Wilt Chamberlain's top two known sprints on a basketball court - speed calculated:

[CavaliersFTW]

Calculated using the precise time it takes Wilt's body (specifically, the pelvis) to travel across the 12 foot half-court circle:

Colorado NCAA game sprint (2nd fastest known recording of him sprinting):
.410 seconds (slowed down 10 times and analyzed frame by frame = 4.10 seconds)

SFU NCAA game sprint (fastest known recording of him sprinting):
.401 seconds (slowed down 10 times and analyzed frame by frame = 4.01 seconds)

440 units of "12 feet" in a mile.
440 x .510 = 180.40 seconds to cover 1 mile = 19.96mph peak speed at Colorado game sprint.
440 x .401 = 176.44 seconds to cover 1 mile = 20.4mph peak speed at SFU game sprint.

http://youtu.be/1TG146Vgd38

Here's video I rendered of him crossing the lines. There is a precisely 1 second freeze frame the moment he is above the first half of the circle so you all can see it, followed by a 2 second freeze frame the moment when he crosses above the lines on the other end of the circle in each clip so you all can see it. The footage in between both freeze frames is slowed down precisely 10 times. So that the number of seconds it takes to cover the ground (12 feet) would simply require the decimal to be moved over to calculate what fraction of a second it took Wilt to cover a 12 foot distance which was then used to calculate his speed. I hope everyone follows. I'm posting all this data so that it can be analyzed openly for objective critics.

Here is a screen capture of what I described I did with the video:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-tCU5w-M_7PY/Ue4M06XjfAI/AAAAAAAAEfw/mV6IdzTcREY/s800/Screen%2520capture%2520of%2520Speed.jpg
In this screen capture you can see in the upper right corner the number "5:01" which represents 5.01 seconds which is where the red line on the video bar is standing - which is at the end frame of the SFU sprint across 12 feet. Subtract the 1 second of buffer freeze frame and there you have your "precise" 4.01 measurement. You can also see the footage in between is at precisely "10%".

**EDIT** Added time-code to the video.

:cheers:

[inclinerator]

doesnt matter if it's a sped up video

[luckylucy]

You seem to focus a lot on Wilt's pelvis :lol

[CavaliersFTW]

You seem to focus a lot on Wilt's pelvis :lol
lol no homo - it's the only part of him that is stable while he's running - you can't really go by his hands and feet cause they go back and forth and his head could be moving around a bit too so that wouldn't be accurate to use

[deja vu]

The effort these Wilt stans do to prove that Wilt was a god among men. :facepalm :lol

[luckylucy]

lol no homo - it's the only part of him that is stable while he's running - you can't really go by his hands and feet cause they go back and forth and his head could be moving around a bit too so that wouldn't be accurate to use

You could have just omitted that part, I mean I don't think anyone would've asked you about what part of the body you where using to start and stop the time count. It felt a little bit awkward to read that.

[kennethgriffin]

allot of old retro videos are either sped up or slowed down for some reason. they were never in real time

OP wasted a possible 176.44 hours of his time typing 20.4 mph making this poop

[CavaliersFTW]

You could have just omitted that part, I mean I don't think anyone would've asked you about what part of the body you where using to start and stop the time count. It felt a little bit awkward to read that.
Pelvis is not an awkward word, it's just anatomy. And I did need to specify because people aren't mind readers and this required specific attention to detail to come up with such precise numbers. If I don't explain how I came up with the numbers thoroughly than there will be open questions and invitations for premature criticisms because I'm sure if I didn't specify exactly what was tracked and why, people would have started looking at the frames and wondering why I didn't use his feet or his head crossing the line.

