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 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. . In addition to scoring, Gervin was also a proficient rebounder and excellent defender. There was actually a good deal of legal wrangling over the reserve clause, the ABA merger, draft eligibility and What Team Rick Barry Would Be Playing For. Jabbar was from the very beginning of his career being named the 1969-1970 rookie year,Abdul-Jabbar was a 5x MVP, 9x All-Star, 9x All-NBA, and 8x All-Defensive selection in the 1970s with the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers; moreover, he averaged 28+ points, 14+ rebounds, and 5+ assists per game and led the Bucks to their first NBA title, winning Finals MVP in the process. John Havlicek 6. 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. 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. Its time for BritannicaOK, one editor at Britannicato jump into the perpetually unresolved greatest ever in [insert sport here] fray. Do folks give Jerry credit for building future champions as a GM?). 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. 1970-71 Los Angeles Lakers Roster and Stats | Basketball-Reference.com via Sports Logos.net About logos 1970-71 Los Angeles Lakers Roster and Stats Previous Season Next Season Record: 48-34, Finished 1st in NBA Pacific Division Coach: Joe Mullaney (48-34) Executive: Fred Schaus PTS/G: 114.8 (7th of 17) Opp PTS/G: 111.7 (6th of 17) 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 He made the All-NBA Second Team in 1974 and was promoted to the First Team the following year.Although he began to struggle with injuries towards the end of the decade, theres still no doubt that McAdoo was one of the most impressive players of his time. Rick Robey was drafted #3 overall. Artis was great and underappreciated, but Cowens was better. New technology was being used to make better sneakers for running, basketball, and skateboarding. Gervin was famous for his finger roll and seemed to score at will against any opponent the Spurs played against. 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. Change). Find out more. Abdul-Jabbar was dominant in all aspects of the game, but he was particularly unstoppable on offense. 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. He racked up three championship rings and 12 All-Star appearances in his injury-shortened 13-year career. David Thompson and Dr. J. Bernard King Bernard King was born in 1956 in New York. 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. In 1970, the average player earned a $35,000 salary (equivalent to around $224,000 today). Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. 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. FLANNERY DISSENTS: No offense to your old man, but Jerry West should be here now and forever. 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. A brutal sucker punch in the OVC tournament stopped the game in its tracks. The player who scored the most points in the 1970s was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He made eight All-Star games in the seventies, only missing out in his rookie year and in 1978-79 when he was injured. They didnt. Elvin Hayes 4. Dunk Darnell Hillman) and the fans love of the dunk only grew, peaking in the eighties with the powerful dunks of Dominique Wilkins and the tongue-wagging exploits of Michael Air Jordan. Oh, and while this has nothing to do with his ranking on this list, its still incredibly awesome and noteworthy that he has successfully fought off HIV for over two decades, helped de-stigmatize AIDS through his high-profile advocacy, and launched a second career as an entrepreneur who opens businesses predominantly in poverty-stricken areas in efforts to spur urban revitalization. If Team A signed a player from Team B, A owed B some combination of players, draft choices, or money in compensation. He is a member of the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, and an inductee in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. debates. $44.99. The glory of the '80s was only possible because of the work done by Dr. J, Skywalker, The Ice Man, Kareem and the Rolls-Royce backcourt in the '70s. Mel Daniels, drafted by both leagues out of New Mexico, signed with the ABA's Minnesota Muskies (great name, by the way) for $36,000-triple what he was offered to play in the NBA. 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. The 1970 Draft is also known as the first draft where international players who had never played U.S. high school and college basketball were selected. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. Drake and Bradley are the favorites in the MVC mens basketball conference tournament. 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. 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. Star Power: Now we are on the to 70's. Walt Frazier 7. 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. How Many Championships Does Steph Curry Have? Dr. 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. Julius Dr. 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. 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. Wagers only accepted in CO. For full terms and conditions, click here. Black and white basketball hustlers join forces to double their chances of winning money on the street courts and in a basketball tournament. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. He averaged 20+ points, 6+ rebounds, and 6+ assists per game during the decade while guiding the New York Knicks to a pair of championships. 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.. Product: Set. Adam Criblez is an Assistant Professor of History at Southeast Missouri State University and the author of the new book Tall Tales and Short Shorts: Dr. J, Pistol Pete, and the Birth of the Modern NBA. Rick Barry Career Highlights UNDERRATED! In 1971, the San Francisco Warriors changed cities and names, leaving the Cow Palace. How to Win While Sports Betting? You had D.C.'s best era with Wes Unseld and Elvin Hayes. After the Converse "Chuck Taylor All Stars" and before Michael "Air" Jordan was the 1970's. What sneakers do you like from the 70's? Absolutely. Best 1970s Basketball Players | Top 70s NBA Player List The Best Players in the NBA in 2022 Greatest Players with No Rings The Best Ever Team Owners Tall Players Over 7'2 Best Players from Foreign Countries Short Players Under 5'9 The Best White Guys in the NBA Hall of Fame Candidates Worst Team Owners of All Time Players with Their Numbers Retired Players hit 40 or more home runs 20 times in the 1970s with Willie Stargell, Johnny Bench, and George Foster reaching the total twice. Ja Morants allegations of aggression off the court, explained. 