Wilt's Tall Tales

[QUOTE=DKLaker]Yeah, I'm with you on that.[/QUOTE]
What's your top 10 look like?

Mine:

1. Jordan
2. Abdul-Jabbar
3. Johnson
4. Russell
5. Bird
6. O'Neal
7. Bryant
8. Duncan
9. Chamberlain
10. Olajuwon

Here is an article with Iguodala saying Bill Russel is taller than Dwight Howard.

[url]http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/sixers/20120227_Iguodala_s_All-Star_moments.html[/url]

I'll let the mathematicians use the transitive theory.

[QUOTE=randomword]Here is an article with Iguodala saying Bill Russel is taller than Dwight Howard.

[url]http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/sixers/20120227_Iguodala_s_All-Star_moments.html[/url]

I'll let the mathematicians use the transitive theory.[/QUOTE]

That's because he's likely about 6'9.5 and Dwight Howard is 6'9 in his bare feet.

Russell was listed 6'10 in the Olympics of 1956, and throughout his NCAA career. He was only listed at 6'9 in the NBA - they liked to use round numbers back then. He's likely between 6'9 and 6'10. Does that sound about right to most people? He is definitely not "6'9" like how modern 6'9 players are, because back then players were given barefoot numbers where as today they are listed in shoes and grossly inflated even beyond that sometimes. That's probably why Iggy was surprised.

[IMG]http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/111229062346-2012-02-chamberlain-vertical-gallery.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c1/Wilt_100th_point.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8ADV9EsGnV0/TEvL2zGIW0I/AAAAAAAAABk/kknfXu5k-bs/s1600/Wilt+Chamberlain.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://images.maxpreps.com/site_images/editorial/article/f/d/0/fd01f47f-5527-df11-94b3-001cc494dda6/269a4cf2-bd27-df11-94b3-001cc494dda6_original.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://media.lawrence.com/img/photos/2010/01/18/wilt_chamberlain_bkc_1956_nw0001_t460.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/2010/writers/joe_posnanski/03/02/wilt.chamberlain/wilt-poz2.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://www.answersfrommen.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/wilt-1.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://farm1.static.flickr.com/18/94421757_7dfc67f3f4_o.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-08/20/xinsrc_52208052020147031540944.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://houston.culturemap.com/site_media/uploads/photos/2010-07-22/Yao_Ming_slam_dunk.263w_350h.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://wheretruthlies.com/drupal/sites/default/files/images/yao%20ming%2013%20of%20china%20dunks%20against%20marc%20gasol%2013%20of%20spain.preview.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0gFI9l61aE4Qv/340x.jpg[/IMG]

You can tell most of the people in this thread have absolutely NO IDEA just how insane professional athletes are genetically. These guys are absolute monsters and how crazy is it to say Wilt(the top score in NBA History) was uncapable of these feats. Multiple newspaper articles and interviews have been conducted in which people speak of Wilts acts. Why would they make these things up for Wilt anyway? Why would he be special? You can look for an interview of a first-hand account who says Wilt was incapable of these feats, but you won't find it. The guy was one of the greatest athletes ever and probably the best overall athlete the NBA has ever seen. Next to LeBron James of course.

People rip on Wilts stats all the time and say he destroyed 6 foot white guys every night, but Russell only averaged 13 PPG on 42% shooting against the same exact competition with inferior rebounding numbers to boot.

-I heard during wilts 100 point game at half time he ran to china and had sex with 10 Asian women and then ran back to make it in time for the start of the third quarter. He was faster than the speed of light

- Wilt was the first man on the moon, he didn't need no space shuttle, he just used his insane vertical and jumped to the moon

[QUOTE=DKLaker]All of this is true except the dunking so hard it crushed toes AND could average 70 points per game in the 90's.
I have been around pro athletes since 1960 and was fortunate enough to talk to Wilt many times and even see him work out......he was a phenomenal athlete without any question.

People question the 20,000 women......[b]I can't say if he did it or not but I can say from experience that he could've easily done it if he wanted to and was physically able to perform.[/b]
A friend of mine who played pro baseball many years ago was in town for a 3 game series, I was at the team hotel and he asked me to help him get his mail.....I thought it was a stupid request until I saw he had 3 military style duffel bags full of mail. We started opening the mail and it was nothing but nude and half nude photos of women offering to meet him after the game for sex.....I mean incredibly hot women. Sure enough, after the game I saw every one of those chicks waiting for him and calling his name......he said it was like that in every city.....the mail, the women......and even more at home games.
He wasn't even a star player, he was good looking but not like a god.
I saw Wilt with a lot of women. Sex with 20,000......maybe he forgot a few thousand more. If you guys think any of this has changed for athletes today then you are nuts.......it's the same.[/QUOTE]
........

[QUOTE=CavaliersFTW]That's because he's likely about 6'9.5 and Dwight Howard is 6'9 in his bare feet.

Russell was listed 6'10 in the Olympics of 1956, and throughout his NCAA career. He was only listed at 6'9 in the NBA - they liked to use round numbers back then. He's likely between 6'9 and 6'10. Does that sound about right to most people? He is definitely not "6'9" like how modern 6'9 players are, because back then players were given barefoot numbers where as today they are listed in shoes and grossly inflated even beyond that sometimes. That's probably why Iggy was surprised.[/QUOTE]

Even Hakeem Olajuwon was listed at 7'0 before the early 90's. He just out of the blue (religious resolution or something) said the media had been misspelling his name & it was Hakeem (& not Akeem as it had been spelled previously) & he was only close to 6'10 & not 7'0 feet.

