On this day ...

He was a freak athlete. One season he averaged 50.4 ppg and 25.7 rpg. When a coach told him he needed to pass the ball more, he led the league with 8.6 apg. People say that he played against a bunch of plumbers. He played against hall of fame big men Jerry Lucas, Kareem, Willis Reed, Bob Lanier, George Mikan, Bill Russell, Nate Thurmond, Walt Belamy (and maybe others).

He high jumped over 7 feet and was the Big 8 high jump champion 3 times
Ran the 100 in 10.9
Ran a 440 in 49 seconds
Ran an 880 in 1:58
Threw the shot put 56 feet and beat Al Oerter
Long Jumped over 22 feet in high school
Triple jumped over 50 feet
Bench pressed 600 pounds (465 when he was 59)
Had a 48 inch vertical
Could dunk on a 12 foot basket

And we all know about his most impressive stat.
 
It is amazing, but it is sort of like Pistol Pete's record. The offense was completely run through him at all times. That is also how he scored a 100 points in a game. Its a bit gimickee in that he pretty much took every shot.

Also, he was playing against a lot of tin cans that worked at drug stores during the week and smoked at halftime. He was too big and athletic for anyone of that era to handle.

Wilt was a freakish athlete and decades ahead of his time in terms of how great a player he was. It would have been fun to see him play in the 80s against some of those great centers like Kareem and Parish and Malone.
 
It is amazing, but it is sort of like Pistol Pete's record. The offense was completely run through him at all times. That is also how he scored a 100 points in a game. Its a bit gimickee in that he pretty much took every shot.

Also, he was playing against a lot of tin cans that worked at drug stores during the week and smoked at halftime. He was too big and athletic for anyone of that era to handle.

Wilt was a freakish athlete and decades ahead of his time in terms of how great a player he was. It would have been fun to see him play in the 80s against some of those great centers like Kareem and Parish and Malone.

 
He was a freak athlete. One season he averaged 50.4 ppg and 25.7 rpg. When a coach told him he needed to pass the ball more, he led the league with 8.6 apg. People say that he played against a bunch of plumbers. He played against hall of fame big men Jerry Lucas, Kareem, Willis Reed, Bob Lanier, George Mikan, Bill Russell, Nate Thurmond, Walt Belamy (and maybe others).

He high jumped over 7 feet and was the Big 8 high jump champion 3 times
Ran the 100 in 10.9
Ran a 440 in 49 seconds
Ran an 880 in 1:58
Threw the shot put 56 feet and beat Al Oerter
Long Jumped over 22 feet in high school
Triple jumped over 50 feet
Bench pressed 600 pounds (465 when he was 59)
Had a 48 inch vertical
Could dunk on a 12 foot basket

And we all know about his most impressive stat.
Dave Cowens, Wilt's second Celtic enemy. In like 73ish the Celtics had a huge regular season and were number 1 Eastern seed. Eastern finals were NY with Willis Reed and the Celtics. The Lakers ran through the Western Conference playoffs. Wilt said he didn't want to chase Cowens around the court.
 
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He high jumped over 7 feet and was the Big 8 high jump champion 3 times
Ran the 100 in 10.9
Ran a 440 in 49 seconds
Ran an 880 in 1:58
Threw the shot put 56 feet and beat Al Oerter
Long Jumped over 22 feet in high school
Triple jumped over 50 feet
Bench pressed 600 pounds (465 when he was 59)
Had a 48 inch vertical
Could dunk on a 12 foot basket

And we all know about his most impressive stat.


impressive Stats
 
It is amazing, but it is sort of like Pistol Pete's record. The offense was completely run through him at all times. That is also how he scored a 100 points in a game. Its a bit gimickee in that he pretty much took every shot.

Also, he was playing against a lot of tin cans that worked at drug stores during the week and smoked at halftime. He was too big and athletic for anyone of that era to handle.

Wilt was a freakish athlete and decades ahead of his time in terms of how great a player he was. It would have been fun to see him play in the 80s against some of those great centers like Kareem and Parish and Malone.
More or less the same things. In either part of Wilt's career. Once Wilt won the title with the 76ers he transitioned into a mostly defensive player, kind of like a goalkeeper. Once he joined the Lakers with Jerry West, Gail Goodrich, Happy Hariston (sp) and Elgin Baylor. Goodrich, one of the non HoFs still averaged over 25 ppg. So Old Wilt would jog toward half court and then sprint back if there was a quick turnaround with the ball.