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. Shipping + Taxes Included In Price. Who Is Better: Lebron James Or Wilt Chamberlain? One on One (1977) PG | 98 min | Drama, Sport 6.5 Rate J Erving. Boasting five players who averaged. On defense, he was one of the most feared rim protectors of his time, swatting away every attempt that was thrown up. Goose Givens won National Player of the Year. This brought an even greater influx of stars to the NBA, making for a great new era of basketball. Havlicek is also one of three NBA players with an unsurpassed 80 record in NBA Finals series outcomes. 6. In the 1970s Barry claimed six NBA All-Star bids, three ABA All-Star bids and three All-NBA first team nods. Below is All-Decade 1970s All-Stars' 2K full team roster. Check this out: http://www.basketball-reference.com/about/bpm.html, Pingback: Review of Tall Tales and Short Shorts | Sport in American History. 22 episodes 1970-1971 Rudy Clark 22 episodes 1970-1971 Scatman Crothers George 'Meadowlark' Lemon 22 episodes 1970-1971 Robert DoQui Pablo Robertson 22 episodes 1970-1971 Richard Elkins J.C. 'Gip' Gipson 22 episodes 1970-1971 Stu Gilliam Freddie 'Curly' Neal 22 episodes 1970-1971 Meadowlark Lemon 22 episodes 1970-1971 Nancy Wible 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. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. By decades end, that had jumped to $180,000 ($641,000 today). A member of six NBA championship teams as a player and two more as an assistant coach, Abdul-Jabbar twice was voted NBA Finals MVP. 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. In retrospect, it's a minor miracle that we got as much of Walton's career as we did, but what a world it could have been. Until researching my upcoming book, Tall Tales and Short Shorts: Dr. J, Pistol Pete, and the Birth of the Modern NBA, I didnt realize how many of these changes actually occurred during the 1970s, when the NBA arguably entered a modern age. Hayes was an All-Star every year, 6x All-NBA, 2x All-Defensive, 2x rebounding champion, and NBA champion with the Washington Bullets in 1977-1978. 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. 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. 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. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. This list is, naturally, incredibly subjective, and shouldnt be taken too seriously. Gambling problem? Dugan has called him the best player he's ever coached. 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). Let's take a look at some of the doper sneakers released in the 1970's. 1970-71 Kansas Jayhawks Men 's Roster and Stats | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com via Sports Logos.net About logos 1970-71 Kansas Jayhawks Men's Roster and Stats Previous Season Next Season Record: 27-3 (17-0, 1st in Big 8 MBB ) Rank: 4th in the Final AP Poll Coach: Ted Owens More School Info Big 8 Reg Season Champ Then the American Basketball Association (ABA) came along and celebrated the showmanship of their top stars. Cowens was only 69 at the center position, but he was one of the most prolific rebounders of the era. Successful Sports Betting Tips. Overall, they have won 17 NBA titles. -- Flannery. Background. 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. Basketball. 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.. From there, its just a short jump to comparing players from the past with present stars. 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. J Julius Erving and Skywalker David Thompson headlined the leagues first slam dunk contest in 1976, but their in-game dunks might have been even more impressive. 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 He is one of only five players to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals, all in one season. 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. (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. 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. Two answers: the ABA and free agency. [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. 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. Oh, the humanity. Adam Augustyn is Managing Editor, Reference Content at Encyclopdia Britannica. PSA Set Registry. 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. 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. Walton was so damn good that it's impossible to imagine a world where he stayed healthy and reached his potential. The best basketball player of the 1970s was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Frazier was one of the most significant point guards in NBA history. Why did NBA players not shoot more three-pointers in the late seventies and early eighties? Owners hoped this would disincentivize large contracts. The other big on-court change during the decade was that NBA players began embracing the slam dunk as a form of artistic expression. See our ethics statement. (LogOut/ 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. Sneaker Name: Nike Cortez Year: 1972 The Nike Cortez was created by Nike Co-Founder and Oregon Head Track and Field Coach Bill Bowerman. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, March 4, 4:50AM. He didn't play for really excellent teams until joining the Showtime Lakers in '80s, however, which hampers his legacy. Missouri Valley Tournament 2023: Bracket, schedule, scores, teams, and more. Rookie Road may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. It was a time when the great civil rights . This years playoffs confirmed that the NBA is in good hands. Abdul-Jabbar was a six-time NBA MVP, a 19-time All-Star, a 15-time All-NBA pick, and an 11-time NBA All-Defensive Team member. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. 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. Boston Celtics, American professional basketball team based in Boston, Massachusetts. Richardson was a four-time All-Star in the NBA. And, frankly, its sort of fun tweaking all the Chicagoans who are surprisingly defensive about their sporting accomplishments. 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. Initially, free agency was restricted. He was amazing, but he had a lot of help, at least more than the last guy on this list. He also led the U.S. national basketball team to . Mostly, players shot three-pointers out of desperation, not as a strategic element. After the 1976 ABA-NBA merger, team owners hoped salaries would normalize. Most importantly, free agency also gave players newfound leverage in negotiations. 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. Julius Erving 3. 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. 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 . Pretty much all you can ask for from the best ever, no? as a member of the Miami Heat. How Many Championships Does Michael Jordan Have? The Doctor was the original Dunk king. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. [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. These debates boil down to a very simple premise: basketball was different in the past. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1970-71 Topps Basketball Complete Set - Premier 7.5 - NM+ at the best online prices at eBay!