Wilt's 12 foot rim dunk

[LAClipsFan33]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvYgYijGCtY

After watching this do people still think it was some tale tale that Wilt could dunk on the 12 foot hoop ? Wilt was 3 inches taller than this guy and I'm willing to bet he had a significantly higher reach.

Discuss.

[ShaqAttack3234]

Yes, I still think it's a myth that he did it. Wilt's word is all we have and he's the same guy who claimed to have a 48" vertical and we all know that's BS.

[HylianNightmare]

he traveled

[PowerGlove]

inb4 jlauber and phila.

[LAClipsFan33]

Yes, I still think it's a myth that he did it. Wilt's word is all we have and he's the same guy who claimed to have a 48" vertical and we all know that's BS.

So what you're essentially saying is that you think this guy right here...who is 3 inches shorter than Wilt was miles more athletic than Wilt was ?

[ShaqAttack3234]

So what you're essentially saying is that you think this guy right here...who is 3 inches shorter than Wilt was miles more athletic than Wilt was ?

Yes. Dwight Howard is around that guy's height and has a 39" vertical and a 9'3.5" standing reach and I've never heard of him doing it. Shaq has a 9'5" standing reach and he had a 36" vertical when he was younger and I've never heard of him doing it. Same goes for Garnett and Robinson who are both around 7'-7'1" and were freak athletes.

[WADE MONEY]

he traveled

:oldlol: :oldlol: :oldlol: :oldlol:

[LAClipsFan33]

Yes. Dwight Howard is around that guy's height and has a 39" vertical and a 9'3.5" standing reach and I've never heard of him doing it. Shaq has a 9'5" standing reach and he had a 36" vertical when he was younger and I've never heard of him doing it. Same goes for Garnett and Robinson who are both around 7'-7'1" and were freak athletes.

You've never heard of them trying it...that doesn't mean they couldn't do it if they would have thought to try it. How many people have even tried this ? The guy on the vid did it WAY too easy and didn't even jump that high.

[B-Low]

dunking on a 12 foot rim = a very underutilized skill in NBA games.

[ShaqAttack3234]

You've never heard of them trying it...that doesn't mean they couldn't do it if they would have thought to try it. How many people have even tried this ? The guy on the vid did it WAY too easy and didn't even jump that high.

Didn't Dwight dunk on an 11'6" rim in the dunk contest? If he could do 12' then I'm sure he would and he's the center with the highest vert as far as I know at around 39".

[LAClipsFan33]

Didn't Dwight dunk on an 11'6" rim in the dunk contest? If he could do 12' then I'm sure he would and he's the center with the highest vert as far as I know at around 39".

From what I've heard he requested a 12' rim, but they couldn't get one tall enough so he toyed with one that was a little higher than 11 1/2'. Watching the dunk you can see that he can easily dunk on 12 and maybe higher. He just hopped up there. He didn't even labor on his jump.

[MeLO MvP 15]

Dwight dunked on a 12 footer in the Dunk Contest

[PHILA]

Yes, I still think it's a myth that he did it. Wilt's word is all we have and he's the same guy who claimed to have a 48" vertical and we all know that's BS.


Prescott Evening Courier - Dec 13, 1955 (http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JOoKAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BVADAAAAIBAJ&pg=6097,1789541&dq)


'If Coach Allen did wish to present a clinching argument in favor of raising the baskets he would only have to look to his freshman squad and put the finger on one Wilton Chamberlain. Wilt the Stilt, as Chamberlain has been called, is a 7-foot-plus growing boy He has no trouble at all "dunking" the ball into the 12-foot baskets and might even come close to doing the same at the 15-foot height. Many coaches call Chamberlain the greatest basketball player in the country - right now and at this stage of his development.'

[eliteballer]

Wilt could touch the rim on his tippy toes, he would only need like a 30 inch vertical to dunk on a 12 foot rim.

[MasterDurant24]

I thought Dwight dunked on a 12 foot rim at the dunk contest.

[Yung D-Will]

Eh I could do that back in my prime

[LAClipsFan33]

I thought Dwight dunked on a 12 foot rim at the dunk contest.

It was a little higher than 11.5'

[Sakkreth]

I've seen this dunk live :banana: , it was 9yrs ago in my hometown. Javtokas would had been a beast, he was almost Spurs member already, too bad he took that moto crash after which it's a fckin miracle he can play now, docs like always said that there is no chance for him to be back.

[PHILA]

Wilt could touch the rim on his tippy toes, he would only need like a 30 inch vertical to dunk on a 12 foot rim.

http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?t=98884


Apparently Chamberlain's max vert was a mere 24 inches, putting him nearly 10 inches below Andrew Bogut (33.5 max) and 14 inches below Yi Jianlian (38 max). It turns out Chamberlain's max vert was inferior to the standing vert of Yao Ming (26 standing) and only 2 inches greater than Shawn Bradley's standing vert (22 standing/27 max).

:hammerhead:

[OneMoreSucka]

I need proof of that rim being 12 feet high before anything.

[whatever666]

Yea Dwight did that to, pretty easy it seemed. Then Lebron went on to say he can do it on a 13 foot rim.

[Haymaker]

That guy is another Spurs draft pick playing overseas.

[Sakkreth]

Yea Dwight did that to, pretty easy it seemed. Then Lebron went on to say he can do it on a 13 foot rim.

Yeah it looked that he done that easy, but alley op is a lot easier to do.

[Scott Baker]

I like those jerseys, but they're kind of terrible.

[LAClipsFan33]

I need proof of that rim being 12 feet high before anything.

It's the world record dunk...documented

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robertas_Javtokas

"He once set a world record by dunking on a 12 foot high basketball goal."

[Lakas Fan Yo]

Didn't Dwight dunk on an 11'6" rim in the dunk contest? If he could do 12' then I'm sure he would and he's the center with the highest vert as far as I know at around 39".

It was an 11 foot rim that he dunked on.

[Lakas Fan Yo]

From what I've heard he requested a 12' rim, but they couldn't get one tall enough so he toyed with one that was a little higher than 11 1/2'. Watching the dunk you can see that he can easily dunk on 12 and maybe higher. He just hopped up there. He didn't even labor on his jump.

It was 11 feet, not 11-6.

[Lakas Fan Yo]

Dwight dunked on a 12 footer in the Dunk Contest

Get serious. That was 11 feet, not 12.

[Lakas Fan Yo]

I need proof of that rim being 12 feet high before anything.

They measured it before he did it. Unlike Dwight who dunked on an 11 and claimed it was 12.

[OneMoreSucka]

lol @ triple post saying the same thing

[LAClipsFan33]

It was 11 feet, not 11-6.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vz5HaAxP3cM&p=FCB20D134A93D7E3&playnext=1&index=21

Pause at :09

The rim is more than half way up the backboard. The top of the backboard is 13'. That's higher than 11 feet.

[Lakas Fan Yo]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vz5HaAxP3cM&p=FCB20D134A93D7E3&playnext=1&index=21

Pause at :09

The rim is more than half way up the backboard. The top of the backboard is 13'. That's higher than 11 feet.

