Kareem vs Wilt

[SHAQisGOAT]

Who would you pick coming into the league? And at their best?

Who's higher on your all-time list?

[gts]

Who would you pick coming into the league? And at their best?

Who's higher on your all-time list?

Kareem, with 20/20 hindsight for his overall career or without just knowing his resume coming out of college

I have Kareem as the GOAT basketball player

[LAZERUSS]

Aside from FT shooting, Chamberlain was better at virtually every aspect of the game. And even FT shooting is deceptive, since KAJ averaged 335 MADE FTs per season in his career, while Chamberlain averaged 432 MADE FTs per season in his.

Scoring titles: Wilt with a 7-2 margin.
FG% titles: Wilt with a 9-1 margin.
Rebounding titles: Wilt with an 11-1 margin (and outrebounded Kareem vry season in their four years in the league together.
Assist Titles: Wilt with a 1-0 margin, and also had another season in which he came in third.

How about Blocked Shots?
In Wilt's last season in the league, he averaged 5.4 bpg. The NBA began "officially" recording blocked shots the very next season (and they waited until Wilt retired BTW)...KAJ averaged 3.5 bpg that very next year, and his high season was 4.1 bpg. BTW, in their known H2Hs, Chamberlain blocked considerably more shots.

How about First Team All-Defense?

The NBA didn't have this award until the '68-69 season. In Wilt's LAST two seasons, he was voted First Team All Defense over Kareem (and other's.)

[Proctor]

Kareem, with 20/20 hindsight for his overall career or without just knowing his resume coming out of college

I have Kareem as the GOAT basketball player

This. I only give Wilt the nod in terms of athleticism.

[fpliii]

idk

Probably would go Wilt, but I'm very impressed by Kareem as I see more of him. There are a ton of games of him in his prime available, I want to watch as much as possible.

[Sarcastic]

Imagine Wilt getting to play half his career with someone like Magic Johnson or Oscar Robertson, and that Kareem had to go at it alone.


Actually we've seen Kareem go at it alone. Didn't go so well.

[dunksby]

Kareem all the way, considering his dominance in HS and college. In hindsight it's even less of a dilemma.

[Asukal]

Imagine Wilt getting to play half his career with someone like Magic Johnson or Oscar Robertson, and that Kareem had to go at it alone.


Actually we've seen Kareem go at it alone. Didn't go so well.

Imagine Wilt playing with someone like Jerry West and Elgin Baylor... Oh wait he did.

[Deuce Bigalow]

Boiled down:::

KAJ: 6/10
Wilt: 2/6

[LAZERUSS]

Imagine Wilt playing with someone like Jerry West and Elgin Baylor... Oh wait he did.

Yep...

Chamberlain played a COMBINED SIX post-seasons with West and Baylor, and out of those, West played well in TWO (and horribly in game seven of even one of those), and Baylor was decent in one (nothing more), and AWFUL in the other.

Meanwhile, KAJ played a COMBINED 16 season post-seasons with Magic and Worthy. Those two combined for FOUR FMVPs, and overall, were FAR better in their post-seasons with Kareem, than Baylor and West were with Chamberlain.

As good as West was in '69 and '70, Magic was equally as great in '80, '82, '87, and '88. Andf Magic was better in '81, '83, '84, '85, and '86 than West was in '72 and '73. And Worthy was better in his ALL SIX of his post-seasons that Baylor was in either of his TWO with Chamberlain.

And I while West put up a 42-13-12 game seven on 14-29 FG/FGA, and 14-18 FT/FTA, in a game seven loss with Wilt (who was saddled on the bench in the last five minutes of that two-point loss), Magic put up a 42-15-7 game on 14-23 FG/FGA, and 14-14 FT/FTA, in a clinching game six win...with Kareem watching the game from home on his couch.

Magic dominated every guard he faced in his post-season career. West played well in '69, was crushed by Frazier in game seven of the '70 Finals, was murdered by Frazier in the entire '72 Finals, and was outplayed by Frazier in the '73 Finals.

