European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 25, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse Ead Center modern pivots redefine what big men can do sunday november 25,1990 the stars and stripes Page 21 a v a \ Tion to become More adept at float i by William Rhoden Gate title with a style in which 1 the new York times the traditional Ter it inn fax a u 7 a a a Jeorge Mikan chuckled when was adapted to their Breakneck Ina arks of a tip she a red recently what would have running offence. A h o a a two th5 opened to a 6-foot-10-Inch while fans enjoy this hour Efig Hub a Side shot Iyer of his Day who launched a Leoning versatility at the a int a rtt a a ,. Shot during a game or worse there is an underlying despair mfg Fth a mfr 1s, Ning attempted to break a press among some coaches that in a v r11 adjustment in create his own shot by crib game that places a Ore i no on Man to Man alignment guarding ing the Ball. Light the tallest e m0re versatile tal1 prs in the a a he a get bawled out of moving farther away from the a of this urse a said Mikan who is Gen Basket. Of Offen tersawlnt15636 mourning is Roade no i Quot myself a a be Small forwards Small for Ter wards want to be guards and eve i i. It 11 s Good to m of is prominence Ery body wants to be the Point suit ions the few Wever Mikan said he always a a card you want to know where the Forward soot a a Pec y Mem ered never to Cross the the centers Are ask magic he them Nonh u visible line that separated Cen screwed it All m jilt jwks5 that moan l a most coaches agree that the if Joni Benefit from expanding in Earrice of magic Johnson a Bis skills even when he plays the p guard for Mihigan state pm sly by eat no How ump juju j.ta.uy<4.tl, tt11u id Gwi ally regarded As the first great enter in the Modem Era of pro Psi onal basketball. 6-10, 240 pounds Mikan a minted the game at each end i the floor first at Depaul later Kwh the Minneapolis lakers. Ifor All of his prominence Wever visible line that separated Cen is from the rest of the team. A the Only time i would shoot 3m the outside was in practice id then it was Only when we Ere shooting for milkshakes a Likan recalled. A and As far As ill handling goes i always said a at when i dribbled it was two ounces and a understandably Mikan is a bergsted by the Transfer 6-9 guard for Michigan state and Larry Bird 6-9 swing Man for Indiana state in the 1979 Mcaa final accelerated the trend of players Over 6-8 focusing on skills like Ball handling passing and Long Range shooting that had been reserved for smaller players. After Johnson and Bird Sev to come out and get the Ball when the guards can to get it to him and hitting the 15-foot jumper to keep collapsing defences honest. A Alonzo is one of the Best shooters on our team a Thompson said. A a he san extraordinary shot Blocker and rebounded. Now he a being afforded an options taking place at his Posi fte1r, Johnson and Bird Sev now he Shein in with centers becoming in a ral College coaches began to put p0rtunity to broader Stam Quot paved in every facet of the Ore Stock m a players skills a his game. A a a mow rents. Uts jul ame . Had he been at Mcdonough Rena last week Mikan would Ive seen Alonzo mourning George town Scenter play a on the perimeter taking an pc signal 15-foot jump shot cog Down court to Block a for lard a shot on the Wing then freaking Back Down court to Fin a off a fast break. T think its wonderful a said Fikan who retired in 1955 and an attorney in Minnesota Rou have Guys running like per they re bigger Well Coordie Atfah a. J j.1____ a _ a a physical package which they were wrapped. A it More depends on a persons ability than his size a said would no thave done/�?T6 a rid Nancy cent Osuchas Alonzo mourning shorn John Thompson the Thead coach Tobeh new versatility at the court with a Freedom their predecessors can Only envy. Use up the smallest Man on coaches or Whethe bringing Hll Sean Rooks and the 7-foot de the team at Point guard the Bie Center in from the cold has k coaches like Thompson have Stokes whom he uses coming off Gest Guy at Center the next to the been Good for the game not eve become More open to allowing the Bench. Smallest in another position Miyone 1s convinced it has. Sells to dictate position. A magic of the three Stokes is the new vim or it John wooden the legendary a to gym work out with More traditional Center Wil Urcla coach whose teams won i a is Dwin preseason a Liams and Rooks have solid in be said. Magic May be bigger Side games but enjoy the flourish a body in Nur spam at of in front tur. Lity bit Are bigger stronger quicker. ,9. National championships a thinks that the Advent of the 6-10 the game is played much More thinks that the Advent of the 6-10 differently than the