It was admitted by ESPN after that it was only 11 feet.

[LAClipsFan33]

It was admitted by ESPN after that it was only 11 feet.

It looks higher to me...

Well either way this proves he can dunk on 12'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veMV4fV3lb4&feature=related

[ShaqAttack3234]

:oldlol: at Abe's link which suggests Wilt might be able to dunk on a 15 foot rim and no way does Yao have a 26 standing vertical. His vert wasn't measured at the pre-draft camp so anything else is unreliable and a 26 standing vert for Yao is not even plausible.

[Fatal9]

'If Coach Allen did wish to present a clinching argument in favor of raising the baskets he would only have to look to his freshman squad and put the finger on one Wilton Chamberlain. Wilt the Stilt, as Chamberlain has been called, is a 7-foot-plus growing boy He has no trouble at all "dunking" the ball into the 12-foot baskets and might even come close to doing the same at the 15-foot height. Many coaches call Chamberlain the greatest basketball player in the country - right now and at this stage of his development.'
LOL nice source.

[LAClipsFan33]

:oldlol: at Abe's link which suggests Wilt might be able to dunk on a 15 foot rim and no way does Yao have a 26 standing vertical. His vert wasn't measured at the pre-draft camp so anything else is unreliable and a 26 standing vert for Yao is not even plausible.

Now that 15 foot rim sh*t is thoroughly retarded

[Ikill]

Didn't Dwight dunk on an 11'6" rim in the dunk contest? If he could do 12' then I'm sure he would and he's the center with the highest vert as far as I know at around 39".
According to dwights draft numbers his vertical is 35.5 the same as al horfords and greg oden. He has a 9'3.5 standing reach

[ShaqAttack3234]

According to dwights draft numbers his vertical is 35.5 the same as al horfords and greg oden. He has a 9'3.5 standing reach

Well, considering he touched 12'6" in the dunk contest with his left hand while catching an alley oop with his right, his max vert is atleast 38.5". With a 9'3.5" standing reach, he'd need a 38.5" vert to touch 12'6", but considering he did that while dunking a ball and putting a sticker, he may be able to get higher if he were just jumping as high as he can without worrying about doing anything else. His draft numbers also had him at 6'10 1/4" in shoes and he hit his head on the rim in one video while doing a reverse dunk, iirc, once again that'd be atleast around 38".

He claims to have a 39" vert, iirc. And he's proven it's atleast 38.5".

[NBA4EVER]

http://harlemglobetrotters.com.ismmedia.com/ISM3/std-content/repos/Top/Multimedia/Michael%20Wilson%2012ftDunk.JPG

[jlauber]

Yep...everything that has been printed about Wilt are obvious myths. The reality was he was playing against 6-6 dorky, near-blind, weak, white centers that could not dunk on 8 ft rims themselves.

And those that claim that Chamberlain averaged 50 ppg in a season; or averaged 40 ppg over the course of his first seven years...combined; or scored 100 pts in a game; or scored 70+ points six times...which is five more than any other player whoever played the game, and one more than all the rest...combined; or scored 60+ point games 32 times...which is two more than all the rest of the players in NBA history...combined...and with five being the second best mark (by Kobe and MJ); or that Wilt scored 50+ points 118 times, which is three times as much as the next guy (MJ); or that he won a scoring title by nearly 20 ppg; or that had 55 of the TOTAL of 61 40-30 games in NBA history; or had a 78-43 game; or the only five 50-40 games in NBA history; or who averaged 27.2 rpg over the course of a season; or grabbed 55 rebounds in a game; or snared 41 rebounds in a post-season game; or averaged 22.9 rpg for his CAREER; or outrebounded the second greatest rebounder in NBA history by five rpg; or had post-seasons of 30+ rpg; or who has the two highest FG% seasons in NBA history, and three of the top-five; or who outshot the entire league in FG% by margins of .271 and .244; or who outshot his nearest competitor one season by .162; or who had an 18-18 game from the floor; or who made 35 straight FGAs; or who was the only center to lead the league in assists (and who finished third in another season); or who had seasons of 10 bpg; or who had one game at 25 bpg and another that was recorded at 23 in 1969; or who had 22-25-21 game; or who had a 24-32-13-12 playoff game; or who is currently 4th all-time in triple-doubles...and that does not include blocked shots; etc., etc., etc...

All MYTHS.

[ShaqAttack3234]

Yep...everything that has been printed about Wilt are obvious myths. The reality was he was playing against 6-6 dorky, near-blind, weak, white centers that could not dunk on 8 ft rims themselves.

And those that claim that Chamberlain averaged 50 ppg in a season; or averaged 40 ppg over the course of his first seven years...combined; or scored 100 pts in a game; or scored 70+ points six times...which is five more than any other player whoever played the game, and one more than all the rest...combined; or scored 60+ point games 32 times...which is two more than all the rest of the players in NBA history...combined...and with five being the second best mark (by Kobe and MJ); or that Wilt scored 50+ points 118 times, which is three times as much as the next guy (MJ); or that he won a scoring title by nearly 20 ppg; or that had 55 of the TOTAL of 61 40-30 games in NBA history; or had a 78-43 game; or the only five 50-40 games in NBA history; or who averaged 27.2 rpg over the course of a season; or grabbed 55 rebounds in a game; or snared 41 rebounds in a post-season game; or averaged 22.9 rpg for his CAREER; or outrebounded the second greatest rebounder in NBA history by five rpg; or had post-seasons of 30+ rpg; or who has the two highest FG% seasons in NBA history, and three of the top-five; or who outshot the entire league in FG% by margins of .271 and .244; or who outshot his nearest competitor one season by .162; or who had an 18-18 game from the floor; or who made 35 straight FGAs; or who was the only center to lead the league in assists (and who finished third in another season); or who had seasons of 10 bpg; or who had one game at 25 bpg and another that was recorded at 23 in 1969; or who had 22-25-21 game; or who had a 24-32-13-12 playoff game; or who is currently 4th all-time in triple-doubles...and that does not include blocked shots; etc., etc., etc...

All MYTHS.

My god, what the hell does this have to do with him dunking on a 12 foot rim?

There's a difference between something recorded in the record book and a claim from Wilt himself that's not officially documented in any way.

[jlauber]

My god, what the hell does this have to do with him dunking on a 12 foot rim?

There's a difference between something recorded in the record book and a claim from Wilt himself that's not officially documented in any way.

Look...I am getting tired of covering this topic over and over. There have been RESPECTED eye-witness accounts of Wilt touching the top of the backboard, which is something that Howard has never done. There was a respected sportswriter who measured a vertical leap of Wilt at 42". There have been eye-witness accounts of Chamberlain benching 465 lbs at age 59, and other weight-lifters, who could bench 500 lbs themselves claming that Wilt was the strongest man they knew.

Only IDIOTS would claim that it is WILT who has spawned all these incredible physical feats. The VAST MAJORITY have been eye-witness accounts from teammates, opposing players, coaches, and members of the media.