Give Wilt Magic and Worthy, both of whom ELEVATED their games in their combined 16 post-seasons with Kareem, and he would have won far more rings than what he got with West and Baylor in their six with Wilt.

[Asukal]

Yep...

Chamberlain played a COMBINED SIX post-seasons with West and Baylor, and out of those, West played well in TWO (and horribly in game seven of even one of those), and Baylor was decent in one (nothing more), and AWFUL in the other.

Meanwhile, KAJ played a COMBINED 16 season post-seasons with Magic and Worthy. Those two combined for FOUR FMVPs, and overall, were FAR better in their post-seasons with Kareem, than Baylor and West were with Chamberlain.

As good as West was in '69 and '70, Magic was equally as great in '80, '82, '87, and '88. Andf Magic was better in '81, '83, '84, '85, and '86 than West was in '72 and '73. And Worthy was better in his ALL SIX of his post-seasons that Baylor was in either of his TWO with Chamberlain.

And I while West put up a 42-13-12 game seven on 14-29 FG/FGA, and 14-18 FT/FTA, in a game seven loss with Wilt (who was saddled on the bench in the last five minutes of that two-point loss), Magic put up a 42-15-7 game on 14-23 FG/FGA, and 14-14 FT/FTA, in a clinching game six win...with Kareem watching the game from home on his couch.

Magic dominated every guard he faced in his post-season career. West played well in '69, was crushed by Frazier in game seven of the '70 Finals, was murdered by Frazier in the entire '72 Finals, and was outplayed by Frazier in the '73 Finals.

Give Wilt Magic and Worthy, both of whom ELEVATED their games in their combined 16 post-seasons with Kareem, and he would have won far more rings than what he got with West and Baylor in their six with Wilt.

Of course it's not Wilt's fault he can't lead a team.

[senelcoolidge]

Both were amazing players. But Wilt being a superior rebounder, scorer, passer, and defender I would have to go with him. Young and prime Kareem was amazing as well. Young Wilt was more mobile than Kareem (Kareem was very mobile as well as a youngser). Wilt had more versatility as well.

[T_L_P]

Both were amazing players. But Wilt being a superior rebounder, scorer, passer, and defender I would have to go with him. Young and prime Kareem was amazing as well. Young Wilt was more mobile than Kareem (Kareem was very mobile as well as a youngser). Wilt had more versatility as well.

Wilt from ages 23-31 (his prime, at least from a scoring standpoint): 29.3 PPG on .522 TS% in the fastest era of all time playing 48 MPG.

Kareem from ages 22-32: 30.4 PPG on .570 TS% playing 44 MPG.



Anyway, Kareem for me.

[BIZARRO]

Wilt from ages 23-31 (his prime, at least from a scoring standpoint): 29.3 PPG on .522 TS% in the fastest era of all time playing 48 MPG.

Kareem from ages 22-32: 30.4 PPG on .570 TS% playing 44 MPG.



Anyway, Kareem for me.

There are more things than just scoring.

That said, Wilt was scoring, and could have scored so much more but he altered his game the last couple years of your timeline.

Also, Wilt's rebounding numbers dwarf Kareems during this period as he was averaging almost 25 a game. A much more dominant presence on the boards. I mean in the period you are talking about there is almost a 10 rebound per game difference. 6 per 36. That is huge.

Wilt all day long.

[T_L_P]

There are more things than just scoring.

That said, Wilt was scoring, and could have scored so much more but he altered his game the last couple years of your timeline.

Also, Wilt's rebounding numbers dwarf Kareems during this period as he was averaging almost 25 a game. A much more physical player. I mean in the period you are talking about there is almost a 10 rebound per game difference. 6 per 36. That is huge.

Wilt all day long.

Of course there is. I was just addressing the point that Wilt was the better scorer. I don't think he is. I took his scoring prime and it is still less than Kareem's; I ignored his "I'm not going to score" years.