RIP Mark Eaton

[Enforcer84]

I was bummed to hear that 2-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year and 7'5'' former Utah Jazz Great, Mark Eaton passed away after a bicycling accident, he was 64. 

 

https://www.si.com/nba/2021/05/29/utah-jazz-legend-mark-eaton-dies-at-64

 

Rest In Peace, Mark.

[Michael Hopcroft]

Eaton was the prototype of the "no-shot defensive specialist". He was bigger, stronger, and tougher than just about any center he faced. His arms were so very long, making his ability to block shots unparalelles in his time.

 

I don't know whether it was after Eaton's career that the Dallas Mavericks made BYU center Shawn Bradley a top-three pick hoping he would be an attacking threat (like Eaton with a reliable shot). That turned out to be ill-advised/ Bradley became a liability on both ends of the court. Eaton had shown a player can be effective -- and even iconic -- without putting up bad shots.

 

Eaton rewrote the book on the center position in the NBA, and demonstrated that viewing basketball as a :team-first s[ort can win you the sort of fame you would never expect.

[Pariah]

In addition to being a beloved member of the beloved Utah Jazz, Mark Eaton became a community icon in Salt Lake City. He will definitely be missed.

 

(Point of order: Shawn Bradley was originally drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers, not the Dallas Mavericks.)

[unclevlad]

1 hour ago, Michael Hopcroft said:

Eaton was the prototype of the "no-shot defensive specialist". He was bigger, stronger, and tougher than just about any center he faced. His arms were so very long, making his ability to block shots unparalelles in his time.

 

I don't know whether it was after Eaton's career that the Dallas Mavericks made BYU center Shawn Bradley a top-three pick hoping he would be an attacking threat (like Eaton with a reliable shot). That turned out to be ill-advised/ Bradley became a liability on both ends of the court. Eaton had shown a player can be effective -- and even iconic -- without putting up bad shots.

 

I'd argue Eaton didn't rewrite the book;  Chamberain played that way with the Lakers, for example.  (NOT in Philly, he was an offensive machine there.)  And there've been others that weren't big offensive threats.  How about Bill Russell?  THE BEST rebounder and shot blocker probably in history;  all his points were at the rim or at the line, principally off an offensive rebound.

You're right.  Eaton's last year was 92-93, and Bradley was drafted in 93.  The problem of course, was Bradley was a skinny twig who couldn't hold his own in the post.

 

And creepy!  I'd missed, or forgotten...that Bradley was paralyzed earlier this year...while riding his bike...in Utah................