What Would Wilt Chamberlain's Stat Line Be if He Played Today?

[LAZERUSS]

OVERALL the league today is bigger stronger faster than back then. Wilt dominated because he was a physical abnormality. His SKILLS were not all that. He couldn't shoot his way out of a wet paper bag. Going against centers that were garbage.

And no I'm not trolling

BTW, Shaq couldn't shoot his way out of a paper bag, either. Somehow he led the NBA in FG% ten times.

Oh, and regarding "shooting", who was the better pure shooter, Shaq, or Steve Kerr? And at their peaks (or anytime actually), who do you think a GM would select first?

[Scholar]

Wilt playing in today's NBA would mean he grew up with modern medicine and science; thus, if he was already in fantastic shape and had terrific conditioning in the '60s-'70s, he'd be better in the '00-'10s.


With that said, if a guy like Kevin Love, who isn't athletic whatsoever, can dominate the boards and scoring today, why wouldn't Wilt be able to? Only thing Love has (would have) over Wilt is shooting 3's and FTs. Let's just assume Wilt still sucked at shooting, he'd still dominate the interior. Y'know, being 7'2" and all. Plus, being nearly 300 lbs, I'm sure Wilt wouldn't struggle in the post on either offense or defense.

My stats predictions:
24 ppg, 14.5 rpg, 3 bpg. 55% FG, 0% 3pt, 50% FT.

My guess is as good as any. It's not like we'll ever be able to find out for sure.

[Round Mound]

BTW, Shaq couldn't shoot his way out of a paper bag, either. Somehow he led the NBA in FG% ten times.

This

[LAZERUSS]

In Chamberlain's 65-66 season, he averaged 33.5 ppg, 24.6 rpg, 5.2 apg, and shot .540 from the field (in a NBA that had an eFG% of .433.) There were nine teams in the league that season, and he was facing Thurmond, Bellamy (and Reed), Beaty, and Russell in some 40 H2H games combined.

[HomieWeMajor]

Depends .
Would he be statpadding for points, minutes , assists or fg% ?

[inclinerator]

k love is at 25 and 13 so id say 30 and 17

[Bless Mathews]

Lets all be rational for one second.i

The MAJORITY of the players he was going against wouldn't even get looked at by today's top D-1 schools. Straight up. I don't have time this second, but I will research later.

[La Frescobaldi]

Lets all be rational for one second.i

The MAJORITY of the players he was going against wouldn't even get looked at by today's top D-1 schools. Straight up. I don't have time this second, but I will research later.

Since you have made so many statements here as if they were fact, obviously you know a lot about the '60s & '70s era of NBA basketball.

So... as soon as you research what you supposedly already knew when you made your statements like these:

Lets all be rational for one second.i
The MAJORITY of the players he was going against wouldn't even get looked at by today's top D-1 schools. Straight up.

Who exactly "wouldn't even get looked at by today's top D-1 schools?"

Let us know exactly what you find out about this subject.

[kshutts1]

I love Wilt threads (no sarcasm). But there are too many similar threads popping up all the time. Can't we just merge a few of the better ones together and "sticky" it?

Same with Lebron v Player X in the offseason, and any other ridiculously overdone thread idea.

Edit: Just realized that would require moderation. Darn.

[Deuce Bigalow]

16 ppg, 17 rpg, 2 apg, 3 bpg in 40 mpg

[LAZERUSS]

Lets all be rational for one second.i

The MAJORITY of the players he was going against wouldn't even get looked at by today's top D-1 schools. Straight up. I don't have time this second, but I will research later.

Agreed. Players like Elvin Hayes, Dave Cowens, Willis Reed, Wes Unseld, Bob McAdoo, Clyde Lovellette, Bob Lanier, Artis Gilmore (yes, Wilt squared off against him, too), Walt Bellamy, Nate Thurmond, Bill Russell, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar...all in the HOF...would not even make a D-1 school today.

[SHAQisGOAT]

At his peak he would be the best player in the league followed by Lebron. I'm talking about 1967 when he was still really athletic, had his mind in the right place, played for the win, averaging his points on great efficiency, monster on the boards still, making the right pass and playing terrific defense.

If we're talking more about stat-padding Wilt, he would definitely lead the league in scoring (obviously not 50 ppg or that close) with really good fg%, lead the league in rebounding, some really good passing numbers if he wanted to, leader in blocks also, but his mind wouldn't be in the right place let's say, and that wouldn't work towards the bigger goal.

