Wilt Chamberlain

[brianpoe]

Rebounds Career: Wilt averaged 22.9...Russell averaged 22.4

Playoff Stats (when numbers count)
Wilt: 160 games, 22.5 points, 24.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 47% FT, 52% FG
Russ: 165 games, 16.2 points, 24.9 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 60% FT, 43% FG

HEAD TO HEAD - Wilt’s record against Russell: 58-84

NBA Titles when both were in the League: Wilt 1 Russell 9

Sam Jones has 10 rings
Tom Seinsohn, KC Jones, Tom Sanders, John Havlicek all have 8 titles
Jim Loscutoff, Frank Ramsey have 7 titles
Bob Cousey has 6 titles
Larry Siegfried has 5 titles
Bill Sharman has 4 titles

All played with Russell.


Wilt won Rookie of the Year, All Star MVP and League MVP his first season averaging 37.6 and 27 rebounds.

Wilt 13 time All Star, Bill 12 times
Wilt 7 time All NBA 1st team, Bill 3 times
Wilt 11 time rebound champ, Bill 4 times
Wilt 7 time scoring champ, Bill 0
Wilt 1 time assist leader, Bill 0
Wilt all time rebounding leader

Wilt has a retired number for 3 different teams, Bill 1
Wilt was first score 3000 in a season.
Wilt was first to grab 2000 rebounds in a season.

 

[uky8unc5]

Sam Jones has 10 rings
Tom Seinsohn, KC Jones, Tom Sanders, John Havlicek all have 8 titles
Jim Loscutoff, Frank Ramsey have 7 titles
Bob Cousey has 6 titles
Larry Siegfried has 5 titles
Bill Sharman has 4 titles

All played with Russell.


Wilt won Rookie of the Year, All Star MVP and League MVP his first season averaging 37.6 and 27 rebounds.

Wilt 13 time All Star, Bill 12 times
Wilt 7 time All NBA 1st team, Bill 3 times
Wilt 11 time rebound champ, Bill 4 times
Wilt 7 time scoring champ, Bill 0
Wilt 1 time assist leader, Bill 0
Wilt all time rebounding leader

Wilt has a retired number for 3 different teams, Bill 1
Wilt was first score 3000 in a season.
Wilt was first to grab 2000 rebounds in a season.

All true...

This is true too:
Billy Cunningham and Hal Greer were Wilt's HOF teammates
Wilt won only TWO titles...one after Bill retired.

Two superstars. But imho and most experts: Russell is the GOAT of his era. He was viewed that way at the time (I was a heavy NBA fan).
When he retired, the Celtics fortunes immediately changed.

 

[brianpoe]

All true...

This is true too:
Billy Cunningham and Hal Greer were Wilt's HOF teammates
Wilt won only TWO titles...one after Bill retired.

Two superstars. But imho and most experts: Russell is the GOAT of his era. He was viewed that way at the time (I was a heavy NBA fan).
When he retired, the Celtics fortunes immediately changed.

Greer and Cunningham won 1 title a few years prior to Wilt entering the league.

Russell played with multiple HOFers on the same team, I can think of at least 7 HOFers during his career he played with.

Wilt was not well liked, but there really was no comparison as to talent. The fact people didnt like Wilt was a huge factor regarding his image.

Bill was a great defensive player but his great accomplishments are all Team achievements, except for the 22 rebounds per game career average, which is 2nd to Wilt.

Wilt was a better shooter, rebounder, passer, played more minutes each game, and had a better field goal and free throw percentage.

 

[childe]

When Wilt set the NBA record for rebounds in one game with 55, the opposing center in that game was Bill Russell. Stat wise, Wilt Chamberlain easily won the one on one match-ups against Bill Russell.

And that's not a knock against Bill Russell. He is definitely one of the greatest centers of all time. But he also had a better team around him and a better coach.

Not to mention that the NBA changed a few rules that wound up working against Chamberlain in an attempt to keep him from becoming too dominant in the league.

 

[Me and Rex]

Never fouling out of a game isn't impressive when you add in the context that Wilt would stop playing defense after he got 4 or 5 fouls.

Not impressive? Are you on crack?

 

[uky8unc5]

Greer and Cunningham won 1 title a few years prior to Wilt entering the league.

Russell played with multiple HOFers on the same team, I can think of at least 7 HOFers during his career he played with.

Wilt was not well liked, but there really was no comparison as to talent. The fact people didnt like Wilt was a huge factor regarding his image.

Bill was a great defensive player but his great accomplishments are all Team achievements, except for the 22 rebounds per game career average, which is 2nd to Wilt.

Wilt was a better shooter, rebounder, passer, played more minutes each game, and had a better field goal and free throw percentage.