There is no one in the NBA right now that could guard Young Wilt. No one even close that could match the rebounding or rim protection. Since Wilt also led the league in assists one season there probably isn't a big man that could pass like Wilt.
 
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I remember watching Wilt and the San Francisco Warriors vs Bill Russell and the Boston Celtics

Fierce battles between two of the best centers ever


Wilts free throw style as definitely old school

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He was a freak athlete. One season he averaged 50.4 ppg and 25.7 rpg. When a coach told him he needed to pass the ball more, he led the league with 8.6 apg. People say that he played against a bunch of plumbers. He played against hall of fame big men Jerry Lucas, Kareem, Willis Reed, Bob Lanier, George Mikan, Bill Russell, Nate Thurmond, Walt Belamy (and maybe others).

He high jumped over 7 feet and was the Big 8 high jump champion 3 times
Ran the 100 in 10.9
Ran a 440 in 49 seconds
Ran an 880 in 1:58
Threw the shot put 56 feet and beat Al Oerter
Long Jumped over 22 feet in high school
Triple jumped over 50 feet
Bench pressed 600 pounds (465 when he was 59)
Had a 48 inch vertical
Could dunk on a 12 foot basket

And we all know about his most impressive stat.
And we all know about his most impressive stat.

Yeah, this Stat was certainly impressive

100 points

On March 2, 1962, Wilt Chamberlain set the NBA's single-game scoring record with 100 points in the Philadelphia Warriors' 169-147 win over the New York Knicks. The NBA didn't add the 3-point line until 1979, making this performance even more remarkable.
 
More or less the same things. In either part of Wilt's career. Once Wilt won the title with the 76ers he transitioned into a mostly defensive player, kind of like a goalkeeper. Once he joined the Lakers with Jerry West, Gail Goodrich, Happy Hariston (sp) and Elgin Baylor. Goodrich, one of the non HoFs still averaged over 25 ppg. So Old Wilt would jog toward half court and then sprint back if there was a quick turnaround with the ball.

There is no one in the NBA right now that could guard Young Wilt. No one even close that could match the rebounding or rim protector. Since Wilt also led the league in assists one season there probably isn't a big man that could pass like Wilt.
I also wondered why no big man has tried to master the sky hook since Kareem? If you are 7 foot, its absolutely unblockable no matter how tall the other center is. I realize that the game has moved away from the true center, but man, having a guy that can get 2 just about anytime eventually would draw double teams and more open looks for the shooters. Jokich has proven that a center who can play back to the rim and be an amazing passer can win championships.
 

Yep, they briefly overlapped. Old Wilt and very young Kareem. Those two started it all, but the golden era of the center was in the 80s. I miss that style of play. Big bodies crashing into each other, actual defense, travels being called, and driving into the lane was taking your life into your hands. Lebron would lose his voice yelling for calls in the 80s.....
 
Yep, they briefly overlapped. Old Wilt and very young Kareem. Those two started it all, but the golden era of the center was in the 80s. I miss that style of play. Big bodies crashing into each other, actual defense, travels being called, and driving into the lane was taking your life into your hands. Lebron would lose his voice yelling for calls in the 80s.....
I think Bill Russell, Nate Thurmond, Bill Walton, Willis Reed, Walt Bellamy, Dave Cowens, a talented big center from KC whose name escapes me, Jack Sikma, Wes Unseld, the great Elvin Hayes and even Jerry Lucas might all disagree with you. They were all big, the NBA was much rougher and more physical and the simple concept of getting the ball to the biggest guy on the court as close to the basketball was the dominant style of play.

Not to knock the centers in the 80s. Hakeem was the best of the 80s era centers.

Given the athleticism of today's players I really agree with your primary point, why on Earth doesn't some 6'11" kid want to shoot threes? I'd think dunking and getting virtually unmissable shots a foot from the rim would be thrilling.

