Two, and if you traded Olajuwon or Shaq for Wilt, those Wilt teams still would've been overwhelmed by the Celtics, a team that at times had 5 to 9 future hall of fame players.
True. But they would've averaged 50 or more, taking all the shots wilt took and playing against very inferior competitors. In fact, with the way Hakeem shot his free throws, he would've averaged more points than Wilt and would've had 5 or 6 championships. When you factor in all the possessions Wilt burnt through shooting free throws at 30%, it's no wonder he lost so much in the playoffs.
You included alot of decent to mildly ok players, but forgot to mention Ewing. Bill Russell Willis Reed Walt Bellamy Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Bob Lanier Dave Cowens Nate Thurmond Neil Johnson Wes Unseld Bob Rule From the players I listed, I only used players who were in the Hall of Fame (with lone exception of Bob Rule who was looking like a really good big man, before injuries) but if are watering the list down with players, like Duckworth, Divac, Kemp, Edwards, and Cage (lol). Those are decent centers, but none of them were great or anything like that. Most of all, most of those players were in the league at the same time, except Russell and Johnson who didn't quite play in the 70s. Wilt went played against the Milwaukee version of Kareem. Olajuwon played against a much older, Lakers version of Kareem. People often knock Wilt for simply establishing dominant scoring and rebounding numbers over weaker opponents. In all honesty, what categories do Shaq and Olajuwon really best Wilt in, outside of maybe shooting range? Defensively, as great as Olajuwon was he really that much greater on defense than Wilt. Could either player go as many minutes as say Wilt did? They both were nowhere near the passer that Wilt was. Even in rebounding, I do not think either player was as tenacious on the boards as say Chamberlain was. He averaged 18.6 rebounds at the age of 36, last season. There are some areas in his games, that most players just could never reach in their playing days.
Not necessarily, remember Olajuwon's FG percentage stayed about the same throughout his career. Wilt's FG% accelerated over his career, and he was much more efficient player towards the end of his career versus the beginning, while the league was getting deeper in talent. Moreover, Olajuwon have to get the free throw as much as Wilt did over his career. You also have to say he wasn't quite as strong, big, and physically powerful as Wilt, and as forcing on founds. Olajuwon's game was based more in versatility, great footwork, and agility. I just cannot see what would make him a greater scorer than Wilt. Another point again, what makes you think Olajuwon could grab as many rebounds as Wilt. Also, do you really think Olajuwon could average over 7.9 and 8.6 assist in an entire season. You also to remember the pace, those players played at, during 60s-80s. That was a hectic pace to get that many shots off.
You do realize that despite this so-called weak league, NOBODY had scored even 30 a game before Wilt entered the league, and he was the first to get 35, 40, 45, and 50 a season?
I think even contemporaries of Wilt's who also played in more modern eras and coaches who coached in modern eras know how good he was. There are stories of 40+ year old Wilt shutting up a young Magic Johnson on the court. Walt Bellamy (who wasn't a pygmy) was neutralized by Wilt after he told Walt he wouldn't get a shot off against him. Kareem considered him the greatest scorer ever. I remember reading an SI article where Elvin Hayes said Wilt could do whatever the hell he wanted on the court, and that he was unstoppable. When he came into the league and Bill Russell offered him advice on guarding Wilt, Russell just said Wilt's going to get his, you won't stop him, just make it tough as possible on him.
Cheez guys. Wilt was a man amongst boys. Hakeem and Shaq would've been the same. Different game, different era. YOU act like wilt playing 45 mpg was so great. I already showed you that every good to great player of that era played 45 mpg because there was no depth of talent. If Shaq and Hakeem played in the sixties, they would've played the same minutes. And they would have been every bit as athletically superior as Wilt. And if they had the same amount of possessions to use, they would've done the same thing against a league of relative midgets to them. There's no comparison that can really be made. It was a different era, a different game. Wilt would be great in today's game. He'd average 24/12. But he would be riding the benchdown the stretch because he couldn't shoot a free throw, just like Shaq. The reason Wilt did not win very much is because he wasn't playing to win. He was playing for numbers. Great player. Hall of famer. But he would have to change his game today or play out his career for a team like the Wizards as a circus gate attraction.
