I'm sorry but watching this video, how can anyone say Wilt could hang in today's NBA?

[Mr Feeny]

The scrawny Davis would have just been yet another player that Chamberlain would have hung 40 ppg seasons on (Reed, Bellamy, and Russell being the others.) With his occasional bursts into the 50's, 60's, and even into the 70's.

Not I'm the playoffs he wouldn't. We're talking about a loser 18 ppg scorer in finals and 22 ppg in playoffs. Davis is far far far too skilled for him. He would wreck him.

[LAZERUSS]

Not I'm the playoffs he wouldn't. We're talking about a loser 18 ppg scorer in finals and 22 ppg in playoffs. Davis is far far far too skilled for him. He would wreck him.

You mean the Chamberlain who had entire playoff runs of 33.2 ppg, 34.7 ppg, 35.0 ppg and 37.0 ppg. The Chamberlain who had playoff series of 37.0 ppg, 37.0 ppg, 38.6 ppg, and 38.7 ppg.

The Chamberlain who hung playoff series on Russell of 28.0 ppg, 29.2 ppg, 30.1 ppg, 30.5 ppg, and 33.6 ppg? All while slaughtering him in scoring, rebounding, FG%, and blocked shots?

And had a prime Chamberlain had the luxury of facing stiffs like Smits and McCullough in his Finals, and guess what...Chamberlain would hold Finals scoring records, as well.

[Marchesk]

Why wasn't he able to lead his team to finals like lebron is today?

Imagine Lebron's teams having to go through the 90s Bulls.

And 17 ppg in that second finals is exactly what I'm talking about This is a career loser, we're talking about.

They won that series, brah.

[LAZERUSS]

Imagine Lebron's teams having to go through the 90s Bulls.



They won that series, brah.

And he slaughtered a peak Thurmond in that series, as well.

Just ask a peak Kareem who couldn't hit a shot to save his life against Thurmond, and in fact, was outscored, outshot, and outplayed in their '72 playoff match-up.

For the record, in the '67 Finals, Chamberlain outscored Thurmond in five of the six games; outrbounded Nate in five of the six games; outassisted Nate in five of the six games: and outshot Thurmond from the field in ALL six games. Furthermore, in the game six clinching win...Chamberlain outscored Nate, 24-12, outrebounded Nate, 23-22; and outshot him from the floor by an 8-13 to 4-13 margin. Just CRUSHED him in EVERY facet of the game.

Of course, just the series before that, Chamberlain carpet-bombed Russell (yet again) and led his team to a 4-1 series rout (and were four points away from a sweep in game four) in a series in which Chamberlain outscored Russell, 21.6 ppg to 10.2 ppg; outassisted Russell, 10.0 apg to 6.0 apg; outrebounded Russell, 32.0 rpg to 23.4 rpg; outblocked Russell, 29-8; and outshot Russell from the floor by a .556 to .358 margin.

And the series before that, and when Chamberlain faced the "McCullough" of his era (actually Dierking was considerably better than McCullough)... 28.0 ppg, 26.5 rpg, 11.0 apg, and on a .617 FG%. Oh, and when he wanted to score...games of 41 and 37 points (on 19-30 and 16-24 shooting BTW.)

Incidently, when a "scoring" Chamberlain faced an even better center than Smits or McCullough ever were...Zelmo Beaty...he hung a 38.6 ppg, 23.0 rpg, .559 FG% (in a post-season that shot .420 overall) series...which included a 50 point game, and a game seven of 39 points (on 19-29 shooting), 26 rebounds, and 10 blocked shots.

[TonyMontana]

Deandre Jordan just signed a contract that is getting him 20 million per year. Do you think he is that much more skilled than Wilt? Not even accounting for his advantages in diet, traveling.

I'm not defending Wilt either. I agree. His lack of skill is so ****ing apparant in these videos that everyone except the blindest of his stans will note.

But in basketball if you have natural athletiscm, a ****ing sasquatsch 7 foot frame frame, and no injuries your going to be an elite finisher, rebounder, dunker. Aka an all-star, superstar, maybe even hall of famer if you do it long enough. These guys struggle to hit the rim on free throw shots, but they still get millions. It's not their skill, but their size and athletisicm.

