Wilt Chamberlain Says He

[Colby Brian]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJsMGmb5Dwc&feature=player_embedded

i disagree with him, 70, was he high?

[DixieNourmous]

I think he could have his 40-50 point moments.

Teams back in his day were nothing like today.

http://www.theelusivefan.com/joewilt.jpg

[DixieNourmous]

:lol at the face of the teams owner

Those white guys wouldnt make their college teams if they were in todays era.


KAJ is my choice for the modern era GOAT

[Colby Brian]

:lol at the face of the teams owner

:roll:

[Grim]

LOL Wilt is being ridiculous. No way would he score 70. No way.

[cteach111]

LBJ also said it was gon b easy

[DuMa]

wilt be trollin before he died

[jlauber]

In 2010 Walt Frazier claimed that Wilt would score 75 ppg in TODAY's NBA.

http://www.aolnews.com/2010/07/16/walt-frazier-if-wilt-chamberlain-was-playing-today-hed-averag/

[ashlar]

In 2010 Walt Frazier claimed that Wilt would score 75 ppg in TODAY's NBA.

http://www.aolnews.com/2010/07/16/walt-frazier-if-wilt-chamberlain-was-playing-today-hed-averag/

against who? 5th graders?

[Rysio]

if tyson chandler can't do it why would wilt be able to.

[Timmy D for MVP]

In today's game?

He'd get officiated like Dwight, and be in trouble all the time.

That said I think he'd be MVP regardless.

In the 90's though I think he would lead the league in scoring.

[kidachi]

.....:oldlol:

[ShaqAttack3234]

:oldlol: Wilt would be lucky to average 25 ppg today.

[jlauber]

:oldlol: Wilt would be lucky to average 25 ppg today.

So, TODAY's "pace" is HALF of what it was in Wilt's era?
That would mean that the average NBA Team is scoring 59.9 ppg in TODAY's NBA.

:roll: :roll: :roll:

[Nike_jumpman_23]

He'd average around 220 PPG IMO.

[ShaqAttack3234]

So, TODAY's "pace" is HALF of what it was in Wilt's era?
That would mean that the average NBA Team is scoring 59.9 ppg in TODAY's NBA.

:roll: :roll: :roll:

1.Playing on a team with 35-40 fewer possessions per game plus a wider lane equals far less shot attempts.

2.No playing 48 minutes per game and having the luxury of playing every minute of 30, 40, 50 point blowouts.

3.Bigger and better athletes who are more skilled on average

4.Perimeter players with superior ball handling skills and finishing ability plus less traveling restrictions means a greater risk of foul trouble.

5.More advanced scouting and vastly superior defensive schemes

6.Big men generally getting cut less slack from the officials compared to perimeter players.

I think I covered everything. Goodnight.

[Mr. I'm So Rad]

The real question is how many chicks would he be banging per week. I'd say in an era such as this one where it is much easier to score, adjusted for pace of the encounter it would be about 70

[jlauber]

1.Playing on a team with 35-40 fewer possessions per game plus a wider lane equals far less shot attempts.

2.No playing 48 minutes per game and having the luxury of playing every minute of 30, 40, 50 point blowouts.

3.Bigger and better athletes who are more skilled on average

4.Perimeter players with superior ball handling skills and finishing ability plus less traveling restrictions means a greater risk of foul trouble.

5.More advanced scouting and vastly superior defensive schemes

6.Big men generally getting cut less slack from the officials compared to perimeter players.

I think I covered everything. Goodnight.

1. Today's NBA scores 100 ppg. Wilt's 61-62 NBA scored 118.8. Multiply Chamberlain's 50.4 ppg times today's ACTUAL scoring differential of .845, and he would be scoring 42.5 ppg.

The widening of the lane had NO effect on Chamberlain. In fact, the year before the NBA widened the lane, Wilt averaged 36.9 ppg. In the first half of the next season, when the lane was widened, Wilt was averaging 39 ppg. He was traded to a better team, and cut back his shooting, and finished at 34.7 ppg. AND, in the very next season, he averaged 33.5 ppg on a then-record .540 FG%, in a league that shot .433. Hell, he was putting more 60+ point games, AFTER the lane was widened, than Kobe and MJ had in their entire careers. He was even putting up 60+ point games in year's in which he averaged 16 and 14 FGAs per game.

