would wilt dominate if he played today?

[geelongfan]

hey guys,
wilt chamberlain is regarded by many as the greatest ever to play basketball...
looking at his stats, its quite amazing to see HOW GOOD he really was..
but ive never seen this guy play, even on a video..


so do you think if he played today he would average figures of say 20 reb per game? 50ppg? 8apg?
assuming he is in his prime?

would his numbers be better than shaq?
its obviously a hypothetical situation, but would like to see your opinionsss

 

[jimboiitmac]

he would definately not get 50, 20 and 8 apg.

he was definately dominant, and i believe more dominant than shaq. his physique and ability was undeniable. i'd predict he'd get about 28 ppg, 14 rpg and 4-5 apg. Around the top numbers Hakeem would get.

 

[kidd05]

He would have access to better facilities to improve his fitness and athleticism, and to better training programs... add those to his fundamental skills, he would dominate.

 

[JZA]

Ive only seen one game of wilt actually playing, and whilst he was an impressive player, i have no doubt he would get his ass whooped by some of the big men today. his physique matched with his skills meant he was unstoppable back in the day, but since wilt there has been about 10-20 big men with better bodies and madder skills. a player like amare, or shaq back in his prime would run rings around him. just my opinion... its really hard to make a valid opinion though cos most people have never seen him play, they just go by his stats, which are misleading of his real ability. yeah he scored 100 in a game, and jordan only scored 69, but MJ would have murdered wilt one on one any day of the week.

 

[wade7]

I don't think you can compare like this even hypothetically. The games that wilt played is totally different to the games that is played nowdays. Basketball has changed alot in these decades.

 

[jimboiitmac]

Ive only seen one game of wilt actually playing, and whilst he was an impressive player, i have no doubt he would get his ass whooped by some of the big men today. his physique matched with his skills meant he was unstoppable back in the day, but since wilt there has been about 10-20 big men with better bodies and madder skills. a player like amare, or shaq back in his prime would run rings around him. just my opinion... its really hard to make a valid opinion though cos most people have never seen him play, they just go by his stats, which are misleading of his real ability. yeah he scored 100 in a game, and jordan only scored 69, but MJ would have murdered wilt one on one any day of the week.

agreed.

obviously you can't take the 50 and 20 seasons literally and call him the greatest!!

i'm not sure he'd get whooped, i think he'd be like a hakeem the 2nd, but hakeem would still whoop his ass! he just seems like that sort of a player, a 7 foot guy, who was agile, could score around the basket, rebound, block shots and had good passing skills.

no doubt the league is much more physical now and shaq would plant a facial on him.

 

[Benny J]

Impossible to cpmpare...it would be like comparing Bradman & Ponting....

The game has changed to much to compare player from different era's!!

 

[mickimouse24]

actually....i have an interview (NBA Inside Stuff) with Wilt and Bill Russell talking about all that......and the question was asked, "lets say your a 25 year old Wilt, and your transplanted into todays NBA what do you do?".....wilt said....he was serious he said it would be easy for him.......he said he would average 50-60 points per game easy....the interviewer laughed at him....wilt said well you asked me a question right?...he explained why he would score so many points in todays league......."well new rules...that have all been placed to help the offence.....instead of me when i used to play have 2 or 3 guys all over me in the paint when i get the ball.....im all by myself with 1 guy.......i would love it i would love it...50 points 60 points maybe 70 points per game"..interviewer laughed...then he went on to say "well i was talkin to bill....the last 10 games of my 61-62 season..right before i scored a 100 points (in 1 game)..i averaged about 71 points per game"..interviewer said "you serious"...wilt said...."well im saying its EASIER now.....i was too fast..i was too strong...not 1 guy gonna take me down..the best basketball athletes ive ever seen played in the 50s and 60s.."...interviewer: really?...wilt: "yeah REALLY"


i have this on VHS to back this up...its funny cause i know it word for word ive watched this interview sooo many times lol........you know what i actually beleive him

 

[Benny J]

Thats a huge call by Wilt...and dare i say it a bit cocky.

