Gotdamn the ABA tried to get over on Spencer Haywood.

[Kblaze8855]

I’ve always known he had to sue to change the rules about college underclassmen going to the league, but I didn’t know just how dirty they did him….


https://youtu.be/KyaGlDz1hmI?si=-LXd-ZxDIP9Q61J-


Go to the 2 minute mark if you don’t have time for it all.

They tried to backload his contract and make him drive trucks in retirement…..

[Kblaze8855]

This rule By the way is the reason Wilt had to join the Harlem Globetrotters instead of the NBA when he left college. He was 23 as a rookie. Imagine if they had let him come at 19 when he wanted to and would definitely have already been the best center in the league.

The owner in Philly essentially rigged the 1959 draft to make sure he got wilt when he was still in high school in 1955. In those days, the league was motivated to let locals go to the local(to his college) NBA team so they agreed when he was in high school he would go to Philly despite other owners trying to get him to go to college near other NBA teams so they would get the right to him. Red was apparently trying to get him to go to Harvard so the Celtics could take him.

He ended up going to Kansas, but still essentially assigned to Philly because the Owners agreed Philly could have him when he was in high school no matter where he went to college.

If they just skipped all that and let him play, LeBron might still be chasing the scoring record.

[L.Kizzle]

I’ve always known he had to sue to change the rules about college underclassmen going to the league, but I didn’t know just how dirty they did him….


https://youtu.be/KyaGlDz1hmI?si=-LXd-ZxDIP9Q61J-


Go to the 2 minute mark if you don’t have time for it all.

They tried to backload his contract and make him drive trucks in retirement…..
I wonder how many players know their yearly stats. Who knew his off the jump. 30 and 19.5.

[L.Kizzle]

Haywood was one of the rare players who was just as good in the NBA as he was in the ABA.

[L.Kizzle]

Also, I think the majority of players had off season jobs. They thought they were helping him out. Seems crazy now tho doesn't it.

[90sgoat]

In those days, the league was motivated to let locals go to the local(to his college) NBA team so they agreed that in high school he would go to Philly despite other owners trying to get him to go to college near other NBA teams so they would get the right to him. Red was apparently trying to get him to go to Harvard so the Celtics could take him.

This is how it should be still, it would fix most the problems with player engagement.