2. Wilt AVERAGED 45 mpg in his CAREER. Even more incredibly, he averaged 47.2 mpg in his 160 NBA playoff games. He has the SEVEN highest mpg seasons in NBA history. And he was routinely playing 2-3 more mpg than the next guy. Of course, Lebron was playing 42.5 mpg just a couple of years ago, and Iverson had MULTIPLE seasons at 43 mpg (and a high of 43.7.) As for blowouts, in Chamberlain's '62-63 season, he averaged 47.6 mpg, while scoring 45 ppg...on a team that played in eight 20+ point margin games (and only ONE of 30+.) Furthermore, that putrid roster lost 35 games by single digits.

3. Bigger and better athletes. Yep, a 6-9 WHITE guy not only leading the NBA in rebounding, but RUNNING AWAY with the title. How come the taller and much more athletic Howard (who isn't the ATHLETE that Wilt was) can't keep up? Oh, and BTW, Houston has a 6-6 CENTER, who is putting up triple-doubles, and the Knicks had 6-9 stumble-bum Rony Turiaf playing 19 minutes tonight...as their ONLY center. Let a PRIME Chamberlain play against these inept clods, and he would be scoring MUCH more than 25 ppg.

4. Better perimeter players? The NBA in Wilt's era was DOMINATED by perimeter players. It was guys like West, Barry, and Oscar routinely scoring 30 ppg. Even the great McAdoo, who was a 6-10 20+ foot shooter, scored 34.5 ppg in a league that averaged 102 ppg.

5. More advanced defenses? So MJ could score 37 ppg in a league that shot .480...while Chamberlain was scoring 50 and 45 in leagues that shot .426 and .441. Even Kobe's 35 ppg came in a league that had an eFG% of .490. Of course, how many "three-in-a-row" games did MJ or Kobe play in their high-scoring seasons? ZERO! How about Wilt? He not only played more B2B games, he had SIX "three-in-a-row's", and then ANOTHER THREE separate streaks of "FOUR-in-row's", and even yet ANOTHER separate streak of FIVE-IN-A-ROW games (and none of the home games were B2B BTW.)

6. And big men getting cut less slack????

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJ3FXLyNFew

Had Wilt been allowed to play like he would have scored 100 ppg.

[Sarcastic]

I think he could have his 40-50 point moments.

Teams back in his day were nothing like today.

http://www.theelusivefan.com/joewilt.jpg

Kevin Love pretty much throws a wrench in your "today's athletes are so much better" argument.

[alwaysunny]

What's funny is that if you photoshop Kevin Love in that 60s roster pic people would still identify him as a player who wouldn't be able to compete today. Hell that guy next to Wilt wearing #9 looks similar enough to be Love's dad.

That said Wilt is not averaging 70+ points. I lost a bit of respect for Clyde after seeing him say that.

[jlauber]

What's funny is that if you photoshop Kevin Love in that 60s roster pic people would still identify him as a player who wouldn't be able to compete today. Hell that guy next to Wilt wearing #9 looks similar enough to be Love's dad.

That said Wilt is not averaging 70+ points. I lost a bit of respect for Clyde after seeing him say that.

I agree with all of this. No, Wilt would not average 70 ppg in today's NBA. But he sure as hell would average WAY more than 25 ppg, though.

[griffmoney1784]

wilt would average 25/12 in todays nba

[Sarcastic]

wilt would average 25/12 in todays nba

The greatest rebounder of all time would only get 12 boards a game, while Kevin Love can get 15? Yea OK. Keep smoking that stuff.

[Soundwave]

The 90s was the era of the best centers IMO.

Hakeem, DRob, Ewing, young Shaq, Mutombo, Zo, etc.

I dunno if Wilt would enjoy that era as much as he thinks he would.

[HighFlyer23]

Wilt would be a 15/7 guy while Russell wouldn't even make it to the league

LOL @ 60s NBA

[JustinJDW]

90's was pretty much the greatest decade in big man. Wilt would still be a beast, but the 00's would be much easier for him.

[alexandreben]

to OP, so you believe that Russell, Jerry West, Baylor, etc. couldn't score in today's game either?

how about Jordan said he could score 100 points in today's game, do you believe his comment?:oldlol:

[alexandreben]

the third guy who once scored 71 points
http://www.latimes.com/includes/projects/img/lakers/season_photos/season_1962_1963.jpg

and this......tell me this is a weak team...
http://sportige.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Boston-Celtics-1962.jpg

[Rnbizzle]

Wilt Chamberlain = That center from indiana, forgot his name..

