Wilt may have largely ignored Shaq, but after a Finals game at the Forum in 1969, Wilt was mobbed for autographs, and when he came to two little boys (my brother and I), he was super friendly and joking around with us with a huge smile on his face. He was kind-hearted. We never forgot that.
@@tybones2222 Teams in the 60s RAN up and down the court. Wilt averaged 45 minutes per game for his entire career. He averaged 48.3 minutes per game for one season, because he played every single minute, plus overtime minutes. So that is pace. As for "space", there is no doubt that Wilt would have had to adjust his game to be great in this era. His numbers would drop some, but he would still dominate. Think about an UNINJURED Anthony Davis. AD does not have his head screwed in lately, but before this year, he is a 7 footer who can score, rebound, and block shots. Wilt was taller, much stronger, and faster (the first 7 years of his career) than AD. And Wilt was not injury prone like AD. Bob Lanier, the 6 11, 285 lb HOF center for Detroit, who was several years younger than Wilt, came into the league and was fantastic. After his career, an interviewer ask Lanier what is the most memorable thing about your career? Lanier said that it was when Wilt, coming down the court and wanting position, moved Lanier "out of the way, like I was a coffee cup." Wilt mostly had a finesse game, but when he wanted to turn on the power, wow! Thanks for asking the question, sir.
@@ericklajara8641 Dude led the largest slave rebellion in all of history, doesn’t get much greater than that. Is there any more difficult sport than war?
First off, that commercial is badass. Shaq definitely didn't like Wilt personally, but respected him professionally and any time the two talked about each other you could tell there was tension between the two. Remember the handshake, where Wilt nearly takes Shaq's arm off? These two were so competitive it was ridiculous. If only we got to see them in the same era. I think personally Wilt is far better and outplays him every day. Shaq couldn't push through him like he did to everyone else and if you take that away he is in trouble. Wilt had a much wider game.
He had amazing athleticism, but his specific skills and moves in the game of basketball were lacking a ton compared to today's players or even players in the next era after him. His basketball IQ lacked. Those were his weaknesses, but he's still the most dominant player of all time and one of the GOATS.
@@billj4525what skill exactly are you yapping about? The only thing wilt didn’t do goo was free throws which Shaq didn’t do either. Wilt beat everyone on every single other category EVER!
@@billj4525You can argue players as more skilled yes but nobody in any era of the game ever has the combination of size length speed strength and leaping ability that he got He shits on any era off physicals alone
Check out the clip where Shaq, when he was playing with Orlando, shakes Wilt's hand before a game. Wilt is obviously taller and wider, btw. When they shake hands, Shaq's whole body shakes. lol Shaq waits a minute then looks at Wilt with wide eyes. 🤣
I just saw that clip and I was surprised at Wilts size next to Shaq. I met wilt a couple of times. Once with floor seats at the Forum. The other time was a a track meet standing in line. My dad and I stood in line right behind him and his friend. It was so quiet you could only hear Wilt talking to his friend. No one approached him or asked for an autograph. Nobody wanted to ruin being in his presence. I remember my dad with his back turned to Wilt was pointing out how tall he was. My dad was 5'9" just like me. He only came up to about where his heart would be. They used to say he was 7'1" but I think he was taller than that.
@@grant1739 Stfu, Wilt is easily one of the best players of all time. Are you saying that basketball legends like Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (who many people consider the greatest center ever), Oscar Robertson, Elgin Baylor, John Havlicek, Bob Cousy, John Havlicek, Bob Pettit, Willis Reed, and Nate Thurmond are weak competition? You are just a disrespectful ignorant millennial that obviously knows nothing about his era.
@@HugoSoup57 why u mad. There’s great players in every era but he does have a point when you win only 2 rings with 1/3 of the amount of teams today. The game has evolved some of those players won’t be as good today and also there were like ten rounds of drafts back then.
@@benisonwong7706 Nothing has evolved.Basketball is basketball.They changed the rules though.They stop calling carry so u can be much more creative with the dribble.That's about it.
Wilt is the greatest Center of all time and the most dominant of all time, without a doubt. And in my opinion, Wilt is the greatest athlete of all time.
Nobody ever understands...to be greater than Wilt Chamberlain you'd have to beat his points and rebounds in the SAME number of years his career lasted. Kareem beating his points in year like 19 or 20 meant ZERO when Wilt only played like 13 or 14 seasons. Plus Wilt's craziest stat didn't even count in his day....blocks.
You don't seem to understand Wilt did that when there was much weaker competition in the league and less than 10 teams in the league and not the international presence like now. Plus the number that counts the most NBA CHAMPIONSHIPS!!! Wilt only had 2 so his points and rebounds doesn't make him a goat
@@grant1739 Shut up bro, you’re just a ignorant millennial who probably thinks that any era before Jordan or LeBron’s was trash. Wilt didn’t play weak competition, that is a lie. He went against some of the greatest centers and guards to ever play the game. Anybody who says Wilt played against a bunch of plumbers are uneducated idiots or delusional.
@@grant1739 10 teams makes the League stronger not weaker Only the best of the best got to play.A lot harder to make the League back then.International players are u serious?The only international player ever that Wilt wouldn't eat alive is maybe Yao Ming.If we're going by championships Bill Russell is the greatest of all time.Nothing to discuss and Phil Jackson is the greatest coach of all time.(11 rings as a coach 1 as a player)Russell won 11 championships in 13 years.If u put Wilt on those Celtic teams instead of Russell I think they win 13 out of 13.Russell was great.He wasn't Wilt though.Russell was a perfect fit for that Celtic team.They didn't need scoring they had that.They needed defense and rebounding.Bill Russell outside of Chamberlain was the greatest defender and rebounder to ever lace up a pair of sneakers.