I've long contended (particularly in some Rodman fanboy threads) that if Dream was allowed to just concentrate on rebounding, he could have cleared 18-20 rpg. However, he had so many more responsibilities (like #1 offensive option and anchor of the defense) that he was out of position too much after shots and going for blocks/steals. Still, that kind of helps makes the point about Wilt because he had a number of responsibilities besides just rebounding.
Almost half of those guys are definitely suspect. Why not add Alton Lister, Paul Mokeski, Randy Bruer and Clemon Johnson? lol
#1 other than Shaq, none of the players listed had 40 lbs on Wilt. #2 he was more coordinated and nimble than anyone on that list #3 I guess you never watched Wilt as he was not really a finesse player. He would be light years ahead of all the players you listed other than Shaq based on his dexterity, strength, speed, quickness and coordination.
First - Hello to you and the rest of the clutchfans.net message board I'm a member of insidehoops.com and I run the "Wilt Chamberlain Archive" youtube channel from which that video of Wilt in LA comes from (I made it). I can clear up the measurements of Wilt and give you other measurements of other players to compare him with: The original thread I made on IH http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?t=261350 Yao Ming: Height: 7-5.75 (7-5 October 2002, 7'5.75 September 2004) Wingspan: 7-5 Standing Reach: 9-6.25 (3/4 inch shoe adjusted) Hand Length:10" Playing Weight: 296 - early career 310 - mid career 276 - 2010 FIBA Shoes: U.S. size 18 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: Height: 7-1.88 (7-1.375 UCLA, 7-1.625 Bucks training camp, 7-1.88 Bucks training camp yr 2) Wingspan: 7-5 Playing Weight: 225lbs - rookie 231lbs - 2nd season 235lbs - early career 240lbs - mid career 267lbs - late career Shoes: U.S. size 16 Wilt Chamberlain: Height: 7-1.06 (6-11.5 age 17, 7-1.06 age 23) Wingspan: 7-8 Standing Reach: 9-6 (No adjustment needed - played in Chuck Taylors) Hand Length: 9.5" Hand Spread: 11.5" Playing Weight: 258 - rookie 265 - 3rd season 292 - 5th season 275 - mid career 285 - mid-late career 300 - late career 320 - maximum (overweight at training camp of 5th season) Shoes: U.S. size 15 Shaquille O'Neal: Height: 7-0.88 (At age 21, 7-0.63 NBA draft measurement 1, 7-0.88 draft measurement 2) Wingspan: 7-7 Standing Reach: 9-4 (1 inch shoe adjusted) Hand Length: 11" Hand Spread: 9" Playing Weight: 280 - Freshman LSU Season 285 - Sophomore LSU Season 294 - Final LSU Season 301 - 1992 draft measurement 1 303 - 1992 draft measurement 2 315 - early career 325 - early-mid career 350 - mid-late career 368 - maximum (out of shape after an injury) Shoes: U.S. size 22 Tyson Chandler: Height: 6-11.5 (2001 draft age 19) Wingspan: 7-3 Standing Reach: 9-1 (1 inch shoe adjusted) Playing Weight: 224 - 2001 draft measurement 235 - early/mid career weight 240 - mid career (up to this point) weight Shoes: U.S. size 18 Bill Russell: Height: 6-9.5 Wingspan:7-4 Hand Length:10.5" Playing Weight: 215 - rookie 222 - early career 230 - late career 240 - final season Shoes: U.S. size 14 Elvin Hayes: Height: 6-9.5 (6-8.5 UCLA age 19, 6-9.5 UCLA age 21) Wingspan:7-2 Playing Weight: 240 - Junior NCAA season 235 - early NBA career 240 - majority of NBA career Shoes: U.S. size 16 Dwight Howard: Height: 6-9 (2004 draft at age 19) Wingspan: 7-4.5 Standing