SHARE. Once there is opening down the lane for a layup, the finger roll is the most convenient due to distance away from the rim. Prior to Michael Jordan, Gervin had the most scoring titles of any guard in league history. Gervin's first NBA scoring crown came in the 1977–78 season, when he narrowly edged David Thompson for the scoring title by seven hundredths of a point (27.22 to 27.15). [11] In the 1978–79 NBA season, the Spurs finished 48-34 with the second seed in the Eastern Conference (currently a Western Conference team), they had made it past Julius Erving and the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round, beating them in seven games as Gervin led the league in playoff scoring with 28.6 ppg. [5] In January 1973, Kerr signed Gervin to the Squires for a $40,000 a year contract.[6][7]. In 1972–73, Gervin initially played in Michigan for the Pontiac Chaparrals of the Continental Basketball Association, where he was spotted by Johnny Kerr, a Vice President, Basketball Operations for the Virginia Squires of the ABA. That season they were one win away from advancing to the 1976 ABA Finals without competing in the first round, as they had lost 4-3 to the Julius Erving-led New York Nets, who would win the championship. George Gervin: The Iceman talks finger roll, ABA. The Squires' finances had never been stable, and they had been forced to start trading their best players to get enough money to stay alive. George "The Iceman” Gervin was one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history. Gervin carried the team in scoring by leading the league with 29.4 ppg, they had made it back to the Conference Finals but got swept by the number one seeded Los Angeles Lakers who would end up winning the championship that year. SHARE. [27] Gervin retired with the most blocks by any guard in NBA history.[19]. The layup can help improve one’s game because it can make it harder for defenders to defend by not knowing whether the offense is going for a finger roll or another layup. Gervin's time in Virginia would be short-lived, however. SHARE. huhtikuuta 1952 Detroit, Michigan) on yhdysvaltalainen kilpauransa päättänyt koripalloilija. He had also received the nickname because of his rare ability to play the game of basketball at a high level without sweating.[15][16][17]. During the 1974 ABA All-Star Weekend, rumors abounded that the Squires were in talks about dealing Gervin for cash. In 1976, Gervin married Joyce King. Wählen Sie aus erstklassigen Inhalten zum Thema Iceman George Gervin in … Jan 7, 2015 - George "Ice Man" Gervin That's how yah finger roll In 1981, while sitting out three games due to injury, Gervin's replacement, Ron Brewer, averaged over 30 ppg. [2], Gervin attended Martin Luther King, Jr. High School in Detroit, where he struggled on and off the court until he reached his senior year, when he had a growth spurt and averaged 31 points and 20 rebounds to lead his school to the state quarterfinals. Gervin was inducted to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1996; additionally his #44 jersey has been retired by the Spurs and he was named as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. SHARE. Although the finger roll is a very challenging shot it still has a high percentage of making the basket. While others mimicked this style when shooting layups, Gervin was known to "finger roll" from as far as the free throw line. The shot was pioneered by center Wilt Chamberlain in the 1960s.[1]. George Gervin: The Iceman talks finger roll, ABA. In den 70er Jahren gehörte er zu den besten Spielern der Welt. [2][13] At this point in his career he had lost some of his quickness, but his scoring instinct remained; he averaged 25.5 points, 5 rebounds and 1.2 assists, and in his last match he scored 31 points and grabbed 15 rebounds to keep Manresa in the first Spanish division. Everybody knows he’s a San Antonio great. Gervin's younger brother, Derrick is a retired basketball player who mostly played in the CBA and Europe. George Gervin (* 27. When asked if he was sending a message, Gervin said, "Just the way the Lord planned it" and added, "Ice be cool" (with Ron Brewer). I believe the guy can score when he wants to. San Antonio Spurs icon George Gervin says, ""The ABA is … Duration: 01:59 4/27/2020. With Gervin as the centerpiece, the Spurs transformed from a primarily defense-oriented team into an exciting fast-breaking team that played what coach Bob Bass called "schoolyard basketball". [2] In 2009, Gervin was ranked #45 on SLAM Magazine's Top 50 NBA Players of All Time. Whether he was laying in a sweet finger roll over a center in the paint or spotting up for a long jumper in the face of a guard, George Gervin always found a way to put the ball in the basket. Although the Spurs never won an ABA playoff series during Gervin's first three years there, their high-powered offense made them very attractive to the NBA (along with their attendance figures in a relatively small media market), and the Spurs joined the more established league as part of the 1976 ABA–NBA merger. SHARE. Gervin