Which Players Have Most Impacted the Game and the Evolution of the NBA?

Outside wrote:I agree with Sam's list, with a clarification and a couple of additions.

For Magic, there's the aspect of Bird and him resurrecting the league, but there's also the aspect of a 6-9 point guard with consummate ballhandling and passing skills that could dominate other guards and the game because of his size. Before him, tall guards were the exception. Since him, small guards have been the exception.

Like others, I'd add Jordan to list, but for different reasons. I think his biggest impact was how he was marketed and how that changed the league. Since Jordan, the league has been star-oriented instead of team-oriented, in everything from rules and offenses in addition to marketing. Jordan's rise coincided with Stern's star-oriented global marketing push. The league is not better for it, in my opinion, but Jordan is emblematic of a significant shift in the evolution of the league.

The other person that comes to mind is Havlicek and the introduction of the sixth man as more than just a guy who wasn't good enough to be a starter. There may be someone earlier who is also representative of that, but Havlicek has always been that guy in my mind.

Outside

outside,

The 6th man!! Everybody forgot about that role!

bob

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Good catch, Outside, although I believe the role has been diluted since Red brought it to the NBA. As I've just posted in another thread, Red's sixth men had to be able to impact the game from multiple positions and possess sufficient intellect to be instant leaders as well as instant catalysts from a playing point of view.

Havlicek was #2 in the role, which was invented by Red for Frank Ramsey in the mid-to-late 50s. Imagine, 6' 3" and Frank was a great offensive threat and fiesty defender from the 3 and the 2. (He defended against Baylor on numerous occasions and never shut Elgin down but did about as well as most people.) Rams (probably with Red's help) also invented the flop, which everyone now hates because it's become a stupid crutch. Frank looked like a soft player with a sort of JFK look to his face and blond curly hair. But he was hard as nails and was never afraid to take the tough shot or to take the flop (I mean charge) or take the big free throw.

My comment about a 6th man being a leader is exemplified by Frank's famous comment (I believe it was in the locker room before a 7th finals game). "C'mon guys. You're playing with my money." (He may have retired by now, but Frank was a bank president in his native Kentucky for many years after he left the game.)

So, as much as I'm a ultra-huge Havlicek fan, I have to give Frank Ramsey the credit for popularizing the 6th man role and Red Auerbach the credit for inventing it.

Sam

Did anyone mention Bob Pettit.

112288

Petit was a great player, but what lasting imprint did he make that influences how the league now functions?

Sam

Sam,

He was the first complete forward to do it all rebound, score & assist.

In his second season, Pettit won his first scoring title with a 25.7 average, and led the league in rebounding (1164 for a 16.2 average). He was also named MVP of the 1956 NBA All-Star Game after scoring 20 points with 24 rebounds;

Pettit's league leading scoring average of 29.2 points per game in the 1958-59 season was an NBA record at the time, and he was named the Sporting News NBA MVP.

Pettit ended his career in 1965, becoming the first NBA player to eclipse the 20,000 points mark (20,880 for a 26.4 average). His 12,849 rebounds were second most in league history at the time he retired, and his 16.2 rebounds per game career average remains third only to Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell.

112288

My choices are the Black players as a group. When Russell arrived during the 56-57 season the league was about 87% white. By the 68-69 season it dropped to about 47% .At the start of the 80's the number of American whites was down to 19% and in 08-09 it went to 7%. The black percentage peaked at about 85% in 1995 and with the addition of international players has dropped to about 80% in 08-09. To me this has resulted in a very clear distinction in how the game is played-- pitting the style of the 50's & 60's vs. the 80's thru the present with the 70's being the change-over years.

swish

112288,

Petit recorded some great stats. But this thread isn't about the greatness of players. What did Petit contribute that changed the league in a significant way? In what major way is the league now different because he was once in it?

Sam