Reach: 9-2.25 (1.25 inch shoes adjusted) Playing Weight: 240 - 2004 draft measurement 265 - 3rd season weight 280 - 7th season weight Shoes: U.S. size 18 Kevin Love: Height: 6-7.75 (2008 draft age 20) Wingspan: 6-11.25 Standing Reach: 8-8.75 (1.25 inch shoe adjusted) Playing Weight: 255 - 2008 draft measurement 260 - 2nd season weight 265 - 3rd season weight 235 - 4th season weight Shoes: U.S. size 19 Lebron James: Height: 6-7.25 (2003 draft at age 18) Wingspan: 7-0.25 Standing Reach: 8-9.5 (3/4 inch shoe adjusted) Hand Length: 9" Hand Spread: 9.25" Playing Weight: 245 - 2003 draft measurement 266 - 7th season weight 262 - 8th season weight Shoes: U.S. size 15 Michael Jordan: Height: 6-4.88 (1992 U.S. Olympics at age 29) Wingspan: 6-11.5 Standing Reach: 8-9.25 ( 3/4 inch shoe adjusted) Hand Length: 10" Playing Weight: 195 - rookie 198 - early-career 205 - 1st 3peat 216 - 2nd 3peat 223 - Washington Wizards Shoes: U.S. size 13 Kobe Bryant: Height: 6-4.75 Wingspan: 6-11 Standing Reach: 8-9 (1 inch shoe adjusted) Hand Length: 9.125" Playing Weight: 174 - rookie 215 - 6th season weight 230 - 8th season weight 225 - 10th season weight 205 - 11th – (to current) season weight Shoes: U.S. size 14 Jerry West: Height: ~6-4.125 (Recruited to WVU at 6-2.5 age 18, "just over" 6-4 at age 23) Wingspan:6-9 Playing Weight: 174 - rookie 180 - mid-career 185 - late-career Dwyane Wade: Height: 6-3.75 (2003 draft at age 21) Wingspan: 6-10.75 Standing Reach: 8-5 (1 inch shoe adjusted) Playing Weight: 210 - 2003 draft measurement 235 - 7th season weight 231 - 8th season weight Shoes: U.S. size 13 More draft data so you guys can compare to any other player: www.draftexpress.com/measurements http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVDzzxVE34k And here's an extended cut work in progress of Wilt in LA - a lot more of him vs Kareem in it
Crazy Wide. Period. Shoe heights have not been subtracted yet from the players you mentioned. Wilt is longer and reachers higher than all of them - humans have not changed in skeletal size since the 1960's we're all genetically the same. Nor were people who grew up from back then starved and unable to physically mature. Player measurements I've found from that era, all line up with modern player measurements. The only things that have changed are list heights became super inflated since that era, and bulking up in the gym is much more prevelant in the NBA today. But skeletally speaking Wilt's peers are the size of today's crop of players. Wilt himself? Freak. His measurements are all practically NBA draft records www.draftexpress.com - remember, subtract their shoe height from standing reach. Wilt played in Chuck Taylor shoes no thicker than a pair of wool socks, and players today play in shoes up to 1.25+ inches thick. Things like this need to be accounted for - there's very good reasons he was as dominant as he was there hasn't really been a specimen of h/l/r/w + athleticism that has ever come near to measuring up to him. From any era. Shaq came close though, he has weight on Wilt but not h/l/r. Wilt's hands are even bigger than Shaq's.
Forgot to add in that Wilt is not 7-2 in wing span he is 7-8. And his barefoot height exceeds all of those players as well - he exceeds those guys in every category save for Shaq who is heavier as I said
Wrong again. You just listed all the 6'9" and above players in the NBA and all 8 teams were represented.