was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. Or a finger roll so feathery and accurate had to have been his birthright. Gervin received a scholarship to play under Coach Jerry Tarkanian at California State University, Long Beach, but he had such a culture shock that he returned home before the first semester was over. Gervin initially played for the Pontiac (Michigan) Chaparrals of the Continental Basketball Association, where he was spotted by Johnny Kerr, a Vice President, Basketball Operations for the Virginia Squires of the ABA. A Hall of Fame inductee and one of the NBA’s 50 greatest players, Gervin has been credited for inventing the finger roll. Coach Dick Motta said about him: "You don't stop George Gervin. [citation needed] He transferred to Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, Michigan and averaged 29.5 points as a sophomore forward in 1971–72. [8][9][10] One famous exception was San Antonio Spurs forward George Gervin, who turned the shot into a nearly unstoppable weapon when he led the National Basketball Association (NBA) in scoring between 1978 and 1980. George Gervin, can...Finger Roll! Within two years, the Squires were no more. With the scoring crown in hand, he sat out some of the third, and all of the fourth quarter. Right before the 1985–86 season, Gervin was traded to the Chicago Bulls for forward David Greenwood after missing multiple preseason workouts amid the possibility of being relegated to the bench by new head coach, Cotton Fitzsimmons. San Antonio Spurs icon George Gervin says, ""The ABA is … One famous exception was San Antonio Spurs forward George Gervin, who turned the shot into a nearly unstoppable weapon when he led the National Basketball Association (NBA) in scoring between 1978 and 1980. George Gervin: Well, I mean, it's tough to hear. TWEET. [26] Gervin's sister, Barbara Gervin-Hawkins, is a Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives. April 1952 in Detroit, Michigan), Spitzname Iceman, ist ein ehemaliger US-amerikanischer Basketballspieler, der zwischen 1972 und 1986 in der American Basketball Association (ABA) und der National Basketball Association (NBA) aktiv war. 1 In Both Polls: 'I've Seen a Lot, "Five Players You Didn't Know the Suns Drafted | Phoenix Suns", https://valleyofthesuns.com/2016/05/20/phoenix-suns-best-draft-picks-that-never-suited-up-for-the-suns/, "Phoenix Suns NBA Draft Awards: Best And Worst Picks Ever - SB Nation Arizona", "Man and the Monument: How George Gervin Became Champion of the People", "There Was No Sweat With This Iceman - latimes", "Chat: Chat with George Gervin - SportsNation", "Hall of Famer Gary Payton still jawing after all these years", Ranking: Total Career Blocks by NBA Player, "Life After Basketball | George Gervin Official Website | Contact George Gervin Agent", http://marriage-divorce-records.mooseroots.com/d/c/George-Gervin, "There's No One Hotter in Pro Basketball Than Texas 'Iceman' George Gervin", "The All-Time Roster of Harlem Globetrotters", "Norrköping – Gervin tillbaks i Dolphins", "Barbara Gervin-Hawkins, president and CEO of the George Gervin Youth Center", "Former NBA player uses skills to inspire youth beyond sports", George's page at Basketball-Reference.com, National Basketball Association's 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, NBA All-Star Game Kobe Bryant Most Valuable Player Award, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=George_Gervin&oldid=1004799706, American expatriate basketball people in Italy, American expatriate basketball people in Spain, Eastern Michigan Eagles men's basketball players, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees, National Basketball Association All-Stars, National Basketball Association players with retired numbers, Martin Luther King High School (Detroit) alumni, Articles with Spanish-language sources (es), BLP articles lacking sources from June 2016, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2019, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 4 February 2021, at 13:12. In 1996, Gervin was named as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. Gervin averaged at least 14 points per game in all 14 of his ABA and NBA seasons, and finished with an NBA career average of 26.2 points per game. Gervin recorded an assist and a personal foul in five minutes of play and the Bulls would later get swept by the Celtics in the first round. Gervin's legacy has inspired other athletes. SHARE. Does he give the finger roll justice? George Gervin, “The Iceman,” was a 6’7″ shooting guard who could handle the ball, drive the lane with his trademark finger-roll finish, or hit the jumper from the outside. Due to his cool attitude on the court and his clutch play George Gervin became known as the ICEMAN. Gervin was suspended for the following season and eventually was removed from the team. Kerr signed Gervin to the Squires for a $40,000 a year contract. Finden Sie perfekte Stock-Fotos zum Thema Iceman George Gervin sowie redaktionelle Newsbilder von Getty Images. The finger roll—an underhand