The Unpopular Opinion Thread

[Senser81]

I think you had to be more than exceptional to make the NBA a viable option in the 50's & 60's.

I'm not understanding what you are saying here. Please make sense.

[the Brain]

W/less potential to make a living in basketball, you had to be more than exceptional to make that a career choice in the 50's & 60's. Only the elite of the elite were in the NBA. The league, in comparison, is watered down now. There are guys starting now that wouldn't get a camp invite back then.

[Senser81]

W/less potential to make a living in basketball, you had to be more than exceptional to make that a career choice in the 50's & 60's. Only the elite of the elite were in the NBA. The league, in comparison, is watered down now. There are guys starting now that wouldn't get a camp invite back then.

Completely disagree. With less potential to make a living in basketball, you would have great college players choosing to go into other professions simply because they couldn't make a career out of playing professional basketball. Pro basketball players in the 50's and 60's made peanuts.

[shag773]

Completely disagree. With less potential to make a living in basketball, you would have great college players choosing to go into other professions simply because they couldn't make a career out of playing professional basketball. Pro basketball players in the 50's and 60's made peanuts.

A good example, although it was the NFL in the late 30's, was Davey O'Brien. He was drafted by the the Eagles in 1939, played for two years, and became an FBI agent. He was considered one of the greatest college QBs of all time and was well on his way to being a top pro QB.

Three years before Jay Berwanger won the heisman, got drafted and didn't even sign a pro contract.

Most of those guys who played in the 50s and 60s had offseason jobs. These guys didn't work out year round like they did back in Jordan's day.

[the Brain]

Completely disagree. With less potential to make a living in basketball, you would have great college players choosing to go into other professions simply because they couldn't make a career out of playing professional basketball. Pro basketball players in the 50's and 60's made peanuts.

There were fewer teams in baseball & football as well. So the proportions would remain the same. The other leagues also made less as well. It was not unusual for all-stars to have an off season job. Some baseball players went to the Mexican Leagues.

If you were on the Knicks in '65, you played the Lakers (West/Baylor) 10 times. You played Oscar Robertson 10 times. You played Russel's C's (w/5 HOF's) 10 times. You played Wilt 10 times. You played the Hawks (4 HOF's) 10 times. That's 50 of 80 games vs teams loaded w/all-time greats.

The teams were deeper in the 60's. In comparison, the NBA talent is diluted. We look @ teams w/3 superstars as loaded. Hawks had 4 headed to Springfield & finished 2nd in their division.