Always forgotten: Orlando Woolridge

[Crystallas]

So this guy Jordan comes along, and everyone forgets about O-Tree. Dude was a human highlight reel of his own when He played for the Bulls. Woolridge eventually got us Stacey King(compensation trade for what became the #6 draft in 89), my least favorite draft pick by Krause, but whatever, he's our awesome commentary guy now.

I think if it weren't for Jordan, I think Woolridge would have made an all-star appearance with the Bulls(great for us, bad for O). He was really fun to watch before Michael came to town, and easy to rip on after Mike took over. But it's nice to remember the before part, because he was the best reason to watch early 80's Bulls basketball. Fun attitude, was one of the best above-the-rim players of the 80s.

He died last year from a heart condition at 52, and I always think it's sad how he was forgotten INSTANTLY in Bulls circles. Sometimes we just need to be reminded.

[video=youtube;inyF2dxtndI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inyF2dxtndI[/video]

 

[JosMin]

As a kid, I remember my dad telling me about how fun he was to watch while he was on the Bulls. I was a little too young to remember his years in Chicago, but I've watched tons of stuff on YouTube. He put up some solid scoring numbers and even helped lead the Bulls to the postseason with a young Jordan. It would've been awesome to see how awesome they could've been playing together for a long stretch.

Him, Jordan and Pippen? Danggggggggggg.

 

[RamiTheBullsFan]

[video=youtube;vFlljgbC7Tc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFlljgbC7Tc[/video]

 

[ChettheJet]

He was a great guy. If you're looking for spectacular highlights O was your guy. Those teams were bad because he didn't have much of a jump shot, didn't pass the ball well, didn't rebound well for being the 4 and couldn't guard his lunch money. He was a colorful guy, great interview sorry to see him gone too soon.

 

[Crystallas]

He was the SF on those teams. Corzine(C) and Greenwood(PF) made up the front court.

 

[clonetrooper264]

Such an underrated player. I got pissed off when the 80s Bulls team in 2k didn't have him on the roster.

 

[czman]

Such an underrated player. I got pissed off when the 80s Bulls team in 2k didn't have him on the roster.

He is a bad fit for a video game and the modern NBA. He was a player that grew up pre-3point shot. His shooting was not good at all. That would have been perfectly fine before the 3-point line was put in. Once they put that in SF started to transition to becoming more like guards. Back in the day most SFs were PFs who could run up and down the court, dribble a bit, and were not very good rebounders. The game was played at a much faster pace.

The game has changed a lot. He played right in the middle of that shift. If he had been born a decade earlier he might be in the HOF. He grew up playing and building for one style of play and his skill set did not translate well to the modern NBA.

 

[clonetrooper264]

He is a bad fit for a video game and the modern NBA. He was a player that grew up pre-3point shot. His shooting was not good at all. That would have been perfectly fine before the 3-point line was put in. Once they put that in SF started to transition to becoming more like guards. Back in the day most SFs were PFs who could run up and down the court, dribble a bit, and were not very good rebounders. The game was played at a much faster pace.

The game has changed a lot. He played right in the middle of that shift. If he had been born a decade earlier he might be in the HOF. He grew up playing and building for one style of play and his skill set did not translate well to the modern NBA.

Yeah I suppose you're right, but even in the time he played there were still successful SFs who couldn't shoot as well. Guys like Larry Nance and Anthony Mason were mostly SFs in their primes and both (as well as Woolridge himself) carved out good roles for themselves and had good careers. Indeed the 3pt line changed the whole way the game was played as is obvious now, but it's not like the moment the line got put in players like Woolridge immediately became ineffective.

But regardless of how he'd be a "bad fit" for a video game because he can't shoot that doesn't mean he shouldn't be in the game and people can't have fun using him.

 

[czman]

Yeah I suppose you're right, but even in the time he played there were still successful SFs who couldn't shoot as well. Guys like Larry Nance and Anthony Mason were mostly SFs in their primes and both (as well as Woolridge himself) carved out good roles for themselves and had good careers. Indeed the 3pt line changed the whole way the game was played as is obvious now, but it's not like the moment the line got put in players like Woolridge immediately became ineffective.

I don't think Nance ever played much 3.
Rodman started out at the 3.
Corlious Williamson (SP) played there is entire career.
Mason like you said.

Rodman was a lock down defender and O was not.
Both Mason and Williamson were lost post players and O was not.

It took the league about a decade to start pushing out the non shooting SFs. There are still some in the league now. Gerald Wallace is a comparable player, but Wallace is a top tier defender.

I like Woolridge a lot. Even when we left the Bulls. I understand why his production dropped off so much though. I still think he is an underrated player. It is not his fault the league changed. He spent 20 years playing basketball one way. The league changed the rules. Then he entered it. He is a perfect example of how the league changed and how some players skill sets did not fit as well.

He was a good player. I think most older Bulls fans remember him fondly.

But regardless of how he'd be a "bad fit" for a video game because he can't shoot that doesn't mean he shouldn't be in the game and people can't have fun using him.

I agree video games are for fun. I have not played the game so I don't know who they should have pulled off of the roster. I was just giving a possible reason for the absence.

 

[clonetrooper264]

I don't think Nance ever played much 3.

Then 2k is lying to me by saying he was primarily a SF, but based on his stats I wouldn't be surprised if he was a PF. I never saw Nance play so I guess I can't really say anything.

I agree video games are for fun. I have not played the game so I don't know who they should have pulled off of the roster. I was just giving a possible reason for the absence.

A player's absence is due to not having the rights to use that player's name/likeness most of the time, and I imagine that was the case. Video games don't leave off players because "bad fits" or skill set, it's almost always due to licensing rights. Think of Jordan and Barkley during the 90s, very rarely would they appear in games under their actual name and likeness (you'd have to enter cheat codes or something to get a player that you knew was essentially Jordan/Barkley).

 

[RoseMVP1]

Then 2k is lying to me by saying he was primarily a SF, but based on his stats I wouldn't be surprised if he was a PF. I never saw Nance play so I guess I can't really say anything.


A player's absence is due to not having the rights to use that player's name/likeness most of the time, and I imagine that was the case. Video games don't leave off players because "bad fits" or skill set, it's almost always due to licensing rights. Think of Jordan and Barkley during the 90s, very rarely would they appear in games under their actual name and likeness (you'd have to enter cheat codes or something to get a player that you knew was essentially Jordan/Barkley).

Larry Nance was always a PF. Never listen to anything that horrible game has to say.

 

[NCChiFan]

I remember O playing, and then you're correct he was gone but I never gave it another thought, was to busy watching MJ's magic.