Most comparable player to Sullinger

[mmmmm]

You younger guys might not understand the comparison but I see a lot of Wes Unseld in Sullinger's game and body type. 6'8" or so, wide body, brutally stronger, excellent post game and interior positioning. Not the highest jumper but extremely smart game and a good mid range game.

Now in the 70's centers and power forwards just weren't allowed to run out to 20 something feet and take a jumper so that doesn't fit but as Sully ages, I could see him becoming a defensive and rebounding presence due to his size and strength and intelligence, while still putting up 16-20 PPG efficiently

I totally agree with you Nick and have used that analogy several times and just got blank stares:-))))  Oh to be young again:-))

Smitty77

I assume 70s Cs and PFs also didn't get to play against ripped 7-footers who can move like quick forwards on a regular basis.

Yeah, Wes played against a bunch of nobody centers with names like Wilt, Kareem, Walton, Mcadoo, Lanier, Cowens, Reed, ... nobody good.

[kozlodoev]

Yeah, Wes played against a bunch of nobody centers with names like Wilt, Kareem, Walton, Mcadoo, Lanier, Cowens, Reed, ... nobody good.

I'm not talking about skill here, I'm talking about size.

[Eja117]

Healthy Powe.

I kinda like this......I'm not sure "healthy" is one of the words I use to describe Sully

[Fan from VT]

Healthy Powe.

I kinda like this......I'm not sure "healthy" is one of the words I use to describe Sully

Good point. More meant that Powe was a 20/10 guy in college when healthy, and when healthy in the NBA was a legit PF, though undersized.

[Celtics4ever]

I think unhealthy Powe could jump better than Sully.  Sully is a zip code sized butt guy.   He makes contact and goes to the ball.  Leon could jump even post injury.  They both are warriors in the low post though.

[mmmmm]

Yeah, Wes played against a bunch of nobody centers with names like Wilt, Kareem, Walton, Mcadoo, Lanier, Cowens, Reed, ... nobody good.

I'm not talking about skill here, I'm talking about size.

Are you asserting that the number of 'big' centers today is more than it was back then?

I think if you did a search of the number of players 6' 11" or taller getting significant minutes back then versus today, you would find it was not less back then.

I did that sort of search in another thread a while back and there were actually slightly _more_ "true bigs" like that playing.  And with fewer teams.

[hpantazo]

You younger guys might not understand the comparison but I see a lot of Wes Unseld in Sullinger's game and body type. 6'8" or so, wide body, brutally stronger, excellent post game and interior positioning. Not the highest jumper but extremely smart game and a good mid range game.

Now in the 70's centers and power forwards just weren't allowed to run out to 20 something feet and take a jumper so that doesn't fit but as Sully ages, I could see him becoming a defensive and rebounding presence due to his size and strength and intelligence, while still putting up 16-20 PPG efficiently

I totally agree with you Nick and have used that analogy several times and just got blank stares:-))))  Oh to be young again:-))

Smitty77

I assume 70s Cs and PFs also didn't get to play against ripped 7-footers who can move like quick forwards on a regular basis.

Yeah, Wes played against a bunch of nobody centers with names like Wilt, Kareem, Walton, Mcadoo, Lanier, Cowens, Reed, ... nobody good.

Yea, I mean, how many ripped 7 footers who move like quick forwards do we actually have in the league today? I'm having trouble naming even one or two.

Tim Duncan is neither ripped not quick. Brook Lopez is not quick at all, and neither is Hibbert. Dwight Howard is ripped, athletic, but not SF type quick at all. Where are the ripped and small forward quick 7 footers you are referring too?