RIP Bill Walton

[The Sultan]

Nobody rebounded Moses Malone misses like Moses Malone

LOL. Yep.

A great player, but I think pretty accurately "rated." Top 25 but I wouldn't put him higher than that.

[The Sultan]

Ty lawdog.  Jockey appears to have completely overlooked your points or perused various top 25 lists.  The guy was a 3-time MVP.  He clearly owned the fking glass for about 15 years.  Yet, on many lists, I see him behind Dr J, Karl Malone, Garnett, Barkley, Nowitzki, David Robinson, ETC.  My top three underrated are Baylor, Moses, and Rick Barry. 

Rick Barry? He was on the 50th anniversary top 50 team. How high do you want to rank the guy?

[WhiteTrash]

Ty lawdog.  Jockey appears to have completely overlooked your points or perused various top 25 lists.  The guy was a 3-time MVP.  He clearly owned the fking glass for about 15 years.  Yet, on many lists, I see him behind Dr J, Karl Malone, Garnett, Barkley, Nowitzki, David Robinson, ETC.  My top three underrated are Baylor, Moses, and Rick Barry.

And you can't argue there was not good talent in the NBA at the time, 2 of his MVPs were during the Magic & Bird era.

[Uncle Rico]

LOL. Yep.

A great player, but I think pretty accurately "rated." Top 25 but I wouldn't put him higher than that.

Kind of a crappy shooter for a big man and not much of a passer

[The Sultan]

Just looking at the stats for that '83 Sixers team...

The entire team shot 109 three pointers all year. 76 of them from Andrew Toney. Dr. J shot seven three pointers all season! (Moses shot one.)

Different times...

[Pakuni]

Doesn't matter.  Look at the man's stats!  He was a rebounding machine.

He was a very good rebounder. There have been plenty better.

[WhiteTrash]

Just looking at the stats for that '83 Sixers team...

The entire team shot 109 three pointers all year. 76 of them from Andrew Toney. Dr. J shot seven three pointers all season! (Moses shot one.)

Different times...

As an aside, in terms of pleasure to watch playing basketball, Dr. J was right there with MJ. I could watch those two all day long.

[Spotcheck Billy]

Nobody rebounded Moses Malone misses like Moses Malone

I loved how he would bounce the ball off the backboard if he couldn't grab the rebound, at times he'd have to do that 3-4 times in order to eventually grab the ball.

[lawdog77]

He was a very good rebounder. There have been plenty better.

Nobody else led the league 14 years straight

Just kidding

I don't know about plenty.

Nobody has had more rebounds since he came in the league.Wilt and Bill played in a different era.

Nobody all time has more offensive rebounds.

[Uncle Rico]

Nobody else led the league 14 years straight

Just kidding

I don't know about plenty.

Nobody has had more rebounds since he came in the league.Wilt and Bill played in a different era.

Nobody all time has more offensive rebounds.

Product of the era.  Doubt we'll ever see rebounding numbers like that again, well, until the game changes again

[Pakuni]

Nobody else led the league 14 years straight

Just kidding

I don't know about plenty.

Nobody has had more rebounds since he came in the league.Wilt and Bill played in a different era.

Nobody all time has more offensive rebounds.

Cumulative stats are as much as testament to his longevity as his ability. In terms of relative stats, Mo ranks 16th all time in rebounds per game and and 11th in rebounding percentage. He had two seasons of 15+ rpg. Rodman, for comparison's sake, had six.
Not arguing here that he isn't an all-timer, though.

[Lennys Tap]

Wonder what Moses Malone thinks about the life and passing of Bill Walton. Any word yet?

[Herman Cain]

Ty lawdog.  Jockey appears to have completely overlooked your points or perused various top 25 lists.  The guy was a 3-time MVP.  He clearly owned the fking glass for about 15 years.  Yet, on many lists, I see him behind Dr J, Karl Malone, Garnett, Barkley, Nowitzki, David Robinson, ETC.  My top three underrated are Baylor, Moses, and Rick Barry.

Muggsy:
Rather than call those three under rated , a more accurate description might be un-celebrated in the media.

