1st and 10: How would Wilt do in today's NBA (Anyone catch this today?)

Anyone watch 1st and 10 on ESPN today? Well since it was the 47th anniversary of Wilt's 100 point game, Skip Bayless and the 2 Live Stews were arguing about how Wilt would do in today's NBA. I didn't really agree with either one of them, but I definitely leaned more towards Skip's argument. Skip said he'd average about 35ppg/15rpg, while the one of the Live Stews said he wouldn't do anything in this league and Shaq and Dwight would destroy him, while the other one said he'd be an above average Tyson Chandler. The most ridiculous statement was the first Stew said that Wilt dominated midgets and today's players are specimens compared to them, and Wilt WAS NOT a specimen. And when Skip started talking about his track and field numbers, they still didn't change their opinion. I do think today's players are specimens compared to most of the players from the 60s but DEFINITELY not compared to Wilt who would be a freak of an athlete even in today's game. Now I definitely don't think Wilt would average 35/15, but probably Shaq's prime numbers + more rebounds instead and one of the best players in the league if not the best. I think most players from back then probably wouldn't have the same success, but I think Wilt is one and maybe the only one who would still have relatively the same, as far as where his place in the league is but not the inflated numbers. Anyway, anyone see this and what was your reaction? And remember the context of the topic was if Wilt AS HE WAS, and not if he had the advanced workout and coaching techniques to follow, was in the NBA today.

He would get DOMINATED, straight up.

[QUOTE=OneMoreSucka]He would get DOMINATED, straight up.[/QUOTE]

With today's conditioning I doubt it.

He would be a defensive stalwart for sure.

But I doubt he was skilled enough offensively to outplay todays elite centers (edit: For clarification by elite I mean Duncan, Yao, and Dwight. I also believe Prime Shaq, Hakeem, and Robinson would have eaten his heart out).

He just didn't have to have a repertoire of moves to dominate the competition he played against.

[QUOTE=BlackManWitHops]^^nobody at that time had that either.

[B][B][U]some of u idiots dont seem to understand that he wouldve evolved with the time if he played today[/U][/B][/B](as in hed be even more of a freak of nature, more skillz thx to todays technology/trainning etc.). like u guys actually think that if kobe was born in the 50's, hed play exactly like hes playing in this. no, hed be playing with 50's style of playing except hed be better than the average of course, and thats what define the great ones.[/QUOTE]

How do you know that?

Wilt had a hook, and the hook shot has worked for 50 years. Combine that with his marvelous finger roll, foot work, and athletic ability and you have a player that could play in any era.

[QUOTE=guy]Anyone watch 1st and 10 on ESPN today? Well since it was the 47th anniversary of Wilt's 100 point game, Skip Bayless and the 2 Live Stews were arguing about how Wilt would do in today's NBA. I didn't really agree with either one of them, but I definitely leaned more towards Skip's argument. Skip said he'd average about 35ppg/15rpg, while the one of the Live Stews said he wouldn't do anything in this league and Shaq and Dwight would destroy him, while the other one said he'd be an above average Tyson Chandler. The most ridiculous statement was the first Stew said that Wilt dominated midgets and today's players are specimens compared to them, and Wilt WAS NOT a specimen. And when Skip started talking about his track and field numbers, they still didn't change their opinion. I do think today's players are specimens compared to most of the players from the 60s but DEFINITELY not compared to Wilt who would be a freak of an athlete even in today's game. Now I definitely don't think Wilt would average 35/15, but probably Shaq's prime numbers + more rebounds instead and one of the best players in the league if not the best. I think most players from back then probably wouldn't have the same success, but I think Wilt is one and maybe the only one who would still have relatively the same, as far as where his place in the league is but not the inflated numbers. Anyway, anyone see this and what was your reaction? And remember the context of the topic was if Wilt AS HE WAS, and not if he had the advanced workout and coaching techniques to follow, was in the NBA today.[/QUOTE]


thanks guy

An old Wilt held his own against Kareem Abdull Jabbar. It's pretty easy to assume that he would dominate against , perhaps, the weakest era of centers of the last 40 years

[QUOTE=lakers_forever]An old Wilt held his own against Kareem Abdull Jabbar. It's pretty easy to assume that he would dominate against , perhaps, the weakest era of centers of the last 40 years[/QUOTE]

Yea thats true. I think he'd easily be the best center in the league today. It would be different if he was in the 90s going up against Hakeem, Robinson, Shaq, Ewing, Mourning, etc. He'd still dominate just not as much as today.