[Rake2204]

I wish someone had invented an anti-aging device in the 1950's and subsequently used it on the entire NBA at that time with the idea of facing those players off against NBA players of the future as a means of preventing endless debate on who could have done what against whom.

[SFMF]

Wilt was worse than Shaq in free throw shooting. With that in mind and how physical the game was in the 80s/90s and the fact that there were so many decent big men in 90s, I don't think Wilt can even average 30 PPG.
EDIT: because that would ruin the team chemistry eventually

[PurpleChuck]

I wish someone had invented an anti-aging device in the 1950's and subsequently used it on the entire NBA at that time with the idea of facing those players off against NBA players of the future as a means of preventing endless debate on who could have done what against whom.
Yeah so we can enjoy Dwyane Wade owning MJ's ass every ECF.:rockon: :pimp:

['Toine=MVP]

I remember watching a game in the mid-90s, and Wilt had a sideline interview, where they asked him how much he honestly thought he could score if was playing currently. He said something like only 25 points a game. The interviewer was a little surprised he was being so modest, and asked him why he thought only 25 points a game. Wilt said something to the effect of "Well, I am 60 years old."

[donald_trump]

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8_ENa7sVpug/TNOpwyZvEyI/AAAAAAAAPYg/jhnKUFEh5uM/s400/Philadelphia+Warriors+1961-1962++15.jpg

see, jlauber was right. wilt didnt play against 6'6 white, unathletic centers. he simply had them all on his team.

[G.O.A.T]

:lol at the face of the teams owner

Those white guys wouldnt make their college teams if they were in todays era.


KAJ is my choice for the modern era GOAT

What's funny about this, is most of the guys in the picture played in the same era as Kareem.

Oops.

[Sarcastic]

Since people like to discredit Wilt and his era, we should also discredit any titles that were won back then as well.

The Lakers now only have 10 titles, and the Celtics now have 6.

Everyone OK with that?

[MaxFly]

So, TODAY's "pace" is HALF of what it was in Wilt's era?
That would mean that the average NBA Team is scoring 59.9 ppg in TODAY's NBA.

:roll: :roll: :roll:

There have been a number of rule changes that would greatly affect Wilt's game in the modern era. However, even ignoring the rule changes, the level of competition and athleticism in today's game is ridiculously beyond what it was in Wilt's day. I mean, scroll up and look at that old photo. That was the average basketball team in Wilt's era. No offense to anyone who is a big fan of that era, but let's be real. Wilt could probably get into the 30s, but that's as far as it would go, realistically.

[MaxFly]

Kevin Love is a good rebounder... perhaps even a great rebounder. However, the main reason he's leading the league in rebounding is because he has no one else on his team who can rebound the ball consistently. The only other teammates who are threats to take rebounds away from Love are Beasley who's averaging 5.5, and Milicic who is avearaging 5.4. He's basically on a rebounding island in terms of his teammates' ability to rebound.

[rodman91]

http://www.3sayi.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/kevin_love-185x185.jpg
20.3ppg 15.4 rpg
http://www.espn.go.com/photo/2007/0304/nba_dime2_395.jpg
25-30 ppg 15-18 rpg today

[rodman91]

Kevin Love is a good rebounder... perhaps even a great rebounder. However, the main reason he's leading the league in rebounding is because he has no one else on his team who can rebound the ball consistently. The only other teammates who are threats to take rebounds away from Love are Beasley who's averaging 5.5, and Milicic who is avearaging 5.4. He's basically on a rebounding island in terms of his teammates' ability to rebound.

True.Same goes for Howard too. In such team Wilt probably get 15-18 rpg.Due to his size and he cared stats.

Same Wilt claimed 20000 women and might have a chance to beat Ali in boxing game.

[STATUTORY]

Wilt would be an above average PF/C but that's that. 70ppg. the nikka crazy

[dunksby]

LMAO @ those who take 60s basketball seriously.

[Poochymama]

I think Wilt's 50 ppg season would be a 38/17 season in the 90s. Overall, young Wilt would probably be a 27/16 - 31/18 on 55%-57% FG guy. Old Wilt would probably be a 16/14 - 22/17 on 60%-62% FG guy.

[Ne 1]

The 90s was the era of the best centers IMO.

