San Anton and Denver weren't media hotbeds. Dr J was in obscurity his first 2 yrs in Virginia. Once he joined the Nets in NY, that's all you ever heard. He became the face of the league and to a degree, the sport.
There wasn't anything like Ice, his movements, his demeanor, his style and the way he just seemed to just glide not run and that shot of his was a thing of beauty plus his nickname was the best ever, the Iceman...
I wish San Antonio beat Washington in the 79 playoffs.they were up 3-1 on washington.that would've been the greatest matchup against seattle.james Silas and George Gervin vs Dennis Johnson and Gus Williams
As someone who has watched, played, and coached the game for the majority of my life I have always admired GG. He did so many things well, they weren't as OMG flashy as David Thompson, or Dr. J but his change of speed, subtle feints and fakes, his use of angles and his reading of the game were incredible, and that doesn't even get to his ability to put the ball in the basket. He was able to combine herky jerky, and smooth into something that was just beautiful to watch.
I am from SA. He came to my middle school and spoke to all the kiddies in the gym. I was on the basketball team, he shot layups with us in the layup line.
@@infiniteuniverse9528 , please don't be jealous. As it turned out we had a counselor at my middle school who lived next door to gervin in the same apartment building when he first was traded to SA. This counselor was close to the young student athletes at the school for which I was one of them ( I later recvd full ride college athletic scholarship in 🏈 ). Well, one day Gervin left with spurs on a rode trip, but left his front door opened. Our counselor looked out for him while he was away and they eventually became fast friends. By way of that relationship and that person Gervin came to visit our school. Larry Kenon, as a result of the same person, was the keynote speaker at our 8th grade athletic banquet. Gervin had a ♥ for the young fellas. Several times on game day we would drop by his house and, he would get up from his nap and come out of the house to say hello to us. Gervin was our hero.
Agreed. Everyone was a DrJ fan it seemed regardless of what team you were loyal to. Gervin was similar. Both originals, I think Gervin was even more fun to watch the ways he could score.
Yes in the tail end of career before he was traded to Chicago, him and his wife was going through a bitter divorce and she publicly said he had a strong addiction to cocaine, which he never denied.
If he won 1 ship everybody would know,avg 30 a game for your career in that era makes him a finger rolling hall of famer.1 of the best scorers of all time.
I know I'm going to get a lot of hate for this, but the George Gervin black swoosh Nikes was the last time Nike made a basketball shoe that wasn't ugly. A true classic just like George.
I grew up in the 70's and 80's. Gervin was my favorite player. I loved the ABA players that came into the NBA. Dr J, David Thompson, Artis Gilmore, Dan Issel, Maurice Lucas, and so on. Ice was my favorite. I had the poster and wore the white Nike Blazers with the black swoosh. There's a split photo with Klay Thompson on one half celebrating 37 points in a quarter. The other side is George Gervin saying try getting 33 without a 3-point line. He was just so much fun to watch (along with Dr J and David "Skywalker" Thompson).
Ice was silky smooth, one of the best! My son's AAU team often played at his academy gym. He's great with people and friendly with all who visit the gym. One of my top 5 favorite of all time.
Ma man *The Ice Man* ! One of the *Coolest/Smoothest* players the league has ever seen! Respectable footage of his take game, but he also had a "Lethal" jumpshot and could use the glass from any angle! He simply had an uncanny ability to score! "Unstoppable"! His poster to this very day is *STILL* to me, the baddest poster ever created❗ He sits on a thrown made of blocks of Ice in a Nike warm up with one basketball on each armrest. ****CLASSIC**** Excellent, ExCelLenT, EXCELLENT❗👏👊◼◼◼💯 HPH, thanks for the Vid Footage! Long time ago, but I remember the ABA years well and the transition certain players made to the NBA....
I FOLLOWED GEORGE ICEMAN GERVIN SINCE ICE WAS PLAYING FOR THE VIRGINIA SQUIRES FEBRUARY 1973 AND I WAS AT THE HALL OF FAME WHEN ICE WAS INDUCTED MAY 1996 AND I'M HIS SHOTGUN MAN FROM NEW YORK CITY
Klay Thompson may shoot from farther out, and Wade may have done some athletic things, but no Shooting Guard could score as many ways consistently, as Gervin! Gervin would have fouled out the entire Warriors Frontline, after he destroyed their Guards!
They said Kevin Durant plays like Gervin the most.i I wish San Antonio played Seattle in the 79 championship instead of washington.they were up 3-1 on washington.i wonder who would've won.it would've been Gervin and James Silas vs Dennis Johnson and Gus Williams.and Mike gale vs Fred brown.i think Paul westphal and pistol Pete
@@marcconnelly5652 MC, U bringing back some memories mentioning those names! Brown and Williams, whewwww WHAT A TANDUM! Downtown F.B. could fill it up from anywhere! The youngsters need to Google and RU-vid him.... Great memories man, appreciated your comment...🔥💯....
Remember this, Ice scored 33 points in 1 quarter when 3 point line did not exist. Facts. So Klays record of 37 in 1 quarter has an asterisk **. Plus, Ice would tear today's game up with this style of game play. Would have averaged 37-40 a game.
