BALTIMORE, MD - CIRCA 1970’s: Bob Lanier #16 of the Detroit Pistons in action shooting over Greg Ballard #42 of the Washington Bullets defense during a late circa 1970’s NBA basketball game at the Baltimore Coliseum in Baltimore, Maryland. Lanier played for the Pistons from 1970-79, 80. | Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images
Somewhat overlooked today, Lanier was one of the best big men to ever play.
In the movie Airplane, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar plays a sort of undercover pilot who was called Roger Murdock. A kid calls him out and says “you’re Kareem Abdul-Jabbar!” He argues he’s not until the kid tells him his dad thinks he doesn’t play hard then Kareem says something like tell your dad to drag Walton and Lanier down the court.
Walton of course was Bill Walton, who had a brief time in the sun. A lot of younger fans today may not know who Bob Lanier was and that’s too bad because Lanier was an outstanding player.
At 6-11 and 250, he wouldn't stand out so much today but in his era (1970-84) he was one of the best big men around.
He wasn’t immensely athletic but he was surprisingly nimble. Like Kareem, he had a really nice hook shot and he had a solid all-around offensive game. He had a surprisingly soft touch.
He also ran the floor well for a big man of his era, playing first for Detroit and then for Milwaukee.
Lanier’s career was limited by knee injuries. He had his first in his senior year at St. Bonaventure and had problems throughout his career.
But he was good enough to be inducted into the Hall of Fame and his contemporaries regarded him as one of the best big men in the history of the game.
