First 15 years of the NBA, only five Black men over 6'9"

[Professor Emeritus]

Racism, lack of opportunity to develop their athleticism, and the low profile of the NBA kept them off the floor.

But with the lack of competition, EVERY one of those five men made an All-Star game. Three of the five made the Hall of Fame.

If you over 6'9" and getting drafted between 1947 and 1961, 60% chance you in the Hall of Fame.

The year before Bill Russell entered the league, a 6'8", 210lb skinny White center lead the league in scoring and rebounds, averaging 22 and 13. That was Russell's greatest rival until Wilt showed up.

Lead the NBA in field goal percentage with 46% shooting in the era of the 12-foot lane.

The year before Wilt Chamberlain joined the Philadelphia Warriors, the Warriors's starting center was 6’7” and 220lbs. He was an All-Star that year, averaging 15 and 12 while shooting 36% from the field. The backup center shot 33% from the field.


The 1955 Syracuse Nationals who won the title the year before Bill Russell was drafted. This roster photo

The Celtics team that won 11 titles

The 1958 Hawks team that won the title after taking the Celtics to 7 the year before. #9 Pettit put up 50 in the deciding game.

The 1959 Knicks, #2 in the East behind Boston that year.

The 1959 Lakers who faced Boston in the Finals that year:

The 1962 Warriors in the year that Chamberlain averaged 50ppg and set the 100-point scoring mark.

These are ALL the Black players over 6’9” who entered the league in its first fifteen years.

1946: none
1947: none
1948: none
1949: none
1950: none
1951: none
1952: none
1953: Ray Felix (future All-Star, retires in 1962)
1954: none
1955: Walter Dukes (future All-Star, retires in 1963)
1956: Bill Russell (future Hall of Famer, retires in 1969)
1957: none
1958: none
1959: Wilt Chamberlain (future Hall of Famer, retires in 1973)
1960: none
1961: Walt Bellamy (future Hall of Famer, retires in 1974)



For comparison, twelve Black players 6'10" or taller were drafted in 2017 alone.


I'm not saying, I'm just saying.

 

[Rigby.]

I wouldve killed for a time machine to go back then

a 5'10 brotha probably could be a starter back then just based off of some melanin

 

[Ruck]

I wouldve killed for a time machine to go back then

a 5'10 brotha probably could be a starter back then just based off of some melanin

you're really not thinking this through are you?

go back in time during jim crow brehz

 

[ALonelyDad]

you're really not thinking this through are you?

go back in time during jim crow brehz

And make like 100 dollars a season at least U can be a legend in the history books though

 

[VegasCAC]

Every era is different. You can't objectively compare people from different ones, you can only look at how they dominated the competition they had

 

[Supreme365]

Every era is different. You can't objectively compare people from different ones, you can only look at how they dominated the competition they had

Bingo

 

[Mr. McDowell]

The NBA didn't begin for me until the merger in 1976.

 

[Professor Emeritus]

Every era is different. You can't objectively compare people from different ones, you can only look at how they dominated the competition they had

What does that even mean?


I could say that the best team in Wyoming is just as good as the best team in New York, because each one "dominated the competition that they had."

But EVERYONE know the best team in New York better than the best team in Wyoming.

You really gonna claim that the player of the year in Alaska is as good as the player of the year in California, just because they were equally dominant against their competition?

 

[VegasCAC]

What does that even mean?


I could say that the best team in Wyoming is just as good as the best team in New York, because each one "dominated the competition that they had."

But EVERYONE know the best team in New York better than the best team in Wyoming.

You really gonna claim that the player of the year in Alaska is as good as the player of the year in California, just because they were equally dominant against their competition?

No, because that can be objectively measured. Unless you have a time machine, you can't objectively measure players from the 60s vs the 90s, or present day, or whatever.

You can't control for all of the variables between eras to make objective comparisons. All you have is what players and teams did in their time.

 

[Lord_Chief_Rocka]

Yeah. I think Chris Webber could have won 11 rings if he switched with Russell. Patrick Ewing too. Alonzo Mourning etc.

I mean that era literally had quotas

That being said, Wilt obviously would've been dominant in any era

 

[Lord_Chief_Rocka]

No, because that can be objectively measured. Unless you have a time machine, you can't objectively measure players from the 60s vs the 90s, or present day, or whatever.

You can't control for all of the variables between eras to make objective comparisons. All you have is what players and teams did in their time.

I can say with 100 percent certainty

Era where everyone is allowed to play>>>> era where people are blocked out

 

[KingJay]

the average height of an NBA Center in 1962(Wilt's 50ppg season) was 6'10.1", only 1" shorter than the average height in 2014(last year I have the numbers for).
Players were also measured barefoot

Pre-Wilt and Russell era tho was

 

[Greenhornet]

Basketball early discussion is retarded everytime

of course the game had to evolve that doesnt discredit shyt

Everyone is on Iverson's dikk even though he carries

I'm sure in 20 more years we will look back and laugh at all the traveling and bullshyt now

 

[hayesc0]

Yeah. I think Chris Webber could have won 11 rings if he switched with Russell. Patrick Ewing too. Alonzo Mourning etc.

I mean that era literally had quotas

That being said, Wilt obviously would've been dominant in any era

Yeah he would have looked like the goat in that era lol. The bigs of the era would have been lost playing against a nikka who can play and move like a guard in his prime.

 

[Professor Emeritus]

No, because that can be objectively measured. Unless you have a time machine, you can't objectively measure players from the 60s vs the 90s, or present day, or whatever.

You can't control for all of the variables between eras to make objective comparisons. All you have is what players and teams did in their time.

So you telling me that if the best team in Hawaii don't play the best team in Texas, you really have no way of telling which team better?

Better yet, why don't the NCAA Division I champs play the Division III champs at the end of each year? Why don't the men's champs play the women's champs? Can't objectively tell which one better unless they do, right?

the average height of an NBA Center in 1962(Wilt's 50ppg season) was 6'10.1", only 1" shorter than the average height in 2014(last year I have the numbers for).

LOOK AT THE PICTURES.

In 1962, 6'10" means, "The one skinny-ass unathletic as hell White guy on the team who we just plant under the basket because he tall." The available pool of tall athletes were tiny, so a lot of those guys were basically non-athletes. Couldn't jump, shoot, time blocks, move laterally, didn't have the muscle to hold position or nothing.

Nowadays if you 6'10" in the NBA, you had to be better than hundreds of other 6'10" guys who were athletes themselves, but didn't make it for one reason or another. And you probably at least a muscular 240lbs or more, because 6'10" 210lb non-athletes don't even think about trying out no more.

You ain't looking at me with a straight face and saying that any of them skinny white guys doing anything today.

On top of that, back then the ONLY guys over 6'9" were centers. Now you got 6'10" threes and fours all over the league. When Wilt faced a double-team, he wasn't getting doubled by a Duncan or a Durant, he was doubled by a guy who was 6'7" tops and probably White.

Josh Jackson just got drafted as a 6'8" guard. He would have been the 2nd-tallest player on the Celtics roster some of Russell's years.