ABA Commissioner George Mikan held a $1 million check he was to give Big Lew. How Many Championships Does Michael Jordan Have? Abdul-Jabbar was dominant in all aspects of the game, but he was particularly unstoppable on offense. Erving then reeled off 11 straight All-Star bids in the NBA after the merger. Russell was the ultimate winner in the history of the NBA. 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. Though he was a great offensive player, Cowens made his biggest impact on defense, being named to three All-Defensive teams in his career. New technology was being used to make better sneakers for running, basketball, and skateboarding. Vtg Chuck Taylor All Star Blue Label OG Converse High Top 6.5 USA Player Name. 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. [1] Curious as to what these terms mean? His ability to rebound as just a 64 guard was tremendous, averaging six boards per game for his 13-year run in the league. Bidding wars almost bankrupted both leagues and soon even marginally talented players made six-figure salaries. The best basketball player of the 1970s was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. [This list was originally published in April 2014. Impressive, right? 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? 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. Hondo was the original sixth man, but by the 1970s, he was a dominant fixture in the NBA. Olympic Games Anthropometry for other sports in 2012. Atlanta General Manager Stan. Football. Was . college basketball player." . The 1970s were a golden age for basketball. Malone entered 1981-82 ready to exact vengeance. 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. 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. $11.45 shipping. They were drilled at an early age to work the ball into position for a shot close to the basket. Sneaker Name: Nike Cortez Year: 1972 The Nike Cortez was created by Nike Co-Founder and Oregon Head Track and Field Coach Bill Bowerman. He also led the U.S. national basketball team to . He was like living, breathing quicksilver on the court, a physical specimen in ways different from his contemporaries. 3 min read. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. 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. There were also great centers like Bob McAdoo, Artis Gilmore and Bill Walton. 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. His height is 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m), and his weight is 205 lb (93 kg). Director: Ron Shelton | Stars: Wesley Snipes, Woody Harrelson, Rosie Perez, Tyra Ferrell Votes: 89,504 | Gross: $76.25M 66 (4) Blu-ray 8. 6. He was amazing, but he had a lot of help, at least more than the last guy on this list. LeBron James just does things that shouldnt be humanly possible. From baggy street clothes to signature form-fitting apparel and back to baggy, basketball uniforms have undergone transition until what has settled today is both comfortable and functional, and invokes a sense of nostalgic pride among players and fans alike. Call 1-800-522-4700. thegruelingtruth.com is available in the following countries: The bonus offer of was already opened in an additional window. The dataset includes stats on over 3000 Players NBA Players from 1947-2018. Find out what the legends have to say about sports this week. $2000 Risk Free $1000 + $100 in site credits, Must be 21+. Players hit 40 or more home runs 20 times in the 1970s with Willie Stargell, Johnny Bench, and George Foster reaching the total twice. 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. Check out his website at https://www.adamcriblez.com/. 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 official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. Just kidding. We forget how damn good Boston was in the '70s because their success then paled to that experienced in the '60s and '80s. 1986 Boston Celtics - Were they the greatest Team? The decade has some incredible players and good teams, but with how different the game would become in terms of the rules and the way it's played, it is not an easy measurement. But he was so much more than a dazzling smile. He racked up three championship rings and 12 All-Star appearances in his injury-shortened 13-year career. Who Is Better: Lebron James Or Wilt Chamberlain? He was voted as an all-star five times in the 1970s. Though Barry had many of his best seasons in the ABA, he also found success on a team scale in the NBA. Rick Robey was drafted #3 overall. 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.. 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. Hayes and Wes Unseld led the Bullets to three Finals berths and one title, and Hayes was an All-Star every year of the decade. A member of the NBAs 75th Anniversary Team, Elvin Hayes was one of the most recognizable faces of the NBA in the 1970s. (LogOut/ 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. $44.99. The Rockets' forward led the league in minutes, rebounds and win shares . Notice the striped tubed socks and short shorts in almost every picture. He was never the best player in either league -- Dr. J and Kareem ensured that --. 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. 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. Top 21 ACC Basketball Players of All Time: Where does Michael Jordan Rank? One of the most ebullient personalities to ever play in the NBA, Johnsons charm was a major factor in the massive increase in the leagues popularity during the 1980s. 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 . The anticipated plateau of salaries never arrived, and continues today. reserve clause similar to that which existed in Major League Baseball. What sneakers do you like from the 70's? And, of course, hes since won two titles (and counting?) 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. The 1970s are not the most fondly remembered decade of pro basketball. Basketball. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. Oscar Robertson versus Russell Westbrook? On defense, he was one of the most feared rim protectors of his time, swatting away every attempt that was thrown up. 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. Elvin Hayes 4. 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. The Marquette men's basketball team has already clinched at least a share of the Big East Conference title. Notable stars of the decade: Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, Bill Russell. 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. (LogOut/ Rick Barry Honorable Mentions FAQ Who are the best basketball players of the '70s of all time? Initially, free agency was restricted. Bernard King Bernard King was born in 1956 in New York. 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. He led the league in scoring three straight times from 1974-1976, pouring in over 30 points per game in each season. Like it or not, the three-point field goal and the slam dunk have greatly changed the on-court product in the NBA. What? And, frankly, its sort of fun tweaking all the Chicagoans who are surprisingly defensive about their sporting accomplishments. 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. 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. 