Furthermore, Wilt was considered a world-class athlete. One coach felt that he could win the Olympic Decathalon. We KNOW that he was a champion high-jumper (with very poor technique, and before the advent of the "Fosbury Flop"), that he was a track star at Kansas and participated in the high-jump, the long jump, the triple jump, the 4x100, the 440, the 880, and the shot-put.

We KNOW that Hank Stram considered him an All-Pro football prospect (and he had 6-9 Buck Buchanon BTW.) We KNOW that he outraced the Chiefs fastest running back at the same tryout. We KNOW that he had TWO LEGITIMATE heavyweight title bouts lined up. We KNOW that he Howard Cosell mentioned that he might very well have been the strongest athlete in the world. We KNOW that he was considered, by some at least, as a world-class volleyball player. We also KNOW that he had LEGITIMATE NBA offers to play into his late 40's and early 50's. We KNOW, thanks to Larry Brown, that he dominated a summer league game that included Magic Johnson...at age 44. We KNOW, thanks to Kiki Vandewege, that he dominated 7-4 Mark Eaton, in another summer league game, and that he was in his late 40's at the time.

I could go on and on, but enough already. There are those here who would not believe anything Wilt did. And there are others here who clearly have an anti-Wilt agenda. I am sick-and-tired of arguing with them.

Just GOOGLE Wilt's vertical, or GOOGLE Wilt's bench-press. YOU guys can then argue with the dozens, if not hundreds of links that are plastered all over the internet.

[ShaqAttack3234]

Look...I am getting tired of covering this topic over and over. There have been RESPECTED eye-witness accounts of Wilt touching the top of the backboard, which is something that Howard has never done. There was a respected sportswriter who measured a vertical leap of Wilt at 42". There have been eye-witness accounts of Chamberlain benching 465 lbs at age 59, and other weight-lifters, who could bench 500 lbs themselves claming that Wilt was the strongest man they knew.

There have been "eye witness" accounts of David Thompson doing it as well and Earl Manigault, do you believe that too?

And nobody measured Wilt's vertical, he estimated what it was after seeing Wilt touch a high ceiling.

[PHILA]

Yep...everything that has been printed about Wilt are obvious myths. The reality was he was playing against 6-6 dorky, near-blind, weak, white centers that could not dunk on 8 ft rims themselves.

And those that claim that Chamberlain averaged 50 ppg in a season; or averaged 40 ppg over the course of his first seven years...combined; or scored 100 pts in a game; or scored 70+ points six times...which is five more than any other player whoever played the game, and one more than all the rest...combined; or scored 60+ point games 32 times...which is two more than all the rest of the players in NBA history...combined...and with five being the second best mark (by Kobe and MJ); or that Wilt scored 50+ points 118 times, which is three times as much as the next guy (MJ); or that he won a scoring title by nearly 20 ppg; or that had 55 of the TOTAL of 61 40-30 games in NBA history; or had a 78-43 game; or the only five 50-40 games in NBA history; or who averaged 27.2 rpg over the course of a season; or grabbed 55 rebounds in a game; or snared 41 rebounds in a post-season game; or averaged 22.9 rpg for his CAREER; or outrebounded the second greatest rebounder in NBA history by five rpg; or had post-seasons of 30+ rpg; or who has the two highest FG% seasons in NBA history, and three of the top-five; or who outshot the entire league in FG% by margins of .271 and .244; or who outshot his nearest competitor one season by .162; or who had an 18-18 game from the floor; or who made 35 straight FGAs; or who was the only center to lead the league in assists (and who finished third in another season); or who had seasons of 10 bpg; or who had one game at 25 bpg and another that was recorded at 23 in 1969; or who had 22-25-21 game; or who had a 24-32-13-12 playoff game; or who is currently 4th all-time in triple-doubles...and that does not include blocked shots; etc., etc., etc...

All MYTHS.

Wilt Chamberlain and his 9'7 reach would need not much more than a 30 inch vertical max for a comfortable 2 handed slam if he chose. He'd need even less to slam it one handed, provided he could palm the ball in one hand as he definitely could like no other.

[Fatstogie]

From what I've heard he requested a 12' rim, but they couldn't get one tall enough so he toyed with one that was a little higher than 11 1/2'. Watching the dunk you can see that he can easily dunk on 12 and maybe higher. He just hopped up there. He didn't even labor on his jump.

This. He just hoped up there. The other dude fell n shit and they were all off balance. Dwight just kinda hoped right up. And he dunked 2 handed. The others were 1. Id suspect that one handed Dwight could get higher than 12'.

[BigBalla44]

Arguing about this is irrelevant. Wilt was a better basketball player than Dwight and it will probably stay that way.

[LAClipsFan33]

Wilt was a better basketball player than Dwight and it will probably stay that way.

This is true

[Fatal9]

Wilt could maybe do this imo. Just barely though. If he extends one side of his body like you would on a dunk (your reach is actually higher than your standing reach in that situation), he'd need about a 30-32 inch vertical to complete the dunk, and that's about what I expect Wilt's vertical maxed out at.

One guy I would bet on doing this is Larry Nance. 6'10 or 6'11, long arms, and probably a 40-42 inch vertical. Basically Josh Smith but a bit taller and longer, while having the same leaping ability...


http://i38.tinypic.com/10crw21.jpg

http://i34.tinypic.com/2z4hhfm.jpg

[Jinxed]

Look...I am getting tired of covering this topic over and over. There have been RESPECTED eye-witness accounts of Wilt touching the top of the backboard, which is something that Howard has never done. There was a respected sportswriter who measured a vertical leap of Wilt at 42". There have been eye-witness accounts of Chamberlain benching 465 lbs at age 59, and other weight-lifters, who could bench 500 lbs themselves claming that Wilt was the strongest man they knew.

Only IDIOTS would claim that it is WILT who has spawned all these incredible physical feats. The VAST MAJORITY have been eye-witness accounts from teammates, opposing players, coaches, and members of the media.

Furthermore, Wilt was considered a world-class athlete. One coach felt that he could win the Olympic Decathalon. We KNOW that he was a champion high-jumper (with very poor technique, and before the advent of the "Fosbury Flop"), that he was a track star at Kansas and participated in the high-jump, the long jump, the triple jump, the 4x100, the 440, the 880, and the shot-put.

We KNOW that Hank Stram considered him an All-Pro football prospect (and he had 6-9 Buck Buchanon BTW.) We KNOW that he outraced the Chiefs fastest running back at the same tryout. We KNOW that he had TWO LEGITIMATE heavyweight title bouts lined up. We KNOW that he Howard Cosell mentioned that he might very well have been the strongest athlete in the world. We KNOW that he was considered, by some at least, as a world-class volleyball player. We also KNOW that he had LEGITIMATE NBA offers to play into his late 40's and early 50's. We KNOW, thanks to Larry Brown, that he dominated a summer league game that included Magic Johnson...at age 44. We KNOW, thanks to Kiki Vandewege, that he dominated 7-4 Mark Eaton, in another summer league game, and that he was in his late 40's at the time..


Wilt played volleyball in a small california co-ed league. How does that make him world class?

And if Howard Cosell thought he was the strongest man in the world that doesn't mean much. The world bench press record is 1075 pounds. Twice that of Wilt.

