He wanted to be winning. My generation is trying to straighten it out. Yet each visit he made, among the first things measured was his wingspan, 7-6. Im a different person now than I was when I came into the NBA, he said in an interview with Sport magazine. Its legit. Fortunately for Portland, Waltons skills spoke louder than his tongue. Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo is nicknamed the Greek Freak in part because he stands 6-11 with a 7-3 wingspan and giant hands. "At one time, they were long enough, and I can still put my own shoes and socks on," he quipped. His arms are long and he can block shots. Most of us have the same wingspan as our height. Its like someone died in the family.. Yeah, I found that out once I bought my first suit, the 6-foot-5 McMillan, a 12-year pro now coaching the Pacers, said with a chuckle, realizing his arms stretched more than 3 feet each. Its not how big you are, its how big you play. 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. He didnt often hear the term wingspan, finally understanding how special his measurement is when he got to the NBA. The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity and contributions are tax While the Shaq we know bemoans the disappearance of dominant back-to-the-basket bigs, the 2020 model would need to be capable of getting his points in other ways in a league where post-ups have largely been excised from the playbook altogether. In fact, some of them might have translated even better to todays leagueand might have been even more enjoyable to watch in the 2020 NBA than they were in their heyday. Money doesnt mean anything to me. How Tall Is Bill Walton? They can control the basketball, they can do things with it. Former American Basketball Player. Combine that with what would assuredly be a significantly curtailed workload in the age of load managementWilt averaged an absurd 45.8 minutes per game for his careerand youll get fewer mythological stat lines. 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. 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 also set a career high with a .562 field-goal percentage. Look at John Stocktons arms or Avery Johnsons arms and theyre very long, and their hands are very big. At his peak he averaged 18.6/14.4/3.6 with 52% shooting and was the best player on a championship team. (Or, for that matter, pushed the sliders all the way up on his son Domantas Sabonis, an excellent modern player and All-Star in his own right. . He would need to stay trim and explosive enough to cover a ton of ground, because you can bet that every modern offense would make it Job No. At the top of his form, Walton scored, passed, intimidated, hustled, and played the role of leader with the best centers of his day. That is not the case for young players. Walton inducted himself About Us Walton goes on tangents that range from pink Tucson sunsets to wondering if a player with the last name "Bridges" can be related to a bridge that cars drive over. You guessed it: The one who turned the 1984 draft into prom night. Bill Walton, Former ABC/ESPN/NBC Basketball Announcer, NBA All-Star Basketball Player, UCLA All-American, and one of the fifty greatest players in NBA history, provides a place to meet and greet fans. 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. Coaches marvel at players with long arms, figuring they will more easily grab rebounds, block shots, steal passes and shoot over defenders. Walton emerged as the MVP of the Finals, overshadowing the electrifying Dr. Its nothing that I heard about until I got to the league, or right before I got into the league, theyre like, Wed like to measure your wingspan. They dont really bring it up to us about that in college or high school.. After his arrest as a junior, Walton issued a statement that read: Your generation has screwed up the world. In Loose Balls, Terry Plutos iconic oral history of the ABA, former ABA commissioner Mike Storen recalls that in negotiations over trying to get Walton to come to the counterculture league, Waltons representative made it clear that the two wanted Bill to be the highest-paid professional athlete in the history of mankind, and to be on a great team surrounded by a lot of talent so that the responsibility for winning and losing does not fall directly on Bill. Again: He might fit in just fine today.). But when you have the great game of basketball with all the ultimate winners of the genetic lottery its not how high you jump, its where you are and when you jump.. Walton received a minute-long standing ovation from the Boston Garden crowd after walking onto the parquet floor at his first exhibition game. Yet each visit he made, among the first things measured was his wingspan, 7-6. As Lakers teammate and fellow Hall of Famer Jerry West put it in his autobiography, West by West: Wilt was very self-conscious about his size and strength and he was reluctant to be viewed as a villain. 