RIP Bill Walton

Yes, I was thinking of him too.

 

Kareem?

 

Kareem was not a people person, let's put it that way, until later in life. It's OK to grow, even when old. I think all the great centers have had some degree of alienation from the world, especially when they played, if only because their height set them so far apart from others. Add introversion to the mix, and it's the young Kareem, proud, smart, and not a little distrustful of others. Russell channeled his alienation into activism, Wilt into hedonism, and so on. Also, every center of note was roasted thoroughly through some or all of their careers. Russell was arrogant, Wilt selfish, Kareem uninterested, Walton a malingerer. Even Shaq took enormous heat as a fraud until he got to LA. If they had dim views of their fellow man, they had their reasons.

 

When he passes, younger people will look at his stats and highlights, possibly for the first time, and be awestruck.

Then an old man will bitch that he wasn’t friendly enough.

Jordan wasn’t exactly warm and cuddly, either. They just played in different decades and one didn’t change his name.

 

I always think of Grant Hill when I think of “nice guys.”

Also, not quite the same, but by almost all accounts, John Cena is a great guy.

 

Cena without a doubt an amazing human. It’s just he’s in a niche “sport.”

This is a rare air list.

There are a lot of Freddie Freeman’s but they don’t have the national spotlight.

 

He comes off as a bully or a horse's ass a lot of the time. He's kind of in the same zone as The Rock, where you can feel that he's got enough ego that it prevents people from fully embracing him. I'd contrast that from Arnold Schwarzenegger, who's not exactly had a perfect personal life, but seems beloved by most who have met and worked with him.

 

Shaq has always come across to me as an unlikeable ass.

 

TikTok - Make Your Day

TikTok - Make Your Day

 

Steph Curry is definitely one of the "best" guys around. Buster Posey too (no this isn't about the local guys, I'm not nominating "myself" as one of the good guys).

He wasn't an all-timer on the field but damn that Warrick Dunn did some fantastic work getting homeless people into homes.

IF Lebron didn't whine so much for 280lb steamroller with the agility of a downhill skier and a Ferrari engine, I'd nominate him.

 

You two should meet. I'd watch that even on pay-per-view.