Wilt would just be a much better version of Deandre Jordan....not that it's a bad thing because honestly that would still make him one of the 5,maybe 3 best players in the entire league easily. I don't think he'd impact the game more than a guy who has SKILL on top of that though, like LeBron or healthy Durant. Or recent guys like Dirk, TD, Nash in their primes. But being a better version of Deandre Jordan(who is elite in his own right) would be enough.

[boldarblood]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xr3i9jpiTE


This is *THE* ultimate Wilt highlight reel?

Half of his points are him jumping up and reaching out over the smaller defender's head to finger roll it in. That shot would get absolutely destroyed by any modern defender. He doesn't even use his body to protect his shot, and he doesn't lean into his defenders or make contact at all. He simply out-talls and out-athletes them. Can you imagine Wilt trying that against Mutombo, Shaq, Ewing, Davis, Ibaka, DeAndre Jordan, etc? He'd get nowhere.

And yes, before you say it, I know that's Bill Russell in most of those highlights. But what does that tell you about Russell as well if he can't even stop a guy that has no post moves? Russell isn't even jumping on most of these.

This ****ing weak-ass era.

I have Wilt and Russell in my top 10 all-time, but SOLELY because of his dominance over the competition at the time (Wilt) and for being the ultimate winner (Russell).

In today's game, Wilt would average something like 17 and 9. Russell would average even less than that.

I do not agree with you even a little. We are talking about one of the most legitimately gifted athletes to have ever play NBA. He would be a perennial contender for MVP. He would not average the same kind of stats he did in his prime, different era of basketball.

He would be a 25+ ppg, 15+ rpg, 3.0 bpg easy, and more than likely I am understating his impact. I am guessing your a pretty young guy from your opinions of Wilt and Russell.

[Westbrook0]

A peak Chamberlain, circa the mid-60's, was 7-1+, and weighed between 290-315 lbs. He was, without question, the strongest man in the league, and likely the strongest man to have ever played the game. Add in a 7-8 wingspan, a 40" vertical, sprinter's speed, and a skill-set that would blow away any post-up center in the current NBA...

and you have a 30-35 ppg, 17-20 rpg, .600+ FG%, 4+ apg, 5+ bpg, dominant big in THIS era.

Yes, you're probably right, he WAS the strongest man to ever have played the game AT THAT POINT.

Stronger than prime Shaq? Not a chance in hell.

Also, LMAO @ those stats you tossed out there. Shaq, in his best season, averaged 30 - 13.6rpg - 3.8 apg - 3bpg Shaq was 7-1, 330 pounds and was infinitely more adapted to the modern game and competition than Wilt could have ever dreamed. You seriously think that Wilt Chamberlain, at the same height but weighing a good 50 pounds less, and accustomed to little 60s defenders, would put up better stats than Shaq in every category? You are absolutely delusional.

[Westbrook0]

I do not agree with you even a little. We are talking about one of the most legitimately gifted athletes to have ever play NBA. He would be a perennial contender for MVP. He would not average the same kind of stats he did in his prime, different era of basketball.

He would be a 25+ ppg, 15+ rpg, 3.0 bpg easy, and more than likely I am understating his impact. I am guessing your a pretty young guy from your opinions of Wilt and Russell.

Did you watch Wilt and Russell play in person in the 60s? I didn't, so if that's what you consider a "young guy," then yes I'm a young guy. But I would guess very few people on here saw them play in person, therefore we have to go by what we can see in videos and in history books.

[livingby3's]

Player developed, game developed. Evolution over era. Can't compare really.

[Westbrook0]

Player developed, game developed. Evolution over era. Can't compare really.

Agreed. Wilt was the most dominant player of all time considering the competition. That's why I have him in my Top 10 all time - sheer dominance. But the game changed dramatically - as did the competition - and it's really impossible to say Wilt would be anything but a shell of his former self if he were in the modern game.

[BoutPractice]

Yeah, because ultra strong, quick, athletic 7 footers are completely outmoded in today's NBA.

Nowadays you need to be an 8 footer with 3 arms, minimum, if you want to score more than 10 ppg in the league. It's just the law of evolution... everyone is getting bigger, faster, stronger even as we speak.

