Ayton 7th Best Center Entering The Season

Yuma

Suns are my Kryptonite!
Joined
Jan 3, 2003
Posts
20,163
Reaction score
9,606
Location
Laveen, AZ
I will say on Kareem, I was watching a game, and for whatever reason he hit a sky hook from almost the corner of the court. It was like a twenty foot sky hook swish! Why he would shoot it that far out, who knows!
 
Last edited:

Hoop Head

ASFN Icon
Supporting Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2005
Posts
15,976
Reaction score
10,863
Location
Tempe, AZ
I will say on Kareem, I was watching a game, and for whatever reason he hit a sky hook from almost the corner of the court. It was like a twenty foor sky hook swish! Why he would shoot it that far out, who knows!

Why shoot it? Same reason most others take the shots they do, because he could make it.
 

Bobster

All Star
Joined
Jan 29, 2014
Posts
548
Reaction score
540
Location
Phoenix, AZ
People want to say "you have to adjust for the pace of the game and the high-scoring"

Alright, but consider this - at the higher-paced game that they played, Wilt also played 48.5 minutes a game in 1961-62, missing only 8 games all season because he was ejected for fighting in one game.

He averaged 45 minutes a game for his career, no chartered flights, with minimal training staff and no sitting out the second night of back-to-backs for "rest".

And consider the Suns-Lakers Christmas nationally-televised game in 1968. Wilt had a pretty quiet night with 15 points (West had 26 and Baylor had 22), 15 rebounds and 6 assists. Oh, and an unofficial 23 blocked shots.

Wilt's career stats - 30/22/4 are even more impressive when you consider he retired with the highest career FG% at that point, the most points and rebounds, and probably some ridiculous number of blocks per game. 5? 6? 8?

Statistically, Wilt is untouchable. There have been players who passed his career total for points scored, but those were done in far more game, with one notable exception (Kareem 1,560 games, Malone 1,476, LeBron 1,258, Bryant 1,346, Jordan 1,072, Nowitzki 1,522) and most of those guys played until they were carried out on their shields. In Wilt's final season he led the league in rebounding, was all-defensive team, finished 4th in the MVP voting, and played 47+ minutes a night in the postseason for a team that lost in the Finals.
 
Last edited:

Bobster

All Star
Joined
Jan 29, 2014
Posts
548
Reaction score
540
Location
Phoenix, AZ
Another question is - how good would Shaq have been if he had stayed in that good of shape his entire career?
 

Ouchie-Z-Clown

I'm better than Mulli!
Joined
Sep 16, 2002
Posts
59,937
Reaction score
51,286
Location
SoCal
The guy wasn’t human...

You must be registered for see images attach
That is an incredible photo. I had to recheck where their feet were to convince myself they were side-be-side and wilt wasn’t closer to the camera.
 

GatorAZ

feed hopkins
Joined
Oct 17, 2011
Posts
24,258
Reaction score
16,396
Location
The Giant Toaster
Another question is - how good would Shaq have been if he had stayed in that good of shape his entire career?

IMO, Shaq was at his best around 375-lbs with the Lakers. He just couldn’t be moved yet still explosive enough to finish.

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media
 

Phrazbit

ASFN Icon
Joined
Oct 10, 2011
Posts
19,563
Reaction score
10,285

The clips, the dialog, all of it; makes me very excited for his future. On offensive, his willingness to settle for jumpers has continued to frustrate, but literally, every single other aspect of his game is reaching the level of elite. He clearly grasps and embraces his role as a defensive anchor; statistically he was one of the best in the league at the the role.

It really is wild to view him now compared to his predraft expectations. Statistically, he is a rebounding and defensive monster but he needs work on his offensive aggressiveness; basically the opposite of his college profile.
 

JCSunsfan

ASFN Icon
Joined
Oct 24, 2002
Posts
21,754
Reaction score
6,138
It really is wild to view him now compared to his predraft expectations. Statistically, he is a rebounding and defensive monster but he needs work on his offensive aggressiveness; basically the opposite of his college profile.
And that is a good thing. If you had told all of us this would be the situation at draft time, we all would be thrilled.
 

Ouchie-Z-Clown

I'm better than Mulli!
Joined
Sep 16, 2002
Posts
59,937
Reaction score
51,286
Location
SoCal
Just needs to add the inside mentality, draw fouls and get opposing players into foul trouble.
 

Yuma

Suns are my Kryptonite!
Joined
Jan 3, 2003
Posts
20,163
Reaction score
9,606
Location
Laveen, AZ
And that is a good thing. If you had told all of us this would be the situation at draft time, we all would be thrilled.
I read that draft hype, and I kept saying, but he doesn't play that way. He is more finesse than bully. More roaming on defense than staying at home. He was this in college. I don't know who writes these draft articles? Then one guy quotes that, and it goes viral. Suddenly a guy is not what we saw in college.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
534,858
Posts
5,246,908
Members
6,274
Latest member
G-PA
Top