I remember watching Ice thinking, 'is this guy ever going to miss?' Remarkably, he led the NBA in scoring 4x averaging 0.3 3-pointers per game. Let's just call it ZERO!
i used to go see the squires all the time in the mid-seventies at the richmond coliseum...saw george gervins first game as a pro...man they were fun to watch!!
Awesome Great job 👍 Gervin was my 2nd favorite after Dr J. I first started watching NBA at 9 Yrs old 1978. I remember flying around the living room with a small basketball doing finger rolls with mom threatening to whoop that a$$ if I broke anything 😲😵💫😂💪
How bout David Thompson or pistol Pete.paul westphal was my favorite.i think he was the most like Bird.they said that westphal was probably the best guard in the league from 76 to 80
@@marcconnelly5652 Yes you nailed those three. Maravich was my dad's favorite. I was only 9 Yrs old when I started watching in 1978. But since I been busy watching you tube highlights and games Maravich , Westphal, and David Thompson are Favorites to look for. I hear Walter Davis was I think Jordans favorite. I was a card Collector as a kid and loved researching stats, in order to learn players and get there cards. I liked Bernard King,,Dr J, Adrian Dantley also. Some new ones I've discovered since watching highlights and Games on you tube is Dave Cowens, World B Free, Tiny Archibald, Jojo White, These are some new favorites I've added to my watch list. Appreciate your response Be Blessed
Hey Man! One can only ask if there is a Goat.Geoge Gervin was phenominal.I have never seen any player as Kool and Deadly as George Gervin.His legendary Finger Rool and his use of the backboard was unbelieveable.George Gervin is a Legend!
I had his infamous ICEMAN poster in my bedroom growing up. I was lucky enough to see him play several times back then in San Antonio. That was a time when security was more relaxed and you can actually get autographs before and after the game down on the floor and even outside as they were leaving.
Loving this one thanks for sharing very information blessed love to all knowledge is power hopefully everyone pays attention keep up the good work 🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲
The iceman & DR.J had the best finger tip rolls ever their hands look well their fingers looked long but I wish younger fans could watch iceman & DR.J and they would see a different type of player
I saw Gervin play for the Quad City Thunder of the old CBA. I was like 8, so all I remember is that The Iceman was there. I don't even remember what it looked like.
2 names I remember early in my "NBA spectator career" are Artis Gilmore & George Gervin. The league basically blew them out of the water with Larry Bird & Magic Johnson. But I still remember them as being top notch ballers.
Every time Gervin had the ball, it was a highlight reel. He could dunk, drive, and score with circus shots. He was a contemporary of Dr J, but I liked the Iceman better. Only Jordan was more exciting
Ice is one of those guys who will be forever linked to the ABA. I wish Hoops Histoire would do some more ABA guys like Warren Jabali or John Brisker, or a compilation of fighters. It would be good to see a look at the old industrial league where Larry Brown toiled for the Akron Goodyear Wingfoots.
Dang…This is the 1st time ever hearing about the 73 to 63 Final Day Scoring Title Battle Wowzerz. That’s amazing Imagine scoring 73 points and still losing the Scoring Title I know about The Admiral and His 71 Points to take it from Shaq the final day I was alive for that But I hadn’t ever heard of the 73-63 WOW Couple special performances Very strange that The Spurs would be involved in both of those and Winning both Scoring Titles Plus 70 + points being involved in both Only 2 higher scoring games I believe 100 & 81 I could be missing a Game but 73 & 71 are both involved Weird
I wish David Thompson won the scoring title in 78.he said that always bothered him.do you know if pistol Pete was one of the scoring leaders in 78 until he damaged his knee
@@marcconnelly5652 I am not sure of that But I do know that The Pistol was A Super Talent that really should be mentioned more amongst The GOAT’s I guess it’s just because He had a 10yr career so didn’t get into the career totals But what He did when He played was ahead of it’s time and 2nd to None .
It's amazing some of these cats today like JJ Reddick, craps on old school players. Bird, Ice, Doc, Magic, David Thompson, would have shredded today's league.
When a kid I had dr.j and the iceman on my walls.iceman sitting in chair made of ice in silver sweatsuit with legs crossed.smooth is all I can say,to avg 30 a game for your career makes him top 10 in my book.and dam can ice finga roll.SMOOTH.no thang putting up 40 in your face .icecold he is like some1 we all know from the bay ,put up 40 with a smile on the regular.ICECOLD.NEEDED 58 POINTS TO WIN SCORING TITLE PUT UP 63.ENUFF SAID THE MAN WAS BAD ASS.
Iceman’s game is who I modeled my game after. But I was never that smooth. Glad he got cleaned up would have hated to hear about him overdosing and on skid row
2:32 "they called him the iceman because he just plays". no sir. nobody called him the iceman in college. there has been a consistent narrative on this from george , julius, and the rest of the virginia squires from 73. roland "fatty" taylor gave george the nickname in his rookie aba season. if his college coach said that, then it was long after the incident, and incorrect.
