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

[jongib369]

And Yao Ming was 7'6" 310 lbs as a rookie... Shaq yammed it on him to.

Shaq as a rookie was far stronger, explosive, and skilled than any center from the 60s-70s (minus the skills part for Kareem).

Yao wasn't as strong, athletic, or long. His head stood higher, but his standing reach is about the same. With a shorter wingspan than Wilt

You don't think Wilt could offer more of a challenge?

[DonDadda59]

You don't think Wilt could offer more of a challenge?

Perhaps he could but I just don't think the Big Dipper was the overall athlete or physical force Shaq was. He might have an advantage here or there as Hakeem (agility/mobility) or Kareem (finesse) did. But overall... not really a contest.

[AintNoSunshine]

As soon as he sees another decently sized black dude like that William Russell he got destroyed.

[SHAQisGOAT]

Based on what? :Waits patiently for tall tales about Gilmore killing a rhino with his bare hands:

I believe, for example, that Robert Parish said Artis Gilmore was the strongest player he ever faced, followed by Shaq... And the Chief also went up against centers such as D-Rob, Mutombo, Moses, Mahorn, Mychal Thompson, Eaton, Ewing...

[LAZERUSS]

I believe, for example, that Robert Parish said Artis Gilmore was the strongest player he ever faced, followed by Shaq... And the Chief also went up against centers such as D-Rob, Mutombo, Moses, Mahorn, Mychal Thompson, Eaton, Ewing...

Yes he did.



And there is video footage of Chamberlain pushing Gilmore around like a rag doll in the '72 ABA-NBA ASG.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1utx7OxiaoU

[LAZERUSS]

Perhaps he could but I just don't think the Big Dipper was the overall athlete or physical force Shaq was. He might have an advantage here or there as Hakeem (agility/mobility) or Kareem (finesse) did. But overall... not really a contest.

How many college HIGH JUMP championships did Shaq win?

And in how many pro football tryouts did Shaq run a 4.6 40? (BTW, that was 27 year old Wilt at 290 lbs, and with no preparation.) Wilt claims h ran a 4.4 in college, and given the last comment, who would doubt it?

Chamberlain was a FAR greater leaper, and MUCH faster than Shaq. Couple that with the FACT that it is Wilt, and NOT Shaq who has been considered the strongest man to have ever played the game...well, Shaq was no Wilt.

As for skills? You are kidding right?

Find me an article like this on Shaq:

http://wiltfan.tripod.com/quotes.html

Carl Braun said "He [Wilt] disorganizes you under the basket the same way [as Bill Russell, on defense]. With Wilt, of course, there's that offense on top of it, which is better than Russell's. He hit on all those jumpers."
"Yes, Wilt hit on those jumpers...[COLOR="DarkRed"]Wilt did come into the league with a good touch from the outside[/COLOR], which made his early scoring that much more significant. He wasn't just dunking the ball then."

--Red Holzman. A View from the Bench. P.70

Sorry, but there was not one single area in which Shaq was close to Wilt. Chamberlain was a better scorer; at his peak, much more efficient...especially when compared to league average eFG%'s; a much greater rebounder; a far greater defensive force; and a much greater shot-blocker.

Now, can you imagine the even more staggering numbers that Chamberlain would have put up had he been allowed to do this...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJ3FXLyNFew

The reality was...put Shaq in Wilt's era, and he would either get called for palming, or traveling on every dribble...or else he would have fouled out on the offensive end in five minutes.

Again, Wilt >>>> Shaq.

[brownmamba00]

Hakeem>both^^

[LAZERUSS]

Hakeem>both^^

King of "the First Round Exit" Olajuwon.

Wilt
KAJ
Russell
Shaq
Duncan if you put him at center
Moses

Hakeem.

[brownmamba00]

King of "the First Round Exit" Olajuwon.

Wilt
KAJ
Russell
Shaq
Duncan if you put him at center
Moses

Hakeem.

Kareem and Hakeem over anyone on that list give me centers that got actual skills with ability to take over games instead of guys that can't even shoot FTs

[LAZERUSS]

Kareem and Hakeem over anyone on that list give me centers that got actual skills with ability to take over games instead of guys that can't even shoot FTs

I'll give you Kareem. At ages 38-39, he just MURDERED a young Hakeem. Hell, at age 40, he oustcored and badly outshot a 24 year old Hakeem (.567 to .403) in their four seasonal H2H's.

Taking over games?

You mean the Chamberlain who hung FOUR 50+ point games in the playoffs...THREE of which are the ONLY THREE ever accomplished by a GOAT in "must-win" playoff games? And the Wilt who hung a 45 point, "Must-win" game in a Finals?