But yes, he was a great athlete for his size. Outstanding.

As per your quotes about Wilt Vs Eaton can you please provide a source? Not doubting, I would just like to see it...

[Jinxed]

Here is a video of Wilt High Jumping

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCLDu4HBYtc

Here is a video of the Olympic Gold Medal High Jumper

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7UmU9jOjD4&feature=related

[Andrei89]

It was a little higher than 11.5'

Yes and he did it easily

[LAClipsFan33]

The world bench press record is 1075 pounds. Twice that of Wilt.


That record is bullsh*t. It's done with that bench press shirt contraption which give you a ton of support and makes it so you don't even have to bend your arm. It's like a super suit. Sh*t makes you 200 - 300 lbs stronger by springing your arms back into position when you go down. Basically is makes your arms work like levers with the aid of the shirt.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMKiBdhnYlA

The record without that bullsh*t is 715

Here it is : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bu9csQC45c

Any press over 715 is bullsh*t if you ask me because of the

[jstern]

http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?t=98884


Apparently Chamberlain's max vert was a mere 24 inches, putting him nearly 10 inches below Andrew Bogut (33.5 max) and 14 inches below Yi Jianlian (38 max). It turns out Chamberlain's max vert was inferior to the standing vert of Yao Ming (26 standing) and only 2 inches greater than Shawn Bradley's standing vert (22 standing/27 max).

:hammerhead:
I once saw a random clip of a Chamberlain game from like 72' out of curiousity of the old timers, when he was past his prime, and he had this block at the arc of the ball that I found amazing. No way he only had a 24 in vertical. Sure he was very long, but also in his 30s, and later I found out coming off of knew surgery. I was also surprised that they had slow motion back then.

[jstern]

Wilt could maybe do this imo. Just barely though. If he extends one side of his body like you would on a dunk (your reach is actually higher than your standing reach in that situation), he'd need about a 30-32 inch vertical to complete the dunk, and that's about what I expect Wilt's vertical maxed out at.

One guy I would bet on doing this is Larry Nance. 6'10 or 6'11, long arms, and probably a 40-42 inch vertical. Basically Josh Smith but a bit taller and longer, while having the same leaping ability...


http://i38.tinypic.com/10crw21.jpg

http://i34.tinypic.com/2z4hhfm.jpg

Damn,

Any actual video of this?

[jstern]

I'm short, just under 5'9" and I have short arms for my size (which pisses me off more than you can imagine, when shorter people than me can reach higher places than me). I just measured my arm from my elbow to my middle fingers and it was 18". People like Jordan and Vince Carter can put their whole forearms in a 10' rim, so I'm starting to think that this whole dunking on a 12 foot rim is over rated and can be done by many.

[plowking]

It's the world record dunk...documented

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robertas_Javtokas

"He once set a world record by dunking on a 12 foot high basketball goal."

Notice how Wilt's name isn't by that record?
:pimp:

[Poochymama]

Here is a video of Wilt High Jumping

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCLDu4HBYtc

Here is a video of the Olympic Gold Medal High Jumper

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7UmU9jOjD4&feature=related

No offense, but that high jump video is more a testament to Wilt's lack of jumping ability. The guy that goes before him has a WAY higher vertical. The only reason Wilt makes it over is because he is so tall and barely has to jump at all.

[plowking]

That record is bullsh*t. It's done with that bench press shirt contraption which give you a ton of support and makes it so you don't even have to bend your arm. It's like a super suit. Sh*t makes you 200 - 300 lbs stronger by springing your arms back into position when you go down. Basically is makes your arms work like levers with the aid of the shirt.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMKiBdhnYlA

The record without that bullsh*t is 715

Here it is : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bu9csQC45c

Any press over 715 is bullsh*t if you ask me because of the

Wow, that dude did 715 comfortably on that try. He could have gone another 10-15lbs I reckon.

Check out the dude spotting! He's a fricken axe.

[HylianNightmare]

remember guys in addition to that dunk he did on the 11ish foot rim
there is also the sticker dunk, where he reaches up to 12" 6 i think
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veMV4fV3lb4&feature=related

[LAClipsFan33]

Wow, that dude did 715 comfortably on that try. He could have gone another 10-15lbs I reckon.

Check out the dude spotting! He's a fricken axe.

Yeah that was crazy. You know that dud eats roids for breakfast.

Yeah that spotted was swoled up

[bumpyknucks]

Not sure where this fits into the conversation, but I don

[beermonsteroo]

Wilt could maybe do this imo. Just barely though. If he extends one side of his body like you would on a dunk (your reach is actually higher than your standing reach in that situation), he'd need about a 30-32 inch vertical to complete the dunk, and that's about what I expect Wilt's vertical maxed out at.

One guy I would bet on doing this is Larry Nance. 6'10 or 6'11, long arms, and probably a 40-42 inch vertical. Basically Josh Smith but a bit taller and longer, while having the same leaping ability...


http://i38.tinypic.com/10crw21.jpg

http://i34.tinypic.com/2z4hhfm.jpg

:bowdown: :bowdown:

[jlauber]

Wilt played volleyball in a small california co-ed league. How does that make him world class?

And if Howard Cosell thought he was the strongest man in the world that doesn't mean much. The world bench press record is 1075 pounds. Twice that of Wilt.

But yes, he was a great athlete for his size. Outstanding.

As per your quotes about Wilt Vs Eaton can you please provide a source? Not doubting, I would just like to see it...

There are links that claim that Wilt was a WORLD-CLASS volleyball player.

http://videosift.com/video/Muhammad-Ali-vs-Wilt-Chamberlain-The-Fight-That-Almost-Was

"However, Chamberlain was a driven man whose accomplishments spurred him to continually seek greater glory. In the off-season, Chamberlain was a world-class volleyball player and avid weightlifter who possessed enormous physical strength. With nothing left to prove in basketball, Wilt intended to prove that he was one of the greatest all-around athletes of all time."

Vert48, who seems to be a volleyball expert here, states that Wilt was a good, but not great volleyballer. I won't argue with him, as I do not know the first thing about the sport. However, even he acknowledged that given the fact that Wilt started dabbling in the sport late in life, and given the fact that he was basically doing it part-time, that he could very well have been great at it. In any case, Chamberlain IS in the Volleyball Hall of Fame.

Wilt was reportedly bench-pressing 500+ lbs. in the 60's. The world record in 1967 was 615 lbs., and was around the record at the time of the first proposed Ali fight.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progression_of_the_bench_press_world_record


Regarding the Wilt-Eaton matchup...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4Qw1-ssViw

[Fatal9]

Regarding the Wilt-Eaton matchup...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4Qw1-ssViw
Something about this story seems fishy. The streetball guy "helicopter" they were apparently playing with died in April 1980. So Wilt wasn't even close to 50 like he remembers him to be, only 43. Secondly, Mark Eaton hadn't even signed a letter of intent for UCLA before that helicopter guy died, so it's odd he'd even be playing at the UCLA gym. I also tried to ignore the obvious exaggerations in the story to make it seem dramatic (like the entire gym felt silent as Wilt walked away...right, that's a movie cliche). And I'm not sure what that had to do with this thread...


