annual Wilt Chamberlain, greatest basketball player ever thread...

[k_jerome]

period.

[recoveringdittohed]

1. According to his autobiography,

he was one of the greatest "scorers" ever.

[gmoney]

5. "Wilt" seems like an unlikely name for a legendary stud, no? (n/t)

[Redbear]

2. I have to agree.

but who's number two?

Jordan?
Russell?
Bird?
Maravich?
Manute Bol?

[k_jerome]

12. Oscar Robertson...

Jordan #3

[edbermac]

3. Russell has more rings.

Though the Celts these days are a shadow of the Auerbach-led teams of old.

[underpants]

4. Moses Malone

Wilt was great but not the greatest

[matcom]

6. had he not died, you would be posting about Len Bias right now

period.

[taterguy]

7. Unless cocaine enhanced his performance

I honestly don't know but sometimes it seemed like he was high when he was playing, ie, the night he won the first game in the Dean Dome by a visiting team. I don't know how long he would have lasted if he was using on a regular basis.

David Thompson would definitely be part of this discussion if not for substance problems

[Pendrench]

8. From what I remember, the news reports said that he only tried cocaine that one time - which makes

it all the more sad. Supposedly he was celebrating the fact that we was picked by the Celtics.

In any event, quite a shame.

Tim

[k_jerome]

10. you have no idea how much i wish that was true. nt.

[kwassa]

9. My two Wilt Chamberlin stories

1) Hot summer's day, my parents were visiting, and we were walking into a trendy Italian delicatessan in Santa Monica, Ca. In the doorway, I had to stop for a guy walking out, the tallest black man I had ever seen in my life. I felt I was about navel height on the guy. He was bare-chested and wearing only shorts. I looked up and up and up to see his face; it was Wilt. I got out of his way.

2) His car. Lamborghini in a special parking place at Gladstone's. I had to go take a look, while waiting to get into the resturant. I looked in the driver's side, and saw that the fancy contour seat had been pulled out, and that there were two floral sofa cushions in it's place to sit/lie on, like you would find in a thrift shop. I guess he was just too big for the contour seats.

[itsmesgd]

11. favorite Wilt joke

(regarding his sexual exploits)
....and you think that they called him "the stilt" because he was tall.

[HERVEPA]

14. He hated the name "The Stilt" - Preferred "Dipper"

He preferred being called "The Dipper" or "The Big Dipper".

As in (in house) announcer Dave Zinkoff saying "That was a DIPPER DUNK!".

Just as appropriate as "Stilt", I'd say.

:evilfrown:

Looks a little like him with the beard.

[Oeditpus Rex]

13. No argument here

His numbers support it.




No, not those numbers. :eyes:

[SKKY]

15. One word: Mike.

Game over.

[k_jerome]

16. top 5 for sure...

#1 most hyped definitely.

[NewJeffCT]

17. Jordan, Robertson and Magic Johnson

could all win games by themselves. Wilt needed somebody to pass the ball to him.

[k_jerome]

18. '68, he led the league in assists...

not among centers, among all players.

[NewJeffCT]

20. I realize that

However, Wilt did not win a title until he had a supporting cast around him that included Jerry West and Gail Goodrich, among others.

And, when I said that Wilt needed others to pass him the ball, it meant that he needed somebody to give him the ball to score - Robertson, Jordan and Johnson could all create a shot for themselves or for others.

[Oeditpus Rex]

19. Chamberlain led the league in assists in '68

Just sayin'.