[moe94]

The delusion in this thread is truly astronomical.

[LAZERUSS]

At his peak he would be the best player in the league followed by Lebron. I'm talking about 1967 when he was still really athletic, had his mind in the right place, played for the win, averaging his points on great efficiency, monster on the boards still, making the right pass and playing terrific defense.

If we're talking more about stat-padding Wilt, he would definitely lead the league in scoring (obviously not 50 ppg or that close) with really good fg%, lead the league in rebounding, some really good passing numbers if he wanted to, leader in blocks also, but his mind wouldn't be in the right place let's say, and that wouldn't work towards the bigger goal.

I tend to disagree with the earlier Wilt.

He single-handedly carried what had been a last place roster in his rookie year (1960), but now older and worse in '62, thru the first round of the playoffs (which included a must-win game of 56 points and 35 rebounds), then to a game seven, two-point loss against the HOF-laden and 60-20 Celtics...in a post-season in which his teammates collectively shot .354 from the field.

Then, in 63-64, he took the same basic roster which had gone 31-49 the year before, to a 48-32 record. And in the playoffs, he single-handedly carried them past a St. Louis team that had better players 2-6, with a 39 ppg, 23 rpg, .559 series. And in the Finals, while his team lost to the HOF-laden Celtics (EIGHT HOFers...while Wilt's lone HOF teammate was rookie Nate Thurmond, who played part-time and out of position), 4-1, the last two games were decided in the waning seconds. And in that series, Chamberlain outscored Russell, per game, 29.2 to 11.2; outrebounded Russell, per game, 27.8 to 25.2; and outshot Russell from the floor, .517 to .386.

And in 64-65, Wilt was traded to a Sixer team that had gone 34-46 the year before, and didn'y make the playoffs. He single-handedly took that 40-40 team past the stacked 48-32 Royals in the first round of the playoffs. Then, he carried the Sixers to a game seven, one point loss against a 62-18 Celtic team at the height of their dynasty. And in that series Chamberlain outscored Russell, per game, 30.1 to 15.6, outrebounded Russell, per game, 31.4 to 25.2, and outshot Russell from the floor by a .555 to .447 margin (incidently, he outshot Russell from the line, too, .583 to .472.)

And most fans forget that Chamberlain led the NBA in scoring, rebounding, and FG% in his 65-66 season...and in a year in which he guided his team to the best record in the league.

I don't think any other center in NBA history could have done as much in those post-seasons.

[dr.hee]

I tend to disagree with the earlier Wilt.

He single-handedly carried what had been a last place roster in his rookie year (1960), but now older and worse in '62, thru the first round of the playoffs (which included a must-win game of 56 points and 35 rebounds), then to a game seven, two-point loss against the HOF-laden and 60-20 Celtics...in a post-season in which his teammates collectively shot .354 from the field.

Then, in 63-64, he took the same basic roster which had gone 31-49 the year before, to a 48-32 record. And in the playoffs, he single-handedly carried them past a St. Louis team that had better players 2-6, with a 39 ppg, 23 rpg, .559 series. And in the Finals, while his team lost to the HOF-laden Celtics (EIGHT HOFers...while Wilt's lone HOF teammate was rookie Nate Thurmond, who played part-time and out of position), 4-1, the last two games were decided in the waning seconds. And in that series, Chamberlain outscored Russell, per game, 29.2 to 11.2; outrebounded Russell, per game, 27.8 to 25.2; and outshot Russell from the floor, .517 to .386.

And in 64-65, Wilt was traded to a Sixer team that had gone 34-46 the year before, and didn'y make the playoffs. He single-handedly took that 40-40 team past the stacked 48-32 Royals in the first round of the playoffs. Then, he carried the Sixers to a game seven, one point loss against a 62-18 Celtic team at the height of their dynasty. And in that series Chamberlain outscored Russell, per game, 30.1 to 15.6, outrebounded Russell, per game, 31.4 to 25.2, and outshot Russell from the floor by a .555 to .447 margin (incidently, he outshot Russell from the line, too, .583 to .472.)

I don't think any other center in NBA history could have done as much in those post-seasons.

We all know Wilt was awesome...but seriously, do you log in every day just to check if there's a new Wilt thread you can post your essays in? Is there anything else you do?