I am not sure where to start this thread, so I will put it here. How come Wilt is so forgotten when people choose their top 5 and top 10 all time team? Statistically, he was a beast. He played against Bill Russell and Kareem (and arguably was better than both one on one). Here is a video I enjoyed.
It is funny to me why generally people have held the C Bags championships in high regards when the league was what, 10 teams (?), while Wilt the Stilt with his unreal stat lines is almost always forgotten in GOAT discussions. Him and the GOAT in my own book, Kareem are disrespected totally.
Nobody will ever dominate the game like Wilt again. Look at the NBA world losing it's mind over Westbrook averaging a triple double as if that was anything on Wilt's level.
Yep, Westbrook's greatness is due to the fact that his teammates are tapping defensive rebounds to his hands, thus his double-digit rebounds per game, and the statistics will never ever reveal that.
To be honest the winners right history or have history written in there behalf. It was Walt's deficiency in one area, championships that helped diminish his legacy. I think it is a crime he is ignored and is a shame more high quality footage of him is available. Players like Wilt (did not win enough at the final hurdle) Barkley, McGrady (already feels forgotten), Stockton, Karl Malone get disrespected and disregarded. I feel most sorry for Kareem. He was a winner and every level including the ineffable echelon of NBA championships. We need to look back at the glorious NBA history, and not to be trivial but to build a legacy amongst the general populace, image, shoes, video games and press builds legacy. Feel there is a hell of a Wilt Chamberlain movie that could be made that would be part Paul Bunyan, but also capture the enigmatic soul of this Basketball Colossus (to steal from Sonny Rollins).
Chamberlain won with a stacked 1967 Sixers team. Even led The League in assists one time. Never fouled out (!) in a game. Once told His Airness what it means to be dominant is when they install rules to stop you. Respect The Stilt but still prefer Abdul-Jabbar personally.
Wilt still has two rings. But such is the lack of respect to him, you'd think he never won a ring at all.
...only real hoop historians are aware of him. Most of the last two gens probably only heard of him through the internet, grainy YouTube vids and that preposterous boast of 1K chicks.
Younger people think he was just a great scorer. It's sad because he was more than a scorer... he was Goliath, and the most dominant big man in NBA history.
Sadly, I never saw Chamberlain play but yes those records he set were just staggering. Russell had better supporting casts and loved to play mind games with The Stilt. Flip the script and Chamberlain would have destroyed him on more occasions. Even Abdul-Jabbar pointed out how he had to put an extra height on his Sky Hook so Chamberlain can't get to it.
if he won more, it would be a different conversation. Goliath used to be talked about a lot, but pretty much nobody roots for the giant.
Funny story between Chamberlain and Walton... Walton: I could hold you below your average. Chamberlain: I'd step on your foot and send you home crying to Momma.
Maybe Wilt's legacy is that he was bigger than basketball. He was a massive celebrity, on and off the court, because he had the look, size and charisma etc.
Wilt Chamberlain with Seven time Mr Olympia Austrian Oak Arnold Schwarzenegger (from the film Conan the Barbarian) and Eighth Wonder of the world Andre the Giant. Arnold said Wilt was the most naturally strong man he ever met.
Well, with Kareem, people just don't like him much, they saw him as a malcontent. With Wilt all those white guys with tiny wankers are worried he scrood their wives and girlfriends. He did, but most of them never actually knew it!
my dad talks about him like he wasn't human. said he'd totally dominate the league right now--and my dad isn't one of the old timers who thinks bob cousy would be an nba player right now.
I watched him play a lot. He is like Shaq, in that he is physically a dominating player, super strong man, nobody could body him up and slow him down. However he could not hit a shot from the outside. He would be a dominant defensive guy and he would be fantastic and put backs and low post moves, but he could never spread the floor with his offense and could have limitations in regards to who else he could play with.