Bob Leonard – From Way Downtown

Terry Dischinger: Two Toots for ‘Terrible Terry,’ 1964

This serious fellow had been in the habit of coming out first in anything that he undertakes.

Three-Point Shot: Pro Basketball’s Big Bomb? 1971

Imagine the excitement in Madison Square Garden if one of the Knicks sank a three-point play in the closing minutes of a stretch-run game. It would be pandemonium.

Kentucky Colonels: Finger-Licking Good, 1976

The Kentucky folks sat back and watched the “greatest show on earth”—the Colonels winning the ABA championship.

Roger Brown: ‘Now is Now,’ 1971

Sharman continued, “Roger Brown is the closest thing to Elgin Baylor when Elgin was at his peak. The way he handles the ball and shoots, his great ability changing directions and speed. One on one, he’s as good as there is.”

It’s Murder Under the Basket, 1976

No officiating changes are going to eliminate rough play from professional basketball. It has become part of the game, every aspect of it.

Joe Hassett: A Sonar Salute, 1979 – 1981

Some guy inbounded the ball to Hassett. He shot it with a flick, as it were a free-throw. Only it was a 28-footer, and was quite good.

James Edwards: The NBA’s Next Super Giant? 1979

If Edwards produces as Leonard expects, a lot of NBA scouts may be hiding in the woods to avoid answering questions from their bosses. Edwards didn’t get selected in last year’s college draft until the third round.

Billy Knight: The Pacers’ Newest Star, 1975

Billy Knight is only the second rookie in the Pacers’ history to crack the starting lineup right away. McGinnis was the first.

George McGinnis: Would You Believe . . . A Strong Julius Erving . . . A Tall Elgin Baylor?

At the age of 22, McGinnis has already been compared—favorably—with a man many considered the finest and most complete forward in basketball history—Elgin Baylor.

Mel Daniels Itching for Shot at NBA Stars, 1971

[In late 1967, about two weeks into his rookie season, Mel Daniels and his Minnesota Muskies were in Teaneck National Guard Armory to face the New Jersey Americans. A young reporter named Ira Berkow ambled over to Daniels and asked, “What do you think of playing in the ABA?” The ABA was brand-spanking-new, and DanielsContinue reading “Mel Daniels Itching for Shot at NBA Stars, 1971”