In any case, Chamberlain IS in the Volleyball Hall of Fame.
He got in it for promoting the sport, not for being great at it.

[jlauber]

Something about this story seems fishy. The streetball guy "helicopter" they were apparently playing with died in April 1980. So Wilt wasn't even close to 50 like he remembers him to be, only 43. Secondly, Mark Eaton hadn't even signed a letter of intent for UCLA before that helicopter guy died, so it's odd he'd even be playing at the UCLA gym. I also tried to ignore the obvious exaggerations in the story to make it seem dramatic (like the entire gym felt silent as Wilt walked away...right, that's a movie cliche).

LOL! Only YOU, your anti-Wilt agenda would take the time to research something like that. In any case, take it up with Kiki Vandewege. Vandewege PLAYED with Eaton at UCLA BTW.

[Fatal9]

Only YOU, your anti-Wilt agenda would take the time to research something like that. In any case, take it up with Kiki Vandewege. Vandewege PLAYED with Eaton at UCLA BTW.
Actually I googled the streetball guy because I wanted to know if he was a famous legend or not (wanted to see video of him), but ended up finding that he died before April of 1980. And Eaton had not yet played for UCLA (he played his first game in fall of 1980), or signed a letter of intent. Wilt also was not nearing 50 like he claims. So there's some continuity issues with this story. And the clear embellishments also seem like they've been pulled straight out of a movie.

[Pointguard]

Something about this story seems fishy. The streetball guy "helicopter" they were apparently playing with died in April 1980. So Wilt wasn't even close to 50 like he remembers him to be, only 43. Secondly, Mark Eaton hadn't even signed a letter of intent for UCLA before that helicopter guy died, so it's odd he'd even be playing at the UCLA gym. I also tried to ignore the obvious exaggerations in the story to make it seem dramatic (like the entire gym felt silent as Wilt walked away...right, that's a movie cliche). And I'm not sure what that had to do with this thread...


He got in it for promoting the sport, not for being great at it.
In New York you are the next Manigualt, the next Helicopter, the next whoever and definitely moreso if the guy died in recent memory. Kiki doesn't know who the guy is but does name other players in the game. Kiki makes it pretty clear the year is either 83 or 84. Both years Eaton was in the game.

[jlauber]

Incidently, WHY would Vandewege bother to make up this story? Does he think that Wilt's career and legend needed a boost?

[Poochymama]

Incidently, WHY would Vandewege bother to make up this story? Does he think that Wilt's career and legend needed a boost?

Why not? Everyone else was doing it. Eighty percent of those stories are either flat out lies or huge exaggerations. If you really think Wilt had a 48 inch vertical, was a world class volleyball player, or bench pressed 500 pounds you are either extremely blinded by bias or lack basic common sense.

Some of the stories are within reason, but the huge abundance of ridiculously outlandish and exaggerated stories makes even those questionable.

That said, none of this has very much relavence on Wilt's basketball playing ability, which was top notch, arguably best of all time. Most of your Wilt defense posts would be taken more seriously if you didn't spend so much time defending these obviously exaggerated fairy tales and making yourself seem like a crazed fanatic.

[bumpyknucks]

Incidently, WHY would Vandewege bother to make up this story? Does he think that Wilt's career and legend needed a boost?


Seemed to me like it was an opportunity to talk about himself under the guise of talking about Wilt...he managed to slip in his allstar status among other self aggrandizing comments

[jlauber]

I have said it before, but there are countless stories of Wilt's leaping ability, speed, and strength. There are dozens, if not hundreds of links mentioning his incredible vertical leap, and astonishing strength. What is equally amazing is that there are eye-witness accounts, and magazine articles also crediting Chamberlain with these amazing feats.

However, what I really find interesting is that,...Wilt played with and against hundreds of NBA and College players. He was coached by, and against by, dozens of coaches. And there were many in the media who covered him and the NBA during and after his career. Yet, with ALL of those hundreds, if not thousands, of people who witnessed his extraordinary accomplishments...where are the one's that DISPUTE them? Have you ever read a remark by a fellow player, or coach, who said something along the lines that he watched Wilt bench-pressing, and that Wilt could only do, say, 300 lbs? Or has anyone ever stepped forward and said that they watched Wilt in practice, or in a game, jump as high as he could, and could only get to, say, 2 feet above the rim (or that he failed in an attempt to touch the top of the backboard?)

Yet, there are literally dozens and probably hundreds of accounts of his incredible feats.

Doesn't make any sense to me either.

[Poochymama]

I have said it before, but there are countless stories of Wilt's leaping ability, speed, and strength. There are dozens, if not hundreds of links mentioning his incredible vertical leap, and astonishing strength. What is equally amazing is that there are eye-witness accounts, and magazine articles also crediting Chamberlain with these amazing feats.

However, what I really find interesting is that,...Wilt played with and against hundreds of NBA and College players. He was coached by, and against by, dozens of coaches. And there were many in the media who covered him and the NBA during and after his career. Yet, with ALL of those hundreds, if not thousands, of people who witnessed his extraordinary accomplishments...where are the one's that DISPUTE them? Have you ever read a remark by a fellow player, or coach, who said something along the lines that he watched Wilt bench-pressing, and that Wilt could only do, say, 300 lbs? Or has anyone ever stepped forward and said that they watched Wilt in practice, or in a game, jump as high as he could, and could only get to, say, 2 feet above the rim (or that he failed in an attempt to touch the top of the backboard?)

Yet, there are literally dozens and probably hundreds of accounts of his incredible feats.

Doesn't make any sense to me either.


But for a lot of these stories, all one needs to do is use common sense to see that they are either fabricated or extremely exaggerated.

The 12 dunk, I actually believe. Wilt was very tall and long, and wouldn't have to jump all that high to do it.

Stories that are obviously false are things like the "48 inch vertical" or the "500lb bench press".

[tpols]

But for a lot of these stories, all one needs to do is use common sense to see that they are either fabricated or extremely exaggerated.

The 12 dunk, I actually believe. Wilt was very tall and long, and wouldn't have to jump all that high to do it.

Stories that are obviously false are things like the "48 inch vertical" or the "500lb bench press".
The 48 inch vert may be a little exxageratted but the weight lifting may not.

Donovan McNabb benches around 450-500 lbs. Wilt is a lot bigger and broader and I wouldn't doubt he could do the same.

[Sarcastic]

Yeah that was crazy. You know that dud eats roids for breakfast.

Yeah that spotted was swoled up

If I was benching that much, I would want my spotter to be roided up too.

[jlauber]

But for a lot of these stories, all one needs to do is use common sense to see that they are either fabricated or extremely exaggerated.

The 12 dunk, I actually believe. Wilt was very tall and long, and wouldn't have to jump all that high to do it.

Stories that are obviously false are things like the "48 inch vertical" or the "500lb bench press".

The 500 lb. bench press is pretty much a fact. In Robert Cherry's book, "Larger than Life", he interviewed a well lnown weight-lifter that worked out with Wilt. The man was 6-5, 250 lbs. and was known to have benched 500 lbs. He stated that Wilt was the strongest man he ever met.