I forgot to add that although Skip said Wilt would have the stats and still the domination, he also said Wilt would not have any titles cause of his personality that just wasn't aggressive enough and didn't seem to care enough. I think thats a fair assessment because that was his biggest criticism. He also said Dwight Howard seems to have that same problem.

Skip said he'd average 35/15 though? I don't think anyone has done that since Kareem. Maybe Moses came close to it. But all things being equal I don't think he quite gets to that clip.

One thing I wonder about this situaiton. Put in in reverse. Put Dwight Howard in 1960. Know what would happen?

Insane numbers resulting in people today saying he couldnt dominate the modern league because all he did was dunk and get rebounds over skinny white centers. All we would see of him is layups and dunks(no impressive lobs...they didnt throw them back then) and blocks that didnt count.

And the same people saying Wilt would get owned today would be saying it about Howard. If they dont care Wilt was a near olympic level high jumper and long jumped 21 feet at his size they wouldnt care that Dwight could say...dunk on a 12 foot rim(As wilt did in an experimental thing in Kansas in the 50s).

Nobody back then could really show their full athletic potential because for one....little was recorded...and two...you didnt have people trying to do it. Wilt is a 7'1'' or 2 high jump champ who could hold a basketball with 2 fingers. Think he couldint windmill? He long jumped 21 feet. Think he couldnt take off from the FT line and dunk when he had a 9'6'' standing reach? Nobody threw him lobs to go get. He never had to jump much to dunk.

Whats the motivation to make crazy plays? If hes not blocking a shot he has little reason to go high. And even then its rare.

Dwight Howard, or Amare, or most any athletic bigman these days playing back then puts up numbers and has people making dumb claims about them likely being garbage today.

And something else...if nobody would throw him a lob and he couldnt do something fancy on the break without being benched for showing off...how would you know say...Iguodala was a great athlete? Driving by guys quickly and laying it up? Cant even really bang on people too much. Was considered disrespect.

How would you know exactly?

How would you know Jrich was athletic without the dunk contest, lobs, showing off on the break, and dunking on people(last one he rarely does).

How would you go about looking athletic in a 60s situation?

Prime Wilt would be around 30/14/4/3 on 60% from the field today.

Wilt played against a very large number of great and dominant centers in his 14 year career, here is the list:

* Bill Russel
* Kareem Abdul Jabbar
* Willis Reed
* Wes Unseld
* Elvin Hayes
* Dolph Schayes
* Nate Thurmond
* Bob Lanier

Any one of the above centers in their prime would at WORST be the second best center in today's NBA. All of them except Bob Lanier (20ppg, 9rpg career) appeared on the 50 greatest players list put out by the NBA in 1996.Wilt dominated them all but he wouldn't be abl to do so today? It is interesting to note that except for Russel & Schayes all of the above players were young or in their prime during the 1971-72 season when Wilt's Lakers won 33 consecutive games, went 69-13 & won the NBA Championship.

Pre-zone (say, if he played from 1993-2004), he'd put up 31-34 pts/15-16 reb/5 ast/3.5-4.5 blk/54-56% FG imo.

Post-zone, he'd average 27-30 pts/15-16 reb/5 ast/4+ blk/54-55% FG imo.

[QUOTE=Jacks3]Wilt played against a very large number of great and dominant centers in his 14 year career, here is the list:

* Bill Russel
* Kareem Abdul Jabbar
* Willis Reed
* Wes Unseld
* Elvin Hayes
* Dolph Schayes
* Nate Thurmond
* Bob Lanier

Any one of the above centers in their prime would at WORST be the second best center in today's NBA. All of them except Bob Lanier (20ppg, 9rpg career) appeared on the 50 greatest players list put out by the NBA in 1996.Wilt dominated them all but he wouldn't be abl to do so today? It is interesting to note that except for Russel & Schayes all of the above players were young or in their prime during the 1971-72 season when Wilt's Lakers won 33 consecutive games, went 69-13 & won the NBA Championship.[/QUOTE]


:applause:

I give him career averages of about 21 ppg 10 rpg 3 bpg on 55% FG

Prime about 24 12 and 4 on 58%