[CavaliersFTW]

allot of old retro videos are either sped up or slowed down for some reason. they were never in real time

OP wasted a possible 176.44 hours of his time typing 20.4 mph making this poop
Yes a lot of Old Winek Film documentaries used slow-motion for dramatic effect in their 1960's and 1970's NBA basketball documentaries. Good thing these aren't basketball documentaries by Winek, these are just stock film reels from KU that weren't filmed in any sort of slow-motion or "fast"-motion... P.S. I've never seen stock archive basketball film like this played back in "fast" motion. If you have, feel free to post it, otherwise it's an empty accusation :cheers:

[CavaliersFTW]

The effort these Wilt stans do to prove that Wilt was a god among men. :facepalm :lol
Yes because no man has ever ran 20.4mph before

[sundizz]

Could you calculate Lebron's speed from this clip?

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

[CavaliersFTW]

Could you calculate Lebron's speed from this clip?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNaLIhzSYDI
Unfortunately no, because he arcs while he runs - find a clip of him running very fast down the middle of the court if you can, preferably on a court with a 12 foot circle (not all of the NBA floors have one) that way I can get his PEAK speed rather than his average speed over a longer span which would probably be lower due to him accelerating or decelerating. For example, Wilt's "average" speed on the sprint during his SFU game from top of the key on one side of the floor to the other top of the key on the other side of the floor was only 18.4mph because he was accelerating and decelerating.

[CavaliersFTW]

Using the same method, David Robinson is traveling at precisely 19.07 mph over the same center circle in this clip and he's got the ball in his hands :eek:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKVqpXl3M18

[Harison]

Good job CavaliersFTW :cheers:

BTW I think Tony Parker had the same top speed, extremely quick.

P.S. 19.07 mph by Robinson with a ball is even more impressive :applause:

[jongib369]

Using the same method, David Robinson is traveling at precisely 19.07 mph over the same center circle in this clip and he's got the ball in his hands :eek:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKVqpXl3M18
How do you move that fast with the ball when you're that big!?

[CavaliersFTW]

Over a 22 foot stretch (half court line to the top of the key) Bill Russell averaged 18.28mph chasing down Jerry West. Not his peak speed either because he was slowing down his last few steps. Unfortunately I don't have him crossing any "circle" so I could only calculate his average speed over 22 feet when he's decelerating rather than peak speed at mid-court but Bill Russell i'd guarantee is right up there with Wilt and Robinson in terms of speed. Another center I bet that has great speed, is young Kareem. He was also the "fastest guy on the team" when he was on the Milwaukee Bucks and those Bucks had some genuine athletes that could fly in the open court. I'll have to keep my eye out for any clips of him and Bill Russell in a dead sprint across a mid court circle.

[jongib369]

Over a 22 foot stretch (half court line to the top of the key) Bill Russell averaged 18.28mph chasing down Jerry West. Not his peak speed either because he was slowing down his last few steps. Unfortunately I don't have him crossing any "circle" so I could only calculate his average speed over 22 feet when he's decelerating rather than peak speed at mid-court but Bill Russell i'd guarantee is right up there with Wilt and Robinson in terms of speed. Another center I bet that has great speed, is young Kareem. He was also the "fastest guy on the team" when he was on the Milwaukee Bucks and those Bucks had some genuine athletes that could fly in the open court. I'll have to keep my eye out for any clips of him and Bill Russell in a dead sprint across a mid court circle.

Im sure youre aware but theres a clip of Shaq in HS and one in the Nba that would be good to do as well

[LAZERUSS]

Over a 22 foot stretch (half court line to the top of the key) Bill Russell averaged 18.28mph chasing down Jerry West. Not his peak speed either because he was slowing down his last few steps. Unfortunately I don't have him crossing any "circle" so I could only calculate his average speed over 22 feet when he's decelerating rather than peak speed at mid-court but Bill Russell i'd guarantee is right up there with Wilt and Robinson in terms of speed. Another center I bet that has great speed, is young Kareem. He was also the "fastest guy on the team" when he was on the Milwaukee Bucks and those Bucks had some genuine athletes that could fly in the open court. I'll have to keep my eye out for any clips of him and Bill Russell in a dead sprint across a mid court circle.