 

[jimboiitmac]

actually....i have an interview (NBA Inside Stuff) with Wilt and Bill Russell talking about all that......and the question was asked, "lets say your a 25 year old Wilt, and your transplanted into todays NBA what do you do?".....wilt said....he was serious he said it would be easy for him.......he said he would average 50-60 points per game easy....the interviewer laughed at him....wilt said well you asked me a question right?...he explained why he would score so many points in todays league......."well new rules...that have all been placed to help the offence.....instead of me when i used to play have 2 or 3 guys all over me in the paint when i get the ball.....im all by myself with 1 guy.......i would love it i would love it...50 points 60 points maybe 70 points per game"..interviewer laughed...then he went on to say "well i was talkin to bill....the last 10 games of my 61-62 season..right before i scored a 100 points (in 1 game)..i averaged about 71 points per game"..interviewer said "you serious"...wilt said...."well im saying its EASIER now.....i was too fast..i was too strong...not 1 guy gonna take me down..the best basketball athletes ive ever seen played in the 50s and 60s.."...interviewer: really?...wilt: "yeah REALLY"


i have this on VHS to back this up...its funny cause i know it word for word ive watched this interview sooo many times lol........you know what i actually beleive him

hahahah how arrogant.. but not realli..

i'd like to see him gear up against the likes of shaq, hakeem, pat ewing, d-rob, alonzo, dikembe and big ben..!

it would be funny if big ben outrebounded him..

what about KG guarding Wilt down low??

 

[mickimouse24]

well i think wilt had every right to be cocky lol...he has soooo many records...so he can talk trash......like i remember the 97 all star game he was in the crowd (course of the NBA at 50 thing at half time) when glen rice broke the quarter and half record for points.......wilts like...well i got 27 rebounds in that same game lol he laughed...but i still reckon hes the grestest big man to ever play....remember they changed the rules because of him

 

[cliffy21]

My thinking is nah... bit like the scenario where the under age kid who is a foot or two taller than everyone else and dominates! fast track a few years later - everybody got bigger and is whippin his butt... I am not saying that Wilt would get whipped but definitely not 50ppg! More like your average superstar centre. Althou his interview has me re thinking lol

 

[chadjaja]

A few misinformed opinions here. I don't think a few of you knew Wilt was a champion runner who ran something like 11 seconds for the 100m and had a huge vertical leap. He was one of the strongest players too with a bench press like Ben Wallace's today. There is no way you can point out he would get beaten by players based on fitness and strength. Wilt is one of the greatest athletes the NBA has seen. You don't have to go far to find that information from others. Most 7ft'ers with the exception of Shaq are a lot smaller than him anyway and would be a lot slower etc. He had to choose a sport as he dominated volleyball and track and field which is unheard of for a big guy. To suggest he would get better that much with todays facilites is just a little ignorant.

He wouldn't get his stats he got but he would't struggle by any means. And Wilt is right the rules help him with less help out Defence and double teaming going on. He would have to get dragged outside so therefore only guys like Duncan could play him well in that regard.

Do some reading I suggest. There is plenty online about Wilt and what he did and not written by Wilt.

 

[ducky_poo]

he was also part of the globetrotters and had the arm-pit dunk. vince did the elbow. wilt went to the pit.

i think he'd have a hard time getting his 50, 20 and 8 but he'd give the best big men of today a thorough workout

 

[WoobieZarz]

Would he dominate........ABSOLUTELY.

Would he keep the same averages........No, but they'd be better than today's big men.

 

[nvd001]

Impossible to cpmpare...it would be like comparing Bradman & Ponting....

The game has changed to much to compare player from different era's!!

agree completely!! no way to compare different eras...different styles of play etc!! but i do agree he would still be a force today!!

JZA got it right too!! yeah and scored 100 in a game and jordan only got 69 but Jordan would probably burn him 8 times out of 10?!?

 

[chadjaja]

In 50 years time some kids will be here discussing that Jordan would get burnt badly if he played in their time. Still Jordan and Wilt wouldn't match up. Wilt is one of the exceptions to the rule like Jordan though. A player that trancends eras pretty well.

 

[nvd001]

In 50 years time some kids will be here discussing that Jordan would get burnt badly if he played in their time. Still Jordan and Wilt wouldn't match up. Wilt is one of the exceptions to the rule like Jordan though. A player that trancends eras pretty well.

agreed!! Wilt and Jordan are definitely 2 players who changed the game in their respective eras!!

 

[Dream34]

Impossible to compair but I think you have to look a the defencive end. In most games I've seen wilt play he picks up early fouls. With todays guards like AI and parker driving so much they would foul out wilt before he could dominate or he would be sitting a heap. Back in those days PG,SG,SF's shot jumpers all day and hardly went to the hoop.

 

[nvd001]

Impossible to compair but I think you have to look a the defencive end. In most games I've seen wilt play he picks up early fouls. With todays guards like AI and parker driving so much they would foul out wilt before he could dominate or he would be sitting a heap. Back in those days PG,SG,SF's shot jumpers all day and hardly went to the hoop.

good point!!!