Well said, Brian. Appreciate your points.

One last opinion: I think Russell is why those Celtics became HOF'ers. Similar to Larry Bird's legacy he brought to McHale and Parrish. The titles is why we remember those guys.

Russell (and Bird) benefited from their teammates, no doubt. But Russell (or Wilt) would be a superstar on any team in any era. They're transcendent...like Lebron or Kobe or MJ.

 

[TheOtherGreatOne]

Jabar was better than wilt. They squared off a lot back then.

You gotta be kidden me. Fo a guy who was 7'2'' Alcindor was a terrible rebounder and wasn't any better at blocking shots.

 

[Blue Decade]

I'm 28, and so never watched Wilt games growing up, and forgive me, haven't taken the time to go back and watch them. But I'm familiar with his accomplishments, and his name is unavoidable in basketball conversations everywhere. But a lot about the man seems more like myth than fact. Everything from him being a seven-footer with a 48-inch vertical (http://theexercisers.com/how-to-inc...e-vertical-jump/highest-vertical-jump-in-nba/) to his claim to having slept with 20,000 women.

What about this guy was real? Did he actually play at almost 300 pounds? Did he really have a 9'6" standing reach *without* shoes? Did he have a better vertical than Hamidou Diallo?

Chamberlain was a huge, fairly athletic guy with no range, who could dominate on the low block because of his long arms and his aggressive power game. He came along at a time when nobody else besides Bill Russell really had the reach and defensive fundamentals to combat his low post game. The professional game has changed a lot now. Bigs are more mobile and skilled now. NBA defensive rules have changed so that zone principles and low post help can neutralize a player like Chamberlain. But in his day, Chamberlain was the dominant player in the league. You don't score 100 points in an NBA game without being a very good player.

 

[brianpoe]

Well said, Brian. Appreciate your points.

One last opinion: I think Russell is why those Celtics became HOF'ers. Similar to Larry Bird's legacy he brought to McHale and Parrish. The titles is why we remember those guys.

Russell (and Bird) benefited from their teammates, no doubt. But Russell (or Wilt) would be a superstar on any team in any era. They're transcendent...like Lebron or Kobe or MJ.

I just don't see it that way.

Superstars like you mentioned are scorers, go to players who win games with the ball in their hands.

Bill averaged 15 per game.

Bird averaged 24.

Mike, Kobe, Lebron... a bunch.

But Wilt averaged 40 his 7-8 seasons. One year he AVERAGED 50!
Wilt averaged 30 for his career and led in rebounding, assists and a bunch of others.

IMO Russell is the greatest complimentary player of all time.

 

[brianpoe]

Chamberlain was a huge, fairly athletic guy with no range, who could dominate on the low block because of his long arms and his aggressive power game. He came along at a time when nobody else besides Bill Russell really had the reach and defensive fundamentals to combat his low post game. The professional game has changed a lot now. Bigs are more mobile and skilled now. NBA defensive rules have changed so that zone principles and low post help can neutralize a player like Chamberlain. But in his day, Chamberlain was the dominant player in the league. You don't score 100 points in an NBA game without being a very good player.

No range?

YouTube Wilt.

Guy had a money turnaround bank shot from 15.

Hit 12 foot baseline hook shots.

Terrible FT shooter, but admitted it was in his head -

Overall Wilt hit 54% or so from the floor.

He could score buckets in many ways and had range unlike 90% of bigs over 6'10 ever to play.

 

[Blue Decade]

No range?

YouTube Wilt.

Guy had a money turnaround bank shot from 15.

Hit 12 foot baseline hook shots.

Terrible FT shooter, but admitted it was in his head -

Overall Wilt hit 54% or so from the floor.

He could score buckets in many ways and had range unlike 90% of bigs over 6'10 ever to play.

LOL! The OP wanted comments from people who actually saw Wilt play. I'm not forming my conclusions from YouTube clips. Wilt's power game was on the low block. He seldom hit a medium range jump shot. Although he hit all his free throws the night he scored 100 points, he was a poor free throw shooter and a poor jump shooter. But he was a dominant rebounder and low post scorer who could not be defended by the bigs of that era (except Russell).

 

[TeoJ]

In 1966 Wilt who played professional basketball. High jumped 7 feet at Kansas. Played pro volleyball. Threw the discus once against Al Ortter the world record holder. Wilt threw it one time. Came within 2 inches of Otters world record. Wilt decided that year he wanted to fight Mohammed Ali for the world boxing championship. Wilt trained seriously for 6 months. The fight was set for Houston Tx Astrodome. Tickets printed, a sellout. Before it came off Ali was charged as a draft dodger and not allowed to fight. I was a big Ali fan but im not sure if All could have beat Wilt. Wilt though was really an athlete of all most indescribable accomplishments

I agree with every thing you say except you were not sure a in prime Ali would have taken Wilt.

