There was a brief time when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was on a mediocre Lakers team and Bill Walton was healthy and the Portland Trailblazers were cutting edge.
From 1975 to 1979, Kareem was still amazing but he didn’t always have a lot of help.
By contrast, after a rough start in Portland, in 1977 and 1978, Walton was brilliant. In 1977, the Blazers were a stunning championship team. With his freshly shorn locks and close-cut beard, Walton looked like a basketball Olympian.
Walton sat out the 1979 season, unhappy with his team’s management and later signed with the San Diego Clippers.