Kareem was a great athlete, and as a sidenote, but without verification, I seem to recall KAJ running a mile with the Packers in a pre-season training camp (probably in the late 60's, or early 70's), and just dusting all of them.

[plowking]

Using the same method, David Robinson is traveling at precisely 19.07 mph over the same center circle in this clip and he's got the ball in his hands :eek:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKVqpXl3M18

I've always felt that David Robinson was the best comparison for Wilt. I think they'd put up similar stats in just about every era aside from Wilt possibly averaging more rebounds.

That said, Robinson was a bit of a mental midget, while Wilt wasn't.

[Goliath Uterus]

Where did you get this footage?

[inclinerator]

can u do this one for d wade

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAghXWh6bEk

[CavaliersFTW]

I've always felt that David Robinson was the best comparison for Wilt. I think they'd put up similar stats in just about every era aside from Wilt possibly averaging more rebounds.

That said, Robinson was a bit of a mental midget, while Wilt wasn't.
Do you just mean statistically or also physically? Cause physically I think Robinson is much closer to Bill Russell than he is to Wilt

[CavaliersFTW]

can u do this one for d wade

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAghXWh6bEk
Yes it will have to wait until this evening though - I'm at work atm. Seems like that footage could work though so long as the Heat logo represents a 12 foot center circle.

[CavaliersFTW]

can u do this one for d wade

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAghXWh6bEk
Dwyane Wade 19.57mph crossing half court circle in that clip

[CavaliersFTW]

http://youtu.be/XNw0c19DhIU?t=5m12s

In this clip, while handling the ball Wilt crossed the center circle at a speed of 16.13mph

[plowking]

Do you just mean statistically or also physically? Cause physically I think Robinson is much closer to Bill Russell than he is to Wilt

Statistically and very similar physically to early-middle of his career Wilt.

[JimmyMcAdocious]

How about Lawson? He slows down a bit and then turns on the afterburners right at midcourt :eek:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uY7lkCxrQCQ#t=0m43s

[CavaliersFTW]

Statistically and very similar physically to early-middle of his career Wilt.
Robinson is closer to Russell than he is to Wilt - everything from body weight and physique to the way they move around on the floor. Robinson is just closer in height to Wilt.

Interesting fact about Robinson, during the 1988 Olympics the U.S. penciled him in at 7-1 and 235lbs. But when he arrived for practice he was measured at 7-0 (not surprising because we all know heights can be inflated by varying degrees) but what was surprsing was that he only tipped the scale at 226lbs at the time. This is only 11lbs heavier than Bill Russell was at the same age, and Bill Russell was 2.5 inches shorter. So Robinson had a very skinny natural frame no matter how ripped it looked. Now, eventually Robinson did fill out to 235lbs, and even beyond that he topped out by the time he retired at about 265lbs.

However, Wilt at only 17 years old still in high school at 6-11.5 w/o shoes, was already 225lbs. So Wilt at a younger age and shorter height was as heavy as Robinson was in his early 20's. By the time Wilt was an NBA rookie he was 258lbs - almost as heavy as Robinson maxed out at. And by his 5th season Wilt played at 290lbs and up. Their size makes them play and look a lot differently in my eyes. Robinson moved fleet footed around the floor and used his quickness and face up skills to score. Wilt (in the NBA I'm talking, not NCAA) moved slower and much more deliberate with much more back to the basket post play and deep positioning. Wilt played and looked more like Shaq IMO.

[K.Koscik]

The effort these Wilt stans do to prove that Wilt was a god among men. :facepalm :lol

Eh, considering this is the off season and there are soooo many myths and rumors about Wilt, this is not even bad.

CavsFTW puts in a decent amount of work to bring us footage, stats, proof about Wilt. It's actually pretty damn cool if you're a basketball fan who cares about the history of the game. You should get your head out of your ass bro

[Marchesk]

Eh, considering this is the off season and there are soooo many myths and rumors about Wilt, this is not even bad.

