Wilt Chamberlin with todays training and money incentives would eat alive these lazy pot smoking players in the NBA today.
Kareem Abdul Jabbar was an unstoppable scorer as a big man and could shoot as good as anybody today. You add him to any team in the playoffs today and they would be the favorite. Golden State/New Jersey/Chicago all would win this year with Kareem at center. Same with Wilt or Russell. Golden State would be the favorite with either of these 3 centers.
Been a serious NBA fan for almost 40 years. Here is my order:
1) Wilt - hands down. He would be ever MORE dominant today. Back in the 60's, there was not the diluted talent pool of today. Wilt was facing quality centers most every night. Would play Russell eight times a year, Thurmond, eight times a year, Bellamy eight times a year. Beatty eight times a year, Red Kerr eight times a year. Russell, Bellamy, and Thurmond were all HOF and Kerr and Beatty were good centers for a long time. Wilt could do anything on the court; shoot (except FT), pass, rebound, dribble and was the most intimadating player ever. Could you see Kwane Brown trying to stop him? Eddy Curry? Mahemet Okur? Jake Voskul? Etan Thomas? he consistently lit up Russell, the best defender ever ( IMHO opinion Wilt was even better...never fouled out of a game ...ever), for 30-40 points a game to go with 20+ rebounds. It is true that the Celtics and Russell always had better complimentary players but a bigger factor was coaching and luck. Wilt was saddled with some bad coaches in his prime and Boston always had Auerbach. The ball bounces a little differently, a shot rattles and goes out instead of in, and Wilt has a couple more championships easily.
The superstars of the NBA in the 60's were everybit as good as the stars of today. West, Baylor, Robertson, Wilt, Russell, Dave Bing, Bob Pettit, ect would all be stars today as well. The big difference is that the second tier of players in the 60's are better then todays players. Fundamentally, shooting the ball, passing the ball, playing tough defense, they were better.
2) Jabbar - As unstoppable as Chamberlain offensively but far below in defense , rebounding, and passing. Did not seem to have the desire to dominate the whole game, on both ends, like Wilt did.
3) Russell - Had everything but offensive moves. Worked hard for every bucket he scored. Nobody came to play like Russell did at the position.
4) Moses Malone - When he was young and healthy and still had legs, he was right up there with the best. Great rebounder, unstoppable in the paint, relentless. Watch the finals against the Lakers when Philly swept them in four and tell me you disagree.
5) Hakeem - Took him awhile to reach his prime but when he did, he was the best center in the NBA for a 6-7 year period. Great defender, great baseline jumper, great heart, great rebounder.
6) Shaq - If he could have shot between 75-80% from the line, he could have broken all the scoring records. Absolutely unstoppable when he got the ball low. Either he scored or you foul. To bad he was taken out of so many games in the 4th quarter because of his FT shooting. Never a dominate defensive player or rebounder. Always thought he would have been ever better if he could have played about 30 lbs lighter but his body was not built that way.
7) Walton - If not for the feet, he would probably be #2. Used to dominate Jabbar in mid-late 70's. Complete package. Nothing he could not do. Made everyone who played with him better as well.
8 - 10 Take your pick....Ewing....Thurmond....Wes Unseld....Duncan... David Robinson.
It's to bad that there is not much tape of the 1960's out there. I know it is hard for those who never saw Wilt to comprehend how good he actually was, but for those of us who did, there is no arguement as to who was the best center ever.
Been a serious NBA fan for almost 40 years. Here is my order:
1) Wilt - hands down. He would be ever MORE dominant today. Back in the 60's, there was not the diluted talent pool of today. Wilt was facing quality centers most every night. Would play Russell eight times a year, Thurmond, eight times a year, Bellamy eight times a year. Beatty eight times a year, Red Kerr eight times a year. Russell, Bellamy, and Thurmond were all HOF and Kerr and Beatty were good centers for a long time. Wilt could do anything on the court; shoot (except FT), pass, rebound, dribble and was the most intimadating player ever. Could you see Kwane Brown trying to stop him? Eddy Curry? Mahemet Okur? Jake Voskul? Etan Thomas? he consistently lit up Russell, the best defender ever ( IMHO opinion Wilt was even better...never fouled out of a game ...ever), for 30-40 points a game to go with 20+ rebounds. It is true that the Celtics and Russell always had better complimentary players but a bigger factor was coaching and luck. Wilt was saddled with some bad coaches in his prime and Boston always had Auerbach. The ball bounces a little differently, a shot rattles and goes out instead of in, and Wilt has a couple more championships easily.
The superstars of the NBA in the 60's were everybit as good as the stars of today. West, Baylor, Robertson, Wilt, Russell, Dave Bing, Bob Pettit, ect would all be stars today as well. The big difference is that the second tier of players in the 60's are better then todays players. Fundamentally, shooting the ball, passing the ball, playing tough defense, they were better.
2) Jabbar - As unstoppable as Chamberlain offensively but far below in defense , rebounding, and passing. Did not seem to have the desire to dominate the whole game, on both ends, like Wilt did.
3) Russell - Had everything but offensive moves. Worked hard for every bucket he scored. Nobody came to play like Russell did at the position.
4) Moses Malone - When he was young and healthy and still had legs, he was right up there with the best. Great rebounder, unstoppable in the paint, relentless. Watch the finals against the Lakers when Philly swept them in four and tell me you disagree.
5) Hakeem - Took him awhile to reach his prime but when he did, he was the best center in the NBA for a 6-7 year period. Great defender, great baseline jumper, great heart, great rebounder.
