Greatest BBall player EVER

[phunwin]

Ok, NONE of these guys are more "athletic" than Wilt. Wilt would run circles around anyone of those guys. The only one that might give him trouble would be Shaq, but even then, Wilt would have been able to get around it.

Wilt's the greatest center of all-time, and it's not especially close. Shaq and Russ are a distant #2 and #2A. Here's what I wonder, though: wouldn't Kareem have actually been the toughest matchup for Wilt? I mean, in terms of Wilt playing defense. (Obviously, Abdul-Jabbar would pose little obstacle for Wilt at the defensive end. There's a reason they joked about his indifference to defense in "Airplane".) Wilt was plenty strong enough to handle Shaq, nimble enough to handle Hakeem, but KAJ's skyhook was impossible to defend.

 

[PHINATIC13]

Irvin Johnson

 

[GreenMonster]

That's not true. The story of their rivalry was that Wilt would win the battles, but Russ would win the war. Chamberlain's individual numbers against Russell were quite impressive, yet in terms of wins and losses, it was more one-sided than the Christians vs. Lions rivalry. That's a direct result of Russ playing with a bunch of future Hall of Famers, and playing for the greatest coach of his era, not of Russell being a better player.

I totally agree although Russell could put up Wilt like #'s, he didn't have to because the rest of the team was studs.. Russell was no doubt the greatest defensive force basketball has ever seen, and the only one that had a chance stopping Wilt at the time.. In the playoffs Russell won 7 out of there 8 playoff matchups..

 

[phunwin]

duncans not a center...he hasnt played center since highschool...hes been a pf since entering the nba

You guys need to all get tape on west and actually watch them before you say MJ is the best. MJ is hyped to be the best hes marketed to be the best you see his name everywhere.

I'm nearly certain Duncan played the 5 at Wake Forest. They run the offense through him, he mans the pivot, he guards the opposing team's best low-post player. No matter though, history will record him as a power forward. And that's fine, since it allows us to make the debate of "greatest power forward ever" a brief one and saves us all the headache of listening to misguided statheads and Jazz fans trying to make arguments for Karl Malone. So I've got no problem classifying Duncan as a 4.

 

[GreenMonster]

Those Skyhooks from KAJ would be tough from 15ft+ everytime, because Wilt would never let him get down-low..

 

[tmny99]

Michael Jordan, nuff said.

 

[phunwin]

Irvin Johnson

Never heard of him. Maybe you mean Earvin "Magic" Johnson?

I totally agree although Russell could put up Wilt like #'s, he didn't have to because the rest of the team was studs.. Russell was no doubt the greatest defensive force basketball has ever seen, and the only one that had a chance stopping Wilt at the time.. In the playoffs Russell won 7 out of there 8 playoff matchups..

Well, Russell wouldn't have put up offensive numbers like Wilt in any circumstance. While there's little question that he's the greatest defender of all time, and one of the top 2 or 3 rebounders, he was a lousy shooter. Russ was a 44% shooter for his career, despite taking just about every shot in his career inside 15 feet.

 

[phunwin]

Those Skyhooks from KAJ would be tough from 15ft+ everytime, because Wilt would never let him get down-low..

Good point.

 

[zach13]

Earl Manigault

 

[dolfan_101]

I think you almost have to say Jordan. Everyone wanted to be like mike!

 

[Samphin]

Wikipedia is a great thing. Go read up on Wilt's B-ball career, as well as his days a pro volleyballer, boxer, race car driver. He also excelled in Track and field, ran marathons and ULTRA marathons as wellas being offered a contract by the Kansas City Chiefs to play football. The man is simply the G.O.A.T.

Inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame (1978)
2x NBA champion (1967, '72)
1x NBA Finals MVP (1972) (the finals MVP wasn't created until '67, Wilt's 10 season)
4x NBA regular season MVP (1959-60, 1965-66, 1966-67, 1967-68 seasons)
7x All-NBA First Team (1960, '61, '62, '64, '66, '67, '68)
3x All-NBA Second Team ('63, '65, '72)
2x All-Defensive First Team (1972, '73)
Rookie of the Year (1959-1960 season)
One of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History (1996).


And some os his records include...

Chamberlain scored 31,419 points in 1,045 professional games. This was the most in NBA history when he retired in 1973, though his scoring total has since been exceeded by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone, both of whom played several more seasons than Chamberlain, and by Michael Jordan. His career scoring average of 30.06 points per game (ppg) is second-highest in league history, fractionally behind Jordan's 30.12 ppg.
Chamberlain averaged 30.1 points and 22.9 rebounds per game for his career.
Wilt's 1961-62 scoring average of 50.4 ppg, accomplished with the Philadelphia Warriors, is by far the NBA record. Chamberlain also holds the next three spots on the NBA's season scoring average list with 44.8, 38.9 and 38.4 points per game. The closest other player is Elgin Baylor, who averaged 38.3 ppg in the same '61-62 season in which Chamberlain set the record.
Chamberlain scored 60 or more points in a game an astonishing 32 times, more than all other NBA players combined (26 times). The closest player on that list is Michael Jordan, who accomplished the feat 5 times. See List of National Basketball Association players with 60 or more points in a game.
Chamberlain also set a record for rebounds in a game with 55, against the Celtics on November 24, 1960. The opposing team in that game was the Boston Celtics, with center Bill Russell, who had held the prior one-game record of 51.
Wilt led the NBA in rebounding 11 times, in shooting percentage seven times, and in scoring seven times. Less eye-catching stats also serve to demonstrate Chamberlain's dominance: after critics called him a one-dimensional (or even selfish) player, Chamberlain defiantly promised to lead the league in assists the next season, which he did in 1968 at a clip of 8.6 per game — numbers good enough to match those of today's point guards.
Chamberlain is the only player in NBA history to achieve a double-triple-double (meaning 20 points, 20 rebounds, 20 assists) in one game. In 1968, he logged 22 points, 25 rebounds and 21 assists. For basketball devotees, this may be his most jaw-dropping stat line, as it is the ultimate testimony of Wilt's versatility.
In a related note, Chamberlain is also the only player in NBA history to achieve a quadruple double-double (meaning 40 points, and 40 rebounds or 40 assists in a single game). On December 8, 1961, when he scored a then-record 78 points against the Los Angeles Lakers, he also collected 43 rebounds.
Chamberlain as well holds the record for longest continuous streak of triple-doubles with nine straight which occurred in 1968.
Chamberlain was also known for incredible stamina and durability. In 1962, he averaged 48.5 minutes per game, meaning that he played practically every minute of overtimes as well as regulation. His 3882 minutes played out of the team's possible 3890 leaves an average of six seconds rest per game. Chamberlain played over 46 minutes per game for seven seasons, and his career 45.8 average is unmatched. Chamberlain also holds the top five marks in minutes played in a season and the top seven marks in minutes-per-game played in a season, including 3882 out of a possible 3890 minutes in his superlative 1961-62 season, an average of more than 48 minutes per game.
Despite the fact that Chamberlain was regularly double-and triple-teamed on offense and was relied upon so heavily on defense, in his 14 years in the NBA he never once fouled out of a game. In at least one game, he accumulated five fouls during the fourth quarter, and the game went into overtime, but still he did not foul out. (Six fouls was the personal limit.)
As an arguable but somewhat probable note, many sportswriters attest that Chamberlain would have had several if not many quadruple-doubles, and may have averaged a triple-double (points, rebounds, blocks) over his career; but since he played in an era during which statistics on blocks and steals were not officially recorded this is still speculation.
In one season, Chamberlain set all three of these individual season records:
1) Most free throws attempted, 2) Most free throws made, and 3) Most free throws missed. The record for most free throws made was eventually broken by Jerry West, but the other two records still stand.