THIS Wilt...

Wilt's numbers in his 23 elimination games...13 of which came against HOF starting centers.

12-11 W-L record

31.1 ppg (Regular season career average was 30.1 ppg)
26.1 rpg (Regular season career average was 22.9 rpg)
3.4 apg (Regular season career average was 4.4 apg)
.540 FG% (Regular season career average was .540 FG%)


3 games of 50+ points

5 games of 40+ points (including a Finals 40+ elimination game)

13 games of 30+ points

6 games of 30+ rebounds

20 games of 20+ rebounds

BTW, in these elimination games...Wilt's 31.1 ppg average is just behind Lebron's 31.9 and MJ's 31.3 ppg.

I'll take a Chamberlain who DOMINATED his opponents and didn't get slaughtered by someone like Shaq in the post-season.

[Mr Feeny]

I'll give you Kareem. At ages 38-39, he just MURDERED a young Hakeem. Hell, at age 40, he oustcored and badly outshot a 24 year old Hakeem (.567 to .403) in their four seasonal H2H's.

Taking over games?

You mean the Chamberlain who hung FOUR 50+ point games in the playoffs...THREE of which are the ONLY THREE ever accomplished by a GOAT in "must-win" playoff games? And the Wilt who hung a 45 point, "Must-win" game in a Finals?

THIS Wilt...



I'll take a Chamberlain who DOMINATED his opponents and didn't get slaughtered by someone like Shaq in the post-season.

Tbf Shaq is a much more dominant player THAN Wilt was. Wilt, when it really mattered, was an 18 ppg finals scorer and a 22 ppg playoff scorer. Shaq did that in his sleep.

[LAZERUSS]

Tbf Shaq is a much more dominant player THAN Wilt was. Wilt, when it really mattered, was an 18 ppg finals scorer and a 22 ppg playoff scorer. Shaq did that in his sleep.

A PEAK Shaq accomplished those three-peat Finals against an aging Mutombo; a skinny nerd in Smits; and a complete bust in McCullough.

A PRIME Chamberlain was facing a PEAK Russell in '64 and a PEAK Thurmond in '67.

BTW, how come Shaq's numbers dropped across the board against the Robinson-led Spurs in the playoffs from '99 thru '02?

Oh, and how come a PRIME Shaq could only put up a 23-12 .493 series against a clown like Ostertag...all while leading his team down the toilet, 4-1, and narrowly avoiding his SEVENTH career SWEEPING LOSS?

How come a PRIME Shaq could only hang 27 ppg on a 6-7 Wallace, who badly outrebounded him, and in a series in which, yet again, Shaq narrowly avoided that SEVENTH sweeping loss?

[Mr Feeny]

A PEAK Shaq accomplished those three-peat Finals against an aging Mutombo; a skinny nerd in Smits; and a complete bust in McCullough.

A PRIME Chamberlain was facing a PEAK Russell in '64 and a PEAK Thurmond in '67.

BTW, how come Shaq's numbers dropped across the board against the Robinson-led Spurs in the playoffs from '99 thru '02?

Oh, and how come a PRIME Shaq could only put up a 23-12 .493 series against a clown like Ostertag...all while leading his team down the toilet, 4-1, and narrowly avoiding his SEVENTH career SWEEPING LOSS?

How come a PRIME Shaq could only hang 27 ppg on a 6-7 Wallace, who badly outrebounded him, and in a series in which, yet again, Shaq narrowly avoided that SEVENTH sweeping loss?

You nailed in in your first sentence. Shaq 3 peated as lead dog. Wilt - in his entire career - couldn't get 3 championships as the man or as a role player. Ouch.

[LAZERUSS]

You nailed in in your first sentence. Shaq 3 peated as lead dog. Wilt - in his entire career - couldn't get 3 championships as the man or as a role player. Ouch.

Yes, Shaq, carried by Kobe in the WC playoffs, could brutalize complete jokes in the Finals...

But, without any more than a rookie Kobe...Mr. SIX SWEEPING LOSSES in the playoffs.

Put a prime Chamberlain on those Laker teams, and the results would have been 39-23 and on a eFG% that was a full 13 percentage points above the post-season league eFG%...ala Beaty in the '64 WCF's.

[dunksby]

Wilt was most dominant when he became a defensive specialist, he would be like a bigger and better Ben Wallace and shut down the paint in today's league. He wasn't skilled much offensively though so I could see him putting up 18/18/5/3/4 during his prime. Don't doubt for a second that he would intimidate anyone who drove to the paint. Andrew Bogut is hailed as a great defending big today, imagine what would be said of Wilt.