Hakeem, DRob, Ewing, young Shaq, Mutombo, Zo, etc.

I dunno if Wilt would enjoy that era as much as he thinks he would.

I wouldn't consider the 90s to be the best era for big men

[JMT]

:oldlol: Wilt would be lucky to average 25 ppg today.

Maybe only 25. But in all fairness, he's been dead for several years.

Wilt Chamberlain...today...is the most underrated player in the history of basketball. He would have dominated in any era. Not been an All Star. Not have had his moments.

Dominated.

[Bigsmoke]

Wilt is lucky to be averaging 50 minutes a night.

[DixieNourmous]

What's funny about this, is most of the guys in the picture played in the same era as Kareem.

Oops.
not really, if you are going by the picture posted.

That was an early 60s team when Wilt was playing.

Kareem played from `70 to `89

http://home.sandiego.edu/%7Ejzhu/Lakers/image/cbflqxdmeofsoxjyn6wiziljo1_500.jpg

Prime AC Green, Byron Scott, Michael Cooper,Kurt Rambis. James Worthy.. ect..

[G.O.A.T]

not really, if you are going by the picture posted.

That was an early 60s team when Wilt was playing.

Kareem played from `70 to `89

http://home.sandiego.edu/%7Ejzhu/Lakers/image/cbflqxdmeofsoxjyn6wiziljo1_500.jpg

Prime AC Green, Byron Scott, Michael Cooper,Kurt Rambis. James Worthy.. ect..

He played against Wilt, post knee surgery and Wilt was still as good or better.

Guy Rodgers was Wilt's teammate in Milwaukee, Hightower was playing the ABA, Meschery was averaging more points during Kareem's rookie year than he was when Wilt put up 50 a game, Attles was still in the league contributing, so you see the point.

It's not as if Kareem came from some totally different era. Kareem and Wilt weren't much farther apart in age than say Tim Duncan and Chris Bosh. If anything, Kareem played in a less competitive era.

[Zach Morris]

Lol. More silly that Jordansaying he could have scored 100 today.

[Monkey D Dragon]

Ya are smoking if you think the competition and physical level of 60's/70's is equal to 2000+.

Over 30-40 years we invented things like Airplanes and fucccking spaceships you think we wouldnt develop our bodies and our mind about something simple as basketball?

Fucccking retards if you think Wilt can avrg over 30ppg.

NOW if Wilt was Born in our Era then its a different story.

[Monkey D Dragon]

http://www.3sayi.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/kevin_love-185x185.jpg
20.3ppg 15.4 rpg
http://www.espn.go.com/photo/2007/0304/nba_dime2_395.jpg
25-30 ppg 15-18 rpg today



You are comparing Wilt to fucccking Love that itself makes u a retard. :facepalm

[rodman91]

You are comparing Wilt to fucccking Love that itself makes u a retard. :facepalm

If Love can +20ppg and +15rpg , why can't Wilt?

[Colby Brian]

Lol. More silly that Jordansaying he could have scored 100 today.

i know lol, mjs career high 69 with overtime

[Psileas]

Wilt was more than likely deliberately exaggerating. He knew that, like today, a lot of idiots in the late 90's thought that he'd only be a 20+10/15+8/scrub guy playing back then, so he'd be willing to piss off some of them by claiming something equally ridiculous, but from the other side. The guy had also claimed that Shaq had the fonts to surpass him. So, did he believe that Shaq would also average 70?


What's funny is that if you photoshop Kevin Love in that 60s roster pic people would still identify him as a player who wouldn't be able to compete today. Hell that guy next to Wilt wearing #9 looks similar enough to be Love's dad.

Correct. Stick some small, ugly-ass "white kid" like Kyle Corver or Kirk Hinrich or Redick and people would claim that he wouldn't even make it to a today's High School team. How do people comment on guys, whose names they haven't even heard or they can't recognize?

[bdreason]

Ridiculous claims like that only make Wilt's stats seem more inflated.



Wilt is going to drop 70 against Hakeem, Ewing, Robinson, Shaq, Mourning, Mutumbo, Smits, Daugherty, Willis, Duncan...




okay Wilt. :rolleyes:

[PHILA]

:oldlol: Wilt would be lucky to average 25 ppg today.http://i52.tinypic.com/3442ql1.jpg

[Round Mound]

i know lol, mjs career high 69 with overtime

True but to go along with 18 rebounds also.