CavsFTW puts in a decent amount of work to bring us footage, stats, proof about Wilt. It's actually pretty damn cool if you're a basketball fan who cares about the history of the game. You should get your head out of your ass bro

It's a welcome relief from the twenty threads a day about Lebron/Kobe.

[RoundMoundOfReb]

Could you do this for current nba players as well ?

[CavaliersFTW]

Could you do this for current nba players as well ?
Yah, read the comments I did it for a Dwyane Wade clip. Also did it for a more recently retired player David Robinson.

[sundizz]

Robinson is closer to Russell than he is to Wilt - everything from body weight and physique to the way they move around on the floor. Robinson is just closer in height to Wilt.

Interesting fact about Robinson, during the 1988 Olympics the U.S. penciled him in at 7-1 and 235lbs. But when he arrived for practice he was measured at 7-0 (not surprising because we all know heights can be inflated by varying degrees) but what was surprsing was that he only tipped the scale at 226lbs at the time. This is only 11lbs heavier than Bill Russell was at the same age, and Bill Russell was 2.5 inches shorter. So Robinson had a very skinny natural frame no matter how ripped it looked. Now, eventually Robinson did fill out to 235lbs, and even beyond that he topped out by the time he retired at about 265lbs.

However, Wilt at only 17 years old still in high school at 6-11.5 w/o shoes, was already 225lbs. So Wilt at a younger age and shorter height was as heavy as Robinson was in his early 20's. By the time Wilt was an NBA rookie he was 258lbs - almost as heavy as Robinson maxed out at. And by his 5th season Wilt played at 290lbs and up. Their size makes them play and look a lot differently in my eyes. Robinson moved fleet footed around the floor and used his quickness and face up skills to score. Wilt (in the NBA I'm talking, not NCAA) moved slower and much more deliberate with much more back to the basket post play and deep positioning. Wilt played and looked more like Shaq IMO.

I am curious what makes Wilt so much of a better player/athlete than Bynum? They seem to both be about the same height, with similar length (maybe Wilt longer?), a similar base, similar athleticism, and speed. I only base this off clips of Wilt. I do think Wilt is better, don't get me wrong. However, how do you think a healthy Bynum would of done against Wilt had he played back then? Out of all current NBA centers, he seems to be the only one that could even compete against Wilt.

[CavaliersFTW]

I am curious what makes Wilt so much of a better player/athlete than Bynum? They seem to both be about the same height, with similar length (maybe Wilt longer?), a similar base, similar athleticism, and speed. I only base this off clips of Wilt. I do think Wilt is better, don't get me wrong. However, how do you think a healthy Bynum would of done against Wilt had he played back then? Out of all current NBA centers, he seems to be the only one that could even compete against Wilt.
Please show me when Bynum was similarly athletic or fast: http://youtu.be/S8JuK2dVky0?t=6m7s

[sundizz]

Please show me when Bynum was similarly athletic or fast: http://youtu.be/S8JuK2dVky0?t=6m7s

The time spot that video was linked to just shows me a grainy clip of some skinny dude (may or may not be Wilt even) that goaltends then dribbles with the ball. I thought we were comparing the older Wilt that actually had some muscle and frame on him? Honestly, these old old videos of Wilt make it seem like he is a beanpole. I have no idea how he weighed so much but looked so skinny. It doesn't make sense.

And Bynum is plenty athletic and long. He is just mental midget and injury prone. I don't think he is as fast as Wilt by any means, but I just thought he is a good current comparison when healthy of an older Wilt.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4n6GJJ-SxEo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=HMyWkUSYv54&t=12

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8poZduOk4E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fOJoJ1wGS8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-fBUFwaeBI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=FjpjUxnxBQk&t=88

[PHILA]

Look how much ground he covers in one step. Not a hop skip travel but in just one step he goes from about 7-8 feet out right to the front of the rim. This is perhaps the one faceup move I have seen him do. I can't picture Bynum covering this kind of ground in one step. Slow motion video below.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UShBN1POkwY&t=40s




Wilt played and looked more like Shaq IMO.


