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View Full Version : Larry Sanders? Royce White? How about the story of Bill McGill


CavaliersFTW
02-25-2015, 11:47 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDgxftoeDYw

He was actually the #1 pick in the NBA coming off what is to this day still one of the greatest careers in NCAA history. He was homeless only a few years later. Born in the wrong time, if he had grown up today he'd have been payed off his potential and he'd have made millions despite his problems.
Im Still Ballin
02-25-2015, 11:51 PM
Can you help me with some Wilt Chamberlain related questions?
deja vu
02-25-2015, 11:57 PM
What's wrong with him?
CavaliersFTW
02-26-2015, 12:19 AM
What's wrong with him?
He was depressed, labeled/panned by coaches as overly sensitive to criticism/mentally fragile etc. Maybe they don't cover that angle in that video but that's the way he was perceived and largely why he never made an impact and quickly disappeared from the NBA.

In that time there was no "mental illness" sympathy, nor hardly such thing as the diagnosis' we have today. I don't know what was "wrong" with him other than descriptions of him from coaches/etc seem awfully similar to guys like Sanders or White.

Not saying for he had a mental illness for sure as I'd have no way of knowing... but I'd bet he did.

Not that that should be an excuse for him either though any more than White or Sanders need excuses. Jerry West had mental illness in that time period and was one of the best ever, MWP had/has mental illness in the modern game and he also had a functional career.

*EDIT* I see he blames it on his knee. That could be true. But I remember reading news articles about him when Google News Archive was still active from that time period and the coaches were not commenting on his problems from his NCAA to pro transition being knee related so much as his focus/mentality and sensitivity to criticism.
FireDavidKahn
02-26-2015, 12:42 AM
The guy played in the NBA (edit: ABA) until he was 30:confusedshrug:
deja vu
02-26-2015, 06:05 AM
Oh I see. Thanks for the explanation. He seems to be a very talented guy. Do you think he could be a HOFer had he managed to keep his problems under control? Who do you think are his comparisons?