If I could pick any two players in NBA history to build a team around....

[Heavincent]

Like I said thanks for arguing about something as pointless as semantics. Nobody cares. Duncan is better and that is all that matters.

Arguing about semantics is RRR3's favorite past time.

[DMAVS41]

1. Jordan
2. Russell

Those are my top two players of all time.

After that for building a team around?

3. Magic
4. Wilt
5. Duncan

I have Kareem ranked over Duncan all time on my list using the accepted criteria, but I'd rather build around Duncan.

[noob cake]

Magic and The Dream

[RRR3]

Arguing about semantics is RRR3's 15th favorite past time.

Fixed

[with malice]

Dude... no-one dissed the guy, no-one stated that he didn't achieve. But from what I've read/seen, he wasn't the greatest of teammates.

Hmmm...give me some examples. Did he limit Jerry West when he was paired up with him. How about Hal Greer? Did Greer have better seasons without Chamberlain? And how many titles did those two win without Wilt?

Jerry West on Wilt (from Goliath): I don't want to rap Wilt because I believe only Russell was better, and I really respect what Wilt did. But I have to say that he wouldn't adjust to you, you had to adjust to him."
Not quite as bad as Jerry Lucas who basically accused Wilt of stat/record accumulation while Russell just won... but still damning with faint praise.

Even Wilt on himself:
"I threw away the first seven years of my career and everyone hated playing with me..." (from his autobiography).

The FACT was, Wilt played with putrid rosters in his first six seasons. And Arizin was the only player that ever averaged over 20 ppg withOUT Wilt of those players that were paired up with Chamberlain in those six seasons (other than a washed up Willie Naulls, who played WORSE with Russell...and rookie Thurmond, who was playing part-time and out of position with Wilt.) So it was not like Wilt was holding them back. In fact, players like Gola and Meschery had their best seasons WITH Wilt.

No, that's a fallacy. Pretty much every team Wilt played on had All-Stars and Hall of Famers. Hardly putrid. No-one stated that Wilt was holding anyone back, and I'll agree that the Celtics were clearly better in '61-64. But even then - you're overstating the quality of the teams. Or lack thereof.

He also did whatever his COACHES asked. In addition, how many other great centers led the NBA in ASSISTS (or came in THIRD in another season)?

Really? I think Butch van Breda Kolff would disagree with you...
And the assists thing: for me, that just goes to highlight his pursuit of statistical excellence that wasn't necessarily to the benefit of the team.

I think Magic would have been the PERFECT teammate for Chamberlain.

Perhaps so, but not as good as Kareem was. Or Kareem would have been in his prime.

Look, I think Wilt Chamberlain was one of the most extraordinary and amazing athletes to ever play basketball, but if I'm picking two guys to build a team around, he's not one.

And what's with the caps thing? Are you worried I might miss the import of certain words???

[Stuckey]

wilt + Jordan

[pauk]

Wilt Chamberlain.
Oscar Robertson.

most productive big man and most productive perimeter man....

[senelcoolidge]

Wilt Chamberlain.
Oscar Robertson.

most productive big man and most productive perimeter man....

Those were the two I thought off. An older Oscar with a young Kareem made a very strong Bucks team in the early 70's. So, imagine a prime Oscar with a prime Wilt. It would be out of sight.

[with malice]

Those were the two I thought off. An older Oscar with a young Kareem made a very strong Bucks team in the early 70's. So, imagine a prime Oscar with a prime Wilt. It would be out of sight.

Why not a prime Oscar with a prime Kareem?

[Ken_Masters]

Michael Jordan and Shaquille O'neal.

[SuperPippen]

MJ and TD.

Consistency, dedication to the game, spectacular offense, spectacular defense, rebounding, and anywhere from a decade to 15 years of serious championship contention is what you get from those two together.

[Yao Ming's Foot]

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone

[bballnoob1192]

umm... jordan and shaq, and **** the haters that always use the deferring BS becuz when they win every title for ten years straight it wont ****ing matter.

[Sarcastic]

Very easily Jordan and Wilt. Nobody has ever produced at their level.

[jlauber]

Very easily Jordan and Wilt. Nobody has ever produced at their level.

Even I didn't think of those two. The two greatest offensive players of all-time, and two of the greatest defensive players, too. And both proved that they were very good passers in their careers, as well.

And Wilt proved he could play with great players. In fact, Wilt sacrificed his offense more than any of the other great players who played the game (with perhaps the exception of Magic.)