CavaliersFTW
05-02-2015, 12:54 AM
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-e-84jApji3s/VURQgPL-_WI/AAAAAAAAGPE/ZPPNHFs2rcs/s0/Red%2520Aurbach%2520talks%2520about%2520drafting%2 520players%2520and%2520Bill%2520Russell%25206-9%2520and%25205-8th2.jpg
In the article he mentions something very interesting about Russell, and a player named Walter Dukes.
I've been researching a lot of players via Newspapers of that era and prior (1940's and 50's) to try and get a handle on who the top players in the nation were, and what was written about the attributes they had that made them stand out compared with others. Contrary to what is often said today, there were a LOT of names of guys claimed to be 6-8 to 7-0 playing in the Nation back then. Perhaps they weren't all organized to compete against each other as regularly as today (the matchups of two players in the 6-10 range often made headlines) but they were in the nation. Only a few got press to play pro though, like Kurland, Lovellette, Mikan, Dukes, Felix etc.
Walter Dukes being one of them, was 6 feet 11 inches tall (listed as 7-0 in the NBA but cited as 6-11 at Seton Hall - likely exaggerated in the NBA). He came along already 22 years of age in his 4th year of college playing basketball in 1953, several years before anyone would ever learn who Chamberlain or Russell was, and he was detailed as the fastest big man that plays the game, a fine shooter, ball handler, and passer. 6-11. Track and Field athlete that was competitive in the quarter mile and high jumps 6 feet 6 inches in competition..... whoah wait a minute, sound familiar? All the physical attributes and Track and Field background that would later make Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell famous. He's cited by Red in the above article as actually being faster than Russell and a better shooter. Yet today we look back and nobody remembers him, because he for whatever reasons never revolutionized the NBA, while Wilt and Russell did despite him having an 8 year career in the NBA. It's interesting to me to know that a player in the physical mold of them (7 footer coordinated Track and Field stud) did not make noise in the NBA like they did. And that they are not the first to break into the league with that mold.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--qM3NU3A4us/VURPn0hcyQI/AAAAAAAAGOI/4XrN4JqGSVw/s800/Walter%2520Dukes%2520high%2520jumper%25206-6%2520inches%2520and%2520good%2520quarter%2520mile r.jpg
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Pf8FKNz2PVI/VURVyKFoNXI/AAAAAAAAGPg/d9ndMn64A9A/s0/Walter%2520Dukes%2520incredible%2520athlete%25206-11%252019532.jpg
In the article he mentions something very interesting about Russell, and a player named Walter Dukes.
I've been researching a lot of players via Newspapers of that era and prior (1940's and 50's) to try and get a handle on who the top players in the nation were, and what was written about the attributes they had that made them stand out compared with others. Contrary to what is often said today, there were a LOT of names of guys claimed to be 6-8 to 7-0 playing in the Nation back then. Perhaps they weren't all organized to compete against each other as regularly as today (the matchups of two players in the 6-10 range often made headlines) but they were in the nation. Only a few got press to play pro though, like Kurland, Lovellette, Mikan, Dukes, Felix etc.
Walter Dukes being one of them, was 6 feet 11 inches tall (listed as 7-0 in the NBA but cited as 6-11 at Seton Hall - likely exaggerated in the NBA). He came along already 22 years of age in his 4th year of college playing basketball in 1953, several years before anyone would ever learn who Chamberlain or Russell was, and he was detailed as the fastest big man that plays the game, a fine shooter, ball handler, and passer. 6-11. Track and Field athlete that was competitive in the quarter mile and high jumps 6 feet 6 inches in competition..... whoah wait a minute, sound familiar? All the physical attributes and Track and Field background that would later make Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell famous. He's cited by Red in the above article as actually being faster than Russell and a better shooter. Yet today we look back and nobody remembers him, because he for whatever reasons never revolutionized the NBA, while Wilt and Russell did despite him having an 8 year career in the NBA. It's interesting to me to know that a player in the physical mold of them (7 footer coordinated Track and Field stud) did not make noise in the NBA like they did. And that they are not the first to break into the league with that mold.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--qM3NU3A4us/VURPn0hcyQI/AAAAAAAAGOI/4XrN4JqGSVw/s800/Walter%2520Dukes%2520high%2520jumper%25206-6%2520inches%2520and%2520good%2520quarter%2520mile r.jpg
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Pf8FKNz2PVI/VURVyKFoNXI/AAAAAAAAGPg/d9ndMn64A9A/s0/Walter%2520Dukes%2520incredible%2520athlete%25206-11%252019532.jpg