fredrickson@celica.DEC (03/07/86)
>> ..............Nobody expected Parish and Mchale to be >> superstars, >> >> Tom Gross >Does anybody really think that Parish is a superstar ? I for >one am never impressed by him. Especially this year, every time >I've watched the Celtics, they seem to make their big run with >Walton subbing. >Walter Nielsen The use of the word "superstar" is subjective. If you think the top 20 or 25 players in the NBA are superstars, then Parish can probably be included. I define superstar as someone who has been a truly dominant performer, able to heavily influence the outcome of a game and a season, over a period of at least a few years. NBA superstars: Bird, Jabbar, Magic, Erving, Malone, Thomas, Moncrief, Bernard King, Gervin. (Erving and Gervin in their primes.) Almost but not quite: McHale, Worthy, Wilkins, English, Cheeks, Vandeweghe, Nance, Sampson, Buck Williams, Sikma, Dennis Johnson, Walter Davis. Give them time and they will be: Olajuwon, Barkley, Ewing, Jordan, Blackman, Robertson, (?)McDaniel, (?)Tisdale. I'm sure I missed a few, but that's my interpretation of superstar. Bill Walton would have been if health had allowed him 3-5 straight years of dominance. Michael Ray Richardson would have been if he hadn't destroyed himself. Other young guys could emerge. As for Parish, I believe he is an underrated, not overrated, player. Even here in Boston, I would bet he'd only come in fourth or fifth as the fans' favorite player. He seems a little moody and has his occasional no-shows. When he is off he looks like a real stiff. But when he is rested (thank God for Walton) and motivated, Parish is a force: a very good defensive center who gives you quickness, shot-blocking and rebounding; an exceptional offensive center who runs the floor as fast as any big man in the league and possesses a deadly turnaround rainbow from about 12 feet in. I would include Parish in my list of "almost but not quite" superstars if he were more consistent. When he is at his best he is the fourth-best center in the league (Malone, Jabbar, Olajuwon). He also gives Malone fits. Mark Fredrickson