MJ could shift games with complete athletic and fundamental skills, unlike Kobe

[Round Mound]

Wilt was more than likely deliberately exaggerating. He knew that, like today, a lot of idiots in the late 90's thought that he'd only be a 20+10/15+8/scrub guy playing back then, so he'd be willing to piss off some of them by claiming something equally ridiculous, but from the other side. The guy had also claimed that Shaq had the fonts to surpass him. So, did he believe that Shaq would also average 70?


Correct. Stick some small, ugly-ass "white kid" like Kyle Corver or Kirk Hinrich or Redick and people would claim that he wouldn't even make it to a today's High School team. How do people comment on guys, whose names they haven't even heard or they can't recognize?

Billy Cunningham mentioned while shocked remembering Wilt...

"Wilt Would Dominate More So, Today Than Before"

[HighFlyer23]

he forgot to move the decimal

7 ppg today

[ginobli2311]

basketball is basketball. how many times do we need to watch guys like stockton or nash or dirk or love play great?

i don't know what wilt would average, but i have no doubt he'd be by far the best big man in the game.

depending on the situation, I'd probably think his line would look something like:

28 points 16 boards 5 assists 56% fg.

[KB2clutch]

lol this guys a joke, yes he was far advanced compared to his peers and that makes him one of the greats but put him in todays league where everyone forward/center is just as good and hed be javale mcgee

[Rolando]

Imagine a guy built like Dwight Howard but 7'2" tall instead. That would be Wilt in today's game.

Someone please post that pic with him and Andre the Giant lifting up Arnold Swartzenegger when Wilt was like 50 years old.

[lakers_forever]

In a league, where there is only one great center in Howard (who would not be even top 3 in the 90's), Wilt (same as Kareem) would easily be the best player in the league. He could put 32 ppg, 16 rpg (if Kevin Love can average 15...) and 5 apg. Who other than Howard could put up a real battle? He faced better centers than there is today.

[Nevaeh]

Imagine a guy built like Dwight Howard but 7'2" tall instead. That would be Wilt in today's game.

Someone please post that pic with him and Andre the Giant lifting up Arnold Swartzenegger when Wilt was like 50 years old.

http://billcosoldschoolwrestling.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/wiltchamberlainarnoldschwarzeneggerandrethegiant-onthesetofconan.jpg

http://imgur.com/GSngE.jpg

[SinJackal]

:lol

[DixieNourmous]

Kareem played in a less competitive era.

I call BS

[Colby Brian]

http://billcosoldschoolwrestling.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/wiltchamberlainarnoldschwarzeneggerandrethegiant-onthesetofconan.jpg

http://imgur.com/GSngE.jpg

:roll:
lol wilt the stilt

[Psileas]

lol this guys a joke, yes he was far advanced compared to his peers and that makes him one of the greats but put him in todays league where everyone forward/center is just as good and hed be javale mcgee

No, this excuse of "explanation" is a joke. You simply can't make the difference between looking great because of awful competition and being great regardless of competition.
What skills does McGee have to be in the same league with Wilt to begin with? Does he have scoring skills? No (look at the triple-double game). The will to score? No. Does he take over games? No. Does he pass well? No. Does he have a high basketball IQ? No (again, look at the triple-double game). Can he keep himself away from fouling? No. Does he attract double teams? No. Is there any need to continue? No. If you think McGee is comparable to Wilt because he's athletic and a good shot-blocker, then I guess you'd consider him at least as good as Dwight for the same reasons.

Wilt, at 34+, past his prime, past his high scoring days and slowed down due to his 1970 major injury, still averaged around 22 ppg and 19 rpg in the playoffs against MVP Kareem, while holding him to 25 ppg (compared to averaging 31.7 ppg in the regular season and 27.8 against the elite defender Thurmond). Call me back when McGee does anything close to this to any guy close to Kareem.

[jlauber]

No, this excuse of "explanation" is a joke. You simply can't make the difference between looking great because of awful competition and being great regardless of competition.
What skills does McGee have to be in the same league with Wilt to begin with? Does he have scoring skills? No (look at the triple-double game). The will to score? No. Does he take over games? No. Does he pass well? No. Does he have a high basketball IQ? No (again, look at the triple-double game). Can he keep himself away from fouling? No. Does he attract double teams? No. Is there any need to continue? No. If you think McGee is comparable to Wilt because he's athletic and a good shot-blocker, then I guess you'd consider him at least as good as Dwight for the same reasons.