Here is an SI article published in 1964, and well before Wilt had reached his maximum size...

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1075691/2/index.htm

"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."

Here is a link with an eye-witness account of Wilt benching 465 lbs., at age 59!

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 Pamm_MSNBC says:
Our guest is Wilt Chamberlain, NBA legend and author of "Who's Running The Asylum". Wilt's book is only available by calling 800-280-1776. A portion of the book proceeds will benefit Chamberlain's favorite charities.

Host @Wilt_Chamberlain has joined the conversation.

Host Wilt_Chamberlain says:
Hello!

M3 says:
Hi Wilt

kovler says:
what up wilt

jonn says:
hello wilt

^LapTop^ says:
Hi Wilt !

Ron says:
hows it going wilt?

Host Chris_MSNBC2 says:
one says:
Oh, well in that case my question would be...."witch collage where you drafted from?"

Host Wilt_Chamberlain says:
I was drafted from high school back in 1955. I went to U of Kansas, but they made a special ruling and I was the first drafted out of high school, Overbrook high school in Philadelphia.

Host Chris_MSNBC2 says:
Rastaman says:
What's his book about??

NooRotic says:
I've got nuthing but RESPECT for you WILT....

Host Wilt_Chamberlain says:
My book is about how the inside of sports has gone completely crazy and what we can do about straightening things out. About illuminating the problems inside of sports today and what we can do about it.

Host Chris_MSNBC2 says:
Rastaman says:
And How did he feel when he scored the 100 points...

Host Wilt_Chamberlain says:
Well, I am known mainly for scoring 100 points. I felt, at that particular time, very tired. But it was not an individual record as most think, it was my team, they went above and beyond to get me the ball and stop the NY Knicks from doing all sorts of outlandish things to stop me from scoring.

Host Chris_MSNBC2 says:
M3 says:
Question for Wilt...watched you bench press about 465 lbs 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 more than 465 pounds now."

http://www.sherdog.net/forums/f2/stop-understimating-ufc-fighters-strength-because-body-shape-745999/index6.html

"I appreciate your comments. Remember, however, that long limbs do not mean you can't bench press excellent poundages. Wilt Chamberlain, the 7' 2" skinny elite basketball player had very poor mechanical advantages for the bench press. His chest was flat, and his arms were skinny and really long! Nonetheless, he was able to bench press 500 lbs! Nobody would believe this by looking at him. His bench press figures have been verified and are widely known. You can find documentation of it on the web. He just happened to have freakishly dense muscles, and excellent genetics when it came to all the other factors that result in brute strength.

Shaq O' Neil, however, can "only" bench press 450 lbs even though he has much thicker arms, more overall mass, shorter arms and a thicker chest. Shaq has to compensate for not being as gifted as Wilt in some areas.

If you are at a very high level in some areas, you can compensate for a weak area. To be the VERY best, however, you need to be elite in ALL AREAS. That is why Wilt could never bench press 700 lbs without support gear. For that, he would have needed better leverages, shorter arms, and a bigger chest."


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

"Wilt used to lift weights with Arnold Shwartzenegger and Wilt got his bench press up to 500 pounds."

If you google Wilt's bench press you will find dozens, of not hundreds of links, with anywhere from 500-600 lbs. Whether you believe them, or not, there is just too many to dismiss. And here again, virtually none disputing it (at least by anyone who actually knew Chamberlain.)

How about these articles?...

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!!! "

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

"Strength
Former Celtics guard K.C. Jones remembered his casual run-in with Wilt. "He stopped me dead in my tracks with his arm, hugged me and lifted me off the floor with my feet dangling," Jones said. "It scared the hell out of me. When I went to the free-throw line, my legs were still shaking. Wilt was the strongest guy and best athlete ever to play the game. [Source: Goliath's Wonderful Life, Hoop Magazine; May 1999; Chris Ekstrand]

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. [Source: The Good Natured Giant Wasn't Belligerent, Sports of the Times; Oct 13, 1999; Dave Anderson]"

[jlauber]

http://www.nba.com/history/players/chamberlain_bio.html

"No other player in NBA history has spawned so many myths nor created such an impact. It's difficult to imagine now, with the seemingly continuing surge of bigger skilled players, the effect of playing against Chamberlain, who was not only taller and stronger than almost anyone he matched up against but remarkably coordinated as well. A track and field star in high school and college, Chamberlain stood 7-1 and was listed at 275 pounds, though he filled out and added more muscle as his career progressed and eventually played at over 300 pounds.

An incident recounted in the Philadelphia Daily News involving Tom Meschery of the Seattle SuperSonics illustrated what it was like to play in the trenches against Chamberlain. Meschery had the ball in the line and put up four fakes before attempting his shot. Chamberlain slapped the ball down. Meschery got it again, faked again, and got it blocked again. Enraged and frustrated, the Seattle player ran up to Chamberlain swinging. As if in a scene from The Three Stooges, Chamberlain put his hand on the 6-6 Meschery's head and let him swing away harmlessly. After the third swing, Chamberlain said, "That's enough," and Meschery stopped.

Chamberlain's power was legendary. Rod Thorn, who has been a player, coach, GM and NBA executive, remembers a fight in which Chamberlain reached down and picked up a fellow player from a pile of bodies as if he were made of feathers. The man was 6-8 and weighed 220 pounds.

Chamberlain was one of the few players of his day who had the sheer strength to block a dunk. In a game against New York in 1968, Walt Bellamy, the Knicks' 6-11, 245-pound center, attempted to dunk on Chamberlain. "Bellamy reared back," one spectator who was there later recalled to the Philadelphia Daily News, "and was slamming the ball down when Wilt put his hand above the top of the rim and knocked the ball off the court. He almost knocked Bellamy off the court, too.""

Here is the interview by Howard Cosell regarding the proposed Ali-Wilt fight. Early on he mentions that Wilt may very well be the strongest athlete in the world...

http://videosift.com/video/Muhammad-Ali-vs-Wilt-Chamberlain-The-Fight-That-Almost-Was

The Internet is PLASTERED with accounts of Wilt's astonishing strength (and vertical leap.) I could post for hours, but you get the point.

Now you tell me, how could one man spawn so many of these stories, and without ANYONE ever disputing them.

The same goes for his VERTICAL LEAP. I have posted on that topic before, but I won't take the time now. Needless to say, there are eye-witness accounts, by respected sports' figures, of Wilt touching the top of the backboard. There is an account by veteran sport's writer George Kisida, of Wilt, in a hospital gown, and with a leap, touching a ceiling. He estimated Wilt's vertical at at least 42". There are numerous stories of Wilt dunking on a 12 ft. rim. AND, both the NCAA and NBA outlawed the dunking of FTs BECAUSE of Wilt, who was known to have been capable of it without having to start his jump from outside the FT circle.

The FACTS were...Wilt was a Big-7 High-Jump champ, with poor technique, and part-time. His coach estimated that had Wilt dedicated himself to the event, that he could have easily cleared seven-feet (and this was BEFORE the "Fosbury Flop" technique was introduced,...which was credited with as much as a 25% increase..) Wilt alos participated in the LONG-JUMP (only a couple of feet off the world record at the time), the TRIPLE JUMP, the 4x100 relay team, the 440, the 880, and the shot put. So basically, he was a sprinter and a leaper...a pretty good combination for a vertical leap.