I am very high on Owen Freeman because he is a classic low post center, who does most of his scoring within 6 feet of the basket, and a lot of moves to get open for those point-blank shots and dunks.
 
I remember watching Wilt and the San Francisco Warriors vs Bill Russell and the Boston Celtics

Fierce battles between two of the best centers ever


Wilts free throw style as definitely old school

View attachment 10901
Wilt's Achillies' Heel. He never learned to shoot free throws because he simply went to half court ran, jumped with feet just before the line and then dunked 'em. Once that rule was changed, to specifically keep Wilt from dunking free throws, he tried everything. Psychiatrists, special coaches, everything.

It was so girlie, cuz girls still shot those underhanded shots from 20 feet when Wilt was playing, while it disappeared from men's ball around 1950
 
I think Bill Russell, Nate Thurmond, Bill Walton, Willis Reed, Walt Bellamy, Dave Cowens, a talented big center from KC whose name escapes me, Jack Sikma, Wes Unseld, the great Elvin Hayes and even Jerry Lucas might all disagree with you. They were all big, the NBA was much rougher and more physical and the simple concept of getting the ball to the biggest guy on the court as close to the basketball was the dominant style of play.

Not to knock the centers in the 80s. Hakeem was the best of the 80s era centers.

Given the athleticism of today's players I really agree with your primary point, why on Earth doesn't some 6'11" kid want to shoot threes? I'd think dunking and getting virtually unmissable shots a foot from the rim would be thrilling.

I am very high on Owen Freeman because he is a classic low post center, who does most of his scoring within 6 feet of the basket, and a lot of moves to get open for those point-blank shots and dunks.
I love Freeman for the same reason. Its like Georgia Tech running the wishbone. At some point things that are so old school and done well, the modern game does not know how to deal with it. In addition to Zach Edey's size was just what he did. Camped under the basket and backed players down. Most teams did not have the size and skill to defend that.

You put 20 pounds of muscle on Freeman and he is going to be a force under the rim.
 
Wilt's Achillies' Heel. He never learned to shoot free throws because he simply went to half court ran, jumped with feet just before the line and then dunked 'em. Once that rule was changed, to specifically keep Wilt from dunking free throws, he tried everything. Psychiatrists, special coaches, everything.

It was so girlie, cuz girls still shot those underhanded shots from 20 feet when Wilt was playing, while it disappeared from men's ball around 1950
Rick Barry was very successful shooting free throws underhanded. He lead the league in FT percentage in most years he was playing.
 
Rick Barry was very successful shooting free throws underhanded. He lead the league in FT percentage in most years he was playing.
Indeed. A few guys got tips from Rick Barry, Wilt among them. There was a big center on that 75 Warriors championship that shot underhanded. It didn't help him. Overhand or underhand the guy was literally stuck out in my memory as the worst FT shooter I've ever seen. I think his family name was Johnson.
 
I think Bill Russell, Nate Thurmond, Bill Walton, Willis Reed, Walt Bellamy, Dave Cowens, a talented big center from KC whose name escapes me, Jack Sikma, Wes Unseld, the great Elvin Hayes and even Jerry Lucas might all disagree with you. They were all big, the NBA was much rougher and more physical and the simple concept of getting the ball to the biggest guy on the court as close to the basketball was the dominant style of play.

Not to knock the centers in the 80s. Hakeem was the best of the 80s era centers.

Given the athleticism of today's players I really agree with your primary point, why on Earth doesn't some 6'11" kid want to shoot threes? I'd think dunking and getting virtually unmissable shots a foot from the rim would be thrilling.

I am very high on Owen Freeman because he is a classic low post center, who does most of his scoring within 6 feet of the basket, and a lot of moves to get open for those point-blank shots and dunks.
KC's center was Sam Lacey.
 
KC's center was Sam Lacey.
Right on. Saw him get into an actual boxing style punches thrown fight with Cliff Ray. No one joined and the officials let the guys punch themselves into a position where the respective teams could kind of tackle their fighters and drag them to the bench.

There was some controversy about the officials not stepping in. The officials said they would be injured if they stepped between the fighters because there was no pause in the fighting. Surprised no one was knocked down because both guys took some big punches to the head.
 

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