shot in which a player rolls the ball off the tips of the fingers while approaching the basket—was a basketball staple that few could pull off with as much elegance or precision as Gervin. The finger roll is notorious for being very difficult to master, and few players use it as their primary shot. It's sad to hear, man, but we got to all pull together, man, to fight this thing. Though a revered NBA and ABA All-Star and Hall of Famer, Gervin never made an appearance with a team in either an NBA or ABA championship series during his 13-year career in American professional basketball. Detmer records in his autobiography that he was elated to receive Gervin's autograph one day as a youth in San Antonio. Gervin is beloved in San Antonio and believes that his own experience as an underprivileged child in Michigan inspired him to get involved. Invitations to try out for the Olympic and Pan-American teams were withdrawn. In the 1981–82 season, the Spurs would once again compete for a championship, by then the Spurs had just become a Western Conference franchise, finishing second in the conference with a 48-34 record. [2], "How George Gervin Made the Finger Roll Famous", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Finger_roll&oldid=1002459395, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 24 January 2021, at 15:46. EMAIL. The advantage of the finger roll is that the ball can travel high in the air over a defender that might otherwise block a regular jump shot or dunk, while the spin applied by the rolling over the fingers will carry the ball to the basket off the backboard. Everybody knows about him scoring 63 on the final day of the 1978 season to take the scoring title from David Thompson. The finger roll is a specialized type of basketball layup shot where the ball is rolled off the tips of the player's fingers. 98. In der Geschichte des Basketballs gab es so viele Spieler, aber wenn jemand "Finger-Roll" sagt, dann denkst du nur an einen: George Gervin. George Gervin (4:07 PM) I gotta give it to him, man. Although by this time he was aging and no longer at an all-star level, Gervin was still effective on the Bulls roster, averaging 16.2 ppg, had another 40-point game performance (a season-high 45 points against the Dallas Mavericks) and played all 82 games. The following season, Gervin (29.6 ppg) repeated as scoring champion and again finished runner-up in the MVP voting, this time behind Moses Malone of the Houston Rockets. The couple divorced in 1984 then remarried in 1985. [18] Gervin was also idolized by former NFL and Heisman-winning quarterback Ty Detmer. Many of his records have been surpassed by David Robinson and Tim Duncan. Gervin's trademark move was the finger roll, a shot in which one rolls the basketball along his or her fingertips. [2] In between his years of playing in Europe, Gervin also played for the Quad City Thunder of the now defunct Continental Basketball Association (different from the CBA he began his career with). He goes to the rim and is able to really roll the ball off his fingers. [12] This season would be Gervin's last season in the NBA before retiring from the league. When he left the NBA, Gervin played for several years in Europe: in Italy for Banco Roma during the 1986–87 season where he averaged 26.1 points per game, and in the Spanish National Basketball League for TDK Manresa team (he was 38 years old at the time). Basketball great Gary Payton has stated his childhood idol was Gervin and that he was his favorite player to watch. Although Thompson came up with a memorable performance for the last game of the regular season, scoring 73 points, Gervin maintained his slight lead by scoring 63 points (including a then NBA record 33 points in the second quarter) in a loss during the last game of the regular season. If there is no defender guarding and trying to block the shot then it is nearly impossible to miss. You just hope that his arm gets tired after 40 shots. In 1991, he established the George Gervin Youth Center.[20][21]. His passion, his desire, his drive to succeed combined with his extraordinary athletic ability made Gervin a nightmare to defend. Right before the final ABA season, the Spurs had acquired star power forward Larry Kenon via trade, forming an offensively dominant one-two punch of both him and Gervin in order to strengthen their lineup and compete for a championship. Ice’s finger roll is one of the most aesthetically pleasing moves in basketball history. 