I think its something that makes a big difference, especially defensively, he said. Yet each visit he made, among the first things measured was his wingspan, 7-6. OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) Not until Nate McMillan began being fitted for custom-made suits a few years into his NBA career three decades ago did he understand just how far his arms reached. They can control the basketball, they can do things with it. That's kind of a rule of thumb. The injuries, however, didnt stop. It's no coincidence that Jazz center Rudy Gobert, who. His aptly titled 2016 memoir Back from the Dead distills and expands Bill's essence in a rambling narrative that, . Every asset that a player has might make up for something else. The NBA playoffs begin Saturday, and an extra inch of reach can lead to a blocked shot or steal that might alter a series or a season. At his peak he averaged 18.6/14.4/3.6 with 52% shooting and was the best player on a championship team. When Bill Walton dominated at UCLA in the 1970s, no one ever measured his wingspan from fingertips to fingertips and arms outstretched. Off the floor I worried. Wingspan is one detail Warriors coach Steve Kerr takes seriously and might consider when deciding on lineups and rotations for the defending champions. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Warriors 7-foot center JaVale McGee went through only a handful of pre-draft workouts for NBA teams, hardly a prized prospect after a career at Nevada. The Trail Blazers lost the series in six games and the services of Walton forever. But several NBA players pop off the chart because of their long arms. Durant, the reigning NBA Finals MVP , is quick to point out that his length allows him to make up for other areas, including being far leaner than most NBA players. He didnt often hear the term wingspan, finally understanding how special his measurement is when he got to the NBA. Warriors 7-foot center JaVale McGee went through only a handful of pre-draft workouts for NBA teams, hardly a prized prospect after a career at Nevada. A lot of basketball players dont, though, they have wider wingspans. Money doesnt mean anything to me. As a collegian, he suffered tendinitis in his knees and injured his back. Neither knew their wingspans then, and they still don't. Take a look back at the late 1970s Blazers and the impact Bill Walton had on them. If were going to wonder how Wilt Chamberlain would look in the 2020 NBA, we must also consider what the present might hold for Wilt Chamberneezy. He was such a force down low that the NBA literally changed the rules, and the width of the lane, to mitigate his influence. "You make up a lot of ground. What Are the Characteristics of a Great NBA Sixth Man of the Year? Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Once limited to descriptions of birds, wingspan has become one of the most important measurements for basketball prospects over the past decade. "I think it's something that makes a big difference, especially defensively," he said. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. But several NBA players pop off the chart because of their long arms. . That is not the case for young players. In 33 games for the Clippers, Walton averaged 14.1 points, the fourth-highest total of his career, while shooting .528 from the field, a career high at the time. I'm not as fast laterally, I'm not as athletic, I'm not as quick as guys up and down but I think I make up for it with my length," said Durant, a defensive player of the year candidate. I decided it might be cool to write about some of these players. Even if a contemporary Dream never stretched all the way out, though, we already know the best way to unleash him as a menace in a modern offense. One of the benefits is his ability to corral and slam home lob passes that are high and might be off target. Neither knew their wingspans then, and they still dont. There will be some statistical cherry-picking, because cherries are delicious, and there will be some decisions made purely on aesthetics, because we hold it as true that things that look dope should be prioritized. Maybe I just kind of miss perennial playoff performers who looked like theyd just smoked half a pack of Camel Wides before the start of the third. Im a big believer in that., More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball, This March 25, 2018, photo shows Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert in action during an NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors in Oakland, Calif. From executives and scouts to coaches and analytics types, teams are paying closer attention to wingspan when considering players _ especially with what long arms can mean making a defensive impact. If your wingspan is more than your height, thats kind of abnormal. The average man has a wingspan about 2 inches more than his height. Walton had a bulging medical file before he even reached collegehe suffered multiple lower leg fractures and underwent knee surgery while still in high schooland struggled through broken bones in his spine and knee tendinitis at UCLA, resulting in another knee surgery before he joined the Blazers. With the arrival of Ramsay from the Buffalo Braves, the Blazers built a precision offense around playmaker Lionel Hollins and the awesome frontcourt of Walton and intimidating Maurice Lucas. Today, the tallest of the Deadheads, the man whose wingspan could be seen towering over most others . In his best yearthe 2006-07 campaign, when he earned his first and only All-Star nodOkur averaged 18 points and 7.2 