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Wilt Chamberlain was by far a better athlete than Shaq is and ever was. Wilt compared to Shaq was nimble, versatile and FAST. Lets not forget that Wilt led fast breaks for the Harlem Globetrotters and shot 15 foot fallaway jumpers when he was with the Warriors. Not to mention that Finger Roll! In his later years his strength was LEGENDARY. As a 50 year old man Chamberlain used to run with the Showtime Lakers in practice. Don't let the grainy footage from the 1960's cloud your judgment! There were incredible players then that would still be good or even great today. Guys like Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, Jerry Lucas, Wilt Chamberlain, John Havlicek, Oscar Robertson, Bill Russell...etc. would be Allstars in today's NBA.
As for the comparison, Phil Jackson played against the 300+ lb defensive Monster version of Chamberlain in the late-60's/early 70's. That version of Wilt does compare more to Shaq.
Wilt Chamberlain was by far a better athlete than Shaq is and ever was. Wilt compared to Shaq was nimble, versatile and FAST. Lets not forget that Wilt led fast breaks for the Harlem Globetrotters and shot 15 foot fallaway jumpers when he was with the Warriors. Not to mention that Finger Roll! In his later years his strength was LEGENDARY. As a 50 year old man Chamberlain used to run with the Showtime Lakers in practice. Don't let the grainy footage from the 1960's cloud your judgment! There were incredible players then that would still be good or even great today. Guys like Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, Jerry Lucas, Wilt Chamberlain, John Havlicek, Oscar Robertson, Bill Russell...etc. would be Allstars in today's NBA.
As for the comparison, Phil Jackson played against the 300+ lb defensive Monster version of Chamberlain in the late-60's/early 70's. That version of Wilt does compare more to Shaq.
Wilt was a better athlete than most, if not all, NBA players ... heck, he play pro volleyball and track&field (highjump?) as well. Of course, this doesn't mean Shaq's NBA accomplishments and skills aren't comparable to Wilt's.
All I can say is consider the source. Phil Jackson coached M Jordan yet he's the guy that gets credit for being a fabulous coach. A moron could have coached M Jordan and won titles. Then he coached K Bryant, yet another basketball player that desperately needed a coach- yeah, right. If it weren't for Jordan and Bryant, Jackson wouldn't be a fart in Basketball history. And this clown thinks his opinion counts......not in my book. He's the same clown that said the S A Spurs will never be anything and that Tim Duncan was an over hyped amateur. Hey Phil, whatcha think think now, Skippy!
There was nothing slow and lumbering about this man, except maybe his post game interieîx
I disagree. If Highlight reels existed in 1962 I think the world would be more aware. Of course Shaq wasn't slow and lumbering at all but Wilt was much more well rounded. He was a Track & Field star. He ran the 440 in 49 seconds, 880 in 1:58.3, Shot Put 53 feet, Long Jumped 22 feet and high jumped 6' 6'' WITH the "western roll" no Fosbury Flop for THAT guy lol
I mean Wilt Chamberlain was such a physical specimen. Compared to Shaq, Wilt was a better rebounder, was faster, more moves in the post, a better midrange game, and was just as good a ball handler. Though ball handling was different in the mid 60's compared to the mid 90's. Both Wilt and Shaq share 3rd place for the best passing center of alltime (Behind Arvydas Sabonis and Bill Walton of course) and in terms of physical conditioning and strength. Wilt was ahead of Shaq.
Also, as much as I love Shaq he never had the stamina to average 48.5 minutes per game or 50.4 points per game and sure as hell wouldn't have been able to grab 55 boards in game, let alone against Bill Russell. As a ROOKIE Wilt Chamberlain averaged Shaq's career high in rebounds. Dwight Howard gained notoriety for slapping a sticker 12'6'' up on the backboard. Wilt Chamberlain could grab the TOP of the backboard on consecutive hops. He could catch a jumpshot 13 feet in the air for crying out loud!
Wilt Chamberlain was beyond extraordinary.