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. Look at John Stocktons arms or Avery Johnsons arms and theyre very long, and their hands are very big. His aptly titled 2016 memoir Back from the Dead distills and expands Bill's essence in a rambling narrative that, . What We Learned From Testing, and a Bahrain GP Preview, Succession Hall of Fame: Which Side Are You On?. How would the fresh-out-of-the-box version look? Most of us have the same wingspan as our height. Years before the Kevin Garnetts and Kevin Durants of the world began lying about their heights to make themselves seem smaller, Walton was reported to be 7-foot-2 but listed as 6-foot-11 [because] he didnt like the stigma of being a 7-footer. Walton didnt want to be chained to the block and forced into the same old dump it down and drop step monotony; he wanted to be free to explore the outer limits of both his skills and those of his teammates. The average man has a wingspan about 2 inches more than his height. And the league rewarded him with the NBA Sixth Man Award, won by McHale the previous two seasons. You make up a lot of ground. Like all massive 5s, hed have to prove capable of defending in space and handling jitterbug guards on switches in the pick-and-roll. A two-time NBA champion, Bill Walton could do it all -- and often did -- throughout an injury-plagued career. sltrib.com 1996-2023 The Salt Lake Tribune. I think its something that makes a big difference, especially defensively, he said. He acted as a half-court offensive hub from the elbows and out of the post; as the last line of defense on the other end, he was an ace shot-blocker and defensive rebounder who looked for every opportunity to trigger a fast break and an easy bucket within the flow of the game. If somebodys short, hopefully theyre quick. Last, but certainly not least, for the Time Machine All-Stars: the men in the middle. The staggering array of injurieswhich would require some three-dozen surgical procedures over the yearscost Walton three full seasons in what should have been his prime and kept him from ever experiencing the sort of professional success for which he seemed destined while starring for John Wooden. Walton is in the Hall of Fame, but he never had his arms measured end to end. If your wingspan is more than your height, thats kind of abnormal. 1 to play a stretch-5 against him to try to draw him out of the middle and keep him from walling off the paint, or run dozens of pick-and-rolls aimed at getting him switched onto guards and forcing him to defend in space. Other vital statistics like weight or shoe size measurements have been sourced from newspapers, books, resumes or social media. "It's legit. At age 34, Walton retired after playing 10 games of the 1986-87 season. The average man has a wingspan about 2 inches more than his height. In the following 1977-78 season, Walton played 58 games in which he averaged career-high 18.9 points, 13.2 rebounds, five assists and 2.5 blocks. But several NBA players pop off the chart because of their long arms. Jones keyed several championship runs in Boston, both as one of its players and later as its coach. Still, foot problems continued to hamper the young center, and fans started wondering what the Blazers had gotten themselves into. While at Helix High School in La Mesa, Calif., Walton broke an ankle, a leg, and several bones in his feet and underwent knee surgery. What if he stayed healthy? 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. In the 1973 NCAA championship game against Memphis State, Walton made 21 of 22 shots and scored 44 points a performance considered by many to be the greatest ever in a Final Four game. When Bill Walton dominated at UCLA in the 1970s, no one ever measured his wingspan from fingertips to fingertips and arms outstretched. 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. Then came what many felt was the death knell of Waltons career. Decades before Shaquille ONeal ripped mics with Fu-Schnickens, the Dipper was out here crooning, dog. Yet each visit he made, among the first things measured was his wingspan, 7-6. He has been going with a center by committee based on matchups. But when I think about the prospect of Shaq playing nowwith more long and skilled big men to line up against, and fewer fellow kaiju roaming the painted area to batter him every time he catches the ballI wonder whether a Shaq who came along in 2020 might have been better served staying down around the 290 pounds of his salad days for a little longer. One of the benefits is his ability to corral and slam home lob passes that are high and might be off target. How Tall Is Bill Walton?- Bill Walton is an American sportscaster and former professional retired basketball player. I think its something that makes a big difference, especially defensively, he said. 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. Thats kind of a rule of thumb. Outside of a select few scorers who still get a bunch of low-block touches, like Joel Embiid or LaMarcus Aldridge, post-ups these days are more often a vehicle for creating catch-and-shoot 3s, or a way to attack mismatches when defenses switch themselves into a mouse in the house situation, than a main feature of an attack. 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. A daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute. In the midst of those broadcasting days, Walton was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993. Divac was pretty spry for a giant, ably running the floor to create for others or to finish plays as the trailer, and he used his length and instincts to be a disruptive defender, averaging about 3.5 stocks (steals plus blocks) per 36 minutes during his Lakers tenure. William Theodore Walton III Twitter : BillWalton (Big Red, Grateful Red, Red Baron, Redwood, Chief) Position: Center Shoots: Right 6-11 , 210lb (211cm, 95kg) More bio, uniform, draft, salary info Hall of Fame 2x All Star 1976-77 TRB Champ 1976-77 BLK Champ 2x NBA Champ 2x All-NBA 2x All-Defensive 1976-77 Finals MVP 1977-78 MVP The wingspan sure helps a lot of people, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said . But several NBA players pop off the chart because of their long arms. 1 Pick, and QB Movement Updates With