Clockwise from upper left: Issel, Lanier, Mount and Maravich (not pictured: Murphy). At their best the Knicks were a hybrid of downtown artistry mixed with old-school values. It was this transition, from earth-bound giants to brilliant athleticism, that paved the way for the glorious rebirth that was to come. He made eight All-Star games in the seventies, only missing out in his rookie year and in 1978-79 when he was injured. When it all clicked, the Knicks flowed like the deadline poetry that was emanating from the press box. His free-throw shooting, on the other hand. 3 min read. Football. Sneaker Name: Nike Cortez Year: 1972 The Nike Cortez was created by Nike Co-Founder and Oregon Head Track and Field Coach Bill Bowerman. The '70s were a time of chaos in pro basketball, but the chaos was caused by the fate of pro basketball being completely up in the air. Bet with your head, not over it. Olympic Games Anthropometry for other sports in 2012. As a sophomore, he led the "Flying Clouds" to . T&Cs apply. 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. With no further adieu, here are your All-1970s teams. LeBron James overtook Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBAs leading scorer in February 2023.]. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, March 4, 4:50AM. He really did help continue the legacy of Bob Cousy in some ways, and with Frazier helped set the table for the next generation of bombastic point guards. 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. The 1970s were a golden age for basketball. Indeedy. One of the most successful franchises in sports history, the Celtics won 11 of 13 National Basketball Association (NBA) championships from 1957 to 1969. Card Manufacturer: Topps. 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. In 1970, the average player earned a $35,000 salary (equivalent to around $224,000 today). Michael Gearon, president of the Hawks, said he believes that as many as half the players in the league may use cocaine and as many as 10 percent may use free base. Nevertheless, he was an awesome force who dominated the sport for two decades and perfected the sky hook, one of the most gorgeous shots the game has ever seen. A great post scorer, McHale was a huge spark off the Celtics bench, as he is even regarded as one of the best 6th man in all of basketball history. J Julius Erving against LeBron James? And, of course, hes since won two titles (and counting?) Curious about the story behind the basketball card, intern Curtis Harris interviewed Jim Barnett, whose pro basketball career began in 1966 with the Boston Celtics.Aside from the outlandish hair and flamboyant jerseys of the players, basketball cards of the 1970s provide a fascinating window into an exciting and chaotic era in the sport's history. 1970s and the Chicago Bulls. Do folks give Jerry credit for building future champions as a GM?). The Marquette men's basketball team has already clinched at least a share of the Big East Conference title. Now players could subsist without off-season work and, for the first time in league history, make life-changing money playing pro basketball. The 2021 NBA Draft is less than three weeks away. Next time you put a pair of Nike Cortez or Vans Sk8 High on know the history behind them. Ja Morants allegations of aggression off the court, explained. In the first season with a three-point line, Maravich's last season, Pete went 10 for 15 from three-point range. This brought an even greater influx of stars to the NBA, making for a great new era of basketball. Playing for the Detroit Pistons until he was traded in 1980, Lanier was the heart and soul of his teams and promoted a tough, intense culture. [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. Admittedly, Chamberlain played at a time when post players were significantly smaller and basketball wasnt drawing the types of athletic marvels we see today, but the man was so incredibly dominant that he deserves a spot in the top five regardless of context. (LogOut/ . LeBron James just does things that shouldnt be humanly possible. We present them here for purely educational purposes. What is the Best Decade of Basketball in NBA History? $44.99. Impressive, right? After the Converse "Chuck Taylor All Stars" and before Michael "Air" Jordan was the 1970's. Their mantra was simple: Find the open man. The shirts were fastened like a current-day body suit to keep them from becoming untucked. George Gervin 10. Owners hoped this would disincentivize large contracts. Sam Teets 2021 NBA mock draft 1.0: Cunningham goes first, Top 50 NBA players under 25 years old in 2021: Doncic bests Young, Ranking the top 70 free agents in the 2021 NBA offseason, Grading every NFL teams picks from the 2021 NFL Draft, Sam Teets two-round 2021 NFL Mock Draft 5.0 with Kyle the Commish, UFC 285: Jon Jones returns, facing Ciryl Gane for heavyweight title, Top 13 Indiana High School Players of all Time, The 6 greatest Indiana Highschool pure Shooters, The 8 greatest IHSAA Championship Games in History. 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. This was the period of time that reallyhelped build the foundation to sneakers as we know it today. Seller assumes all responsibility for this listing. Bob McAdoo was a poster child for seventies basketball. The Rockets' forward led the league in minutes, rebounds and win shares . When Bill Walton signed a huge contract with the San Diego (later Los Angeles) Clippers in 1979, his former team received two players and a first-round draft pick in return, essentially gutting Waltons new team. But ONeal wasnt just pure physicalityhe was surprisingly graceful for such a massive man and he had a deft touch with his close-range jump shots. Why did salaries increase so much during the decade? Drake and Bradley are the favorites in the MVC mens basketball conference tournament. Learn more about this major update here. Goose Givens won National Player of the Year. 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. Cowens was only 69 at the center position, but he was one of the most prolific rebounders of the era. The mans desire to be the best is legendary and propelled him to six championships, five MVP awards, All-Star appearances in every full season he played, and the status as possibly the best defender ever. Oh jeez, this guy. Bob McAdoo 5. The 1970s NBA. The 1970'swas a time when you had a lot of emerging sneaker companies and no one company completely dominating thesneaker market. For whatever reason, he kept it in his pocket and Alcindor signed with the Milwaukee Bucks for a $250,000 annual salary. In 1970, three expansion teams enteredthe Buffalo Braves, Cleveland Cavaliers and Portland Trail Blazers. 