Oscar Robertson's intention never was to pad stats
Wolf: Rebounds came from Oscar's defense


Enquirer file photo
Former UC president Nancy Zimpher and Board of Trustees chair Jeff Wyler recognize Oscar Robertson as an outstanding UC alumnus in 2007.

Written by
Tom Groeschen

Oscar Robertson’s coach said there was never any plan to have Robertson set records for triple-doubles, given that nobody knew what they were.

Charley Wolf, now 85, coached the Cincinnati Royals for Robertson’s first three seasons in the NBA. Wolf later coached briefly for the Detroit Pistons before coming back home to the Cincinnati area, where he and his wife raised six sons.

“Back in those days, people mainly just paid attention to who got the points,” Wolf said. “There were shooters and there were rebounders and there were passers. You just played the games and you won or lost.”

The term “triple-double” did not really enter basketball parlance until the Magic Johnson/Larry Bird era, which began in the 1979-80 NBA season. As for Robertson, he had what came to be called a triple-double 41 times in 80 games during the ’61-62 season.

Robertson averaged 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 11.4 assists in his triple-double season, 50 years ago.

Wolf said that, along with Robertson’s great talent and instincts, there was a reason Robertson averaged a career high in rebounds in ’61-62.

“We played him a lot defensively at forward that year,” Wolf said. “He was 6-5 and going up against guys 6-9, 6-10, but he responded by rebounding extremely well. He had a great sense on the court, and when he got his hands on the ball, he had it. He was strong.”

Wolf retired 20 years ago from his job in sales at a Cincinnati automobile dealership. Wolf has seen his sons and several grandchildren become some of the area’s top athletes, including sons Jeff and Marty winning multiple Cincinnati metropolitan tennis championships.

Wolf has heard the endless discussions of who was the best all-around player ever, with Michael Jordan and Robertson often topping the short list.

“I would put Oscar and Jordan pretty much in the same category,” Wolf said. “Oscar was maybe the better passer, Jordan the better rebounder because he could jump higher. Both were not afraid to take the shot at the end. It’s close.”

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20120...t|Sports|s