Big Man Among Men

Never in the history of pro basketball has a rookie walked on the court to such trumpeting ballyhoo. When Lew Alcindor joined the Milwaukee Bucks this fall, he was proclaimed an instant superstar, another Bill Russell or Wilt Chamberlain--or both rolled into one. At 7 ft. 1 1/2 in.. Alcindor is the tallest man in a big man's game, and his brilliance at center for U.C.L.A.--2,325 career points, three-time All-America, three national champion teams--was all on the record. How could he miss?

In years past, Alcindor might already have made a shambles of the National Basketball Association. But basketball, like other major sports, has grown to include more teams with bigger, faster players slugging it out on tougher, longer schedules. So far, Alcindor has hardly embarrassed his opposition. At times, he has been badly outplayed by Los Angeles' Chamberlain and such other hard-nosed pros as New York's Willis Reed and San Francisco's Nate Thurmond. Says Thurmond: "It used to be that you'd only come up against one or two great post men--like Russell, for instance. Now every team has a good center. Lew is finding that out. He's got a long road ahead."

Not that anyone considers Alcindor a failure. His awesome height and fluid style make him a continual scoring threat. "He's very quick," says Philadelphia Center Darrell Imhoff. "He makes some fantastic moves around the basket. He's a great passer and a great dribbler--he can handle the ball like a small forward." With the season nearly half over, Alcindor is fourth in points scored with 849; he is the main reason that Milwaukee, weakest in the N.B.A. Eastern Division last year, now ranks third, with a good chance of making the playoffs.

Better and Better. Alcindor's biggest weakness is on defense--in the elbow-swinging battle for the ball under the basket. He averages only 14 rebounds a game; rival coaches figure he should get 20 just for showing up. There are times, too, when he seems to wilt under the game's man-killing pace. Sometimes he does not hustle back quickly enough on defense, or dash down the floor at top speed on offensive breaks.

Lew readily admits to his failings. "But time," he says confidently, "is going to be on my side." After all, he is only 22, and no less an authority than Boston General Manager Red Auerbach believes that he "probably has as great a future as anyone who ever played the game." Adds San Francisco Coach George Lee: "I have this sick feeling that he's just going to get better and better."

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