters, The 8 greatest IHSAA Championship Games in History. Understanding the marketability of high-flying, slam-dunking showmen, the NBA copied the dunk contest concept in 1977 (won by Indiana Pacer Dr. Other Links > Basketball > Visit Our Patreon Page to Create Your Own All-Time Fantasy Teams and See Other Bonus Material . Basketball has not escaped the fashion roller-coaster of the past century. Do you have a sports website? [This list was originally published in April 2014. There were also great centers like Bob McAdoo, Artis Gilmore and Bill Walton. For his unbelievable scoring and ball-handling ability, Maravich was a three-time SEC Player of the Year and Consensus First-Team All-American and was the National College Player of the Year in 1969 and 1970. What are boosted odds in sports betting strategies? Why did NBA players not shoot more three-pointers in the late seventies and early eighties? 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. Black and white basketball hustlers join forces to double their chances of winning money on the street courts and in a basketball tournament. Cowens was known for his intensity that could get him in trouble with some fights. Plus, he was hilarious in Airplane! Top 30 Greatest NBA Players Of The 1970s 1. The 6'9" Johnson (making him the NBA's 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. (Russell Westbrook's head perks up.) Mostly, players shot three-pointers out of desperation, not as a strategic element. Birthdate: May 4, 1970 Sun Sign: Taurus Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States 9 Becky Hammon (Basketball player) 20 4 Birthdate: March 11, 1977 Sun Sign: Pisces Birthplace: Rapid City, South Dakota, United States 10 Cheryl Miller (Basketball coach) 21 4 Birthdate: January 3, 1964 Sun Sign: Capricorn Birthplace: Riverside, California One of the most successful franchises in sports history, the Celtics won 11 of 13 National Basketball Association (NBA) championships from 1957 to 1969. Money was hard to come by for basketball players in the early days of the league as well. The shirts were fastened like a current-day body suit to keep them from becoming untucked. Most obsessively competitive to the detriment of ever having normal human relations with anybody? For better or worse, basketball fans love to compare different eras of their favorite sport. . The four highest all-time NBA single-season scoring averages all belong to Chamberlainin his first four professional seasons. From there, its just a short jump to comparing players from the past with present stars. He pulled down 14 rebounds per game from 1970-1980, and any game that he finished without a double-double was a rarity.. 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. He's one of the most interesting elite athletes ever, he was fully dominant for a long spell and he kept the Lakers afloat in bridging the West and Magic eras. He might belong ahead of Hayes on the first team All-1970s. 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. Do you have a blog? How 1970s NBA pioneers paved the way for today's game 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. But they seem inconsequential when compared to the off-court changes that took place in the seventies. The 40th anniversary of the U.S. men's Olympic basketball team and its infamous Cold War gold-medal game again the Soviet Union, up until the last week or so, had been passing rather quietly. Ja Morants allegations of aggression off the court, explained. 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. 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. Player/Athlete:. During the 196162 season, The Big O averaged a triple-double with 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 11.4 assists per game. Where Timmy would work his way around an opponent in the post with his superb footwork, Shaq would often use his extraordinary bulk (71 and 315 pounds) to bully his way to the basket. 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 Curious about the story behind the basketball card, intern Curtis Harris interviewed Jim Barnett, whose pro basketball career began in 1966 with the Boston Celtics.Aside from the outlandish hair and flamboyant jerseys of the players, basketball cards of the 1970s provide a fascinating window into an exciting and chaotic era in the sport's history. Tall Tales and Short Shorts: Dr. J, Pistol Pete, and the Birth of the Modern NBA. Alas, it was soon overtaken by the NFL, which lapped the field and has maintained its hold on the public ever since. Oh jeez, this guy. He can be reached at acriblez@semo.edu and followed on Twitter at@AdamCriblez. 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. He wasn't just a pure shooter and scorer. $44.99. LeBron James overtook Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBAs leading scorer in February 2023.]. You had championships in San Francisco, Portland and Seattle, signaling the weakening of the East's stranglehold on basketball dominance, as well as providing evidence that L.A. could be rivaled on the Pacific Coast. debates. He was amazing, but he had a lot of help, at least more than the last guy on this list. One of two players, along with Stephon Marbury, who couldn't find a way to co-exist with a young Kevin Garnett in Minnesota. 3 min read. Unfortunately, Maravich was a consummate showman who was stuck on bad teams throughout the 1970s. 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. 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. 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. 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.". So, yeah, Magic Johnsonneat guy. This was the period of time that reallyhelped build the foundation to sneakers as we know it today. The only NBA Hall of Famer for whom a Gossip Girl character was named. Yeah. If you buy something from an SB Nation link, Vox Media may earn a commission. He is a retired professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association who played small forward (NBA). 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 Their mantra was simple: Find the open man. Shipping + Taxes Included In Price. The Marquette men's basketball team has already clinched at least a share of the Big East Conference title. Jones, George T. Johnson, Andre Drummond and Kawhi Leonard. Original/Reprint: Original. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. He didn't play for really excellent teams until joining the Showtime Lakers in '80s, however, which hampers his legacy. Bob Lanier 8. It's hard to understand why this is a debate, as great as West was. 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. -- Flannery. (LogOut/ After coming over from the ABA in 1976, Gervin led the NBA in scoring three times during the decade, doing so in consecutive years from 1978-1980. Top 10 NBA Players of the 1970s - The Grueling Truth Ranking the top 10 players of the 1970s TGT Tips! Check this out: http://www.basketball-reference.com/about/bpm.html, Pingback: Review of Tall Tales and Short Shorts | Sport in American History. Most important player ever? 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. 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. Legendary Boston Celtics coach Red Auerbach suggestedperhaps tongue-in-cheekthat if points were added to reward especially deep shots, uncontested layups should only receive a single point. Below is All-Decade 1970s All-Stars' 2K full team roster. J.. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Find out more. In 1979, few players specialized as three-point marksmen. What is the Best Decade of Basketball in NBA History? 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.
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