...Seriously, surreal, surreal stuff. Haven't you noticed they just gave a huge max contract to DeAndre Jordan of all people? I mean, love the guy, and he's supposed to be my new "franchise player" and all, so I'll no doubt be hyping him up for months to come, but he does have the basketball IQ of a medieval village idiot and the scoring ability of an obese leprechaun. (Still better than Erick Dampier, Brendan Haywood and Samuel Dalembert, I suppose...)

Also, I'm pretty sure most people think prime Kareem would have been one of the best players in the league this past year (most likely the best). How do you explain old man Wilt doing so well against him?

By the way, I heard this guy is now the best basketball player in the world
(saw him at a press conference, he was killing it)



He was unstoppable this season... that is, until he was stopped by that small Aussie kid with the braces you used to make fun of in high school. But with the help of a 6-7 power forward/center who's kind of ok at lots of different things, he eventually prevailed. That's what I heard.

His runner-up for MVP was a drunk hobo they found on some park bench. (I watched one of his games, he had something like 45 turnovers... I can't understand how they let him play basketball)

[LAZERUSS]

Yes, you're probably right, he WAS the strongest man to ever have played the game AT THAT POINT.

Stronger than prime Shaq? Not a chance in hell.

Also, LMAO @ those stats you tossed out there. Shaq, in his best season, averaged 30 - 13.6rpg - 3.8 apg - 3bpg Shaq was 7-1, 330 pounds and was infinitely more adapted to the modern game and competition than Wilt could have ever dreamed. You seriously think that Wilt Chamberlain, at the same height but weighing a good 50 pounds less, and accustomed to little 60s defenders, would put up better stats than Shaq in every category? You are absolutely delusional.

Strength? You're kidding right?

Let's ask someone like Arnold, who would probably know far more about that topic than you...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzIu7o5NH1k

How about an eye-witness account of a Chamberlain in his 50's...

http://wiltfan.tripod.com/chat.htm

This is the transcript from Wilt's online interview from MSNBC

Subject:
From:
Host:
Date: NBA legend Wilt Chamberlain 4-18-97
Chris Donohue (MSNBC)
MSNBC
Mon Nov 24 11:58

Host Chris_MSNBC2 says:
M3 says:
Question for Wilt...watched you [COLOR="DarkRed"]bench press about 465 lbs[/COLOR] like it was a match stick at the Stanford gym when you were working out there for some reason...how much can you still push up?

Host Wilt_Chamberlain says:
Well, probably I can push up a little more than that right now, because I was bench pressing some great weights. I was a shot-putter and lifting weights was a great joy to me. I liked to show off, I don't do that anymore, but I could probably bench press [COLOR="DarkRed"]more than 465 pounds[/COLOR] now.

Article from SI in 1964 (and keep in mind that this was nowhere near the strongest Wilt):

http://www.si.com/vault/1964/03/02/6...lt-chamberlain

With Chamberlain now doing what everyone expected of him all along, San Francisco fans are coming back. They like him and his perpetual-motion supporting cast, and they like winning. About the only people not happy are the Warriors' opponents. The St. Louis Hawks' 6-foot-9, 240-pound Zelmo Beaty, for example, found out recently that he can no longer take Chamberlain's great strength for granted. Unable to slow Wilt down with conventional maltreatment, Beaty tried to yank his shorts off. Chamberlain, who can press 400 pounds without breathing hard, makes it a point to control his temper, primarily because he is genuinely afraid he might kill somebody. Beaty's unethical yank, however, was too much. Wilt flicked an arm, and Beaty flew across the floor like a man shot out of a cannon. Referee Mendy Rudolph rushed over to him and said: "For God's sake, stay down, man. Don't even twitch a muscle." Beaty didn't twitch, and he is still active in the NBA.

https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Wilt_Chamberlain

Several years after Wilt stopped playing, he toyed with the idea of a comeback. On the day he visited the Knicks' offices in Madison Square Garden, he talked to Red Holzman, then strode out to the elevator. When it opened, two deliverymen were struggling with a dolly piled high with boxes of office supplies, mostly letterheads and envelopes. The load was so heavy, the elevator had stopped maybe four inches below the floor level and now the deliverymen were huffing and puffing, but they couldn't raise the dolly high enough to get it on the floor level. After maybe two minutes of the deliverymen's huffing and puffing, Wilt, his biceps bulging in a tank top, peered down at them and intoned, "Gentlemen, maybe I can help." They stepped back, he stepped into the elevator, grabbed each end of the rope slung under the dolly and without much exertion, quickly lifted the dolly onto the floor level. Looking up in awe, the deliverymen said, "Thank you." Wilt said, "You're welcome." Wilt stepped into the elevator and rode down to the street level as another witness followed the two deliverymen toward the Knick offices and asked, "How much does all this weigh?" They quickly surveyed the stack of big boxes of office supplies. "Close to 600 pounds," one said.