Not to mention Wilt stop scoring after the first 8 years or so because his coach's asked him to do other things.Focus on defense,rebounding,passing let others do the scoring.When did they ever ask MJ to stop scoring?If Wilt had been the focal point in terms of scoring for 20 years like kareem,Jordan,Kobe,Malone he would be the all time leading scorer by a wide margin.
@@ralphgreenwood2469 Wilt would do well in any era, but the average player was just far far weaker, and worse and less athletic in every way. He would never dominate anywhere near how he did back then, but he would always be a force. That's the most accurate way to look at it. You're nuts if you think the competition as a whole was hard. Sports evolve over time though, and the evolution is very very obvious between the 60's and even the 80's, not it's insane. Bill Russell is one of the GOATS, but so is Chamberlain. I have a hard time deciding who I think should be considered better. You just can't mention Wilts statistics and act like it's like someone doing that today, that's ridiculous and completely unrealistic.
Recently Shaq says he thinks he could beat wilt. Wilt was stronger and had more athleticism and skills than shaq. The reason the older centers like wilt ddidnt respect shaq is shaq used brute force vs skills to win. Wilt used skills to show he wasnt just a bully. Wilt is the best athlete of alltime. Sports Science should be ashamed for keeping wilt out of the 25 greatest athletes competition. Jim brown got second and jim was admittedly scared of wilt.
Jim Brown may have been scared of Wilt for good reason. Urban Legend has it that a "Notorious" NFL Defensive Tackle, Eugene "Big Daddy" Lipscomb and Wilt bumped into each other at a party. Evidently words were exchanged as Lipscomb referred to Basketball Players as being "Soft". Word has it that Wilt picked him up to "Eye Level" and explained that he was not to be trifled with under any circumstances. Lipscomb apparently understood clearly......and the party continued.
@@ramsfire the reason I say that is Jim said I'd rather fight Ali than wilt. When Alis manager backed out of fight. It was wilts reach and size plus Jim's statement that caused it. Ali's manager thought wilt might win by a blowout.
@@dustincobb5718 I remember when that "fight" was being Promoted and never came to be. The Minister of the Church I grew up in shared the High School Backfield with Mr. Brown(The Rev.Edward Corley) He would have been The One if he had been teamed up with anyone else. Spike Lee did an HBO MOVIE: "Jim Brown, All American". In the Movie Rev. Corley "Baptises" Mr. Brown's youngest Daughter at the time. Growing up in the town where Jim Brown grew up we were always reminded of The Legend.
Jordan 6 rings, Wilt 2 rings and Wilt only won 2 with less than 9 teams in the league Jordan would have won 8 straight if he didn't play baseball not sure how Wilt is the goat
@@grant1739 no way jordan wins 8 straight. even if they manage to beat hakeems rockets, they not gonna get rodman because horance grant most likely wouldve stayed in chicago and rodman was a loose cannon and questioned back then. Plus not including championship fatigue
I think that you are right.He was as strong as the biggest guys and as fast as the fastest guys.Quite a combination.If he concentrated on track and field.I think he wins the Olympic Decathalon multiple times.The Olympic Decathalon winner used to be considered the greatest athlete on the planet.
athlete versus basketball player. basketball is still judged as a team sport where you as the star athlete have the greatest amount of influence on your team's success.
Love Shaq, defintely one of my all time favorites but he has it backwards. Wilt is your Elder, he doesn't go to you. You got to him as he already done his time. Want respect? Respect your Elders as they had it a lot harder than any of us ever did in life. Still love ya Shaq and you are definitely one of the all time greats. Chamberlain was just one of kind in life in anything he wanted to do. Shaq, you were more loved I think and rightfully so.
I don't see Shaqs bully ball game working against Wilt.He's going to score some points but he's not going crazy against the big dipper.Meanwhile Shaq has to stop Wilt.Wilt's the super athlete bigger,faster,stronger jumps higher.I think Shaq gets dominated or fouls out.
I like Shaq, but your not the most dominant. Wilts stats blow Shaq out of the park. A bloke who scored 100 points in a game, averaged over 20 boards a game for his career. That's dominance. Just because your 7 foot 300 pounds doesn't automatically make you dominant. Wilt would destroy Shaq
On a related note, jaranarm, have you ever known Bill Russell to have beef or throw shade at other players? Excluding his falling out with Wilt. Watching this made me think about how an issue arose between Shaq and everyone in that commercial except Russell, who seems to more or less get along and be cool with everyone. The most I've ever seen Russell do is get annoyed with the idea of anyone being ranked over him, but I can't think of ever seeing him get personal over it.
I remember reading comments from Wilt criticizing Shaq's game and suggesting the refs were letting him get away with murder. By bulldozing his opponents. The comments rubbed Shaq the wrong way. Shaq responded saying he would give Chamberlain the respect for what he achieved, but added that Chamberlain could kiss his ass. I think that also probably contributed to Shaq having a rather lukewarm view of Chamberlain.
Shaq never saw Wilt play one fuggin' game, so he knows little to nothing about Wilt, other than what he read somewhere or what somebody told him. Same goes for George Washington. Shaq never saw George Washington perform on the job, so he only knows what he read somewhere or what somebody told him about Washington. Being a celebrity doesn't make you an expert on stuff you know nothing about. Wouldn't listen to Shaq talkin' about Wilt nor George Washington...he knows less than I do about both.
Wasted genetics, should have married and had Black children. Wilt Chamberlain was a total waste of time, didn't like to date Black women so therefore never had Black children, Wilt was culturally illiterate, his self hate and selfishness meant he left this earth without his own family what a waste of genetics! ! If you want to be counted as a proud Black man, you marry a Black woman and have Black children, no excuses, time for excuses is gone, no more time for fakes. So that being said Wilt was a disaster and nothing to be proud of for Black people.