 

[TeoJ]

Well said, Brian. Appreciate your points.

One last opinion: I think Russell is why those Celtics became HOF'ers. Similar to Larry Bird's legacy he brought to McHale and Parrish. The titles is why we remember those guys.

Russell (and Bird) benefited from their teammates, no doubt. But Russell (or Wilt) would be a superstar on any team in any era. They're transcendent...like Lebron or Kobe or MJ.

Bird benefited from the moves made by Red auerback.

 

[Blue Decade]

When Wilt set the NBA record for rebounds in one game with 55, the opposing center in that game was Bill Russell. Stat wise, Wilt Chamberlain easily won the one on one match-ups against Bill Russell.

Chamberlain obviously won that particular matchup. I saw plenty of Russell-Chamberlain matchups in huge, season-defining games where Russell got the better of Chamberlain. Both were great players. Chamberlain has received a lot of credit for being historically great, and it is all deserved. But I think Russell might be the most underrated player in NBA history, or certainly 1 of them. Russell understood what it took to win, got the job done, and took home a lot of rings.

 

[TeoJ]

Sam Jones has 10 rings
Tom Seinsohn, KC Jones, Tom Sanders, John Havlicek all have 8 titles
Jim Loscutoff, Frank Ramsey have 7 titles
Bob Cousey has 6 titles
Larry Siegfried has 5 titles
Bill Sharman has 4 titles

All played with Russell.


Wilt won Rookie of the Year, All Star MVP and League MVP his first season averaging 37.6 and 27 rebounds.

Wilt 13 time All Star, Bill 12 times
Wilt 7 time All NBA 1st team, Bill 3 times
Wilt 11 time rebound champ, Bill 4 times
Wilt 7 time scoring champ, Bill 0
Wilt 1 time assist leader, Bill 0
Wilt all time rebounding leader

Wilt has a retired number for 3 different teams, Bill 1
Wilt was first score 3000 in a season.
Wilt was first to grab 2000 rebounds in a season.

To be fair to Russell and numbers retired he only played for one team.

 

[Pulaski Cat Fan_rivals377587]

Bird benefited from the moves made by Red auerback.

Bird was a legendary player before injuries prematurely derailed his career. He led Indiana State to the title game. The Indiana State Sycamores. Normal , or even really good players, don't do that. Bird was unreal. What championship winning player hasn't benefited from the roster that surrounds them?

 

[Aike]

You gotta be kidden me. Fo a guy who was 7'2'' Alcindor was a terrible rebounder and wasn't any better at blocking shots.

I don't think it would be accurate to call Kareem a terrible rebounder. He averaged over 16 a game four different seasons.

He also had a couple of seasons averaging over 4 blocks per game. So if by "wasn't any better" you meant "one of the best in the league," I agree.

 

[TeoJ]

Bird was a legendary player before injuries prematurely derailed his career. He led Indiana State to the title game. The Indiana State Sycamores. Normal , or even really good players, don't do that. Bird was unreal. What championship winning player hasn't benefited from the roster that surrounds them?

I agree with all you say,but Red made moves for Parrish AND Mchale thar other GMS had not even thought about,including the drafting of Bird a year early.

 

[king of cali]

I don't think it would be accurate to call Kareem a terrible rebounder. He averaged over 16 a game four different seasons.

He also had a couple of seasons averaging over 4 blocks per game. So if by "wasn't any better" you meant "one of the best in the league," I agree.

Now why would you bring facts into a discussion when you could just spout off nonsense lol? In his prime Kareem was routinely putting up 30+/14+ seasons. Now if the poster had said that over the last decade of his career he wasn't a good rebounder I might be inclined to agree with that.

 

[rodserling]

Wilt was possibly the greatest athlete in basketball history. His fade away jumper was unstoppable. The greatest defender in basketball of that era, Bill Russell would often hold him under 25 points, when Wilt was having an off day.

Speaking of sports memorabilia I have a 1927 Babe Ruth baseball card that my daddy had as a boy and an autographed Mickey Mantle baseball.

Wilt was the greatest basketball player of all time. IMO. I would stay in on sundays to watch Wilt in the NBA. 1967 76ers Matt Goukas, Hal Greer, Lucious Jackson Chet Walker and Wilt. Great team, great year.

As far as memoribilia, I have a signed baseball from the entire 1961 New York Yankees. Mantle, Maris, Ford, Yogi etc. Great gift from my uncle.

 

[Cattoyz]

OK...simple question: did you see Wilt the Stilt play?