"One time, when I was with Boston and he was with the Lakers, Happy Hairston and I were about to get in a scrape," said Charlotte Hornets coach Paul Silas, who was a rugged, no-nonsense enforcer. "All of a sudden, I felt an enormous vise around me. I was 6-7, 235, and Wilt had picked me up and turned me around. He said, 'We're not going to have that stuff.' I said, 'Yes sir.'" Goliath's Wonderful Life, Hoop Magazine; May 1999; Chris Ekstrand

"On the trip to Russia with the Harlem Globetrotters, we were in Lenin Stadium, and they assigned a dressing room to the team. The players were getting dressed for one of their games. They were in rather close quarters. Remember, these were young kids-Wilt was 23. The others were his age. They were like kittens. You bump me, i'll bump you back. And before you know it, two of the guys set on Wilt. They started playfully pushing and shoving him. And finally one of his teammates hit Wilt a little too hard. He took these two guys, twisted each of their shirts, and lifted both of them off the ground. Each of these guys weighed over 200 pounds. It looked like he had two little crackers in his hands. I thought he was going to hit their heads together. It was an amazing demonstration of strength". Dr. Stan Lorber, team doctor on the Globetrotters' Russian trip

http://volleyball.org/people/wilt_chamberlain.html

From Pat Powers, 1984 Olympic Volleyball Gold Medalist, 10/14/99 -
A lot has been written about Wilt the last several days here in So Cal. He is receiving more attention now than he has for the last fifteen years--he would have preferred it this way, Wilt was never one for the spotlight off the court.

Here are two stories that I just attached names to yesterday:

One day big Wilty (a notorious card cheater) was playing a game off VB down at Muscle Beach in Santa Monica. To say Wilty was competitve in all sports would be a minor understatement. An argument broke out over the correct score and Wilty was not giving ground to anybody on the court. One of the players, Amon Lucky, made the mistake of stepping under the net to further the point, when Wilty picked him up and threw him over the net!!! Now understand the "Amer" weighs something on the order of 225lbs, so the rumor is Wilty "taped"him on the throw over. needless to say Wilty won the argument, and if memory serves me correct, the game.

Wilty was one of the strongest guys I have ever seen. I once was sitting on the steel fence at Rosecrans taking in the Rosecrans open with Wilt and several cohorts back in the late 70's. A player from Muscle Beach was standing beneath us and told us he was going to walk around so he could come join us up on the rail. Wilty told him there was "no no reason to walk," and reached down and picked him up by one arm and hoisted him over the bar. Mike weighed ~240lbs!!!

I have been around some athletes in my day. But nobody and I mean nobody was stronger than Wilty. He was a man's man!!!

I haven't seen him in recent years, but I am sure everybody who hung with the big guy at Sorrento, Muscle and State Beach will miss him.....

Now, I could google Wilt's bench press, and literally find DOZENS of articles claiming 500+ .

Here is footage of Chamberlain throwing Artis Gilmore around like a rag doll.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1utx7OxiaoU


Why is that important, you ask?

Christian Science Monitor - Jan 25, 1993

After the Celtics lost to the Magic, 113-94, Robert Parish said that in his 17- year career, only longtime Chicago Bulls star Artis Gilmore was physically stronger than O'Neal, but that Shaq was more athletic - "and that is a very scary thought," he said in mock seriousness.

Bob Lanier was 6-11 and weighed about 275...

http://www.nba.com/history/wilt_appreciation.html

Bob Lanier, himself a Hall of Fame center of considerable proportion, recalls "when Wilt Chamberlain lifted me up and moved me like a coffee cup so he could get position.

Finally...just how strong was Shaq?

