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Most talented forward ever?
Season One (age 19)
78g .510fg% .790ft% 14.4rpg 2.5apg 27.5ppg
1st in league in scoring, 2nd in rebounding, MVP
Season Two
70g .529fg% .764ft% 13.5rpg 4.6apg 26.8ppg
1st in league in scoring, 2nd in rebounding, MVP, Playoffs MVP
This is of course Connie Hawkins, who was banned from college and the NBA and played his rookie year in the shortlived ABL (other NBA stars playing that year include Nat "Swee****er" Clifton, Dick Barnett, Bill Bridges, George Yardley, Bill Sharman, and briefly until injured Neil Johnston -- probably better talent than early ABA). He was not allowed to play competitive ball again until age 25 in year 1 of the ABA and didn't make the NBA until age 27 after a serious knee injury that left him with limited jumping ability.
Season Three
47g .511fg% .767ft% 11.4rpg 3.9apg 30.2ppg
didn't qualify for pt or reb title but still made 1st team All-ABA
Season Four:-- injury forced a change in position (from PF to SF)
80g .490fg% .779ft% 10.4rpg 4.8apg 24.6ppg
1st team All-NBA
This is a progression that makes you wonder. Better than Erving? (league was tougher in Erving's debut) Better than LeBron? Better than Bird? What if . . . .
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If you have to shoot, shoot, don't talk
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