Way it was player who can do it All has caused a deterioration of team item and the can Han Luli mourning is a prime example we fort of things. When i raved to liberation of the Pivot poas the individual becomes fas the centers duty to he st s1.tl0n has affected even those Mon proficient he can do More 10 feet of the Basket a players who were quite Comfort in is own and coaches let them would he have like t a playing with their backs to do my re on their own thus team inside shots Basket. Play has deteriorated a he said. A a heir two seasons ago mourning wooden coached two of the Efto Host Iler ays was regarded As the nations pre. Id a abm that g Mier High school Center. Mourning to do a j w3sn my 1?8 said then that he saw himself 4 w. First and Foremost As a Low Post from incan to mourning the player and was not particularly s on the ver8e of taken with the perimeter game. A Ribera d p�,?6 image three years later the 6-10 than everybody on our team yet in the transition game. You see a Guy like magic getting there has always been a Short out on the break handling the age of truly outstanding centers Ball you realize that it depends but what aggravates the Condi s?1? a Naie son s Abl Ltd than Tion now coaches say is that so tin if 316 Youg ing t0 Many High school players do not Ell magic play Center want to be Post up players. Wooden said that is exactly the liberation movement has what he would have told John not taken the Aba by storm _ son. A a in a say a in be got a 6-foot pm st play is like wrestling at Best most outstanding centers to col stay the Aad routinely like combat lege basketball Kareem Ahdel. P of a said maybe not As so while general managers a Jabbar then known As Lew Al the Fern f c3n�?T Lupu can play of Fiat be newly evolved versa Oire hrs i or Tun fhe front line much better than Tilitz of Bie men the Reni in Jabbar then known As Lew Al the via cinder and Bui Walton. Heck nudes of for than yet he fit them tightly into the total of the two of you the group am work of a team and said he is it mind Quot Yipu Eiroa a a Gnu or Ilioiu Pic framework of a team and said he would do the same with talented the Nimke un3ge three years later the 6-10 would do the same 5 Hanifi eng Bulldozer that Junior is learning to play Power players in the 1990s haunted the position virtual Forward a position that has be wooden recalled that when come almost interchangeable Abdul Jabbar first came to a i Center but one that also Urcla he was asked about the Calls Tor the dexterity associated centers versatility. try. U a a people used to ask me a can mourning will split the Pivot he shoot from the outside9�?T i with Dike be Mutombo a 7-2 1 Junior. For All practical purposes however mourning has taken a sabbatical from the Posi j since or. Naismith erected his first peach Basket. The changing roles can be pen clearly in College where paches faced with an Ever pre put shortage of True centers a noted a array of systems j passing game and to Lon offences a that involve All Ive players and demand fluency n a variety of skills. Increasingly the big Man is no anger treated like a Leper on a ast break or regarded As a Libil a m a fast paced game. As e,11 As not today Scenter is Likely to be leading the break. Kast season Nevada Las Egas won the National Colle he x said a i done to know and in a not going to find i. Had other Fellows that i would rather have is going to be More and that is what in a always interested in the sum an increasing number of coaches have discovered that having five players who can run the floor shoot dribble and pass is More lethal particularly when two or three of them Are 6-10 or taller. At Arizona this season coach Lute Olson has a front line of big men the reality knuckle culture of pc muscle ultimately shooting outside. I d rather have Theolu Brian a a inters want to be Power forwards Power forwards want to be Small forwards Small forwards want to be guards and every body wants to be the Point guard. You want to know where the centers Are ask magic he screwed it All up Rutgers coach Bob Reutzel Utility of Bis that in the f basketball wins out. While the Center has shifted out of the Middle players like mourning and Shaquille of Neal the 7-foot leu Center have shunned the extravagances o versatility in favor of remaining m the trenches. First of All they pay the Cen Ter the most Money that a the Bottom line right there a mourning said. Traditionally you be seen that the big Money is giver to the centers. Not Only that centers Are looked at More than any other position on the floor the Center can have a major effect on another teams play especially if he Sable to pass hit cutters Block shots and rebound. A when you think of Center a mourning added a you think of Center of
