Recently dug up a news article where Wes confessed to be only 6 feet 5 and 1/2 inches tall. Though he often weighed 255-270. That makes him the shortest NBA center I'm aware of in the games history, and he managed to win MVP as a rookie in the Russell and Wilt era, anchoring several title contending teams, and later won a title in a league with prime Walton and Jabbar. Not a bad NBA career for a 6 foot 5 and 1/2 inch center.
Wilt Chamberlain Archive That's amazing. Plus, he wasn't a leaper at all. Watching him as a kid, I used to wonder how he played so well against those taller centers. Wes was so skilled and smart that he could just anticipate what other players would do and just use the appropriate skills to be effective. They don't make centers like that anymore.
To be fair, the year the Bullets won it all, Walton had destroyed his foot in the playoffs which sealed the fate of Portland and the Lakers were starting guys like Don Ford and were a year away from getting Wilkes and 2 away from Magic.
Marquis De Suave Bill Walton wouldn't have made much difference if he'd been healthy. The Blazers had other problems too that Bill Walton alone wouldn't have been able to help.
He's proof that strength is as important as height. Not only was he 6' 5 1/2", he couldn't jump much either. In fact, there's no evidence that he ever dunked the ball. In one game somewhere here on youtube, he steals the ball and goes down the court by himself and only lays the ball off of the backboard. I'd be curious if anyone knows more about this. If it's true, that would probably make him the only NBA center from the early 60s to current day who never did.
pudman31 You're right. I"ve never seen a center like him before or since. I don't think he ever dunked either. I don't know if he could...He proved that you didn't need to. However, he was an absolute master at all of the other skills. He was scientific.
Wes was a pleasure to watch because his game was so well developed given his role for the Bullets. His skill set was unique - he was an absolute master at blocking out, getting the rebound, and starting the fast break with pinpoint outlet passes, often times the length of the court. He also set devastating picks for his teammates and was an excellent passer and shooter in the half court game. It's no wonder Kevin Love patterned his game after the great Wes Unseld.
OneHundredPoints Markelle Fultz said to T-Mac that when the 76ers Draft him this year #1 He is going to be the the next to do it Rookie i of the year and MVP you never know shit with all the record breaks happening as of late
and he has the lowest offensive output of any MVP in league history, so this means he probably would’ve been the first (and only) to win Rookie of the Year, MVP, and the Defensive Player of the Year award.
Such a better game than today, and that's because of no 3 point shot, palming and traveling are called and the run the fast break. Love the quick outlet passes. The modern game sucks!
Good call, Wes was short for a center but he was a space eater with those huge legs and rear end. When he laid a body on somebody, they knew it! Nice upload.
+GodzillaFan754 : He had way more than that. He outsmarted most people he played against. An undersized NBA center couldn't last in the league if he didn't have all of the other skills. Wes had them all.
YoungGun9934: That's what I think. Laimbeer was no dummy when it came to picking his battles. He knew how to weigh risks. I'd think he'd leave Wes enough alone. Pun intended.
YoungGun9934: Wes was so smart as a player though. When I look at this clip, he really engineered the game. George Gervin said that Wes really understood the game. I took that to mean that he could think while he worked and could effectively adapt to his matchups.
Wes Unseld was awesome, I still remember the 1978 NBA Finals when he played on a sprained ankle, and was the finals MVP. Wes Unseld is the first player to win the League MVP and Rookie of the year in 1969. His outlet passes were the best of all time, he is also one of the nicest persons off the court. But on the court he was very tenacious and a very tough competitor.
So? This is just a routine game for Wes lucky to exist on film. Why would you compare him to guards and forwards playing today. He's an all time great center with some unique traits that fans of the game should enjoy watching. He's not known for scoring he's known best for great outlet passing and pick setting. You can just stick to watching modern players if he's not your cup of tea.
