Will there ever be a player that dominated his sport like Wilt did?

[Stanzi]

It's all about the rings. Russell won like 6 or 7 while Wilt was in his prime. Jordan had 5. But I believe Wilt did have 3 with 3 different teams. By the way he did also lead the league in assists one year.

Jordan won 6 rings. Wilt's dominance was impressive, but it was similar to if you took a high school senior and put him up against middle school basketball teams. There was no one outside of Russell who was close to his size, and the competition was far inferior to the competition of the 80's, 90's, and today.

[ColumbusHawk]

The '72 Laker team is as fine an NBA team as I've ever seen. It held the record for most wins in a season until the Bulls broke it with Jordan & Pippen.

Wilt didn't score much but he played defense & rebounded. Of course, with Goodrich & West in the backcourt, he didn't have to score. The interesting thing is that the Lakers played almost the whole season without one of their best players. NBA legend Elgin Baylor was lost early in the season.

[DwayneTwill]

Wilt dominated the NBA like Michael Moore dominated an abstinence class.

[Foval21]

i have heard it said that in a conversation between wilt and mj wilt told mj that he was better than jordan because in wilt's time they made rules to make it harder for him and in mj's time they made rules to make it easier for him. for a little while during wilt's career it was actually illegal to dunk. a common misconception is that russell dominated wilt. the truth is the celtics dominated the lakers since wilt actually averaged over 30 pts and like 20 rebs against russell.

[busabus114]

i have heard it said that in a conversation between wilt and mj wilt told mj that he was better than jordan because in wilt's time they made rules to make it harder for him and in mj's time they made rules to make it easier for him. for a little while during wilt's career it was actually illegal to dunk. a common misconception is that russell dominated wilt. the truth is the celtics dominated the lakers since wilt actually averaged over 30 pts and like 20 rebs against russell.

So how did Wilt only win 2 titles?

[Foval21]

i have heard it said that in a conversation between wilt and mj wilt told mj that he was better than jordan because in wilt's time they made rules to make it harder for him and in mj's time they made rules to make it easier for him. for a little while during wilt's career it was actually illegal to dunk. a common misconception is that russell dominated wilt. the truth is the celtics dominated the lakers since wilt actually averaged over 30 pts and like 20 rebs against russell.

So how did Wilt only win 2 titles?

the celtics dominated the lakers. it isnt like wilt was shutdown. in fact he tended to play right around his normal level against russell. the rest of the lakers got outplayed and therefore the celtics would win. my father watched these two all the time and has said as much.

[ColumbusHawk]

That article actually argues against Wilt being the greatest player ever, and I agree with it. In his time, it was easy for a guy with his skill set to dominate.

1. 7-footers were EXTREMELY rare.
2. The lane was narrower, allowing him to play much closer to the basket than he would be today.

Now, is Wilt the most dominant player of all time? Yes. But he's not the best of all time.

Again, a young person who doesn't know history. Their were many fine centers in the NBA during Wilt's time. He played against many fine centers in his career like Walt Bellamy, Willis Reed, Bill Russell, Nate Thurmond & Jabbar, just to name a few. Many of them like Bellamy, Thurmond & Jabbar were 7-footers. I would argue that the center play in Wilt's time was much better than it is today.

The NBA widen the lane for the '64-'65 season, so Wilt played most of his career with the wider lane. True on the night in scored 100-points it was only 12-feet.

Also, the article is incorrect about goal tending. Defensive goal tending has been around since the 40's & the NBA adopted offensive goal tending for the '58-'59 season. So, contrary to the article, goal tending was not a response to Chamberlain.

[FalseMirage]

[bcl20]

Babe Ruth is the only one I can think of.

[ColumbusHawk]

the celtics dominated the lakers. it isnt like wilt was shutdown. in fact he tended to play right around his normal level against russell. the rest of the lakers got outplayed and therefore the celtics would win. my father watched these two all the time and has said as much.

The Lakers with Wilt only faced Bill Russell & the Celtics once in the playoffs. It was Wilt's first season in Los Angeles & Russell's last season. The Celtics beat the Lakers in seven games for the '69 NBA title.

Now before that, the Lakers & Celtics played some legendary NBA finals. West was phenominal, but the Celtics had more talent. What your Dad probably was talking about were the tremendous playoffs between the Celtics & 76ers when Wilt was in Philadelphia.

[1hawkeye1]

Tiger Woods has done it and will continue to do it. And of course Michael Jordan. Some would say Larry Legend.

Tiger not only dominated the game like Wilt, but he dominated females like Wilt too.

[bcl20]

And while not a lot of people care about hockey I'd say Wayne Gretsky was pretty freaking dominant in his prime too. Also may be comparable.

[ColumbusHawk]

And while not a lot of people care about hockey I'd say Wayne Gretsky was pretty freaking dominant in his prime too. Also may be comparable.

No doubt about it, Gretsky was about as dominating in his sport as anyone. When he broke the single-season scoring record it was like the equivalent of ninety-six home runs, unbelievable. Fifty goals in thirty-nine games.

Have you ever seen the "Great One" in person. I was fortunate to meet him once. He is about the scrawniest, littlest, most unathletic guy you will ever meet. You walk away thinking that person can't be the greatest hockey player.

Of course, nobody will do what Ruth did. One year he hit more home runs than the rest of the Yankees & American League combined. Now that is incomprehensible.

[bcl20]

No doubt about it, Gretsky was about as dominating in his sport as anyone. When he broke the single-season scoring record it was like the equivalent of ninety-six home runs, unbelievable. Fifty goals in thirty-nine games.

Have you ever seen the "Great One" in person. I was fortunate to meet him once. He is about the scrawniest, littlest, most unathletic guy you will ever meet. You walk away thinking that person can't be the greatest hockey player.

Of course, nobody will do what Ruth did. One year he hit more home runs than the rest of the Yankees & American League combined. Now that is incomprehensible.

Never saw him live or in person, just on TV but I do know his lack of size was almost as legendary as his skill was. Ok, maybe not, but he was far from physically imposing. As for Ruth, his ability to get on base combined with his power was pretty much unmatchable (without 'roids of course).

Bonds in his later years would be on here to if it weren't for the whole cheating thing. Actually his 2004 season was staggering even when considering he was all roided up.

[tm3308]

Again, a young person who doesn't know history. Their were many fine centers in the NBA during Wilt's time. He played against many fine centers in his career like Walt Bellamy, Willis Reed, Bill Russell, Nate Thurmond & Jabbar, just to name a few. Many of them like Bellamy, Thurmond & Jabbar were 7-footers. I would argue that the center play in Wilt's time was much better than it is today.

The NBA widen the lane for the '64-'65 season, so Wilt played most of his career with the wider lane. True on the night in scored 100-points it was only 12-feet.

Also, the article is incorrect about goal tending. Defensive goal tending has been around since the 40's & the NBA adopted offensive goal tending for the '58-'59 season. So, contrary to the article, goal tending was not a response to Chamberlain.

Are we seriously counting Kareem? His first four years in the league were Wilt's last four. That's hardly Wilt's prime.

Reed and Russell are both among the greatest, but they were also just 6'9".

As far as the rule/court dimensions changes go: The mound in baseball was shortened because pitchers were dominating the game too much. That doesn't mean those pitchers are the greatest of all time. Were they perhaps more dominant in their time than pitchers of today are? Sure. That doesn't make them better.