If you'd take Wilt directly from the 60's and put him in a NBA game today?

[millwad]

I've seen so many comments about how great Wilt was, about how dominant he was and how skilled he was that I've lost count. Guys like JLauber on this forum thinks that Wilt would have dominated with the same skillset he had a la the 60's in todays game.

Obviously his stats can be used as a proof of how dominant he was, but as we all know, the game hadn't developed all that much by that time.

How do you think that Wilt would do if he played today, I don't mean how he would have done with todays training, I mean if you'd been able to put Wilt from the 60's in a game today vs todays player, how would he do?

[Myth]

Wilt on top, NBA on bottom.

[IGOTGAME]

First team all nba.

[Kblaze8855]

I see no reason to assume he wouldnt be great. Bigmen have not changed skillset wise in 50 years. He was past his prime outplaying guys who proved themselves vs modern players. Kareem played people who retired in like 2007..and spent years abusing modern centers wh played well into the 90s. Post injury older bigger wilt could handle him in his prime. What are the guys now gonna do that Kareem couldnt?

Only issues I can see are with him adjusting to off the ball doubles but I dont see much problem. If you can defend you can defend. Rebounders dont lose it. Modern level players have been lit up by him past his prime.

Numbers are hard to say. But he would be elite. I dont see any reason to assume Dwight does anything he couldnt. And ive seen Wilt do several things ive not seen Dwight do.

[Rnbizzle]

Poor mans Roy Hibbert.

[Sarcastic]

30 points / 18 rebounds / 4 blocks per game in his prime.

[jlip]

Let's see. In today's NBA the best rebounder is a somewhat chunky, athletically challenged player with little to no vertical leap, Kevin Love, and he was able to average over 15rpg while only playing 35 mpg. Give a 7'1" athletic freak like Wilt who is obsessed with stats, 39+ mpg in this league and I see no reason as to why he shouldn't be able to average at least 16rpg.

Also how much one scores hasn't changed. Ordinarily the more shots you take the greater the chance of scoring more points become. The best scoring center in the league this season was Howard. He attempted only 13.4 fgs and 11.4 fts per game in 37.6 minutes avg 22.9ppg. Allow Wilt to attempt only 17 fgs and 11 fts in 39+ minutes and he's going to score 24ppg easily.

Conclusion: At 24ppg 16rpg, he would be the best center in the league.

[blablabla]

d league bench warmer

[KevinNYC]

Conclusion: At 24ppg 16rpg, he would be the best center in the league.

I think you need to throw in a preseason for Wilt to make adjustments.

Also don't show him his paycheck before the game or he might just have a heart-attack.

[JMT]

Just like then, he'd get whatever he wanted.

There isn't a current big man who is any better than Nate Thurmond. Wilt would be 1st team all NBA and posting ridiculous numbers, just as he did in the day.

The center position hasn't progressed in 50 years. It's regressed to the point of almost disappearing.

[Kellogs4toniee]

I see no reason to assume he wouldnt be great. Bigmen have not changed skillset wise in 50 years. He was past his prime outplaying guys who proved themselves vs modern players. Kareem played people who retired in like 2007..and spent years abusing modern centers wh played well into the 90s. Post injury older bigger wilt could handle him in his prime. What are the guys now gonna do that Kareem couldnt?

Only issues I can see are with him adjusting to off the ball doubles but I dont see much problem. If you can defend you can defend. Rebounders dont lose it. Modern level players have been lit up by him past his prime.

Numbers are hard to say. But he would be elite. I dont see any reason to assume Dwight does anything he couldnt. And ive seen Wilt do several things ive not seen Dwight do.

This. Big men's impact and resilience to the difference of eras in the game of basketball hasn't really drastically changed through the last four-five decades in NBA history. Like mentioned, players from the previous decade or decades dominated and more than held there own against the new cream of big men who played well into the modern age. It makes absolutely no sense then to think Wilt wouldn't have dominated in today's league.

[alwaysunny]

Too much distraction from the cheerleaders. He'll be sitting on the bench.

[1Time4YourMind]

if he is the 1st option on the team he might be well on his way to averaging 26/13, but i think his best role would be the 2nd scoring option and concentrating on defense and rebounding, maybe a 21/16 with 3 blocks a game.

however just as his defense carries over so does that horrendous FT shooting. hack-a-wilt would be hilarious.

[Butters]

Let's see. In today's NBA the best rebounder is a somewhat chunky, athletically challenged player with little to no vertical leap, Kevin Love, and he was able to average over 15rpg while only playing 35 mpg. Give a 7'1" athletic freak like Wilt who is obsessed with stats, 39+ mpg in this league and I see no reason as to why he shouldn't be able to average at least 16rpg.
Also how much one scores hasn't changed. Ordinarily the more shots you take the greater the chance of scoring more points become. The best scoring center in the league this season was Howard. He attempted only 13.4 fgs and 11.4 fts per game in 37.6 minutes avg 22.9ppg. Allow Wilt to attempt only 17 fgs and 11 fts in 39+ minutes and he's going to score 24ppg easily.

Conclusion: At 24ppg 16rpg, he would be the best center in the league.

You say the best rebounder today is a unathletic player with no vert and grabs 15 a game,then say wilt is an athletic freak driven by stats and he's only going to "at least" grab 1 more board?Odd

[Psileas]

Give him a few weeks to learn the basic schemes of today's game and to come in terms with the fact that he won't be seen as a "monster who has to prove he is skilled". Convince him all he has to do is play with power and dunk as much as possible. Also, show him clips of Shaq brutalizing offensively his opponents, often by commiting offensive fouls that are not whistled, just to motivate him.

Then, give him a couple of days to stop laughing after learning about the top centers in today's game.

/league.

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(And no, don't anyone come up with the "no, no, what would he do if you immediately planted him right before the start of a game and told him to play and after that single game transported him back to the past?" type of question. Means nothing. In the very first time Wilt played against Russell, Russell showed him that his finesse moves won't work on him and limited him to something like 12/38 shots. In the next game, Wilt cut down the finesse and destroyed him).