Could any NBA players from the 50s or 60s make the NBA today

[verticalhops]

1. Could any of the players from the 50's or 60's as they were with their skill sets at that time make the NBA today? Discuss

2. Could any be effective players? Discuss

[Shot Clock]

I'm sure someone would find a place for Wilt and Russell

[NYK 455]

Elite guys would. I don't think they'd be nearly as good however. Although it'd be hard to see someone like Cousy making a roster.

[JordansBulls]

1. Could any of the players from the 50's or 60's as they were with their skill sets at that time make the NBA today? Discuss

2. Could any be effective players? Discuss

No, they are like in there 70's.

[X-Factor]

No, they are like in there 70's.

I expected better from you. Disappointed.

[DirtyDez]

I think Russel/Wilt could fill a teams role. Everyone needs athletic big men. Perimeter players are so damn quick these days i doubt players from the 50's - 60's could keep up. Watching game film from back then hurts the eyes if you catch my drift.

[Blame Rasho]

Elite guys would. I don't think they'd be nearly as good however. Although it'd be hard to see someone like Cousy making a roster.

Guys like Mikan,Pettit, Russell,Wilt,Roberson, and Baylor were transcendent players and would be great in any era but Cousy wasn't.

[rrravenred]

Drag-and-drop? No. The way the game is played and skills have evolved. With some training and lead-in-time, probably (although the 50s is a bit of a different story to the 60s, as the rules privileged different types of play). The reverse is also through. I'd love to see how many possessions Wade, Lebron and Kobe would have in a 60s game before they were called for palming or how they'd stand up in terms of endurance in the fasttbreak game.

[RoyceDa59]

Wilt would most definitely be the best center in the NBA, and possibly the best player altogether.

[NYK 455]

Elite guys would. I don't think they'd be nearly as good however. Although it'd be hard to see someone like Cousy making a roster.

Guys like Mikan,Pettit, Russell,Wilt,Roberson, and Baylor were transcendent players and would be great in any era but Cousy wasn't.

Agreed to an extent. Wilt would be a top player, Russell would be a great shotblocker/rebounder, but not quite an elite guy. The others would make a roster, but I don't think they'd be elite in todays game. One guy I disagree with is Mikan, don't think he'd make a roster.

[Winsome Gerbil]

Wilt would of course. Quite likely still be the best center in the game. Russel would at the very least be a defensive roleplaying PF. Oscar would still be special. Few enough of the 50s guys, but a fair number of 60s guys. That was when the game started to mature.

[Warspite]

My guess is theres about 15 players that could make an allstar team and that theres about 30 more players that could start and maybe another 30-35 rotational players. Not bad for a league that had only 8 teams.
As a Pistons fan I would trade my starting player for any of these guys on my team

Ben Wallace for C: Wilt, Russell, Bellamy, Thurmond, Hayes, Beatty, Reed
CV31 for PF: Lucas, Pettit, Jackson, Unseld, La Russo
Prince for SF: Johnson, Baylor, Walker, Hondo, DeBuss, Barry, Cunningham
Rip for SG: S Jones, West, Hudson, Monroe, Bing
Stuckey for PG: Oscar, Lenny
Gordon for Greer
Maxiel for Hagan
Jerebko for Yardley
Daye for Hienshon, Arizen
Monroe for Embry
Tmac for Twyman
Bynum for Cousy

I would much rather start the 2011 season for the Detroit Pistons with this lineup

Wilt/ Russell/Thurmond
Pettit/Unseld/Johnson
Hondo/Walker/Cunningham
Jones/West/Monore
Oscar/Bing/Cousy

Miami Who???

[writerman]

There are at least four centers from that era who would be elite today--Wilt, Russell, Thurmond, Bellamy--and maybe three others who would be occasional allstars--Beatty, Reed, Unseld.

Wilt would be easily not just the best center in the league today but the best player, period. He and Russell would be 1-2 every year in rebounds and blocks. Wilt? Think Dwight Howard on steroid in terms of strength and the athleticism of a prime David Robinson and at 7'2" the skills of a better than average NBA guard. Russell? Think of a much smarter, more athletic and bigger Ben Wallace with the leadership skills of the best general you can think of.

Jerry Lucas and Bob Pettit would be two of the best PFs in the league. Lucas would be a slightly smaller but better rebounding Dirk with at least Dirk's range if not better.

John Havlicek, Gus Johnson, Elgin Baylor, and Billy Cunningham would be perrennial all-stars. Havlicek would be 1st team defense every year and win multiple DPOYs. Baylor would compete every year for the scoring title.

Walt Frazier would be hands down, far and away, the best two-way PG in the league.

Jerry West and Oscar Robertson would both vye for the best Combo/SGs in the league, and both would rank high in league scoring and assist averages.

I can't believe I'm taking such a question, with it's underlying assumptions of today's unquestioned suoeriority, so seriously. It's infuriating because there are so many posters here making judgements who neve saw these guys play other than in grainy old clips and haven't a clue about how good these guys were.

[NYK 455]

There are at least four centers from that era who would be elite today--Wilt, Russell, Thurmond, Bellamy--and maybe three others who would be occasional allstars--Beatty, Reed, Unseld.