Many, many times. Wilt Chamberlain would eat WCS alive. WCS couldn't hang with Wilt on the best day of his life.

 

[uky8unc5]

Bird benefited from the moves made by Red auerback.

Sure he did. MJ benefited from the moves the Bulls made.

 

[uky8unc5]

Many, many times. Wilt Chamberlain would eat WCS alive. WCS couldn't hang with Wilt on the best day of his life.

Cool! You do realize that I said that about Willie, right? I was using WCS body and speed ONLY so the young guys can appreciate who Wilt was when he came into the League. Heck, Willie didn't even start at UK (most of the time).

Wilt was NOT Shaq or Ewing. You are an old man Cattoyz, but we got to see Bob Gibson/Sandy Koufax and Ali/Frazier and Arnie/Jack/ and Jimmy Brown/Dick Butkus and Aaron/Mays/Mantle and Wilt the Stilt/Bill Russell.

I'd trade that for 20 years; but since it's not an option, I'm satisfied with those memories.

 

[TeoJ]

Watched all the guys you talk about 8-5,good times for sports(I was a lot younger).Reds moves on players above just showed how far ahead he was over everyone else at the time.

 

[emmcat]

I'm 28, and so never watched Wilt games growing up, and forgive me, haven't taken the time to go back and watch them. But I'm familiar with his accomplishments, and his name is unavoidable in basketball conversations everywhere. But a lot about the man seems more like myth than fact. Everything from him being a seven-footer with a 48-inch vertical (http://theexercisers.com/how-to-inc...e-vertical-jump/highest-vertical-jump-in-nba/) to his claim to having slept with 20,000 women.

What about this guy was real? Did he actually play at almost 300 pounds? Did he really have a 9'6" standing reach *without* shoes? Did he have a better vertical than Hamidou Diallo?

I am 78 years old,went to school in Boston,saw Wilt play in person many times. an exceptional athlete.Greatest run and jump big man of all time .I can believe most of the physical measures although i think the vertical number is too high.
As for the 20,000 women, that firgures out to be 1.5 women per day for 40 years . sounds a tad high to me (LOL), He was also quite intelligent a a huge fan of music. He had an immense record collection which was destroyed in a fire many years ago.

 

[king of cali]

He was also quite intelligent a a huge fan of music. He had an immense record collection which was destroyed in a fire many years ago.

That was Kareem.

 

[TeoJ]

Stood next to wilt at a colonels game years ago,he was not fat,but he was huge.

 

[npreston]

RCJH!

 

[TeoJ]

Stood next to wilt at a colonels game years ago,he was not fat,but he was huge.

I forgot to add he was the coach of the San Diego team and wore a canary yellow suit,that made him look that much bigger.

 

[Levibooty]

The one thing Bill Russell had that Wilt didn't was Russell had Red Auerbach.

 

[TeoJ]

The man was way ahead of everyone else at that time,I have also heard if he wanted info on a college kid his first call was to coach Rupp.

 

[JC CATS]

Got his autograph on his basketball card when I was a kid. Wonder what it is worth?

I will give you $5 for it, sight unseen

 

[*Bleedingblue*]

He's ****ed at least 3,000 women since his death. True legend.

Ha. When you die your ability to play sports diminishes.

Dummy.

He was just following your lead.

 

[megablue]

If I recall correctly, Wilt is the only player to average more than 20 points and 20 rebounds for an entire season in the NBA. He did it 10 times. Bob Petit and Jerry Lucas each did it once. I remember hearing this on a talk show one time and it blew me away, quite frankly. I hope I'm right about it ....

 

[TeoJ]

You recall Wilt being the only player to do it,then in the same post Bob Petit and Jerry Lucas also did it............opcorn:

 

[megablue]

You recall Wilt being the only player to do it,then in the same post Bob Petit and Jerry Lucas also did it............opcorn:

You're right. My bad. I didn't compose my post correctly. He is one of only three (3) players to do it for an entire season, but the only one to do it more than once, having done it ten (10) times. Thanks for the correction.

 

[tnttnt1959]

The picture of "Chamberlain" blocking Cowan's
shot is not Wilt. He never played for the Milwaukee Bucks. That is Jabbar!

 

[Lovebaskelball]

after Wilt laid the meat to twenty thousand chicks across the country how could they not be?

True, that's the reason why there are so many 7 footers running around now.

 

[Col. Angus]

He was just following your lead.

I am not dead

*checks pulse*

Nope, not yet.

 

[Rupp'sRunt]

Chamberlain led the league in total assists 1967–68, with 702 assists (he did not lead the league in assists per game): he remains the only center to lead the league in assists.

How is it possible to lead the league in assist but not have the most assists per game,