Whenever the NBA community discusses big guards, Earvin “Magic” Johnson is the first name that pops to mind. He deserves to get talked about that way due to his contributions to the game and superstar performances throughout the 1980s.
However, Magic would be the first to tell people he was not the first big guard in the NBA. That distinction should go to “The Big O” Oscar Robertson , a standout player from the 1960s who played point guard despite being the size of a wing player.
“He really set the stage for a real big guard. Not only was he a guard, but he was a strong and powerful guy so nobody had seen that before. Somebody who could bag you in and just overpower you and then also have the touch to go outside and shoot jump shots,” Johnson said about Robertson.
Oscar was Mr. Triple Double in the 1960s
Before Russell Westbrook averaged a triple-double in the late 2010s, The Big O was the only player to average a stat line of that kind over an entire season. Robertson deserved the praise because he took advantage of his assets during his prime.
Oscar was an uber-athletic guard who could out-rebound big men but also had the finesse to score from anywhere on the court. His combination of size and athleticism helped him play on par with those big men, hence why he got regular triple-doubles. It was an impressive feat to get during that time because it was an era when centers dominated the game.
Robertson proved that guards could also make their presence felt by taking advantage of their athleticism and speed compared to the more dominant yet slower centers. He was stellar during his prime, and even modern-day legends like Ray Allen appreciate what he did for the game.
“I’ve never had a triple-double yet in my career, for him to average a triple-double is so astonishing because that requires a tremendous amount of focus on his behalf to think about the game all the way through correctly,” Allen said on Retro NBA.
Related: Michael Jordan opens up about his older brother Larry not making the NBA: "He has always been a good player, but he just didn't grow enough"
Oscar inspired Magic and other bigger guards to play
Magic and Oscar have a mutual partner in Kareem Abdul-Jabbar , as they both won titles alongside Cap. Apart from Kareem, they had plenty of similarities as they were bigger guards with a penchant for making plays for others and getting triple-doubles.
Oscar set the tone for bigger guards to dominate because they had a size advantage in their matchups. Most point guards are 6’3” and under, which makes them easier to bring to the high post and back down into the paint.
That was the primary move both players utilized during their careers, as it opened opportunities for themselves to score while their teammates moved off the ball. Nowadays, bigger guards are doing the same thing, with names like Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander adopting the same philosophy.
More players would become motivated to play the point guard position. People would remember Magic and get inspired by Luka, but they should look back and watch Big O’s game film to learn the fundamentals.
Related: Oscar Robertson claims that a 1960 'Dream Team' would beat the 1992 Dream Team in a hypothetical showdown: "They never would have beat us, how could they?"
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