Wilt would be easily not just the best center in the league today but the best player, period. He and Russell would be 1-2 every year in rebounds and blocks. Wilt? Think Dwight Howard on steroid in terms of strength and the athleticism of a prime David Robinson and at 7'2" the skills of a better than average NBA guard. Russell? Think of a much smarter, more athletic and bigger Ben Wallace with the leadership skills of the best general you can think of.

Jerry Lucas and Bob Pettit would be two of the best PFs in the league. Lucas would be a slightly smaller but better rebounding Dirk with at least Dirk's range if not better.

John Havlicek, Gus Johnson, Elgin Baylor, and Billy Cunningham would be perrennial all-stars. Havlicek would be 1st team defense every year and win multiple DPOYs. Baylor would compete every year for the scoring title.

Walt Frazier would be hands down, far and away, the best two-way PG in the league.

Jerry West and Oscar Robertson would both vye for the best Combo/SGs in the league, and both would rank high in league scoring and assist averages.

I can't believe I'm taking such a question, with it's underlying assumptions of today's unquestioned suoeriority, so seriously.

Wilt would be an elite player, but easily the best player is nonsense. He'd be behind LeBron and Wade, and in the mix with Kobe, Paul, Howard, Durant, Nash, and a couple of others. As far as having the best physical attributes of Howard and Robinson and the skills an NBA guard, well, it's either false or highly exaggerated.

Russell would probably be the third best 5 in the NBA, or 4th if Yao is healthy. Thurmond would be a strong rebounder who can block a few shots, but nothing elite.

There is nothing to indicate Lucas would be anywhere close to Dirk, despite playing in an era with massive inflation of statistical inflation and poor defense, he doesn't come close to the scoring numbers Dirk put up.

Havlicek was a good defender for his time, but perimeter defenses are much better now, so the all D team is doubtful.

Disagree on West and Robertson, they played in an era of weak perimeter play, and would clearly be behind Kobe and Wade.

Baylor wouldn't come anywhere close to a scoring title. His raw scoring numbers are rivaled by guys like LeBron and Kobe, and he played in an inflated statistical era with weak perimeter D and really wasn't efficient, and wouldn't be shooting the ball at that rate today.

[Kabookalu]

Most of the big men would, don't think much of the point guard to small forwards would. Obviously guys like Oscar, Havlicek, Baylor, West would still be great players today, Cousy and Sharman though would be sitting at the end of the bench.

[Warspite]

Most of the big men would, don't think much of the point guard to small forwards would. Obviously guys like Oscar, Havlicek, Baylor, West would still be great players today, Cousy and Sharman though would be sitting at the end of the bench.

That doesnt bode well since Rubio is a poor mans Cousy. I think Sharman is pretty much an Anthony Parker type player. Better than a Luther Head but maybe not quite a Kirk Hienrich. Still I would rather have him over most 3mil a yr guards.

I do think many 60s players would realy have problems with the strict structure of the NBA and its plays. 1960s ball is much more street ball with much less structure. But how long would it take to teach a guy like Hal Greer to come off screens or rotate to the corners? Maybe 6 weeks to adjust?

[nonemus]

Wilt would most definitely be the best center in the NBA, and possibly the best player altogether.

+1, but

Why would he more dominant in todays league than Russel or KAJ?

[Dobber-16]

There are at least four centers from that era who would be elite today--Wilt, Russell, Thurmond, Bellamy--and maybe three others who would be occasional allstars--Beatty, Reed, Unseld.

Wilt would be easily not just the best center in the league today but the best player, period. He and Russell would be 1-2 every year in rebounds and blocks. Wilt? Think Dwight Howard on steroid in terms of strength and the athleticism of a prime David Robinson and at 7'2" the skills of a better than average NBA guard. Russell? Think of a much smarter, more athletic and bigger Ben Wallace with the leadership skills of the best general you can think of.

Jerry Lucas and Bob Pettit would be two of the best PFs in the league. Lucas would be a slightly smaller but better rebounding Dirk with at least Dirk's range if not better.

John Havlicek, Gus Johnson, Elgin Baylor, and Billy Cunningham would be perrennial all-stars. Havlicek would be 1st team defense every year and win multiple DPOYs. Baylor would compete every year for the scoring title.

Walt Frazier would be hands down, far and away, the best two-way PG in the league.

Jerry West and Oscar Robertson would both vye for the best Combo/SGs in the league, and both would rank high in league scoring and assist averages.

I can't believe I'm taking such a question, with it's underlying assumptions of today's unquestioned suoeriority, so seriously. It's infuriating because there are so many posters here making judgements who neve saw these guys play other than in grainy old clips and haven't a clue about how good these guys were.

Excellent post. If it wasn't for the players mentioned in your post, no one would have known MJ, Kobe, LBJ, Magic, Dr J, or DWade. They made the NBA what it is now.

[Grime_Wizard]

Wilt would most definitely be the best center in the NBA, and possibly the best player altogether.

+1, but

Why would he more dominant in todays league than Russel or KAJ?

Because the best center is Dwight, that in itself should show you the state of NBA C's

[Official]

Some people have this insistent need to validate the 50s or 60s players by claiming they'd dominate in today's NBA. Unfortunately they wouldn't dominate. Yes, this includes Bill Russell, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, or Wilt Chamberlain. Most of the 50s and 60's players wouldn't make an NBA roster. They are still great players nonetheless.