Keep in mind that this Shaq was only a few years removed from the NBA, and probably weighed around 375 lbs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kshvbcihXKI

THIS Shaq couldn't BUDGE 405 lbs. I'm sorry to tell you, but there was simply no way in hell that Shaq EVER benched 400+.

Furthermore, there was no way that he was EVER stronger than Wilt.

BTW, how about this...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bU43dTuMuig


I'll address the rest of your pure garbage post later...

[LAZERUSS]

I do not agree with you even a little. We are talking about one of the most legitimately gifted athletes to have ever play NBA. He would be a perennial contender for MVP. He would not average the same kind of stats he did in his prime, different era of basketball.

He would be a 25+ ppg, 15+ rpg, 3.0 bpg easy, and more than likely I am understating his impact. I am guessing your a pretty young guy from your opinions of Wilt and Russell.

I think you are being somewhat conservative on those estimations. Why?

Because a 6-9 1/2 Cousins, with his documented 28" vertical, and only playing 35 mpg...just put up a 24-13 season. Give a prime Chamberlain, at 7-1+, 290 lb, with a 40" vertical (and a college HIGH JUMP champion BTW), with his 7-8 wingspan, and his massive strength (he would throw Cousins into the seats with one arm)...and with this skill-set...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCWrGWuU2Ak

Well... I suspect 30-35 ppg (depending on his supporting cast and what was needed), .600 FG% (he was shooting .683 and .727 in leagues that shot eFG%'s of .441 and .456...can you imagine what he would do in the current NBA which shot .501 and .496 in the last two seasons?); 17-20 rpg (hell, if the 6-8 Rodman could get 19 rpg...Chamberlain would have bested it); probably 4-5+ apg (Wilt LED the league in assists one year, and finsihed 3rd in another); and 5+ bpg (my god...in his LAST season he blocked 5.4)

Again...a dufus like Cousins at 24-13...then a prime Wilt would have slaughtered those marks.

[senelcoolidge]

I honestly think Wilt would push Anthony Davis like a rag doll in the paint. He's too strong and skilled. He would have a field day on Davis. Not to say Davis wouldn't do too bad either, he's got a good skill set. He would have to do most of his scoring outside of the paint with jumpers because Wilt would be too much inside.

[LAZERUSS]

I honestly think Wilt would push Anthony Davis like a rag doll in the paint. He's too strong and skilled. He would have a field day on Davis. Not to say Davis wouldn't do too bad either, he's got a good skill set. He would have to do most of his scoring outside of the paint with jumpers because Wilt would be too much inside.

I agree with most of this post...but, I would say that a prime Chamberlain, if so inclined, would have probably shut Davis down on those outside shots. Why?

This has been DOCUMENTED by a newspaper article (CavsFTW actually found it), but I am too lazy to look it up...so I will use this link...

https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Wilt_Chamberlain

"When challenged, Wilt could do almost anything he wanted. In 1961 a new star named Walt Bellamy came into the league. Bellamy was 6-foot-11, and was scoring 30 points a game. First time they played against each other, they met at half court. Bellamy said, 'Hello, Mr. Chamberlain. I'm Walter Bellamy.' Chamberlain reached for Bellamy's hand and said, 'Hello, Walter. You won't get a shot off in the first half.' Wilt then [COLOR="DarkRed"]blocked Bellamy's first nine shots[/COLOR]. At the start of the second half Wilt said to Bellamy, 'Okay, Walter. Now you can play.'"

For the record, Wilt outscored Bellamy in that game, 51-14.

And, Jerry Lucas was perhaps the best long-range shooter of his era (hard to believe that a 6-8 PF would have such tremendous range). The term "Lucas Layup" was coined in his behalf (he easily had 25+ ft range.)

In the first half of the first game of the '72 Finals, Lucas shot 9-11 from the field. And he was making shots from the 405 freeway in doing so. Somehow a 35 year old Chamberlain then not only shut him down (he would shoot .456 the entire rest of the series againt Wilt), BUT, Chamberlain still managed to averaged 7.4 bpg in that series (as well as 23.2 rpg.)

Again, a prime, athletic Chamberlain, whose only role would be to defend Davis...I can't help but believe that Davis would struggle to get a shot off, much less make very many of them.