Bob Pettit as a pro today.

[Boom_70]

Reading the "Best you've ever seen" thread made me think, would there be a place in today's NBA for Bob Pettit?

To get to 21 Pettit has to go through me.

I doubt it. He's 75.

He would still beat Kwame Brown in a one-on-one game. Right now. After spotting Kwame 10 points on the way to 21.

 

[slowcenter]

I think conversation on this topic should be limited to those who actually saw Petit play.

That means anyone under, say, 55 need not opine.

If those are the parameters ... yes, I'm over 55 and I saw Petit play

Bob Petit would be a great player in the NBA in any era because he had talent and he knew how to play.

He was a 6-9 forward who had a post game and an outisde shot, could pass and a was great position rebounder and he actually played defense.

He wasn't half as athletic as someone like Kevin Garnett, but if he played now, he'd make KG look like a fool.

Petit is probably among the 10 or 15 best all-around player in the history of the NBA.

Thank you for your opinion. That was the type of insight I was hoping for when I saw the post originally.

For you others, you'll notice I have not offered any opinion, due to the age-sensitive criteria I offered. I was barely born when Pettit played his last NBA game.

 

[Boom_70]

I think conversation on this topic should be limited to those who actually saw Petit play.

That means anyone under, say, 55 need not opine.

If those are the parameters ... yes, I'm over 55 and I saw Petit play

Bob Petit would be a great player in the NBA in any era because he had talent and he knew how to play.

He was a 6-9 forward who had a post game and an outisde shot, could pass and a was great position rebounder and he actually played defense.

He wasn't half as athletic as someone like Kevin Garnett, but if he played now, he'd make KG look like a fool.

Petit is probably among the 10 or 15 best all-around player in the history of the NBA.

Thank you for your opinion. That was the type of insight I was hoping for when I saw the post originally.

For you others, you'll notice I have not offered any opinion, due to the age-sensitive criteria I offered. I was barely born when Pettit played his last NBA game.

Look just between you and I spnitted in in the early stage of dementia-- You trust what he says.

 

[Starman]

He would have had to learn how to play with negros :

"I made headlines around the country because it seemed that I, as a Southerner, was unable to get along with a Negro teammate," Pettit wrote. "This hurt because I have never had anything but good relations with boys I played with or against."

Among Petit's teammates in his rookie season with the Milwaukee Hawks was Chuck Cooper, the first (by some definitions) African-American in the NBA. Among his teammates in his final NBA season were Lenny Wilkens, Zelmo Beaty, Bill Bridges and Paul Silas. I think Pettit had come to terms with the idea of playing with negros. : :

(Although personally, I would recommend to drop the phrase "boys" in this context. :-X )

 

[spnited]

He would have had to learn how to play with negros :

"I made headlines around the country because it seemed that I, as a Southerner, was unable to get along with a Negro teammate," Pettit wrote. "This hurt because I have never had anything but good relations with boys I played with or against."

Among Petit's teammates in his rookie season with the Milwaukee Hawks was Chuck Cooper, the first (by some definitions) African-American in the NBA. Among his teammates in his final NBA season were Lenny Wilkens, Zelmo Beaty, Bill Bridges and Paul Silas. I think Pettit had come to terms with the idea of playing with negros. : :

(Although personally, I would recommend to drop the phrase "boys" in this context. :-X )

True, starman, but in the late 50s and early 60s the Hawks had a reputation as a very racist organization, thanks mostly to Slater Martin

 

[spnited]

definitely in St. Loo.

 

[Boom_70]

Story was well outlined in the excellent documentary Black Magic but basically Pettit and Cliff Hagan froze out their black rookie teammate- Cleo Hill and refused to pass to him. Remember Hagan played for Adolph Rupp.

Here is full story:

http://www.blackathlete.net/artman2/publish/Basketball_6/Rebound_From_Racism.shtml

 

[spnited]

Cleo Hill, not Cleo James, Boom.
And yes, Cleo is a very bitter man about to this day.

 

[broadway joe]

I think conversation on this topic should be limited to those who actually saw Petit play.

That means anyone under, say, 55 need not opine.

If those are the parameters ... yes, I'm over 55 and I saw Petit play

Bob Petit would be a great player in the NBA in any era because he had talent and he knew how to play.

He was a 6-9 forward who had a post game and an outisde shot, could pass and a was great position rebounder and he actually played defense.

He wasn't half as athletic as someone like Kevin Garnett, but if he played now, he'd make KG look like a fool.

Petit is probably among the 10 or 15 best all-around player in the history of the NBA.

That description of Pettit pretty much fits Garnett just as well. KG also has the edge in height and athleticism. I'm not disputing Pettit's greatness, but to say he'd make KG look like a fool seems like a pretty big stretch.

 

[mustangj17]

You do realize that Eric Piatkowski is still pulling down more than the President for wearing warmups from 7-10 p.m. 82 times a year right?

He's a sharp shooter, always a job for a sharp shooter.

 

[Fenian_Bastard]

Reading the "Best you've ever seen" thread made me think, would there be a place in today's NBA for Bob Pettit?

I doubt it. He's 75.

He would still beat Kwame Brown in a one-on-one game. Right now. After spotting Kwame 10 points on the way to 21.

Unfair game, Kwame can't count to 21.

This is, of course, racist bull****.

 

[Boom_70]

Reading the "Best you've ever seen" thread made me think, would there be a place in today's NBA for Bob Pettit?

I doubt it. He's 75.

He would still beat Kwame Brown in a one-on-one game. Right now. After spotting Kwame 10 points on the way to 21.

Unfair game, Kwame can't count to 21.

This is, of course, racist bull****.

Just proves that Bush No child left behind law does not work.

 

[93Devil]

Pettit was one of the best players of his generation, so I am guessing he had some raw ability.

Under today's current system, if he was born into it, he would be doing just as fine, but you might not be able to recognize his style of play. That would be altered as well.

If you argue that he would not do well because today's game is different, then you need to be willing to say that certain players who play today would fail 40 years ago because their game (can't shoot or pass) would conversely fail.