6 of 13. Investors founded the ABA in 1967 as a rival to the more established NBA (then just an eight-team league). Star Power: Now we are on the to 70's. 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. The competition between the two leagues became fierce. He led all players in the seventies in scoring and blocks, and he was second in both minutes and rebounds.. He won two championships alongside Havlicek in 1974 and 1976, and was also extremely successful as an individual player. Dave Cowens 9. But Maravich was so unbelievably '70s. 1. Understanding the marketability of high-flying, slam-dunking showmen, the NBA copied the dunk contest concept in 1977 (won by Indiana Pacer Dr. He won a league title in all but two of his 13 seasons as a member of the Boston Celtics. 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. Ja Morant suspended 2 games after flashing gun on Instagram following allegations, Luka and Kyrie make Mavs history with 40+ point efforts vs. Sixers, How ballscreen-centered sets can help unleash Jordan Pooles potency, LeBron James diagnosed with foot tendon injury, will be re-evaluated in three weeks, surgery not required, NBA Scores: Kevin Durants Suns debut was an easy W. At the opposite end of the attractive play spectrum from Duncan is Shaquille ONeal. The struggles and hard-won glory of pioneers such as Alice Coachman, Althea Gibson, Wilma Rudolph and Lynette Woodard helped pave the way for later generations of sports greats like Jackie. When it comes to the 1970s, there was no greater basketball player than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.In fact, Abdul-Jabbars game has transcended eras, as he remains one of the greatest players to ever pick up a basketball. Hes bigger than a good portion of the players in the NFL and yet he still moves as gracefully as the most nimble guards in basketball. Mostly, players shot three-pointers out of desperation, not as a strategic element. More famously, when the New Orleans Jazz signed aging guard Gail Goodrich away from Los Angeles in 1976, the league awarded the Lakers three first-round draft picks (one of which became Earvin Magic Johnson). Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. He was an All-Star every year of his career, racking up 16 selections while dominating both leagues. Join our linker program. has been obsessively watching sports for nearly three decades and arguing about them with friends for nearly as long. You had championships in San Francisco, Portland and Seattle, signaling the weakening of the East's stranglehold on basketball dominance, as well as providing evidence that L.A. could be rivaled on the Pacific Coast. Players must be 21 years of age or older or reach the minimum age for gambling in their respective state and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. Jabbar then went on to finish up the decade with the Lakers. 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. Richardson was a four-time All-Star in the NBA. He finished his NBA career in '76 having averaged 20-10. 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. What are boosted odds in sports betting strategies? Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh. Lew Alcindor's historic run to the NBA Rookie of the Year award was the talk of the 1969-70 season, but it was his sophomore campaign in 1970-71 where the Milwaukee Bucks big man took a transcendent leap towards the Hall of Fame.. With the acquisition of All-Star point guard and future Hall-of-Famer Oscar Robertson, the Bucks . The four highest all-time NBA single-season scoring averages all belong to Chamberlainin his first four professional seasons. Pretty much all you can ask for from the best ever, no? 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. George Gervin: The Ice Man could have been a second-team guard here, but he'll be back on the '80s team thanks to some great work in that decade so I don't feel too bad about elevating West and Tiny. $179.99. Which NBA player from the 1980's & 1990's helped popularized basketball and turn it into a global game? The consensus 1970 College Basketball All-American team, as determined by aggregating the results of four major All-American teams. 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. I have defended the '70s before, notably in Free Darko Presents: The Undisputed Guide to Pro Basketball History. Just as the game took a step back in the national consciousness, it survived and even prospered in some quarters, such as the Pacific Northwest. . He was also a three-time MVP in the ABA during the seventies, capturing a three-peat in the award from 1974-1976. . Was . 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. The glory the NBA would enjoy in the '80s and '90s wouldn't be possible without players like Dr. J and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar laying the groundwork for the league in the '70s. (LogOut/ Though Barry had many of his best seasons in the ABA, he also found success on a team scale in the NBA. Like Magic, Jordan and LeBron later on, he melded exciting play and quality in a way that reeled fans in and never let them go. The big guy out of Duke looked like the demonic love child of John C. Reilly and Will Ferrell just after Ferrell . 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. Nash is one of the best, most productive point guards in the league, having won back-to-back season MVP trophies after reaching the age of 30. (LogOut/ Sure, we still saw centers like Hakeem Olajuwon, Patrick Ewing, David Robinson, Shaq, Tim Duncan and Yao Ming rise and dominate down the road. What survived was the hoops cognoscenti, made up notably of writers, musicians and actors who were active followers on both coasts. Ranking Explanations . What? 1970 Topps #75 Lew Alcindor. In addition, the decade saw the merging of the ABA and the NBA, the two top leagues of the time. They appreciated the game on its merits, and embraced the athletes as individuals and fellow entertainers. Despite the creation of the National Basketball Players Association in 1954 (the first team sports players union), NBA owners held most of the power in the league until the merger. On NBA 2K23, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is All-Decade 1970s All-Stars' highest rated player, followed by Julius Erving in second place, and Walt Frazier in third.