Innholdsfortegnelse for 2025-05 i Beckett Basketball

Throughout the long and storied history of the NBA, centers have been a dominating force in the game. Each era seemingly had at least two players roaming the paint that are among their peers on the greatest of all-time list. After a long void of standout talent, the position is in power again and Nikola Jokić is leading the way, now making a case to be considered among the best of the best. The paint was no man’s land during the 1950’s and ‘60’s with the likes of Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell in charge. Helping usher in a new era of the game, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Moses Malone, and, when healthy, Bill Walton could not be stopped down low. During the ‘80’s, centers became more polished as all-around players able…

From bubble gum to sports trading cards, Fleer helped pave the way for the modern era cards. The family-owned Fleer Corporation, founded by Frank H. Fleer in 1885, went head-to-head with other card manufacturing companies starting with baseball in 1923 and football in 1960. But key elements of their 1961 basketball set continue to be in every set release, regardless of the manufacturer, to this day. The commons (if you can call them that), 1-66, of the 1961 set includes Wilt Chamberlain, Walt Bellamy, Bob Cousy, Wayne Embry, KC Jones, Bob Pettit, Sam Jones, Hal Greer, Bailey Howell, Oscar Robertson, Bill Russell, Len “Lenny” Wilkens, and Jerry West just to name a few. What was rare then but common now are the in-game action shots. The few NBA card releases…

If the everyday college basketball fan were asked to list the top five programs of all time, chances are the Kansas Jayhawks would be named a vast majority of the time. As much winning as Kansas has produced during the regular season coupled with conference tournament titles, only four of those squads have cut down the nets in the Big Dance (1952, 1988, 2008, 2022), and one of them was the most improbable national championship winners of all time. There is good reason for fans to put Kansas among the greatest programs. In 2023, the Jayhawks passed the Kentucky Wildcats with the most all-time victories (2,385). Kansas has made the Final Four 16 times with 23 Elite Eight appearances as of 2024 with 16 seasons of 30 or more wins.…