Are the 70's stars the most underrated?

[Im Still Ballin]

Guys like Kareem, Dr. J, George Gervin, Elvin Hayes, Bill Walton, David Thompson, Rick Barry, John Havlicek, Artis Gilmore, etc.

It seems like they are; I think this is due to 3 reasons:

- The ABA
- Extreme league parity
- Most defensive era ever

We're talking about a decade wherein 8 separate teams won championships. Lots of guys don't get the recognition and props for their accomplishments in the ABA. The NBA was also super defense; it was essentially a jump-shooting league. In fact, the Illegal Defense Rule Scheme was brought to open up the paint:



Here’s an excerpt from Bill Simmons’ book that furthers this explanation:

The new wave of coaches made defenses sophisticated enough by 1981 that the league created an “illegal defense” rule to open up the paint.

Here’s how referee Ed Rush explained it to SI: “We were becoming a jump-shot league, so we went to the coaches and said, ‘You’ve screwed the game with all your great defenses. Now fix it.’

And they did. The new rule will open up the middle and give the great players room to move. People like Julius Erving and David Thompson who used to beat their own defensive man and then still have to pull up for a jump shot because they were being double-teamed, should have an extra four or five feet to move around in. And that’s all those guys need.”


This is what led to the free-flowing, beautiful offensive show of the '80s.

[kennygriffin]

say the nba split into 2 leagues for the 2010's and durant/curry/giannis/Lillard played in one league and kawhi/lebron/harden/AD played in another

one had a 3 point line and the other didn't.. and people were smoking/getting drunk/eating/getting high on the bench... and nobody cared cause being a lazy hippy was cool. and nobody really cleaned up on accomplishments other than winning a bunch of mvps... and almost no games were televised with half empty arenas and all people really remembered was a dunk contest and someone getting their face caved in... would this past era be worth talking about? and it barely is already with all the colluding and ring chasing

people would ditch basketball at a faster rate than they already are due to the nba going political and anti white

hell no the 70s aren't underrated. they should be wiped out of nba history. and so should everything else that ever happened during that era aside from a few rock songs

[HBK_Kliq_2]

Kenny is right, I hated the 1970s era. Basketball wasn't really that popular then and they gave Kareem the mvp in a season he missed the playoffs. That's why you hear in every Jordan documentary that Jordan saved the league because 1970s was DEAD. Baseball was more popular. It's an asterisk era. The main star was Kareem and he only won 1 ring despite half his competion being wiped out by the ABA hahahhaa

I would say real basketball started counting right around the time David stern became commissioner (1983).

[pandiani17]

I think they are the most forgotten for sure.

[FKAri]

Yes because big money marketing hadn't yet entered the equation; specifically, Nike.

[And1AllDay]

Yes because big money marketing hadn't yet entered the equation; specifically, Nike.

+1

[L.Kizzle]

Yes because big money marketing hadn't yet entered the equation; specifically, Nike.
It was a different era. They were still having double header games st MSG.
Boxing was the biggest sport.

[ScottieQuitting]

No, it’s just hard to rank them. Anything pre-merger? Highly overrated. Especially ABA statistics

[sdot_thadon]

No, it’s just hard to rank them. Anything pre-merger? Highly overrated. Especially ABA statistics

Ok so back that up with some facts and common sense.

[FKAri]

It was a different era. They were still having double header games st MSG.
Boxing was the biggest sport.

It was worse than the 60s in terms of marketing because while basketball was more popular the two leagues were eating each other. Why would the ABA want to market NBA stars and vice versa? Post-merger some guys didn't even get credit for their ABA career until many years later. A lot of guys got the short end of the marketing stick. You need to market your stars or your sport dies. And it wasn't until Magic and Bird that they finally had the storyline, talent and marketing competency to get it done.

[L.Kizzle]

It was worse than the 60s in terms of marketing because while basketball was more popular the two leagues were eating each other. Why would the ABA want to market NBA stars and vice versa? Post-merger some guys didn't even get credit for their ABA career until many years later. A lot of guys got the short end of the marketing stick. You need to market your stars or your sport dies. And it wasn't until Magic and Bird that they finally had the storyline, talent and marketing competency to get it done.
Dr J was huge. Yeah Bird and Magic were important but Doc was the guy in the mix late 70s more so than Kareem.