For some great highlights from past legends, not just the Dipper, check out this channel on youtube: The Wilt Chamberlain Archive. It's got tons of great stuff, including an EPIC Elgin Baylor mix tape.
All I can say is consider the source. Phil Jackson coached M Jordan yet he's the guy that gets credit for being a fabulous coach. A moron could have coached M Jordan and won titles. Then he coached K Bryant, yet another basketball player that desperately needed a coach- yeah, right. If it weren't for Jordan and Bryant, Jackson wouldn't be a fart in Basketball history. And this clown thinks his opinion counts......not in my book. He's the same clown that said the S A Spurs will never be anything and that Tim Duncan was an over hyped amateur. Hey Phil, whatcha think think now, Skippy!
Yeah I agree, just once I'd like to see Jackson have the cajones to coach an average team or even a 'good' team.
But for those who think Wilt was the greatest ever, please go to an NBA registry and look at the rosters of the NBA in the 60s, they darn near look like YMCA leagues! And by the time Wilt won his 2nd title (1972), his youthful athleticism was mostly gone, he was lumbering like Artis Gilmore.
Yeah I agree, just once I'd like to see Jackson have the cajones to coach an average team or even a 'good' team.
But for those who think Wilt was the greatest ever, please go to an NBA registry and look at the rosters of the NBA in the 60s, they darn near look like YMCA leagues! And by the time Wilt won his 2nd title (1972), his youthful athleticism was mostly gone, he was lumbering like Artis Gilmore.
Wrong on both counts. Just stop posting here. Please. Just because you apparently know absolutely NOTHING about the NBA in the 1960's doesn't automatically mean talent "must have been" non-existent. It's extremely arrogant to assume that talent only exists in todays game. It's the same as saying: "Well there were only white dudes, so the NBA MUST have sucked..." Spare me. I'm sure if Wilt Chamberlain made a bunch of contrived Gator-aide Ads, or if Sportscenter existed in his time this wouldn't be a problem but as it stands, people today are too lazy to do their homework. A lot of those "YMCA" players would do some damage in todays Soft-as-Sh*t league of p*ssies. At least in Wilts day a player actually had to earn a living. Today you get paid millions for being able to jump and not have any other skill what so ever.
As for Phil Jackson: Funny how Jordan never even sniffed the NBA finals before Jackson took over as coach, same for Shaq and Kobe...
Wrong on both counts. Just stop posting here. Please. Just because you apparently know absolutely NOTHING about the NBA in the 1960's doesn't automatically mean talent "must have been" non-existent. It's extremely arrogant to assume that talent only exists in todays game. It's the same as saying: "Well there were only white dudes, so the NBA MUST have sucked..." Spare me. I'm sure if Wilt Chamberlain made a bunch of contrived Gator-aide Ads, or if Sportscenter existed in his time this wouldn't be a problem but as it stands, people today are too lazy to do their homework. A lot of those "YMCA" players would do some damage in todays Soft-as-Sh*t league of p*ssies. At least in Wilts day a player actually had to earn a living. Today you get paid millions for being able to jump and not have any other skill what so ever.
As for Phil Jackson: Funny how Jordan never even sniffed the NBA finals before Jackson took over as coach, same for Shaq and Kobe...
So you didn't check those old rosters did you? I've been following the NBA (and ABA back in the day) very closely since about 1967. Today's players are not soft, they are as tough as ever. Up until about the late 90s you could find 4 or 5 defensive goats on every NBA team, now if you can't D up, you're out of the league. I'll admit that there are alot of mental softies nowadays, but that's mostly because they are starting in the NBA as 18,19, 20 year olds who need a little time to grow up.
As for Phil Jackson, Doug Collins had that team built, taught, and ready to start winning titles when he left. Dozens of coachs could have taken that team at that time to win it all. Then he inherited a Laker team with Shaq and Kobe at their peaks, supplemented with a bevy of high IQ veterans (like Ron Harper, AC Green, Fox, Fisher and Horry), and waltzed to a championship over good but not great teams like Indiana, Portland and Phoenix.
If you didn't follow closely at the time, at least do your research now.
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