During Michigan’s win over UConn Monday night, Aday Mara threw a quick and devastating outlet pass over the Huskies’ defense that made announcer Bill Raftery excitedly say, “shades of Wes Unseld.”
Many people immediately wondered: who the hell is Wes Unseld?
And since he retired in 1981, a lot of readers were born well after his career ended. And in truth, in later years, Unseld was a shadow of what he had been.
And what he was earlier in his career was phenomenal.
Just 6-6, but a solid 250, Unseld came into the league in 1968 and won Rookie of the Year and also MVP.
He played center and when he came in, that meant he had to deal with Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Nate Thurmond, and Willis Reed, among others.
In a couple of years, he would have Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to deal with as well.
Despite being vastly smaller than these enormous rivals, Unseld more than held his own, and, as Raftery suggested, he had one of the greatest outlet passes ever seen. Perhaps only Russell, Kevin Love, and Bill Walton were in the same tier as outlet passers.
Basically, Unseld achieved all that he did by outworking his opponents.
Later in his career, knee problems began to limit his mobility. He remained a good rebounder and passer until retirement, but he couldn’t move like he had as a younger player.
There really isn’t anyone else quite like him in the history of the game.
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