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. When it all clicked, the Knicks flowed like the deadline poetry that was emanating from the press box. Sure, we still saw centers like Hakeem Olajuwon, Patrick Ewing, David Robinson, Shaq, Tim Duncan and Yao Ming rise and dominate down the road. Randy Denton easily has the most unique afro in the history of basketball. Founded in Boston in 1946 by Walter Brown, the Celtics were charter members of the Basketball Association of America, a . Hondo's back as the star of the post-Russell Celtics. With the Knicks leading the way, this early to mid-70s period was the moment when the NBA was supposed to take hold as the nation's trendiest sport, just as baseball went through one of its periodic downturns. Two answers: the ABA and free agency. McAdoo won an MVP and five All-Star berths in the '70s as a brilliant scorer and rebounder; in that 1975 MVP season he averaged 34 and 15. Or write about sports? Copyright 2017-2023 Rookie Road Inc. All rights reserved. The shirts were fastened like a current-day body suit to keep them from becoming untucked. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. For better or worse, basketball fans love to compare different eras of their favorite sport. 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. During the decade, Gervin was a 6x All-Star and 5x All-NBA/ABA selection which put up 24+ points, 6+ rebounds, and 2+ assists per game, including two straight scoring titles to close out the decade. Oh, and the 12-time All-Star also helped initiate true free agency into the NBA through a landmark antitrust suit, an accomplishment just as impressive as his jaw-dropping on-court exploits. College basketball career scoring leaders. 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. $179.99. And how might retired NBA legends fare in todays game? 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. 1970s Basketball Players Basketball 1970s vs. now. For whatever reason, he kept it in his pocket and Alcindor signed with the Milwaukee Bucks for a $250,000 annual salary. 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 Seller assumes all responsibility for this listing. Frazier was one of the most significant point guards in NBA history. Teams: Atlanta Hawks (1970-74), New Orleans/Utah Jazz (1974-80), Boston Celtics (1980 . Clockwise from upper left: Issel, Lanier, Mount and Maravich (not pictured: Murphy). In the 1970s Barry claimed six NBA All-Star bids, three ABA All-Star bids and three All-NBA first team nods. Rick Barry, a two-time NBA All-Star, made $45,000 in the NBA and jumped leagues for a $75,000 payday. Sure Barry was an asshole, but he was also a prolific scorer who averaged 24+ points, 6+ rebounds, and 5+ assists per game during the 1970s across the NBA and ABA; during the decade, he was also a 9x All-Star and 7x All-ABA/NBA selection who took home Finals MVP in 1974-1975 while guiding the Golden State Warriors to the championship. How to keep your Expected Value bets Positive? Tall Tales and Short Shorts: Dr. J, Pistol Pete, and the Birth of the Modern NBA. We adapted Google's Privacy Guidelines to keep your data safe at all times. He is a member of the All-time ABA Team as well as the NBAs 75th Anniversary Team, and his talent as a pure scorer will be remembered forever. 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. . . While the 1970's do not have as many classic silhouettes as the 80's or 90's, there are many sneakers that came out during this time thatwe still wear today. Spalding created some of the first padded shorts worn by basketball players during this era. He finished his NBA career in '76 having averaged 20-10. As a sophomore, he led the "Flying Clouds" to . He averaged 21+ points, 6+ rebounds, and 5+ assists per game in the 1970s, in the process earning nine All-Star selections, making seven All-NBA and All-Defensive teams, and winning two titles. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). One of two players, along with Stephon Marbury, who couldn't find a way to co-exist with a young Kevin Garnett in Minnesota. Shipping + Taxes Included In Price. Bob McAdoo 5. 15,159 Sets. 1. With no further adieu, here are your All-1970s teams. Why did NBA players not shoot more three-pointers in the late seventies and early eighties? 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. Play Video. Fearing bankruptcy and finally willing to concede to player movement, the summer of 1976 witnessed the first crop of NBA free agents. 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. 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). Yeah. 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. Which NBA player from the 1980's & 1990's helped popularized basketball and turn it into a global game? The potential matchups are endless (and, to be honest, probably pointless). In the first season with a three-point line, Maravich's last season, Pete went 10 for 15 from three-point range. To learn more about the top ten players of the decade, keep reading below. The Knicks also won two championships and it's this team that stands out as the enduring essence of '70s basketball. Investors founded the ABA in 1967 as a rival to the more established NBA (then just an eight-team league). 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. PSA . The only NBA Hall of Famer for whom a Gossip Girl character was named. The history of basketball uniforms shows more coordination among players between 1920 and 1940 as they began wearing mid-length shorts and jerseys made of wool. Artis Gilmore: The best stiff ever. Absolutely. Gilmore wasn't the most fluid looking player, but he dominated the paint on both ends in both leagues. While his famously vanilla playing style and quiet demeanor kept him from having a cultural impact similar to the other greats, his four championships, 14 All-Star Games, and two NBA MVP awards are indisputable evidence of his fantastic ability. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. He was an All-NBA selection every year from 1970-1976, and he also won two championships with the Boston Celtics in the seventies, one in 1974 and again in 1976.. 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. But it was in New York, and specifically in the World's Most Famous Arena, where the '70s made their strongest impression. Alas, it was soon overtaken by the NFL, which lapped the field and has maintained its hold on the public ever since. 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. Last edited on 18 February 2023, at 16:44, National Association of Basketball Coaches, 196970 NCAA University Division men's basketball season, 2005 NCAA Basketball's Finest - All-Americans, "Awtrey leads All-American Academic unit", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1970_NCAA_Men%27s_Basketball_All-Americans&oldid=1140133496, No second, third or fourth teams (10-man first team), This page was last edited on 18 February 2023, at 16:44. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Body Size of NBA Basketball Players Body Size in Basketball Fitness testing for basketball Height records, including the tallest and shortest in sports. The 1970s NBA. If you buy something from an SB Nation link, Vox Media may earn a commission. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. 2. 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. 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. Other Links > Basketball > Visit Our Patreon Page to Create Your Own All-Time Fantasy Teams and See Other Bonus Material . 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. 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. 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%). Most important player ever? Unless you agree with me, in which case this was the most meaningful thing Ive ever written.