The Best NBA Player in History that Nobody Remembers...

Nate Thurmond first recorded quadruple double in NBA history, a feat only matched by 3 others. Alvin Robertson (the only one to do with with steals), David Robinson, and Dream.

 

Bill Walton was saying that Kevin Garnett should try to be more like Nate Thurmond. His rebounding numbers are crazy considering he was very thin.

 

Ernie DiGregorio
JoJo White
Jim McMillan
Bob Dandridge
Wayne Embry
Walt Bellamy

To name a few.

 

Alvan Adams was a weird case, was brilliant in his first year (second best rookie in pro basketball, to David Thompson), then really didn't build on that.

My biggest pet peeve is Bob Pettit, the GREATEST POWER FORWARD EVER TO PLAY. The man defined the position, and was the only player besides Wilt to take down the great Bill Russell Boston Celtics (albeit in triple overtime in a Game 7, and Russ had a sprained ankle).

 

I haven't been following the NBA as long as you have or been such a stat hound as some on this thread so my list only goes back to the 80's and for now most people remember them but I'm guessing in a few years they won't be.

Someone else mentioned Alvin Robertson. That guy was phenomenally versatile and probably one of the greatest defenders ever.

James Worthy, All we hear these days about the Showtime Lakers is Magic and Kareem and Worthy seems to be getting lost in the shuffle. Worthy's great college career is also overshadowed by some freshman named Jordan.

Dennis Johnson, Same situation as Worthy except with the 80's Celtics. Bird once called him the greatest basketball player he's played with.

Artis Gilmore, Once considered the strongest man to ever play basketball.

World B Free. Probably remembered for his name than that he was one amazing scorer.

Finally I have to throw in Rodney McCray as a forgotten Rocket. He didn't have a hugely illustrious career but was integral for the Twin Tower Rockets in an era of great small forwards.

 

how about walter davis, jack sikma, bob mcadoo, dan issel, michael ray, ed obannon, charles obannon, george zidek, tyes edney, toby bailey, jr henderson

 

i would vote but i don't remember any of them

 

I don't know if a lot of you guys know what awesome offensive players Alex English, Adrian Dantley and Bernard King were, but all of them could virtually score at will.

How about our own Mike Newlin? The guy was big, fearless (no front toofies-hockey player mentality) could get his own shot and was very smart. Think Sura at the 2 guard with a much better stroke.

 

PG - Lionel Hollins
SG - Andrew Toney
SF - Bobby Jones
PF - George McGinnis
C - Darryl Dawkins

hehehe...

 

It was mentioned above, but I thought it needed an exclamation point. Bob McAdoo. After a long and fruitful career in the NBA (about 14 years) he went over to Europe and played for a another seven years. Thats got to be some kind of record.

He played C/F in the NBA at 6'9" 225. Nowadays he would be a small forward and would be scoring even higher than his 22 point career average.


http://www.nba.com/history/players/mcadoo_summary.html

 

Walter Davis, Sikma, Mcadoo, Issel, and Micheal Ray-definitely

The rest were garbage.

Walter Davis was virtually unstoppable in his prime in Phoenix. Otis Birdsong was another great shooter in his prime. How about Ray Williams, another unstoppable guard, strong, quick, good shooter. The original Cliff Robinson, not the one playing now. Marvin Webster, George McGinnis, Randy Smith, Purvis Short.

 

Great game, game within the game - Madison Sq Garden. NBA Doubleheader. First game for Wilt v Nate after trade to Philly. Those two titans battled in Gotham in best 5 match up I ever witnessed.

 

Dan Issel was THE MAN for the Kentucky Colonels and matched Dr. J point for point when the Doc came into the league (ABA) as a Virginia Squire, only to be trade to the New Jersey Nets... (All before his days with the 76'ers)

Also have to mention Artis Gilmore (the Dikembe Mutumbo of the 1970's). Issel went to the Nuggets and stayed on as Coach and GM, Gilmore played for the NBA Spurs.

But the one guy who's hustle was beyond anyone who ever played the game was Wendell Ladner. This was Dan Issel's enforcer and also the guy who looked out for Dr. J in New York!!

The guy took nearly 100 stitches after sailing after a loose ball and crashing into what (at that time) was a GLASS water tank, near the bench. Needless to say the tank and Wendell were a bloody, glassy, wet mess. The guy TRIED TO RE-ENTER THE GAME IN THE SECOND HALF WITH STITCHES STILL DRIPPING!!!!

Wendell was marketed as a "beefcake" player to female fans because of his Burt Reynolds type looks... He died tragically in a 1975 plane crash but I met Wendell and Issell at Jim O'Brian's basketball camp for kids when I was about 12. (Yep, I'm old too...)

 

I don't know if he is even close to great but this guy killed everyone and was always someone I didn't want us to face, that being said no one wil remember him in a couple of years Detlef Schrempf

 

I agree totally. Smart, smart, skilled player.

 

You must have grown up in an ABA town like me. A lot of folks don't know what they missed.
It's hard to believe that Dan Issel was once a scoring machine, but I would take George McGinnis over him. Can you imagine McGinnis actually played for Bobby Knight at IU? I liked Issel as a player but hated the Colonels. They were the archenemy.

I love Deke, but don't compare him to Artis. If he had the ball within 4-5 feet of the hoop, it was an automatic slam dunk for Artis. He was much stronger than Deke, and a far superior offensive player. Deke has the edge on defense.

I don't remember much about Wendell except he was scary!! It was obvious many opposing players were intimidated by him on the court. He had very few skills and wouldn't have made it in the NBA.

Dr.J, #32 with the Virginia Squires. I loved it when they came to town. I wish there were highlights of some of the stuff he did back then.

 

Who would choke in the 4th quarter. Just ask Gary Payton about him.

 

How many of you know who Neil Johnston is?