Ending the Myth that Wilt couldn't combine volume scoring and playmaking.

[coastalmarker99]

Before Hannum came along.


'63 Wilt was already blending scoring and passing.


Not only was he top 3 among centers on the year--but towards the end of the season he significantly increased his assist rate while still scoring at a high volume:

Last 2 months of '63 Wilt was putting up 32 FGA on 42 PPG/4.4 APG averages.

During Feb/March alone he was averaging 32 FGA on 42 PPG/5.3 APG.


Futhermore


Wilt Chamberlain to end off the 1964 Season

7 Games
5-2 W/L Record

38.6 PPG
20.3 RPG
9.4 APG*

57.1 FG% (29.0 FGA)
52.8 FT% (10.3 FTA)
57.6 TS%
+9.1 rTS%


Let's move on to 1966--this year, Wilt averaged 5.2 assists, at the time a career-high while averaging over 30 PPG.

It was good for 7th in the league and top for the center position.



It is clear that Wilt was blending scoring and passing at this point.


One final point to hopefully end this unfound argument that Ben Taylor has put up in his videos of Wilt Is a example from the '68 season:

Towards the end of November, the 76ers were a solid but slightly disappointing 15-7. The media was discussing how Wilt could no longer score, how he had lost his ability to put up points and was being forced to pass because of it.


Well, Wilt decided to change his playstyle to prove the media wrong--that he could still score.

He reverted back to his old scoring self, putting up 30.5 PPG and lowering his assists to 5.2, while taking 20.5 FGA per game.

This is pretty comparable to his '64 and '66 season where he averaged similar points/efficiency.

The 76ers went 15-2, their best month of the season.

Their only losses? A close OT game vs the Lakers and a 1-point loss at Boston.

[Full Court]

Good thread. Wilt is a top three player of all time.

[RRR3]

Those assist numbers aren't impressive at all given the amount of minutes he was playing and pace of the league. As for the 7-2 stretch you can cherry pick a 9 game stretch to make JR Smith look elite.

[HoopsNY]

Wilt was a dominant scorer whenever he dished 5 or more assists a game before 1967 (where he became a playmaker), and his team consistently won.

Wilt w/5+ Assists:

1960: 6-1 | 34.9 PPG

1961: 4-2 | 37.2 PPG

1962: 9-2 | 48.6 PPG

1963: 10-8 | 44.0 PPG

1964: 26-11 | 37.2 PPG

1965: 9-10 | 30.7 PPG

1966: 33-9 | 33.5 PPG

Total: 97-43 | .692% (57 win pace)

[FultzNationRISE]

I dont think anyone believes he was “not good at it.”

The point is simply he was “not as good as Lebron at it.”

[HoopsNY]

Just did a spread of the games where he had 5 or more assists and his average assist totals:

1960: 5.4 APG

1961: 5.7 APG

1962: 5.3 APG

1963: 6.8 APG

1964: 7.2 APG

1965: 5.8 APG

1966: 7.5 APG

Clearly he was capable of scoring between 30-45 PPG while dishing out 6-7 assists. And this was before he became an official playmaker.

Wilt was an absolute monster.

[iamgine]

While Wilt was a great player, he was no great passer. He's more of a Shaq type passer, which is good but no one would call Shaq a "great playmaker". If you don't believe it, just watch his full game on youtube. It's available.

[ArbitraryWater]

Before Hannum came along.


'63 Wilt was already blending scoring and passing.


Not only was he top 3 among centers on the year--but towards the end of the season he significantly increased his assist rate while still scoring at a high volume:

in WHAT, dude?


****ing make it clear.


You cited a 7-game stretch for the 1964 achievement..


come on now.


5 assists does not impress me at all for those minutes and that pace.

[Overdrive]

Wilt was a playmaker in the same sense Russell Westbrook is.

Towards the end of November, the 76ers were a solid but slightly disappointing 15-7. The media was discussing how Wilt could no longer score, how he had lost his ability to put up points and was being forced to pass because of it.


Well, Wilt decided to change his playstyle to prove the media wrong--that he could still score.

He reverted back to his old scoring self, putting up 30.5 PPG and lowering his assists to 5.2, while taking 20.5 FGA per game.

Wilt in a nutshell. He didn't play for his team's success, but for personal acclaim. Relative to his era Wilt is the best player ever, but his mentality was just not conducting to team success. I wonder what would've happened if he had a coach like Auerbach.

[coastalmarker99]

in WHAT, dude?


****ing make it clear.


You cited a 7-game stretch for the 1964 achievement..


come on now.


5 assists does not impress me at all for those minutes and that pace.

In APG

[coastalmarker99]

Those assist numbers aren't impressive at all given the amount of minutes he was playing and pace of the league. As for the 7-2 stretch you can cherry pick a 9 game stretch to make JR Smith look elite.

You've got to remember that assists were kept much more strictly back then.

There was none of this stuff like today where you can take three dribbles and a head-fake and it counts.

You got assists if you caught the pass and made the shot.

[1987_Lakers]

While Wilt was a great player, he was no great passer. He's more of a Shaq type passer, which is good but no one would call Shaq a "great playmaker". If you don't believe it, just watch his full game on youtube. It's available.

This

[Wally450]

Stat padder to the fullest.

[Axe]

Lol it absolutely makes no sense to have this guy ranked at top 3 best when he only got one finals mvp in his entire career. Unless you have dead brain cells.

[Full Court]

Braindead Bronies feel the only way they can prop up their hero's dying legacy is to try to discredit greats like Wilt.

What dinguses.