Talk:Clyde Lovellette

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article must adhere to the policy on biographies of living persons. Controversial material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libellous. If such material is repeatedly inserted or if there are other concerns relative to this policy, report it on the living persons biographies noticeboard.

	This article is within the scope of WikiProject Biography. For more information, visit the project page.	Biography Portal
Start	This article has been rated as Start-Class on the project's quality scale. [FAQ]
	This article is supported by the Sports and games work group.

	This article is within the scope of WikiProject Boston Celtics, which aims to improve all articles related to the Boston Celtics.
Start	This article has been rated as start-Class on the assessment scale.
Mid	This article is on a subject of mid-importance within Boston Celtics articles.

[edit] Big Clyde's NBA opportunities

Clyde Lovellette was a center first and formost. A powerful 6'9 and 260 pounds, Lovellette was the big man in high school, college, the Olympics and in AAU ball, where he also led a champion. Lovellette was tabbed to replace superstar George Mikan with the Lakers. Mikan was looking to retire now that the NBA had a 24-second clock. Mikan was a starter in name only when the Lakers won their last title with him in 1954. Lovellette was already better, a fact he proved all year. But the Lakers were about to rebuild as a team. Seeing the impact of Boston's Bill Russell in 1956, The Lakers looked to add a shot blocker. Walter Dukes became the center, and Lovellette was moved to power forward, a position his shooting range and limited leaping ability better suited. The team had a poor year but were improving. They were a year away from adding Elgin Baylor to the squad. An unhappy Clyde was dealt to the then-lowly Cincinnati Royals where he again showed his ability to be an all-star center. But the cash-strapped Royals could not pay Lovellette what he was worth and dealt him to St.Louis. The Hawks had Bob Pettit and Cliff Hagan to match with Lovellette on their front line. But Clyde's inability to defend the basket eventually put Pettit at center. The Hawks made the Finals as the best West NBA team. But Clyde, like many, could not play above the rim with Bill Russell. Clyde had what it took to be an all-star center, but was really a super power forward who needed a shot blocker at center to play next to. By the time he was a Celtic, his declining body flirted with 300 pounds. He would get his rings as a backup center. Lovellette's chances for an NBA title before Boston never came because he did not play with a shot blocker that would allow him to star as the kind of player he was. Karl Malone and Charles Barkley had very similar issues.