Wilt, at 34+, past his prime, past his high scoring days and slowed down due to his 1970 major injury, still averaged around 22 ppg and 19 rpg in the playoffs against MVP Kareem, while holding him to 25 ppg (compared to averaging 31.7 ppg in the regular season and 27.8 against the elite defender Thurmond). Call me back when McGee does anything close to this to any guy close to Kareem.

Great post. I'll add to it in a moment, but since it is related to this comment, I thought I would add my thoughts after this...


Ridiculous claims like that only make Wilt's stats seem more inflated.


Wilt is going to drop 70 against Hakeem, Ewing, Robinson, Shaq, Mourning, Mutumbo, Smits, Daugherty, Willis, Duncan...


okay Wilt.

A PRIME Wilt probably would not have dropped 70 against Hakeem, or Ewing, or Robinson, or Shaq, or Duncan, or Motumbo, but against Daugherty, Smits and Willis????

My god, Chamberlain AVERAGED 28.7 ppg against Russell AND the Celtics in his CAREER. And, in his scoring prime, it was around 34 ppg. He had THREE SEASONS of 38 ppg against Russell. He had 24 40 point games against Russell. He had FIVE 50+ point games against him. And he even had a 62 point game against him (on 27-45 shooting.)

Psileas pointed out Wilt's performance against Kareem in the '71 WCF's. Kareem was probably not yet at his physical peak, but his '71 season, if you include the post-season, was his greatest season ever. His '72 regular season was slightly better, but he couldn't hit the grand canyon from the ledge against Wilt or Thurmond in the playoffs that year. In any case, here was a 34 year old Chamberlain, and only a year removed from major knee surgery, and NOWHERE near his PRIME, or his SCORING PRIME (more on that in a moment)...battling Kareem to an offensive draw (nearly even in scoring and slightly better from the field...while outrebounding him.)

Why is that important? Because, as I have pointed out MANY times...a 38 year old Kareem, who could barely grab six rebounds a game, was just TORCHING a young, and much more athletic Hakeem AND Ewing. He had THREE huge games against Olajuwon that year, scoring 35, 42, and 46 (on a spectacular 21-30 shooting) against him. Not only that, but he BURIED Ewing with a 40 point game in nearly the same week, all while holding Patrick to a 2-16 performance. In fact, over the course of his next three seasons, and from age 39 thru 41, Kareem was barely outscored by either of them (and they were nearing their physical primes BTW), AND he outshot BOTH of them by nearly a 100 points EACH. He outshot Hakeem by a .567 to .475 margin (Hakeem outscored him, in far more minutes by a 21.8 to 15.2 margin.) And he outshot Ewing by a .551 to ,483 margin. In fact, Ewing barely outscored the well-past-his-prime Kareem, in considerably more minutes, by an 18.8 to 16.5 margin. Once again...that was a 39-41 year old Kareem.

Furthermore, Kareem NEVER scored 40 points against Thurmond, and in fact, seldom scored 30 on him...and they faced each other 61 times. He also seldom shot 50%, and had MANY games under 40% against him. And we already know that Chamberlain, in their 28 H2H games, held Kareem to .464 shooting. In fact, over the course of their last ten games, Wilt held Kareem to .434 shooting. In their last regular season together, covering six games, Wilt outshot Kareem, .637 to .450. He even outscored Kareem in one game that year, 24-21 (outshooting Kareem, 10-14 to 10-27.)

Even more importantly, Wilt and Kareem squared off one time before Wilt suffered his knee injury. Wilt outscored Kareem, 25-23; he outrebounded Kareem, 25-20; he outblocked Kareem, 3-2; he outassisted Kareem, 5-2; and he outshot Kareem, 9-14 to 9-21. Why is that important? Kareem was a rookie, to be sure, but Wilt was considerably past his "scoring" prime.

How good was Wilt in his "scoring" PRIME? He outscored Thurmond in one game, 45-13. He had another of 38 points and 31 rebounds. He didn't have too many high scoring games against Nate, simply because he only faced him in a few games before he cut back his shooting. Still, in his 66-67 season, when he dramatically reduced his shooting, he was asked by his coach, at halftime of a game in which the Sixers were trailing Nate's Warriors, to sgoot in the second half. He responded with 24 second half points, and finished with 30 points, 26 rebounds, and 12 blocks. CLEARLY, he COULD have scored much more against Thurmond in his career, had he so chosen.