I have seen Shaq cover some ground as well, but not just one step like Wilt. He seemed to have a more compact and bruising style.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rye1hRrkLro&t=1h12m32s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdU-amDQTrE&t=6m5s

[PHILA]

It's unfair anyways to compare today's athletes to those of the past. Apparently Tony Bosch has also had NBA clients.



http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/9508288/biogenesis-whistleblower-broke-open-scandal-says-ncaa-mma-nba-other-athletes-used-clinic-mlb-investigation

The man who turned the Biogenesis clinic from a quiet investigation in Miami into a national scandal says there are at least "a dozen" more athletes whose names haven't been exposed, and they come from across the sports world.

Porter Fischer, the former Biogenesis of Miami clinic employee who turned boxes of documents over to the Miami New Times last year, declined to name the athletes. But in his first television interview, Fischer told "Outside the Lines" that numerous sports had at least one athlete that received performance-enhancing drugs from clinic founder Tony Bosch.

"This isn't a 2013 thing or a 2012 thing; some of these people have been on the books since 2009," Fischer said.

Fischer said he and associates have identified athletes from the NBA, NCAA, professional boxing, tennis and MMA, in addition to other professional baseball players who have not yet been identified. As far as he knows, he said, Bosch had no clients from the NFL or NHL.

He also said the only sports entity he has ever heard from was Major League Baseball.

[CavaliersFTW]

The time spot that video was linked to just shows me a grainy clip of some skinny dude (may or may not be Wilt even) that goaltends then dribbles with the ball. I thought we were comparing the older Wilt that actually had some muscle and frame on him? Honestly, these old old videos of Wilt make it seem like he is a beanpole. I have no idea how he weighed so much but looked so skinny. It doesn't make sense.

And Bynum is plenty athletic and long. He is just mental midget and injury prone. I don't think he is as fast as Wilt by any means, but I just thought he is a good current comparison when healthy of an older Wilt.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4n6GJJ-SxEo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=HMyWkUSYv54&t=12

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8poZduOk4E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fOJoJ1wGS8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-fBUFwaeBI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=FjpjUxnxBQk&t=88
Sundizz I'm sorry, but your giving me nothing to address. Maybe watch the video of that skinny 19 year old Wilt in entirety, it will do more than I could ever explain as to why he's a far better athlete than Andrew Bynum. Andrew Bynum was never that athletic, ever. And even the 25 years old and under Andrew Bynum your showing in those simple dunks with hardly any lift and the steal with 3 slow-motion strides to the hoop isn't analogous to Wilt's athleticism when Wilt was 36 years old. If you can't recognize it watching film than I don't know what to tell you.

This has a lot of footage of Wilt at 290+ lbs (as heavy and heavier than Bynum's 265-285lb playing weight)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwvdsi6gLl8

Can you also not tell what separates Michael Jordan from Danny Green? Should it even matter whether your looking at the "skinny" version of MJ playing college competition or not? :confusedshrug: The same applies to Wilt. No matter who he's playing in highlights and no matter how muscular or skinny he is, it's obvious he's on another level than Andrew Bynum athletically. Bynum can't even play a full season healthy where as Wilt didn't miss a game in 1962 and averaged 48.5mpg. I mean, your also making the assertion that Bynum is a comparable athlete to Wilt in a thread that calculated Wilt fast breaking across midcourt at 20.4mph w/o the ball and over 16mph with the ball and you've yet to provide a clip with Andrew showcasing similar athleticism.