[fsvr54]

Dave Cowens is another forgotten great player.

[L.Kizzle]

Dave Cowens is another forgotten great player.
Their 2nd tier guys are interesting.
Paul Westphal
Lou Hudson
Bob Love
Charlie Scott
Bobby Jones
Maurice Lucas
Rudy R
Phil Chenier

[j3lademaster]

Yes because big money marketing hadn't yet entered the equation; specifically, Nike.That's the NBA's fault though, they just weren't popular enough for Nike and Gatorade or whatever companies existed back then to care. The sport has to generate the interest on its own first, and then the larger more competitive talent pool will follow along with the marketing.

[L.Kizzle]

That's the NBA's fault though, they just weren't popular enough for Nike and Gatorade or whatever companies existed back then to care. The sport has to generate the interest on its own first, and then the larger more competitive talent pool will follow along with the marketing.
No, it's all about your marketing strategy and team.
Wilt Chamberlain was one of the most popular guys in the USA in the 60s and 70s. I doubt he had any endorsement deals. I doubt anyone from MLB and NFL did as well in the 60s. Clyde Frazier had Puma buy how many Puma ads were on TV or in Time magazines (or Ebony/Jet) for the brothers?

Gatorade and Nike were still brand new in the 70s.

[FKAri]

No, it's all about your marketing strategy and team.
Wilt Chamberlain was one of the most popular guys in the USA in the 60s and 70s. I doubt he had any endorsement deals. I doubt anyone from MLB and NFL did as well in the 60s. Clyde Frazier had Puma buy how many Puma ads were on TV or in Time magazines (or Ebony/Jet) for the brothers?

Gatorade and Nike were still brand new in the 70s.




Sonny Vaccaro, who saw a major flaw in the way shoe and apparel companies handled business with college athletes.

Prior to the late ‘70s, colleges and many pro athletes paid for their own athletic shoes and apparel. Vaccaro came up with a plan: Pay college coaches and give their athletes free merchandise. Last year, Vaccaro told Vice Sports that it all started in 1977, when he gave college basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian $5,000 and 120 pairs of free Nikes.- https://ca.style.yahoo.com/nike-took-over-nba-sneaker-211812914.html

Wilt was almost bigger than basketball in the 60s. By the 70s basketball itself was more popular but the stars still weren't being pushed. Kareem is a unique case because of his personality and relationship with the media. When big money entered, basketball entered its golden age, Which had more to do with marketing rather than players suddenly becoming better.

It's not really the NBA's fault nor was it a lack of popularity It took corporations to notice the popularity to take it to the next level. Unfortunately, the 70s stars missed the boat by a few years.

[Round Mound]

Wes Unseld and Moses Malone...also arrived in the 70's

[L.Kizzle]

38 different players made the All-Star team as guard between 1970-1979.

Only five players made the All-Star team as a guard five or more times in the decade; Clyde Frazier & JoJo White (7) and Jerry West, Dave Bing & Pistol Pete (5.)

Nine one time All-Stars.

Robertson 3
Clyde 7
Greer 1
Jimmy Walker 2
Flynn Robinson 1
Jerry West 5
Lou Hudson 1 (4 other as SF)
Joe Caldwell 1
Lenny Wilkens 3
D ick Van Arsdale 2
Jeff Mullins 2
Dave Bing 5
Geoff Pietre 2
Earl Monroe 3
Jojo White 7
Gail Goodrich 4
Archie Clark 2
Butch Beard 1
Pistol Pete 5
Tiny 3
Charlie Scott 3
Norm Van Lier 3
Phil Chenier 3
Austin Carr 1
Jim Price 1
Doug Collins 4
Randy Smith 2
Brian Winters 2
Downtown Freddie Brown 1
Phil Smith 2
Paul Westphal 3
David Thompson 3
Don Buse 1
George Gervin 1 (2 others as SF)
Lionel Hollins 1
Dennis Johnson 1
Otis Birdsong 1
Calvin Murphy 1

[Lakers Legend#32]

If you understand history, you respect all these players contributions.