Incidently, no matter what Wilt's vertical was, it was interesting that he was ROUTINELY blocking Kareem's "unblockable" sky-hook...at age 35-36, and at over 300 lbs., and on a surgically repaired knee.

http://www.amazon.com/Wilt-Larger-Robert-Allen-Cherry/dp/1572436727

"Bill Russell may have won all those championships, but not even Russell was a match for Wilt statisically. Chamberlain almost always outscored and out rebounded Russell in every encounter. Russell no doubt almost always had the better teams. Abdul Jabbar played 20 seasons to Wilts 13, and yet Chamberlain has several thousand more lifetime rebounds. In the twilight of his career, a 35 year old Wilt led the Lakers to victory over the Bucks and a 25 year old Jabbar during the 1972 playoffs. Even more astounding, was wilt blocked 20 shots in two consecutive games in that series, and 11 of those blocked shots were on Kareem. Who the heck ever did that to Jabbar. Makes you wonder what Wilt would have done in his prime. As great as Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson were, none of them had the impact or dominance of Wilt Chamberlain. The rules of the game were altered upon Wilts arrival into the league. Modern day fans talk of Shaq being the greatest center of all-time. Does anyone out there think Shaq could have blocked 11 Kareem shots in two games? Shaq wouldn't have been able to leap high enough to block a skyhook. That statistic alone, should be enough to convince anyone of Wilts athleticism."

[thesnowman22]

i think the dunking on the 12 foot rim thing is probably MUCH easier than people think. I played against Antonio harvey in college, (6'11, former laker and blazer), and after watching him in layups and games, I have NO DOUBT he could dunk on a 12 foot rim. Also, wilt could have done it, probably dwight howard, etc etc. there are probably many who can. the reason that so few have is HOW OFTEN DO U SEE A 12 FOOT RIM?

And the thing about the vertical is dumb anyway, most people would run up and jump off one leg unless they were a 2 leg jumper like Nique. You can gain many mnay inches by running up or even running and then planting on two feet.

Doing it would be very impressive, but it can be done by quite a few i am sure.

[Pointguard]

JLauder, the stories are many and told by many. Here is another one by Hall of Famer Bob Lanier:

Bob Lanier, 6'10", 270, one of the hugest men anywhere, filled out a questionnaire recently that asked him to cite the most memorable moment in his entire athletic career. Lanier wrote: "When Wilt Chamberlain lifted me up and moved me like a coffee cup so he could get a favorable position."

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1065131/2/index.htm

LOL, at people thinking some 40 odd people are on some bigup Wilt program and such people would be Governors of California, A half dozen HOF rivals, another dozen players, World reknown journalist, coaches, GM's... All got together and did this for a guy that rarely got favorable press. You just don't hear stories like these about other players because they weren't that way.

Even if you don't believe them take the example of Kareem. Nobody today can think of blocking a young Kareem. Hakeem couldn't block an aged Kareem and he's the best shot blocker of the modern HOFers. A young or old Kareem does what he wants to do with any of the current guys. They just have to watch. Wilt was stronger, more versatile, more active and capable of blocking Kareem consistently. To score 30ppg for a center now is unheard of. You have to be resourceful, strong willed, super creative, super active, incredibly focused to average 50ppg while pulling down 24 boards even if the competition was believed to be weak. He wasnt allowed to bulldoze over people he had to do it with skill and creativity.

The reason why big guys from overseas are successful in the NBA now is because the centers here aren't skilled or creative. They don't box out, they don't block shots, they don't rebound, they don't have post moves, they don't have a good touch around the rim, they clog the middle, they don't don't go strong to the rim, they don't have endurance, they don't go hard at the game, they don't have pride in their work. But Wilt who showed incredible action and diligence in this regards is supposed to have his game scaled down to meet the current crap that is being portrayed as the new now of greater athletes. There is nobody even playing center right now. Who takes on four or five responsibilities of being a center now?

[jlauber]

JLauder, the stories are many and told by many. Here is another one by Hall of Famer Bob Lanier:

Bob Lanier, 6'10", 270, one of the hugest men anywhere, filled out a questionnaire recently that asked him to cite the most memorable moment in his entire athletic career. Lanier wrote: "When Wilt Chamberlain lifted me up and moved me like a coffee cup so he could get a favorable position."

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1065131/2/index.htm

LOL, at people thinking some 40 odd people are on some bigup Wilt program and such people would be Governors of California, A half dozen HOF rivals, another dozen players, World reknown journalist, coaches, GM's... All got together and did this for a guy that rarely got favorable press. You just don't hear stories like these about other players because they weren't that way.

Even if you don't believe them take the example of Kareem. Nobody today can think of blocking a young Kareem. Hakeem couldn't block an aged Kareem and he's the best shot blocker of the modern HOFers. A young or old Kareem does what he wants to do with any of the current guys. They just have to watch. Wilt was stronger, more versatile, more active and capable of blocking Kareem consistently. To score 30ppg for a center now is unheard of. You have to be resourceful, strong willed, super creative, super active, incredibly focused to average 50ppg while pulling down 24 boards even if the competition was believed to be weak. He wasnt allowed to bulldoze over people he had to do it with skill and creativity.

The reason why big guys from overseas are successful in the NBA now is because the centers here aren't skilled or creative. They don't box out, they don't block shots, they don't rebound, they don't have post moves, they don't have a good touch around the rim, they clog the middle, they don't don't go strong to the rim, they don't have endurance, they don't go hard at the game, they don't have pride in their work. But Wilt who showed incredible action and diligence in this regards is supposed to have his game scaled down to meet the current crap that is being portrayed as the new now of greater athletes. There is nobody even playing center right now. Who takes on four or five responsibilities of being a center now?

That SI article was an interesting read (basically about Wilt at age 50.)

"And what event would you enter, Wilt? The discus, the 200, the high jump? "Almost anything," he shrugs. These days, for typical daily amusement he competes (against others or himself) in the following activities: basketball, racquetball, volleyball, tennis, polo (yes, the kind with horses), rowing single sculls, swimming, running races, lifting weights, hurling objects, performing the martial arts, aerobics and walking long distances. He still holds his own in scrimmages with current NBA players. The Nets' offer, while obviously of considerable publicity value to a team somewhere out in the suburbs that nobody knows exists, was perfectly legitimate. Wilt finally turned it down only because he was afraid he would disappoint people, afraid that even though he was sure he would acquit himself proudly, playing in the NBA in his 50th year, nothing he could do would be enough to satisfy expectations. He would lose again."

[Jinxed]

There are links that claim that Wilt was a WORLD-CLASS volleyball player.

http://videosift.com/video/Muhammad-Ali-vs-Wilt-Chamberlain-The-Fight-That-Almost-Was

"However, Chamberlain was a driven man whose accomplishments spurred him to continually seek greater glory. In the off-season, Chamberlain was a world-class volleyball player and avid weightlifter who possessed enormous physical strength. With nothing left to prove in basketball, Wilt intended to prove that he was one of the greatest all-around athletes of all time."

