Over the last few years, a lot of things have changed in college basketball. Not all that long ago, between the influence of the Golden State Warriors and the endless defection of young college post players to the NBA, SmallBall was very much in vogue.
More recently, with teams like Duke and Michigan building much taller rosters, college has left that era behind (it’s happening in the NBA as well).
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The truth is that basketball always has been, and always will be, a big man’s game. If you are 6-9 and can do things that a 6-2 player can do, well, that 6-2 guy can’t flip the script and overpower you inside.
Some big men are more skilled than others. Hakeem Olajuwon had the Dream Shake and could get loose on anyone. The other guy who really mastered post play was Kevin McHale.
McHale was a master of post moves. The Up-and-Under, the Drop Step, the Uptake, and, when all else failed, a very accurate fall-away jumper, McHale was so difficult to guard inside that he gained a unique nickname: The Torture Chamber.
Having a 7-10 wingspan when you’re 6-10 made life much more difficult for people who had to guard McHale.
Of course, having Dennis Johnson and Larry Bird get you the ball made your life that much easier, too.
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