It's a modern thing to exaggerate players height & the average starting Center has been around 6'10 every since the early to mid 60's up until today.

on the other hand average Guards heights have grown significantly since just the 1980's.




Starting Centers average heights have benn about

[QUOTE=Fuhrer Hubbs]You can tell most of the people in this thread have absolutely NO IDEA just how insane professional athletes are genetically. These guys are absolute monsters and how crazy is it to say Wilt(the top score in NBA History) was uncapable of these feats. Multiple newspaper articles and interviews have been conducted in which people speak of Wilts acts. Why would they make these things up for Wilt anyway? Why would he be special? You can look for an interview of a first-hand account who says Wilt was incapable of these feats, but you won't find it. The guy was one of the greatest athletes ever and probably the best overall athlete the NBA has ever seen. Next to LeBron James of course.

People rip on Wilts stats all the time and say he destroyed 6 foot white guys every night, but Russell only averaged 13 PPG on 42% shooting against the same exact competition with inferior rebounding numbers to boot.[/QUOTE]

Plus anyone with an ounce of NBA history knows he never even played "6 foot white guys" - the 60's was the age of the center. The average height for centers back then, especially in only the 9-12 team leagues, was taller than today - this includes the 1961-62 season. Ignorance is bliss I guess. Willis Reed, Nate Thurmond, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Walt Bellamy, Bill Russell... HOF'ers and 50 greatests with 2 of those guys constantly in GOAT conversations yet... Let's just brush them under the rug - it's so much easier [I]not [/I]to do research and believe the 6 foot white guy myths because it helps explain things like 100 points and 50 points per game. After all Wilt would just get slaughtered by today's Joel Anthony's and Jafail McGee's right? :facepalm

[QUOTE=CavaliersFTW][IMG]http://farm1.static.flickr.com/18/94421757_7dfc67f3f4_o.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-08/20/xinsrc_52208052020147031540944.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://houston.culturemap.com/site_media/uploads/photos/2010-07-22/Yao_Ming_slam_dunk.263w_350h.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://wheretruthlies.com/drupal/sites/default/files/images/yao%20ming%2013%20of%20china%20dunks%20against%20marc%20gasol%2013%20of%20spain.preview.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0gFI9l61aE4Qv/340x.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE]
Dont even compare the modern era to that weak era :facepalm

[QUOTE=CavaliersFTW]Plus anyone with an ounce of NBA history knows he never even played "6 foot white guys" - the 60's was the age of the center. The average height for centers back then, especially in only the 9-12 team leagues, was taller than today - this includes the 1961-62 season. Ignorance is bliss I guess. Willis Reed, Nate Thurmond, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Walt Bellamy, Bill Russell... HOF'ers and 50 greatests with 2 of those guys constantly in GOAT conversations yet... Let's just brush them under the rug - it's so much easier [I]not [/I]to do research and believe the 6 foot white guy myths because it helps explain things like 100 points and 50 points per game. After all Wilt would just get slaughtered by today's Joel Anthony's and Jafail McGee's right? :facepalm[/QUOTE]
0 players over 7' 230lbs that played more than 2 seasons :facepalm

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cyBo7RhkJk[/url]

Just look at this weak stuff :oldlol:
Revisionist historians jlauber and CavaliersFTW think that era is better/close to now :facepalm

[QUOTE=32jazz]Even Hakeem Olajuwon was listed at 7'0 before the early 90's. He just out of the blue (religious resolution or something) said the media had been misspelling his name & it was Hakeem (& not Akeem as it had been spelled previously) & he was only close to 6'10 & not 7'0 feet.

It's a modern thing to exaggerate players height & the average starting Center has been around 6'10 every since the early to mid 60's up until today.

on the other hand average Guards heights have grown significantly since just the 1980's.




Starting Centers average heights have benn about[/QUOTE]

Actually - Guard height's were tallest in the early 60's I think. I calculated the average height of the 1961-62 season and compared it with 1989-2012 NBA drafted players (thanks to [url]www.draftexpress.com[/url])

NBA PG's in 62 averaged about 3/4 of an inch taller than modern PG's

NBA SG's in 62 averaged about 1/2 inch taller than modern PG's

NBA SF's in 62 averaged about 1/4 inch shorter than modern SF's

NBA PF's in 62 averaged about 1/8th inch shorter than modern PF's

NBA C's in 62 averaged over 1/2 inch taller than modern C's




- I think the center position was "modern" in size since at least the mid 1950's - Mikan set the standard. Wilt and Russell didn't define the center position as "big" - big was already the standard, they set raised the bar in [I]athleticism[/I]. Guards got smaller with the success of players like Nate "Tiny" Archibald (who was 6'1 in his barefeet... not exactly tiny by today's standards). The smaller PG's were generally more agile than the 6'3-6'4 PG's that were being used in the early 1960's. Maybe PG's dipped really small in size in the 80's though, and is starting to climb again not sure. But forwards is what seemed to get bigger than in the early 60's. Not by much though. With only 9-12 teams it's easier to draft [I]big[/I] talent, not just talent.