Phil Jackson recently stated Wilt was on another level athletically than Shaquille O'Neal. He played against the mid-30's version of Wilt and coached both prime Shaq and young Bynum. Think about that. If your observation skills net you the idea that Bynum = Wilt than that would mean Phil also thinks Bynum is on another level athletically than Shaq? Does that make sense to you?

[iamgine]

Can you calculate this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OD54eF2XKJA

Perhaps the time from when he jump till he reach the basket would be his fastest time?

or

from after mid circle to free throw line.

[CavaliersFTW]

Can you calculate this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OD54eF2XKJA

Perhaps the time from when he jump till he reach the basket would be his fastest time?

or

from after mid circle to free throw line.
I'll calculate in a few spots tonight after work and figure out the fastest split - that might not be him running his fastest though i'd imagine there are better clips out there somewhere of him running fast

[iamgine]

^Yeah I guess you're right. How about this instead:

http://youtu.be/eJDsNPKodqg?t=1m29s

Derrick Rose looked really fast his last 2 steps before he jumped

[CavaliersFTW]

We've got like 15 Kobe/Lebron threads a day in the off season and half a dozen Euroleague threads and one of the sincere threads that is doing something different and interesting get's a 1 star rating?

[iamgine]

We've got like 15 Kobe/Lebron threads a day in the off season and half a dozen Euroleague threads and one of the sincere threads that is doing something different and interesting get's a 1 star rating?
Dont worry about stars man.

Anyways...pretty curious about the Derrick Rose last 2 steps. The replay gives a pretty clear view if you know how much it's slowed down by.

Here's a chasedown block by Aaron Brooks that's sure to be 19+ mph. Too bad he moves diagonally.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgIM3HzPR9Q

[dunksby]

Great thread, 32Km/h for a 7 footer is mind boggling, I'm curious to know how fast Kareem used to be at his peak as well. CavsFTW :bowdown: :bowdown:

[La Frescobaldi]

I am curious what makes Wilt so much of a better player/athlete than Bynum? They seem to both be about the same height, with similar length (maybe Wilt longer?), a similar base, similar athleticism, and speed. I only base this off clips of Wilt. I do think Wilt is better, don't get me wrong. However, how do you think a healthy Bynum would of done against Wilt had he played back then? Out of all current NBA centers, he seems to be the only one that could even compete against Wilt.
There is a fluid grace to the world class athlete that others just do not possess.
A thing that is so forgotten about 13 is... he was universally admired for his grace. He moved like a giant cat - we're not talking about your average everyday amazing NBA athlete. Chamberlain... he would sit in a restaurant and just his motions with his arms, the way he carried himself just sitting in a chair, would arrest the attention of the entire room. It was a simple gut level recognition of another dimension of athleticism that really nobody else has shown.
If they were on the court, Chamberlain - as would Shaq also - would have out-performed Bynum in every possible way.
There's literally no comparison of Wilt & Bynum except size... I would say the same about Shaq, to a lesser degree. Shaq had some of the physical skills, to a certain extent, but he never had 13s absolute competitive fire. Look at the record books to see what I mean

[RoundMoundOfReb]

Yah, read the comments I did it for a Dwyane Wade clip. Also did it for a more recently retired player David Robinson.
Could you do:

Lebron
Dwight
Westbrook
Wall

?

[RoundMoundOfReb]

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

According to sports science Lebron (and cp3) has been clocked at 20+ mph. If wilt could run at a similar speed to those guys that would be amazing. Although im sure the methods they're using are more precise than yours.

[sundizz]

The only thing Phil says is that he didn't have the same endurance (Shaq as Wilt). This is no surprise given the donut diet Shaq lived on.

He does say, "O'Neal was faster from one end of the court to the other, at least to the offensive end."

[jongib369]

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

According to sports science Lebron (and cp3) has been clocked at 20+ mph. If wilt could run at a similar speed to those guys that would be amazing. Although im sure the methods they're using are more precise than yours.
http://youtu.be/_ocAgwQtrYo?t=1m59s

Cavs should do something like that for Wilt