Chamberlain was so dominant on the rebounding boards that only one season in his career did one of his teammates accumulate 1,000 or more rebounds. In the 1971-72 season with the Lakers, forward Happy Hairston barely topped the 1,000 total. But that season, Chamberlain snared over 1,600 himself.

 

[Boik14]

Ok, NONE of these guys are more "athletic" than Wilt. Wilt would run circles around anyone of those guys. The only one that might give him trouble would be Shaq, but even then, Wilt would have been able to get around it.

The problem with Wilt is that a lot of his games weren't televised. In fact, the game where he scored 100, there was no cameras like they have today. I guarentee you that if Wilt's every move was recorded on video tape like it is today, people's eyes would be open.

Are you joking? All those centers played in a much more difficult era. Wilt could never have posted his stats against better competition. And by better competition i mean players playing from around the world, from different demographic cultures, and players that were over 6'9".

Chamberlain wasnt even better than Bill Russell. Russell PWNED his ***. Chamberlain's career stats are down 20-25% across the board vs Russell in comparison to everyone else. And thats no coincidence. Russell was the only other player in that era over 6'9". most centers back than wouldnt even have qualified for PF's or SF's todays cause they were all 6'4"-6'6" and that was considered tall then.

With a longer schedule, better competition, better players to play against, and players that physically match up with him, Wilt would have been at best another Ewing/Olajuwon/Robinson type. An all time great yes, but not a best player ever candidate. There is Jordan and then everyone else. He is basketball's Babe Ruth. No one else mattered pre-MJ in terms of comparing stats. Take it from a Knicks fan...we already got schooled on this lesson.

 

[Boik14]

I'm nearly certain Duncan played the 5 at Wake Forest. They run the offense through him, he mans the pivot, he guards the opposing team's best low-post player. No matter though, history will record him as a power forward. And that's fine, since it allows us to make the debate of "greatest power forward ever" a brief one and saves us all the headache of listening to misguided statheads and Jazz fans trying to make arguments for Karl Malone. So I've got no problem classifying Duncan as a 4.

Duncan was a 5 in college. I dont care though as long as they keep him C-eligible in fantasy hoops :)

 

[Roman529]

Pistol Pete Maravich

 

[Samphin]

Are you joking? All those centers played in a much more difficult era. Wilt could never have posted his stats against better competition. And by better competition i mean players playing from around the world, from different demographic cultures, and players that were over 6'9".

Chamberlain wasnt even better than Bill Russell. Russell PWNED his ***. Chamberlain's career stats are down 20-25% across the board vs Russell in comparison to everyone else. And thats no coincidence. Russell was the only other player in that era over 6'9". most centers back than wouldnt even have qualified for PF's or SF's todays cause they were all 6'4"-6'6" and that was considered tall then.

With a longer schedule, better competition, better players to play against, and players that physically match up with him, Wilt would have been at best another Ewing/Olajuwon/Robinson type. An all time great yes, but not a best player ever candidate. There is Jordan and then everyone else. He is basketball's Babe Ruth. No one else mattered pre-MJ in terms of comparing stats. Take it from a Knicks fan...we already got schooled on this lesson.

You can argue that the level of competetion isn't better in Jordan's era than it was in Wilt's. Wilt played the Celtics and Russell much more often than Jordan played any of his fellow great players. The league has also expanded and dilluted the talent pool. Players Jordan routinely schooled wouldn't have even sniffed the court back then. So, that argument is flawed, as is every argument when you are comparing eras.

Wilt was a better passer than any center ever and his rebound numbers put players like Ewing and even Shaq to shame. Yes he was taller, but you can't hold that against him. He used what he had and did it better than anyone else in my opinion.

Trust me, I am not taking ANYTHING away form Michael. To me though, it goes Wilt, Michael and Magic as an extremely close third, maybe even tied with Jordan.