I'm sorry but watching this video, how can anyone say Wilt could hang in today's NBA?

[Asukal]

I would average 50 ppg too if I played with unskilled midgets.

[Dr.J4ever]

While today's players are more athletic overall, and defensive concepts are different, the Wilt highlights show a powerful, and supremely athletic big man with more skills than any 7footer in today's NBA, and it's not even close. Fact.

Fyi, we're looking at a revival of the big man and the big man game in Philly. We have the tradition for it.(Wilt and Moses)

GM Sam Hinkie conceded that with the Warriors' success and this being a copy cat league, everyone is going small and over valuing small ball, but he wondered and many wonder what would happen when you introduce a big that really has all the old school skill and athleticism in the paint to defeat the efficiency of teams like the Warriors who get away with playing Draymond Green at center.

We shall see. I think the big man era could come back.

[LAZERUSS]

While today's players are more athletic overall, and defensive concepts are different, the Wilt highlights show a powerful, and supremely athletic big man with more skills than any 7footer in today's NBA, and it's not even close. Fact.

Fyi, we're looking at a revival of the big man and the big man game in Philly. We have the tradition for it.(Wilt and Moses)

GM Sam Hinkie conceded that with the Warriors' success and this being a copy cat league, everyone is going small and over valuing small ball, but he wondered and many wonder what would happen when you introduce a big that really has all the old school skill and athleticism in the paint to defeat the efficiency of teams like the Warriors who get away with playing Draymond Green at center.

We shall see. I think the big man era could come back.

A peak Chamberlain, circa the mid-60's, was 7-1+, and weighed between 290-315 lbs. He was, without question, the strongest man in the league, and likely the strongest man to have ever played the game. Add in a 7-8 wingspan, a 40" vertical, sprinter's speed, and a skill-set that would blow away any post-up center in the current NBA...

and you have a 30-35 ppg, 17-20 rpg, .600+ FG%, 4+ apg, 5+ bpg, dominant big in THIS era.

And before some idiot spews their usual bashing nonsense...

A 6-9 1/2 Cousins, with his 28" vertical...playing 35 mpg...averaged a 24-13 just this past season.

[Mr Feeny]

I would average 50 ppg too if I played with unskilled midgets.

This. Most of this and the previous generations would have absolutely wrecked the league at that time. You're talking about a 22 ppg playoff scorer and an 18 ppg finals scorer. Shaq must be pissing himself laughing at the thought of being a career 18 ppg in finals
Can you imagine how many points Anthony Davis would have averaged back then?

[LAZERUSS]

This. Most of this and the previous generations would have absolutely wrecked the league at that time. You're talking about a 22 ppg playoff scorer and an 18 ppg finals scorer. Shaq must be pissing himself laughing at the thought of being a career 18 ppg in finals
Can you imagine how many points Anthony Davis would have averaged back then?

Wilt is pissing himself from the grave at the thought of ever facing the likes of Smits and McCullough in his prime.

And if a PEAK KAJ was nowhere near as dominant as a peak Chamberlain had been...I'm sorry, but AD would not have been any kind of a threat at all to Chamberlain's records.

[Mr Feeny]

Wilt is pissing himself from the grave at the thought of ever facing the likes of Smits and McCullough in his prime.

And if a PEAK KAJ was nowhere near as dominant as a peak Chamberlain had been...I'm sorry, but AD would not have been any kind of a threat at all to Chamberlain's records.

Too bad peak Wilt could only average 18 ppg in NBA finals and 22 ppg in playoffs back then without facing the likes of Shaq
Like I said, most of us on here know that Shaq would devour him. Wilt himself would probably be shaking at the mention of Shaqs name. Remember that Shaq is a guy who would easily put up 37 and 17 on the highest stage.

[Marchesk]

In 3Ball style:

[Mr Feeny]

Im sorry, but AD would not have been any kind of a threat at all to Chamberlain's records.

Anthony Davis would have annihilated Wilt

[Mr Feeny]

In 3Ball style:

My eyes are hurting me just watching the lack of athleticism there

[Marchesk]

Too bad peak Wilt could only average 18 ppg in NBA finals and 22 ppg in playoffs back then without facing the likes of Shaq
Like I said, most of us on here know that Shaq would devour him. Wilt himself would probably be shaking at the mention of Shaqs name. Remember that Shaq is a guy who would easily put up 37 and 17 on the highest stage.

He only played two finals during his peak:

1964: 29.2/27.4/2.4 on 51.7% compared to Russell's 11.2/25.2/5 on 38.6%

1967: 17.7/28.5/6.8 on 56% compared to Thurmond's 14.2/26.7/3.3 on 34.3%

Both of those were against the two other best big defenders of the era.

[Asukal]

My eyes are hurting me just watching the lack of athleticism there

Not to mention the shot selection. Players today wouldn't attempt those shots in front of a shot blocking big man. 60's players were unskilled.

[Marchesk]

Anthony Davis would have annihilated Wilt

Davis is 6'10, 220 in shoes. Wilt was 7'1 without shoes and was around 280 in his prime.

[LAZERUSS]

Anthony Davis would have annihilated Wilt

The scrawny Davis would have just been yet another player that Chamberlain would have hung 40 ppg seasons on (Reed, Bellamy, and Russell being the others.) With his occasional bursts into the 50's (multiple games against Reed, Bellamy, and Russell), 60's (both Russell and mulitple games against Bellamy), and even into the 70's (Bellamy.)

[Mr Feeny]

He only played two finals during his peak:

1964: 29.2/27.4/2.4 on 51.7% compared to Russell's 11.2/25.2/5 on 38.6%

1967: 17.7/28.5/6.8 on 56% compared to Thurmond's 14.2/26.7/3.3 on 34.3%

Both of those were against the two other best big defenders of the era.

Why wasn't he able to lead his team to finals like lebron is today?
And 17 ppg in that second finals is exactly what I'm talking about This is a career loser, we're talking about.

[Pointguard]

OK I just watched the first one in its entirety.

Did you notice that not one time, in that entire video, did Wilt use his left hand? Not once. Even when "driving" left. Even when shooting over his right shoulder with his back to the basket.

Grab any Shaq highlight video its the same thing - except Wilt had more range along with a more varied release. Shaq video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_nSqFdVFLk

If you go over your right shoulder with your right hand today, that's an automatic rejection. Especially if you don't body up the defender. And the little guys trying to block him were barely getting their wrist above the rim. In fact, almost no one even DID jump trying to block his shots. Even Russell and Kareem mostly stayed on the ground when Wilt went up. Today he'd be dealing with 7-foot athletes who are not only stronger than him, but who are getting their chins up to the rim, and their hands up near the top of the backboard.

Wilt would still be significantly stronger than DJ and DH for sure as well as any other center around now.

Wilt was high jumping 6'7 so I wouldn't put any of those guys above him. Defense from Nate Thurmond could really cut down Kareem significantly. I think the guys you named, DJ, Howard, JM, were significantly lesser defenders than Bill Russell as well, not to mention Lanier, Reed or Kareem who were also on a level above the modern centers defensively and offensively (Boogie is pretty good offensively but definitely several levels below Kareem).