Basketball, Team, School. Also Read - "A cast of characters, different personalities and Charles Barkley": Larry Bird's hilarious trash talk shone through even in his Dream Team Hall of Fame induction speech. First up is Oscar Robertson's 1961 Fleer rookie card which is one of the keys to the iconic set and one of the most valuable basketball cards in general.. The Celtics' Sam Jones inbounded the ball at half-court with three seconds left. [8] West eventually became the team's starting small forward, and he quickly established himself as one of the finest West Virginia high school players of his generation. The answer is "yes," according to The Ringer's Bill Simmons. "How much weightlifting did you do?" Their checks kinda depend upon that. The 1960 US Olympic team was one of the great ones, as good as any prior to the Dream Team in 1992. "[86], In 2011, West and bestselling author Jonathan Coleman wrote a memoir entitled West by West: My Charmed, Tormented Life. They gotta keep people watching, so theyre gonna say wonderful things about these teams, and wonderful things about players., Wilton Norman Chamberlain speaks on how the @NBA and other media outlets market its players and what kind of tactics they use. In 2002, West became the general manager of the Memphis Grizzlies. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. During that time, West was the better scorer (27.0 to 25.7), but Robertson grabbed more rebounds (7.5 to 5.8) and averaged more assists (9.5 to 6.7) and also had slightly better shooting percentages. Jerry West is a legendary Lakers guard. Although both ranked among the top four leading scorers in history when they retired, neither man ever won an MVP. West is still regarded as one of the best pure scorers in NBA history. Oscar Robertson was the only college player to finish the March Madness career with four triple-doubles. With an all-around game that rivaled Oscar Robertson's, West added six assists and six rebounds per game and excellent defense in the backcourt that produced a number of steals each game. Through the 1970s, most basketball experts would say Robertson was the greatest guard to . Oscar Robertson. ", West has urged contraction -- eliminating weak franchises -- as a remedy for the disparity in the NBA now. Oscar Robertson, in full Oscar Palmer Robertson, byname the Big O, (born November 24, 1938, Charlotte, Tennessee, U.S.), American basketball player who starred in both the collegiate and professional ranks and was considered one of the top players in the history of the game. Gail Goodrich's all-around play from the backcourt made him a perennial All-Star and, eventually, an NBA champion. Robertsons response might seem arrogant. He is a. man for the ages." Jerry West. Jerome Alan West (Cheylan, 28 de maio de 1938) um ex-jogador de basquetebol norte-americano que atualmente exerce a funo de Conselheiro nos Clippers. RELATED: Kobe's Final Game Was The Perfect Farewell. [64] West himself won his second NBA Executive of the Year Award in the same year. Regular season: PTS, FG, FT, 3P complete all-time. [15] The NBA commented that the Lakers now had a potent one-two-punchwith "Mr. [34] Veteran coach Fred Schaus retired, and Butch Van Breda Kolff took over; under his reign, the Lakers won 52 games in the 196768 NBA season in their first season in The Forum. As the NBA celebrates it's 75th Anniversary Season, get to know dozens of star players who helped make the NBA what it is today. For most of the game, the Lakers trailed, but West and Frank Selvy hit several clutch baskets and tied the game at 100. [15] Winning 45 games, the Lakers beat the St. Louis Hawks in a close seven-game series, and yet again met the Boston Celtics in the 1966 NBA Finals. At age 32, West averaged 26.9points, 4.6rebounds and 9.5assists,[15] and helped the Lakers win 46 games and make the 1971 NBA Playoffs. ". Despite his age and physical problems, West kept averaged 25.8 ppg while leading the NBA in assists with 9.7 per contest. Your email address will not be published. [14] In his first varsity year under head coach Fred Schaus, West scored 17.8points per game and averaged 11.1rebounds; he also started in all 28 games while shooting 49.6% from the field and 73.2% from the free throw line. Clutch" didn't taunt, at least by the strict interpretation of the term. At the same time, the early 1970s also saw West post his highest career assist numbers, which culminated in him leading the NBA in assists in 1971-1972 at 9.7 assists per game to go along with 25.8 points (47.7% shooting) and 4.2 rebounds per game. Oscar Robertson vs Jerry West. Only Jordan had a higher career scoring average in the playoffs, and only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar tallied more career points in the postseason. "There are a lot of bad teams," he said. All of these rookies except for Wilkens are also featured on the action cards. Playing the guard position, he was voted 12 times into the All-NBA First and Second Teams, was elected into the NBA All-Star Team 14 times, and was chosen as the All-Star MVP in 1972, the same year that he won the only title of his career. Advertisement. Frazier later commented: "The man's crazy. [46] With his injured hands, West still hit nine of his 19 shots, but was outplayed by Walt Frazier, who scored 36points and 19assists and was credited with several crucial steals on Lakers guard Dick Garrett. [8] The Lakers were captained by Hall-of-Fame forward Elgin Baylor, who was complemented by centers Jim Krebs and Ray Felix; forwards Rudy LaRusso and Tom Hawkins; and guards Rod Hundley (from West Virginia, like West), Frank Selvy, and Bobby Leonard. He left the game holding records for career postseason scoring and the highest average in a playoff series. 