Top 50 NBA players from last 50 years: Nate Archibald ranks No. 48
Editor's Note: As part of a new series for his podcast "What’s Wright with Nick Wright," FOX Sports commentator Nick Wright is ranking the 50 best NBA players of the last 50 years. The countdown continues today with player No. 48, Nate Archibald.
Nate Archibald’s career highlights:
- Six-time All-Star
- Three-time first-team All-NBA, two-time second-team
- 1973 scoring champion and assists leader
Nate Archibald isn't regarded as the greatest small guard in NBA history, but his best might have been better than any of his diminutive peers. He certainly had the most remarkable season.
In 1972-73, the 24-year-old affectionately known as "Tiny" — he was listed at 6-foot-1, 150 pounds — averaged a whopping 34.0 points and 11.4 assists per game. That made Archibald the first and only player to lead the NBA in scoring and assists in the same season. The scoring rate is also the seventh-highest of the last 50 years. Only Archibald and Oscar Robertson have concurrently topped 30 and 11, and no one else has come close.
Tiny Archibald I No. 48 I Nick Wright's Top 50 NBA Players of the Last 50 Years I What's Wright?
Though Archibald’s season for the ages netted just a third-place MVP finish — no thanks to the Kansas City-Omaha Kings winning 36 games and missing the playoffs — it highlighted a six-year run in which he produced nearly 27 points and nine assists per game and made three All-NBA first teams.
His career took a sharp turn at age 28 upon suffering an Achilles injury that sidelined him for a year-plus. Archibald would resurface with the Celtics in 1979 as a pass-first point guard and make three more All-Star teams.
He’d also experience his first big playoff moments.
In 1981, Archibald came up clutch in clinching games against the Sixers and Rockets while averaging 15 points and six assists during Boston’s championship run.
"You could argue he was their second-best player behind Larry Bird," Wright said.
After 13 seasons, he retired with career averages of 18.8 points and 7.4 assists. Upon the recent release of the 75th NBA Anniversary Team, Archibald’s name came up as a player less deserving than players such as Klay Thompson and Kyrie Irving.
Wright, who selected Archibald over the active stars as well as 75th members Ray Allen and Reggie Miller, noted that the four modern guards have combined for just two total appearances on the first two All-NBA teams.
Tiny has five.
"His inclusion is somewhat controversial — I understand that," Wright said. "You were not consistently or even briefly a consensus top-10 guy if you don’t have more than one first (or) second-(team) All-NBA appearance. Am I giving [Archibald] a little benefit of the doubt because of what he could have been because of the Achilles? Yes."
