Tag: Nate Thurmond

With players like Walker, Jones, Billy …

With players like Walker, Jones, Billy Cunningham and Luke Jackson surrounding Chamberlain, the 1966-67 Sixers had an overwhelming amount of firepower. They had the right coach in Hannum, who was firm with his players when necessary. And they had all the requisite motivation after being the bridesmaid for so many years. Greer told the Philadelphia Daily News, “We had everything. We knew we were going to win most of our games — it was just a matter of by how much.” Those Sixers went 68-13 in the regular season, which was then an NBA record. They triumphantly dethroned Boston in five games and then still had to face the tricky task of the NBA Finals against Rick Barry’s and Nate Thurmond’s San Francisco Warriors. Philly would go on to win in six games, and Greer led the Sixers with 27.7 points per game during the postseason.

Notre Dame Basketball Great Walt Sahm Dies at 78

Few Notre Dame basketball players represented both the school and the state of Indiana as well as Walt Sahm.

Few Notre Dame basketball players represented both the school and the state of Indiana as well as Walt Sahm. At 6-foot-9, he was key at a time when big men were highly valued in basketball. That height allowed him to soar to rebounding greatness with the Irish after a nice high school career with Cathedral in Indianapolis. On Jan. 5, Sahm passed away of complications from COVID-19 at the age of 78.

From 1962 to 1965, Sahm averaged 16.9 rebounds a game, giving him a program record that stands to this day. He’s also third in Notre Dame history with 1,146 rebounds. With a 15.8 scoring average, he’s only of only two players to average over 15 points and 15 rebounds over their Irish career. All of that, along with being a three-year starter and co-captain, made him an easy choice for Notre Dame’s All-Century Team, which was unveiled during the 2004-05 season.

During Sahm’s career, the Irish went 42-35 and made the NCAA Tournament twice. Both appearances ended in close first-round defeats. In 1963, Sahm had 14 points and 15 rebounds but couldn’t match the 16 points and 20 boards from Bowling Green’s Nate Thurmond. He finished his career in fitting fashion two years later with a 17-point, 10-rebound performance against Houston.