6) Shaq - If he could have shot between 75-80% from the line, he could have broken all the scoring records. Absolutely unstoppable when he got the ball low. Either he scored or you foul. To bad he was taken out of so many games in the 4th quarter because of his FT shooting. Never a dominate defensive player or rebounder. Always thought he would have been ever better if he could have played about 30 lbs lighter but his body was not built that way.
7) Walton - If not for the feet, he would probably be #2. Used to dominate Jabbar in mid-late 70's. Complete package. Nothing he could not do. Made everyone who played with him better as well.
8 - 10 Take your pick....Ewing....Thurmond....Wes Unseld....Duncan... David Robinson.
It's to bad that there is not much tape of the 1960's out there. I know it is hard for those who never saw Wilt to comprehend how good he actually was, but for those of us who did, there is no arguement as to who was the best center ever.
Been a serious NBA fan for almost 40 years. Here is my order:
1) Wilt - hands down. He would be ever MORE dominant today. Back in the 60's, there was not the diluted talent pool of today. Wilt was facing quality centers most every night. Would play Russell eight times a year, Thurmond, eight times a year, Bellamy eight times a year. Beatty eight times a year, Red Kerr eight times a year. Russell, Bellamy, and Thurmond were all HOF and Kerr and Beatty were good centers for a long time. Wilt could do anything on the court; shoot (except FT), pass, rebound, dribble and was the most intimadating player ever. Could you see Kwane Brown trying to stop him? Eddy Curry? Mahemet Okur? Jake Voskul? Etan Thomas? he consistently lit up Russell, the best defender ever ( IMHO opinion Wilt was even better...never fouled out of a game ...ever), for 30-40 points a game to go with 20+ rebounds. It is true that the Celtics and Russell always had better complimentary players but a bigger factor was coaching and luck. Wilt was saddled with some bad coaches in his prime and Boston always had Auerbach. The ball bounces a little differently, a shot rattles and goes out instead of in, and Wilt has a couple more championships easily.
The superstars of the NBA in the 60's were everybit as good as the stars of today. West, Baylor, Robertson, Wilt, Russell, Dave Bing, Bob Pettit, ect would all be stars today as well. The big difference is that the second tier of players in the 60's are better then todays players. Fundamentally, shooting the ball, passing the ball, playing tough defense, they were better.
2) Jabbar - As unstoppable as Chamberlain offensively but far below in defense , rebounding, and passing. Did not seem to have the desire to dominate the whole game, on both ends, like Wilt did.
3) Russell - Had everything but offensive moves. Worked hard for every bucket he scored. Nobody came to play like Russell did at the position.
4) Moses Malone - When he was young and healthy and still had legs, he was right up there with the best. Great rebounder, unstoppable in the paint, relentless. Watch the finals against the Lakers when Philly swept them in four and tell me you disagree.
5) Hakeem - Took him awhile to reach his prime but when he did, he was the best center in the NBA for a 6-7 year period. Great defender, great baseline jumper, great heart, great rebounder.
6) Shaq - If he could have shot between 75-80% from the line, he could have broken all the scoring records. Absolutely unstoppable when he got the ball low. Either he scored or you foul. To bad he was taken out of so many games in the 4th quarter because of his FT shooting. Never a dominate defensive player or rebounder. Always thought he would have been ever better if he could have played about 30 lbs lighter but his body was not built that way.
7) Walton - If not for the feet, he would probably be #2. Used to dominate Jabbar in mid-late 70's. Complete package. Nothing he could not do. Made everyone who played with him better as well.
8 - 10 Take your pick....Ewing....Thurmond....Wes Unseld....Duncan... David Robinson.
It's to bad that there is not much tape of the 1960's out there. I know it is hard for those who never saw Wilt to comprehend how good he actually was, but for those of us who did, there is no arguement as to who was the best center ever.
Twofingers44, great post, I could not have written it any more right on than you did and I have been a big NBA fan since the late 50s. I grew up not far from Boston Garden and went to many a game that were clinics compared to what we get today from the NBA.
Oscar Roberstson in his prime is probably the best all around player to ever play in the league. I know most will say Michael Jordan but that is only because they never so Big O in his prime. His stats are mindblowing.
Most overlooked:
Walt Bellamy - Walt was a riot to listen to on the court if you could sit close enough to hear him. He talked to him self in the third person. "why do they always call 3 seconds on Mr. Walt Bellamy and never on Mr. Chamberlain or on Mr. Russell" etc etc. However he was the real deal and had some big years with the old Chicago Zephers/Bulls. He averaged over 31 points a game his rookie year and made it to the NBA HOF in the early 90s. Bells is the answer to an obscure NBA trivia question.
What player holds the record for most regular season games played in one season. The answer is Bellamy who played 88 in the 68/69 season - reason - because he got traded mid season and the scheduled worked out that way. Bells also played on the 1960 Undefeated gold medal winning US Olympic basketball team, a team that also featured hall of famers Jerry West. Jerry Lucas, and Oscar Robertson..
wil.
Been a serious NBA fan for almost 40 years.
The big difference is that the second tier of players in the 60's are better then todays players. Fundamentally, shooting the ball, passing the ball, playing tough defense, they were better.
Peter Vescey said Duncan in one of the top 12 PLAYERS to ever play
and you have 10 better than him at center? ...the guy is univerally accepted as the greatest PF ever by ever basketball analyst there is.