14 minutes of The Big O! He spent five years at that post, helping build Memphis into a playoff team in 2004, 05 and 06 before stepping down in 2007. Oscar was sitting right there. Former NBA Veteran JJ Redick made controversial comments calling NBA Legends Firemen and Plumbers. Oscar Robertson. As a member of the Bucks in 1970-1971, Robertson finally broke through as Milwaukee swept the Baltimore Bullets in the NBA Finals for his only NBA title; Robertson led the playoffs in assists that season (8.9 assists per game) to go along with 18.3 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. Robertson named West among his top five. Amazon.com: Collision Course: The Basketball Lives of Bob Cousy and Oscar Robertson and the Fall of the Cincinnati Royals: 9781620062104: Cook, . Oscar Robertson vs Jo Jo White. [67] In 2015, the Warriors won their first championship in 40 years; the championship was the seventh earned by West while serving as a team executive. However, due to the dynastic dominance of the Boston Celtics, who won 10 NBA titles between 1959 and 1969, including eight straight from 1959 to 1966, both players would fall short of a ring time after time again until finally reaching the NBA pinnacle in the early 1970s. Besides, the Big O has quite a bit of respect for The Logo, too. "To play the national anthem, it was the most thrilling, chilling thing that I've ever been involved with.". He was a loner. Just look at the roster: Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, Walt Bellamy, Bob Boozer, Terry Dischinger . "[8] West incredibly connected, and this basket was later called one of the greatest moments ever by the NBA. For both Robertson and West, their stellar rookie campaigns were just a sign of things to come over the next decade and a half, both players would continue to dominate the NBA as individual players, though it would take a bit longer for each one to overcome the Boston Celtics dynasty and win an NBA title. He was unafraid, unabashed and unmatched in everything he did. West was the second pick of the 1960 NBA Draft. [22], Initially, West felt odd in his new environment. West won Schaus's trust and, alternating with Hundley, Selvy, and Leonard, played 35 minutes per game and established himself as the Lakers' second scoring option. New York, however, won the game and the title. It's a test of your strength and stamina and playing ability, really. Teams. Robertson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar helped lead the Bucks to the 1971 championship, beating West and the Celtics in the Conference Finals in the process. [8][10] He was so small, frail, and weak that he needed many vitamin injections from his doctor and was kept apart from children's sports, to prevent him from getting seriously injured. [44] As the three-point line had not been introduced yet, the shot just tied the game. [68] [69][70], On December 17, 2020, it was reported that West and the LA Clippers were under investigation by the NBA following a lawsuit filed by John Wilkes against the LA Clippers over the recruitment of Kawhi Leonard to the team. [26] In overtime, Jones scored several clutch baskets to ensure a 110107 win for the Celtics. Height: 6-2 (188cm) Weight: 185 (84kg) West was chosen four times to Oscar's none. He was named All-Star, All-NBA and All-Defense First Teamer and voted 1972 All-Star Game MVP. His first season in Milwaukee was his best, as he averaged 19.4 points (49.6% shooting), 5.7 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game for Second Team All-NBA honors. In the 1960 NBA Draft, Robertson was drafted first overall (territorial pick) by the Cincinnati Royals (now the Sacramento Kings) and dominated from the get-go, averaging 30.5 points (47.3% shooting), 10.1 rebounds, and a league-high 9.7 assists per game as a rookie; as a result, he was Rookie of the Year, made the first of his 12 consecutive All-Star Game appearances, and earned the first of nine straight First Team All-NBA selections. Oscar Palmer Robertson (born November 24, 1938), nicknamed "the Big O", is an American former professional basketball player who played for the Cincinnati Royals and Milwaukee Bucks in the National Basketball Association (NBA). It seems that tons of viewers from certain generations uniformly avoid the contemporary NBA in a conscious fashion. With continued individual excellence and improved team play, he earned MVP honors in 1963-1964 on the strength of a career-high 31.4 points (48.3% shooting), 9.9 rebounds, and 11.0 assists per game, once again nearly averaging a triple-double for the season; in fact, over his first five seasons, Robertson averaged a triple-double (30.