My god, Wilt had THREE 50+ point games against Willis Reed, with a high of 58. He had those FIVE 50+ point games against the greatest defenisve player in NBA history. And he hung THREE 60+ point games on 6-11 HOFer Walt Bellamy, with a high of 73.

My point being that Kareem never faced a "scoring" PRIME Chamberlain. Here was Wilt, at 11 years older than Kareem, and with one arthritic knee, and the other just a year removed from major surgery...and battling a near-statitical prime Kareem to a scoring and shooting draw. And yet, a 38 year old Kareem could easilyt score 40 against Hakeem and Ewing.

Of course, posters point out the great centers of the 90's...Hakeem, Shaq, Robinson, and Ewing...but they won't mention that there were as many as 29 teams in the league in the 90's. either. And the vast majority had stumbling clods manning the pivot. I won't bother listing all of the MANY of them. Many of the teams were so bad that they had THREE or more clowns playing center. Shaq had his famous 61 point game against Olawakandi and Pete Chilcott. Neither of those idiots would have started in the 60's.

And, of course, before some poster points out the height's of the centers that Wilt faced...the NBA centers in 1960 averaged 6-10. In 1970 they were at 6-11. How about last year? 7-0. TWO-inches! Furthermore, and as I have pointed out MANY times...height has had very little impact overall. In fact, Kareem, with ONE, and Motumbo, with TWO, are the only 7-2+ centers to have ever led the NBA in rebounding. Aside from Chamberlain, and his ELEVEN rebounding titles, there have been very few seven-foot rebounding champs (and Olajuwon was not seven-feet BTW.) Meanwhile, 6-10 Russell, and 6-8 Rodman had MULTIPLE rebounding titles. My god, 6-6 Charles Barkley, 6-7 Truck Robinson, and 6-7 Ben Wallace (TWICE) have won rebounding titles. And, of course, take a look at who is running away with THIS year's rebounding title.

Unfortunately, YouTube has removed much of the little footage that we have of an early NBA Wilt, in which he was hitting a variety of shots from 15+ feet. Sweeping hook shots, turn-around shots, jump shots from the FT line, and bank shots that were every bit as good as Duncan's best. And he was shooting well over 50% in the process. Later in his career, he become a low post power, who was unstoppable, but early in his career, he was a marvelous shooter. Once again, I have stated it MANY times, but Chamberlain was FAR more skilled than Dwight Howard. Add to that that he was 3-4 inches taller, 50 pounds heavier, much stronger, a sensational leaper known to have dunked on a 12 foot rim (something that Howard has NOT done), a sprinter in college...and there is simply no comparison. Wilt would have been a FAR greater offensive force in TODAY's game than Howard. And given the fact that he would be facing the weakest crop of centers in the last 50 years, I see no reason why a PRIME Chamberlain would not be putting up 35 ppg in TODAY's NBA.

In any case, these comparisons to Tyson Chandler, or McGee, or Dalembert are absolutely RIDICULOUS. A PRIME Wilt would be POUNDING those inept clowns. 70+ point games against this era of stumblebums would NOT be out of the question. Would he AVERAGE 70 ppg? Of course not. BUT, he would not only be the BEST center in the game (and by a WIDE margin), he would be the BEST PLAYER in the game. Of that I have NO doubt.

[cleveland]

at the face of the teams owner

hahah that shits too funny. al capone anyone? that motherfuker looks like straigt up mafioso

[G.O.A.T]

I call BS

Not sure why.

It's pretty easy to see that.

From 1960 until 1966 the NBA had eight/nine teams and there was no rival league beyond a one year existence of the ABL which did not impact the NBA's talent pool.

By Kareem's rookie year, 1969-70, there were 25 professional basketball teams. By 1974 and his last finals appearance of the decade, 27 teams were active. There is simply know way the talent pool tripled in size to keep up with the demand for players which had tripled.

From 1970-1972 the NBA record for consecutive wins was broken three times, by three different teams. Aside from the top two or three contenders, most of the league was expansion teams. Of them, only the Bucks were competitive pre-merger.

It was simply a weaker era than the 60's and 80's. Doesn't mean the players weren't great, just means the teams had, on average, less talent.