Vert48, who seems to be a volleyball expert here, states that Wilt was a good, but not great volleyballer. I won't argue with him, as I do not know the first thing about the sport. However, even he acknowledged that given the fact that Wilt started dabbling in the sport late in life, and given the fact that he was basically doing it part-time, that he could very well have been great at it. In any case, Chamberlain IS in the Volleyball Hall of Fame.

Wilt was reportedly bench-pressing 500+ lbs. in the 60's. The world record in 1967 was 615 lbs., and was around the record at the time of the first proposed Ali fight.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progression_of_the_bench_press_world_record


Regarding the Wilt-Eaton matchup...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4Qw1-ssViw


Wilt is not in the volleyball hall of fame. He is in the 'hall of fame' of the CO-ED volleyball league he created, . The one in which he played against girls. This is exactly what I mean by TALL TALES and exaggeration.

Nor did he dominate Mark Eaton, he played point guard in a pick up game and in ONE posession the dunked on Eaton. That's not dominating a guy.

Old men telling tall tales...

[Jinxed]

No offense, but that high jump video is more a testament to Wilt's lack of jumping ability. The guy that goes before him has a WAY higher vertical. The only reason Wilt makes it over is because he is so tall and barely has to jump at all.

That's my point.

Compare Wilt to the Olympic champion...Wilt is clearly not a world class leaper..which would be the case if he had a 48 inch vert..

[Lakas Fan Yo]

I seem to remember that on the documentary about Conan The Destroyer that Arnold said that Wilt was able to bench around 500 pounds and that he had seen him do it and that only about 4 or 5 people in the world could do it without a spotter. Arnold said something like "he can bench almost as much as I can".

Maybe I am wrong, but I do recall something like that.

[jlauber]

Wilt is not in the volleyball hall of fame. He is in the 'hall of fame' of the CO-ED volleyball league he created, . The one in which he played against girls. This is exactly what I mean by TALL TALES and exaggeration.

Nor did he dominate Mark Eaton, he played point guard in a pick up game and in ONE posession the dunked on Eaton. That's not dominating a guy.

Old men telling tall tales...

Here is another one you add to the list...

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

"Of all his memories of Wilt Chamberlain, the one that stood out for Larry Brown happened long after Chamberlain's professional career had ended. On a summer day in the early 1980s, when Brown was coaching at UCLA, Chamberlain showed up at Pauley Pavilion to take part in one of the high-octane pickup games that the arena constantly attracted. "Magic Johnson used to run the games," Brown recalled Tuesday after hearing that Chamberlain, his friend, had died at 63, "and he called a couple of chintzy fouls and a goaltending on Wilt. "So Wilt said: 'There will be no more layups in this gym,' and he blocked every shot after that. That's the truth, I saw it. He didn't let one [of Johnson's] shots get to the rim." Chamberlain would have been in his mid-40s at the time, and he remained in top physical shape until recently[1]"

Just another example of the many that out there. Look, you simply cannot dismiss EVERY one of the MANY accounts that have been presented. And why would guys like Vandewege or Larry Brown be fabricating these stories? In any case, I hope PHILA pops in with some of the links he has used in the past. It damn near takes up an entire page on these threads.

As for his high-jump...Wilt's techinque was very poor. While the best high jumpers sprinted down the runway, Wilt took 2-3 steps and leaped. Even his coach admitted that he was a raw talent. Chamberlain participated in SEVERAL track events, as well as basketball. He was basically doing them all PART-TIME.

[Jinxed]

jlauber,

what are you trying to prove?

Wilt Chamberlain was a great athlete, one of if not the best at over 7 feet tall. We know this...

what wilt was not, however, a world class volleyball player. Nor did he have a 48 inch vertical.

[jlauber]

jlauber,

what are you trying to prove?

Wilt Chamberlain was a great athlete, one of if not the best at over 7 feet tall. We know this...

what wilt was not, however, a world class volleyball player. Nor did he have a 48 inch vertical.

Ok, you obviously did not read my entire post on the topic, so here it is again...


"However, Chamberlain was a driven man whose accomplishments spurred him to continually seek greater glory. In the off-season, Chamberlain was a world-class volleyball player and avid weightlifter who possessed enormous physical strength. With nothing left to prove in basketball, Wilt intended to prove that he was one of the greatest all-around athletes of all time."

Vert48, who seems to be a volleyball expert here, states that Wilt was a good, but not great volleyballer. I won't argue with him, as I do not know the first thing about the sport. However, even he acknowledged that given the fact that Wilt started dabbling in the sport late in life, and given the fact that he was basically doing it part-time, that he could very well have been great at it. In any case, Chamberlain IS in the Volleyball Hall of Fame.


So, as you can see, I did acknowledge that perhaps Wilt was NOT a world-class volleyball player. Having said that, though, had he dedicated himself to the sport at an earlier age, I suspect he would have been much better at it than he was.

As for his actual vertical...you find me a link with his ACTUAL vertical leap, and then I will believe you. Now, do me a favor, and just GOOGLE "Wilt Chamberlain's Vertical Leap", and then post me the results. I suspect you will find links and quotes of 48" and BEYOND.

What do I believe? I certainly feel that 42" is very reasonable. In any case, he was the greatest rebounder and shot-blocker in NBA history...and he was such a gifted athlete, that he had NBA teams LEGITIMATELY pursuing him into his late 40's and even into age 50!

[jlauber]

Regarding vertical leap...some here have suggested that Chamberlain had a vertical of around 32". I found this article of interest...

http://www.sacbee.com/2010/08/21/2973332/raiders-fb-gets-shot-to-show-more.html


"Daniels transferred to Cincinnati the following year and returned to defensive end. And despite a strong senior season during which he led the Bearcats with 81/2 sacks, his name was not called during the draft.

But his numbers at his pro day – a 4.73-second 40-yard dash, a 36 1/2-inch vertical jump, a 10-foot-9 broad jump, a 4.51-second 20-yard shuttle, a 7.08-second three-cone drill and 31 bench presses of 225 pounds – were enough to interest the Raiders.

Since making the switch to offense, the 6-4, 260-pound Daniels already has had words with a former mate in Trevor Scott and had one of the best training camp fights, with Quentin Groves"

Now, what does that tell you? Here we have a relative unknown football player, at 6-4 and 260 lbs. who has a vertical of over 36". Compare that with a 7-1 275 lb. (and probably closer to 250 lbs out of college) who was a champion high-jumper, a competitive long jumper, a triple-jumper, and a sprinter in college. Does 42" seem like a stretch?

Or how about 49er Vernon Davis. 6-4, 253 lbs. with a 42" vertical!!!!

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0801/is_9_68/ai_n19480316/

"The 40-yard dash in 4.38 seconds: faster than any 6'3", 253-pound tight end should ever think about running. A 480-pound bench press: much more than anyone who runs a sub-4.4 40 should be lifting. A 42-inch vertical leap: way higher than a 253-pounder should be jumping from a standstill."