Many of the fans now that have heard of Kevin McHale may think of him as a coach , but he was one of the best players you rooted against if you were not a Celtic s fan.
The Knick fan in me hates to admit this but…other than Hakeem Olajuwon, Kevin Mc Hale had the best post up moves that would drive you crazy because no matter how much you defended him…he scored . In his own words …McHale said:”When I was healthy, I always felt I could score,” McHale once told reporters. “When it went into what I called ‘The torture chamber,’ I knew it was in.”
Fellow NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley said of McHale, “Kevin McHale’s the best player I played against because he was unstoppable offensively, and he gave me nightmares on defense.”
By his seventh pro season, McHale had rehearsed and refined his low-post moves and had become one of the NBA’s most dominant offensive forces, out-leaping, out-spinning and outmaneuvering defender after defender in his “torture chamber”. McHale was never better than in the 1986–1987 season, setting career highs in scoring (26.1) and rebounding (9.9). He also became the first player in NBA history to shoot sixty percent or better from the field (60.4%) and eighty percent or better from the free throw line (83.6%) in the same season. McHale was named to the All-NBA First Team, was named the NBA’s best defensive player by the league’s coaches, and finished fourth in the Most Valuable Player voting behind Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, and teammate, Larry Bird.
McHale’s number 32 jersey was retired by the Celtics on January 30, 1994, during a halftime ceremony at the Boston Garden.
He was chosen one of the NBA’s 50 greatest players and was named to the NBA’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Team in 1996
Smallthoughts: Old School Tuesday spotlights…Kevin McHale.
| Career highlights and awards | |
|---|---|
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| Career statistics | |
| Points | 17,335 (17.9 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 7,122 (7.3 rpg) |
| Blocks | 1,690 (1.7 bpg |
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