rebounds per game, shooting 38.4 percent from 3-point range on 4.2 attempts per game. When I think of Shaqs playing days, I immediately flash to the version that dominated in Los Angeles in the late 90s and early aughts. Jones keyed several championship runs in Boston, both as one of its players and later as its coach. Its legit. Center Bill Walton played 10 seasons for 3 teams. Like all massive 5s, hed have to prove capable of defending in space and handling jitterbug guards on switches in the pick-and-roll. Every game was a challenge, and he didnt let any of us forget that.. You look at size of hands, wingspans. Wilt Chamberlain was a great offensive player, Dr. Jack Ramsay, Waltons coach in Portland, told Sport magazine. But todays players arent the only ones with the right skills to tick those boxes; plenty of their predecessors could, too. The wingspan sure helps a lot of people, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said . Then came the injuries. When Bill Walton dominated at UCLA in the 1970s, no one ever measured his wingspan from fingertips to fingertips and arms outstretched. A wingspan always helps people, whether its blocking shots or deflections on defense.. It was Burleson's tremendous wingspan clearing out underneath the basket that allowed Monte Towe and David Thompson to work their magic. The Spurs are showcasing the importance of Black culture in their community for the month of February. At 7-foot-1 with a reported 7-foot-8 wingspan and 9-foot-6 standing reach, having starred at both 250 pounds as a lithe rookie and a muscular 300-plus pounds during his latter years with the. The explosive Russell Westbrook is 6-3, with a wingspan of 6-8, which helps him be one of the best rebounding guards in history. Offense 91. I see people, they drive to the basket, I say, I must be missing something. He didnt often hear the term wingspan, finally understanding how special his measurement is when he got to the NBA. Walton inducted himself. Coaches marvel at players with long arms, figuring they will more easily grab rebounds, block shots, steal passes and shoot over defenders. In recent seasons, Warriors high-scoring All-Star Kevin Durant has become more determined to use his 7-5 wingspan to make more of an impact on defense. Walton is in the Hall of Fame, but he never had his arms measured end to end. And he was cocky, even to the Trail Blazers coaching staff. The Trail Blazers finished the season 58-24 and Walton received the NBA MVP award. The average man has a wingspan about 2 inches more than his height. Walton inducted himself About Us But several NBA players pop off the chart because of their long arms. A daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute. He won the NBA Most Valuable Player award while playing for the defending NBA champion Trail Blazers in 1977-78. Thats kind of a rule of thumb. The Celtics' legendary playmaker is the only person in NBA history to win MVP, Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year in a career. Im not as fast laterally, Im not as athletic, Im not as quick as guys up and down but I think I make up for it with my length, said Durant, a defensive player of the year candidate. He is very tall with 6 feet and 11 inches height and his total body weight is 95 kg. He claimed to be around the 6ft 11 mark, and on his twitter in 2015 still saying "I am 6'11"" .. "I love it now.it took me a while to get used to standing out in the crowd, looking awkward, feeling uncomfortable. Still, foot problems continued to hamper the young center, and fans started wondering what the Blazers had gotten themselves into. He was named to both the All-NBA Second Team and the NBA All-Defensive First Team. But a version of Perkins who starts spreading his wings a bit earlier, when he still had the athleticism to be a problem on the offensive glass and explode for tip dunks, and even the quickness to be a threat running off of pindown screens for catch-and-shoot looks, might have been more than a role playerand maybe even quite a bit more. My name is Giannis Antetokounmpo., Career (470 games, 1995-2003): 12.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.8 steals, 1.1 blocks per game, 50.0% FG, 32.8% 3FG, 78.6% FT. By the time Sabonis finally came to the NBA in 1995, he was already 31 years old with a pair of ruptured Achilles tendons and a litany of leg and groin injuries rendering him a pale imitation of what he once was. Neither knew their wingspans then, and they still don't. That is not the case for young players. That is not the case for young players. If somebodys short, hopefully theyre quick. One of them was fellow Time Machine All-Star Andrei Kirilenko, who was also one of just two players in NBA history with multiple 5x5 gamesat least five points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocksto his credit. Any time you think youre too small to make a difference in the world youve never spent the night alone in bed with a mosquito. They can control the basketball, they can do things with it. Walton is in the Hall of Fame, but he never had his arms measured end to end. Wingspan is one detail Warriors coach Steve Kerr takes seriously and might consider when deciding on lineups and rotations for the defending champions. In the midst of those broadcasting days, Walton was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993. In recent seasons, Warriors high-scoring All-Star Kevin Durant has become more determined to use his 7-5 wingspan to make more of an impact on defense. Then, in February,. 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