Correct me if I'm wrong but Greatest non-guard passers:

[rhowen4]

wow wilt how did i know!

i already knew as well. do you think they'll supply a chart of all passes wilt could make from anywhere on the court? then we could compare that chart to someone like lebron james with a slightly transparent lebron james overlay. i would like that.

it really makes sense that wilt is the greatest non-guard passer ever since his incredible wingspan makes every pass that much shorter of a distance to complete.

[pauk]

What do you mean by non-guards? SG's are guards yes, but traditionally imo they have as much/as little facilitating/passing responsibilities & passing skills as the other non-PG positions (identical to SF's at least).... Bird is not just like that the greatest passer "visually" because its extremly contestable, not only because of Lebron, you could also include guys like Penny Hardaway & Pete Maravich (that guy is perhaps the most innovate passer ever) and perhaps some others.... if you went with "I think / my opinion is Bird is a better/best non-guard passer" (again, non-guard? what SG was unquestionably a better passer than him anyways? so dont be afraid to use instead "non-PG") then it becomes a more acceptably rational assessment because he certainly is up there...

...and Wilt statistically was the best facilitator only if you exclude a couple of other stats such as pace or poss. per min.... its not like his pace / poss. per min. was so much ridicilously higher than any player/team today because of his epic talent/skills, all other teams averaged much more pace / poss. per min in the 60s compared to today afterall.... i have my opinion on why that is, but i wont get into that debate, its a very sensitive subject.. lets just say the eras were different...

[La Frescobaldi]

The ball would run through the centers a majority of the time because they are tall and close to the basket. I am not surprised he got those assists. I'm not impressed to be honest.

It wasn't till the mid 70's and beyond that we started to see a PG play more of a distribution role.

At one time, the PG position was useless, they brought up the ball and immediately feed the center and that's when the team initiates it's offense.

you are the same guy in a current thread who says he has been watching the NBA for 25 years.

[La Frescobaldi]

What do you mean by non-guards? SG's are guards yes, but traditionally imo they have as much/as little facilitating/passing responsibilities & passing skills as the other non-PG positions (identical to SF's at least).... Bird is not just like that the greatest passer "visually" because its extremly contestable, not only because of Lebron, you could also include guys like Penny Hardaway & Pete Maravich (that guy is perhaps the most innovate passer ever) and perhaps some others.... if you went with "I think / my opinion is Bird is a better/best non-guard passer" (again, non-guard? what SG was unquestionably a better passer than him anyways? so dont be afraid to use instead "non-PG") then it becomes a more acceptably rational assessment because he certainly is up there...

...and Wilt statistically was the best facilitator only if you exclude a couple of other stats such as pace or poss. per min.... its not like his pace / poss. per min. was so much ridicilously higher than any player/team today because of his epic talent/skills, all other teams averaged much more pace / poss. per min in the 60s compared to today afterall.... i have my opinion on why that is, but i wont get into that debate, its a very sensitive subject.. lets just say the eras were different...

So were the rules on assists. Drastically different.

[bdreason]

Shaq was a great passer. His assists weren't that high because it was always the second pass out of the double that was wide open.

The hockey-assist stat would be more relevant for bigs than assists.

[pudman13]

They don't have large numbers of assists, but you have to include Wes Unseld and Bill Walton on this list. Also, if we're talking all forwards rather than merely "big men", how about Baylor and, especially, Rick Barry?

[Nash]

Stop putting Wilt's performances in the context of todays basketball. The man himself has said that today is a different world with all the knowledge about the game and all the nutrition and training regimen that they have available today which they never had back then.

[Dr.J4ever]

Assists are way over rated as a stat to look at . Having a high assist total doesnt mean you facilitate team play or you are not selfish. Equally important is the pass that leads to the assist pass. A good example of a selfish player who stunted his team mates scoring but who personally had a high assist avrg : iverson. There are many others.

[La Frescobaldi]

Assists are way over rated as a stat to look at . Having a high assist total doesnt mean you facilitate team play or you are not selfish. Equally important is the pass that leads to the assist pass. A good example of a selfish player who stunted his team mates scoring but who personally had a high assist avrg : iverson. There are many others.

All that, and more too; another different example is 2013 Rubio, who was throwing just beautiful passes, perfectly located for the guy to shoot....... and they either dropped the ball with their stone hands or bricked it wide open off the top of the backboard. "And there's another amazing assist thrown right in the toilet....."
Wolves were mighty painful to watch except for AK47 and Pekovic who were constantly guarded, full throttle, just as closely as possible by NBA players. Guys would sag clear off Luke the Bricklayer from Downtown Ridnour or Chris Hands of Stone Johnson - or all those other D league up and down elevator riders the Wolves had to sign to 10 day contracts because their whole roster was DNP-injury.

[Deuce Bigalow]

Wilt Chamberlain had the highest statistical peak of all non-guard passers when his role was a facilitator did he not?

Wilt's peak AST%: 23.2
Bird's peak AST%: 28.9
Lebron's peak AST%: 41.8

[Legends66NBA7]

Stop putting Wilt's performances in the context of todays basketball. The man himself has said that today is a different world with all the knowledge about the game and all the nutrition and training regimen that they have available today which they never had back then.

Um, when did Wilt say that about TODAY'S game ? It's completely different from the 90's, when Wilt passed away. If your going to quote the man, at least put down a link of when he said this.

And putting context of Wilt's performance in today's game is completely logical. The man would still dominate the game of basketball in today's era or whichever era.

[secund2nun]

Back then the pace was much faster. Also the league was full of unathletic white scrubs that would be chemistry teachers today, not NBA players.

When adjusted for these 2 factors Lebron probably would have averaged 13 apg back then....well actually Lebron would literally just drive in and score every time back then....so you are right, Wilt would still have more assists than Lebron.

[secund2nun]

Wilt's peak AST%: 23.2
Bird's peak AST%: 28.9
Lebron's peak AST%: 41.8

/End thread

[jongib369]

Wilt's peak AST%: 23.2
Bird's peak AST%: 28.9
Lebron's peak AST%: 41.8

[Hoopz2332]

Wilt's peak AST%: 23.2
Bird's peak AST%: 28.9
Lebron's peak AST%: 41.8