Baylor played on the West Coast and during his best years in the early and mid 60s  media attention and capabilities were not what they are today, Moses did not say much in interviews etc and Barry was arrogant ,egotistical and disliked by the media.

Notwithstanding the above, At the time they played all three were highly regarded by their peers and basketball aficionados in general and in the conversation for greatest player of their era.

[MuggsyB]

Baylor, Moses, and Barry are well before my time.  But if you look at their career stats I think we can universally agree Baylor was underrated.  I'm simply not going to mess with Moses Malone or disparage him in any way.  He may no longer  be with us but could very well be part of my security team in my next life.  3 MVP's are 3 MVP's.  Barry's stats are pretty similar to Dr.J.  But he also was the best player on a championship team and Finals MVP.  Now I'm not saying he's better but Erving is generally considered a T-25 guy.  I think Mr.Barry is underrated, and maybe it has to do with his unlikability.

[Uncle Rico]

Baylor, Moses, and Barry are well before my time.  But if you look at their career stats I think we can universally agree Baylor was underrated.  I'm simply not going to mess with Moses Malone or disparage him in any way.  He may no longer  be with us but could very well be part of my security team in my next life.  3 MVP's are 3 MVP's.  Barry's stats are pretty similar to Dr.J.  But he also was the best player on a championship team and Finals MVP.  Now I'm not saying he's better but Erving is generally considered a T-25 guy.  I think Mr.Barry is underrated, and maybe it has to do with his unlikability.

Who cares

[MU82]

My top three underrated are Baylor, Moses, and Rick Barry.

They are all very highly regarded.

None was top-10 material. After that, it's more of a jumble for the next 20-40 spots, and they're all in there.

[tower912]

RIP, Bill Walton.

[MuggsyB]

I have Lebron and Curry in the T-10 fron this era.  We'll see about Jokic, Giannis, and others.  My remaining 8 are:  Jordan, Kareem, Wilt, Magic, BIrd, Russell, Duncan, and Baylor. 

[dgies9156]

Gang, that Memphis State game in the NCAA finals was one for the books. Bill Walton was one of the most dominant presences I ever saw.

Period.

Among college players, the only one better was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. And the difference was closer than one might think.

Amazing that John Wooden coached them both -- but maybe not given Sam Gilbert's presence around the UCLA program.

[MuggsyB]

Gang, that Memphis State game in the NCAA finals was one for the books. Bill Walton was one of the most dominant presences I ever saw.

Period.

Among college players, the only one better was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. And the difference was closer than one might think.

Amazing that John Wooden coached them both -- but maybe not given Sam Gilbert's presence around the UCLA program.

Did Al recruit both of them?

[Lennys Tap]

Did Al recruit both of them?

Kareem came before Al had established MU as a national power and Walton was from Southern California so I doubt it.

[Herman Cain]

Gang, that Memphis State game in the NCAA finals was one for the books. Bill Walton was one of the most dominant presences I ever saw.

Period.

Among college players, the only one better was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. And the difference was closer than one might think.

Amazing that John Wooden coached them both -- but maybe not given Sam Gilbert's presence around the UCLA program.

As College players ,comparing Kareem (Alcindor in the day) to Walton is like comparing Nicklaus to Woods. Both GOATs.

Walton was highly skilled in all aspects of Center play in that era when it was a Big Mans game . If he needed to score, The Memphis State game was a great example. Rim Protection , Team Work, Passing etc was Excellent. Walton was the first Point Center of sorts .  His ability to use both hands (as did Alcindor) made him incredibly hard to stop inside.

I would add Bill Russell into the mix for Greatest College Player .  Just like Alcindor( dunks disallowed) , the rules were changed for Russell( Widened the lane)

Kareem , Walton and Russell all literally made their teams for the most  part unbeatable.

One obscure College fact around Walton is that his back up, Swen Nater went on to a lengthy ABA and NBA career, being named ABA rookie of the year , ABA All Pro and leading NBA in rebounding one season during Moses era. Walton was so dominant  , Nater was used strictly as a practice player in College.