100% cotton with the iceman graphic on the front, iceman number graphic on back, also includes arm graphic iceman logo. Starring for a newly formed San Antonio franchise the swingman became legendary for his use of the finger roll. They were one win away from making it to the 1979 NBA Finals as they were up 3-1 against the Washington Bullets in the Conference Finals but collapsed by losing three straight to lose the series. George Gervin (born April 27, 1952),[1] nicknamed "the Iceman", is an American retired professional basketball player who played in both the American Basketball Association (ABA) and National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Virginia Squires, San Antonio Spurs, and Chicago Bulls. Another disadvantage is that the shot is one-handed, and therefore harder to protect the ball while executing. Basketball Legends Sports Basketball Basketball Players Sports Teams Boston Celtics Los Angeles Lakers The Iceman Nba Stars Sport Icon. He remains active in the San Antonio community with his seven organizations designed specifically for underprivileged kids, including the George Gervin Youth Center. While competing in an NCAA College Division national semifinal game in Evansville, Indiana, Gervin punched a Roanoke player. He's bona fide with the roll. TWEET. The ABA tried to block the trade, claiming that by trading their last legitimate star, the Squires were holding a fire sale. Saved by Chris Denker. [26] Gervin, Jr. also played professionally in Mexico. [28], "Gervin" redirects here. Gervin was known as much for his signature move, the finger roll, as for his nickname. However, a court sided with the Spurs. Heittävänä takamiehenä pelannutta Gerviniä pidetään yhtenä pelipaikkansa historian parhaista pelaajista.Hän pelasi ABA:ssa, NBA:ssa, varsinkin San Antonio Spursissa vuosina 1974–1985, ja uransa lopulla vielä Italiassa, Espanjassa ja piensarja CBA:ssa. I wonder if he gets bored out there." Although the finger roll is a very challenging shot it … Everybody knows about his finger roll. Gervin worked on his game. Kenon would become a free agent and sign with the Bulls after the following season. George 'The Iceman' Gervin used his finger roll finish to win four NBA scoring titles, the most ever before Michael Jordan came along. In the space of only four months, they traded Julius Erving and Swen Nater for cash and/or draft picks. This time with the addition of Gilmore and some fresh young talent, the Spurs were once again a title contender in the 1982–83 season, finishing 53-29 with the number two seed in the Western Conference, making it back to the Conference Finals once again with Gervin leading the way, averaging 25.2 ppg, only to be defeated yet again by the top-seeded Los Angeles Lakers in six games. After two seasons in the ABA, Gervin became NBA eligible in time for the 1974 NBA draft. George Gervin: Ganz im Gegenteil, es ist eine Ehre. For others with the surname, see, CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, List of National Basketball Association career scoring leaders, List of National Basketball Association career free throw scoring leaders, List of National Basketball Association players with most points in a game, List of individual National Basketball Association scoring leaders by season, George Gervin: una leyenda entre nosotros, "Gervin, No. The Bulls finished 30-52 but it was enough for a playoff berth clinching the number 8 seed in the Eastern Conference. [24] The eldest child named George Gervin, Jr. (nicknamed "Gee"), played for the Harlem Globetrotters[25] and was a fan favorite while playing for the Norrköping Dolphins of the Swedish League. George Gervin looks back on his Hall of Fame career. In the 1982 offseason, the Spurs drafted high scoring guards Oliver Robinson of UAB and Tony Grier from South Florida and also traded for all-star center Artis Gilmore to take some offensive pressure off Gervin. [14], Nicknamed "Iceman" for his cool demeanor on the court, Gervin was primarily known for his scoring talents. [22][23] They also have three children. You gotta follow the facts, man, and the facts say that this thing can spread, and the best way to protect yourself is to stay in until we can get a better perspective on who got it, who had it, and find a way to maintain it. George Gervin, with his deadly jump shot and his favourite finger roll, was an unstoppable scoring machine who made the most difficult baskets look easy. EMAIL. George "Iceman" Gervin was one of basketball's most electrifying players. "The Iceman" Career Mixtape - YouTube [12] The Bulls' rising star Michael Jordan stated he was "unhappy" after the trade. Duration: 01:59 4/27/2020. When Gervin returned, he scored 40+ points. George Gervin: A.K.A. But that belies the work it takes to make a motion so natural-looking. The rumors turned out to be true; on January 30, Gervin was sold to the Spurs for $228,000. An All-Star in 12 of 14 seasons (three ABA, nine NBA), Gervin's total of 20,708 career points placed him 19th best on the NBA's all-time scoring list. Karriere. Only Wilt Chamberlain and Michael Jordan have won more scoring titles than Gervin’s four. [11], At the time of his trade to the Bulls, he held nearly every significant scoring record in Spurs history. George Gervin (s.27. Screen Printed basketball t-shirt Customer Reviews. Despite disappointing playoff eliminations and not making it to the finals, Gervin was committed to the Spurs, showing no frustration towards his teammates, thus living up to his nickname and went on to lead the NBA in scoring average three years in a row from 1978 to 1980 (with a high of 33.1 points per game in 1979–80), and again in 1982.