Jeff Darlington. He is very tall with 6 feet and 11 inches height and his total body weight is 95 kg. Praise came quickly. Walton, having lost all faith in Portlands medical team, demanded a trade, sat out the entire 1978-79 season when one wasnt granted, and left to sign with the San Diego Clippers. The wingspan sure helps a lot of people, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said . Its nothing that I heard about until I got to the league, or right before I got into the league, theyre like, Wed like to measure your wingspan. They dont really bring it up to us about that in college or high school.. If somebody's short, hopefully they're quick. Happy Birthday Bill Walton: An Ode to the Tallest Deadhead. Portland's entire offense ran through him because he was such an exceptional passer for a center and he was a terrific defensive anchor. Bill Walton's unique style and skills led him to 2 NBA championships during his Hall of Fame career. It's no coincidence that Jazz center Rudy Gobert, who. They can control the basketball, they can do things with it. Weve seen him block guys at the rim and also get his hands on some basketballs off the dribble.. Eight Questions Ahead of The Mandalorian Season 3, From Grogus Force prowess to Dins and Bo-Katans Darksaber designs to Gideons future, here are the key considerations ahead of Mandos long-awaited return, LeBrons Injury Ends the Lakers Surge Before It Could Even Begin, Just when it seemed like things were clicking into place for Los Angeles, LeBron James suffered a foot injury that will sideline him for the most important stretch of the Lakers season. There was no denying Waltons success in the media realm, though. Ive always been tall. When Bill Walton dominated at UCLA in the 1970s, no one ever measured his wingspan from fingertips to fingertips and arms outstretched. Weve seen him block guys at the rim and also get his hands on some basketballs off the dribble.. In his prime, Hakeem seemed capable of covering half the court by himself, assessing threats and snuffing them out with unnerving efficiency. A wingspan always helps people, whether its blocking shots or deflections on defense.. High Schools: Auburndale in Auburndale, Florida us Relatives: Cousin Vince.. How an undersized player can keep pace with taller guys when they possess elite wingspan at 6-foot-4 213 For fish and crustaceans 52900-Real-NBA-Height/page36 '' > is RJ Barrett similar to Grant Hill made at least $ playing! Thats kind of a rule of thumb. Inspired by rule changes that allowed for zone defenses, easier double-teams, and more effective swarms of players holding the ball in the post, the game has moved away from just dumping the ball down to your big man on the block and letting him cook. (For what its worth: Robinson would be a worthwhile choice for this exercise, too. Wellat the risk of disrespecting a stand-up dude for the second time in the space of one columnlets ask David Robinson, against whom Sabonis held his own when the Soviet Union nearly knocked off Team USA in the gold-medal game of the 1986 FIBA World Championship, and when the USSR did defeat the Americans in the semifinals of the 1988 Summer Olympics (despite Sabonis playing shortly after recovering from his first Achilles rupture): Legendary big-man coach and talent evaluator Pete Newell told Sam Toperoff of The Atlantic Monthly in 1986 that he thought Sabonis could conceivably become the greatest player in the game and he would have taken the Lithuanian over Patrick Ewing in the 1985 draft if he had played for an American team. They can control the basketball, they can do things with it. One of the benefits is his ability to corral and slam home lob passes that are high and might be off target. He wasnt just a lumbering giant, either: Chamberlain could sky to block shots and snare rebounds, and sprint the length of the court to fill the lane on the break. I was born tall, he said. We should have carried out a plan in the early 1980s to kidnap him and bring him back right then., Or, even better: popped him into a tricked-out DeLorean, sent him to 2020, and found out what it might look like if Kristaps Porzingis passed like White Chocolate, or if you pressed fast-forward on Nikola Jokic. By Halberstams measure, and any other, Walton when healthy was a truly great basketball player. Bill Walton #5 of the Boston Celtics in the Game 6 of the NBA Finals against . Wilt Chamberlain was a great offensive player, Dr. Jack Ramsay, Waltons coach in Portland, told Sport magazine. Walton is the same type of player. Walton is a 3 time All-America College Player and winner of the Sullivan Award for the United States Best Amateur Athlete of 1973. Raised in France, Gobert kept growing from ages 15-19. Coaches marvel at players with long arms, figuring they will more easily grab rebounds, block shots, steal passes and shoot over defenders. I'm a big believer in that.". If somebodys short, hopefully theyre quick. Like many other NBA greats, Walton went on to call games on television in 1991. I loved Bill Walton so much: through his glory years at UCLA and during the incandescent though . He embodied the best of the positions present while hinting at an even brighter future. Wingspan. Bill Walton, byname of William Theodore Walton III, (born November 5, 1952, La Mesa, California, U.S.), American collegiate and professional basketball player who is considered one of the best all-around post players in the sport's history. Skills spoke louder than his height age 34, Walton retired after playing 10 games the. 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