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 10.6 assists per game). "In my era, they were afraid to foul you then, because the officials were right on top of every play.". The NBA described West as "obsessive perfectionism, unabashed confidence, and an uncompromising will to win a level of intensity so high it could melt lead". On October 19th in 1960, Jerry West and Oscar Robertson made their NBA debut for the Los Angeles Lakers and the Cincinnati Royals respectively. The other definition is 'two way' player - one who can do everything offensively, and defensively. He made an NBA record 840 free throws, and earned yet another pair of All-Star Team and All-NBA First Team nominations. West referred to leaving Golden State as "one of the saddest days of his life," but was excited to find a new challenge. [22], In the 196566 NBA season, West averaged a career-best 31.3points, along with 7.1rebounds and 6.1assists per game. Enjoying a prolific 14-year NBA career with the Cincinnati Royals and Milwaukee Bucks, Robertson amassed 26,710 points and 9,887 assists. CLEVELAND The NBA celebrated its diamond anniversary with a sparkling tribute to honor 75 years on the hardwood floor. [65][66] This role also came with an undisclosed minority ownership stake in the team. FTA complete back to 1948-49. Data runs from 1946-47 to present unless otherwise noted. The same road is shared on the south end of Morgantown with Don Knotts Boulevard, in honor of another WVU alumnus. In 1974, the 36-year-old West left the game as the NBAs third-leading career scorer, behind Chamberlain and Robertson, with 25,192 points in 932 games. Still, West was named to the All-NBA First Team 10 times in his career, and he was selected to the NBA All-Defensive First Team in four of his final five seasons. Jerry West leads Los Angeles with 20 points while Oscar Robertson scores 17 along with 9 assists as the Milwaukee Bucks en. Inside" (the low-post scorer, Baylor) and "Mr. Outside" (the long-distance shooter, West). Clippers coach, Doc Rivers, floated the idea of West joining the organization during the 2016 season. Over the next summer he grew six more inches. They were 39-3 at midseason and finished at 69-13, the best single-season record in NBA history until the 1995-96 Bulls (72-10) bested it.. "Potentially, I would have to go with Lucas and Robertson, because they are a little younger," said Gallatin. stories. However, in 1951 his older brother, David, was killed in action in the Korean War, and the trauma turned West into a shy and introverted boy. For Hall of Fame caliber players across sports, I like to look at a concept I call a decade of dominance. The thinking behind this is that for most Hall of Fame type careers, there are roughly 10 great seasons that define an athlete (this idea is embodied in a sense by the NFLs All-Decade teams), though due to injury or other factors, they might not be 10 consecutive years. [15], In the postseason, the Lakers defeated the Chicago Bulls in a four-game sweep,[49] then went on to face the Milwaukee Bucks, and defeated them in six games. Godine 1980. primljen je u Kuu slavnih, a Los Angeles Lakersi su u njegovu ast penzionisali dres sa brojem 44. "I would never bet against the Lakers," he said. West never thought he had been handed a burden, however. His ferocity rarely, if ever, rubbed players, coaches or fans the wrong way. This site contains affiliate links to products. Once you get out of it, you figure, 'Boy, what a great bunch of guys'.". /VCG. [83] Apart from being shy, West was always restless: Schaus described him as a "bundle of nerves", Celtics contemporary Bob Cousy as "always on the move", and fellow Laker and Mountaineer Rod Hundley testified that during bar visits, West would quickly squirm and demand to go elsewhere before everybody else had settled. If I could have one wish granted, it would be that you would always be happy. Van Breda Kolff pejoratively called Chamberlain "The Load", and later complained that Chamberlain was egotistical, never respected him, too often slacked off in practice and focused too much on his statistics. The Minneapolis Lakers chose West with the second overall pick . And it was a mission that we had to beat the Russian team. Very rarely was I satisfied with how I played. Clutch" a handle which stuck with West for his entire career. [15] On January 17, 1962, West scored a career-high 63 points in a 129121 win over the New York Knicks. On October 19th in 1960, Jerry West and Oscar Robertson made their NBA debut for the Los Angeles Lakers and the Cincinnati Royals respectively. "I did that once or twice. The Knicks' Walt Frazier is stopped by Lakers center Wilt Chamberlain (13) as Jerry West (44) drives around them for a score in first quarter of an NBA finals game on April 26, 1972. Overall, his time with the Royals was dominant over a decade with the team, he averaged at least 24 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists per game on 47.0% shooting, and was an All-Star plus a First Team or Second Team All-NBA selection each year. Very rarely was I satisfied with how I played. This obsessive quest for perfection was a constant during Wests playing years, and it continued in his later roles as coach and general manager of the Lakers and in similar front-office roles he held with the Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State Warriors and LA Clippers. Oscar Robertson vs Russell Westbrook. Every bit West's equal was Baylor. He would sit by himself and stare into space. Los Angeles Lakers play-by-play man Chick Hearn bestowed the nickname. While his famous triple-double season would come a year later, Robertson got off to a fast start right out of the gate during his 1960-61 rookie season in which he . "[48], Having vanquished this long-time bane, West entered his 13th NBA year. Oscar Robertson vs Dominique Wilkins After serving in that post for more than six years, West was hired by the LA Clippers as a consultant in 2017. Ended: Feb 21, 2023. 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