Wilt's shooting

[Robotech]

For the people who followed the NBA back then, are these just cherry picked highlights or did Wilt really have a great fadeaway jump shot from this range? Is Wilt underrated?

 

[msgkings322]

For the people who followed the NBA back then, are these just cherry picked highlights or did Wilt really have a great fadeaway jump shot from this range? Is Wilt underrated?

I think Wilt is definitely underrated. He never shows up in anyone's top 5 list, because of only 2 rings. But in terms of talent, he is a top 5 all time player IMO.

 

[DragonfromTO]

For the people who followed the NBA back then, are these just cherry picked highlights or did Wilt really have a great fadeaway jump shot from this range? Is Wilt underrated?

If it is physically possible for a human being Wilt could have managed to do it. Any record, any sport or event, any time in history. That's my position

 

[Robotech]

I think Wilt is definitely underrated. He never shows up in anyone's top 5 list, because of only 2 rings. But in terms of talent, he is a top 5 all time player IMO.

I didn't know about his shooting. I always thought he was just a dunking machine. I've read about his superb strength and athleticism, but it looks like he's more skilled than I thought.

 

[Robotech]

If it is physically possible for a human being Wilt could have managed to do it. Any record, any sport or event, any time in history. That's my position

I've read he had a 48 inch vertical leap and 500 lb bench press. Is this stuff true? He also ran a pretty good 400 meters, at around 48 seconds, I believe. What a freak!

 

[msgkings322]

I've read he had a 48 inch vertical leap and 500 lb bench press. Is this stuff true? He also ran a pretty good 400 meters, at around 48 seconds, I believe. What a freak!

He was also an Olympic level high jumper, and ran hurdles.

 

[Robotech]

He was also an Olympic level high jumper, and ran hurdles.

Wilt and Bill Russell were really incredible athletes. Bill Russell high jumped 6 feet 9.25 inches. If Bill Russell knew the Fosbury Flop technique, he probably would've cleared 7 feet. I'm not sure what Wilt's best mark was.

 

[DragonfromTO]

I've read he had a 48 inch vertical leap and 500 lb bench press. Is this stuff true? He also ran a pretty good 400 meters, at around 48 seconds, I believe. What a freak!

When he was unsigned and threatening to hold out Lamar Hunt worked him out in his bare feet (unsurprisingly the Chiefs didn't have cleats in his size) and wanted to sign him as a TE.

 

[DragonfromTO]

Wilt and Bill Russell were really incredible athletes. Bill Russell high jumped 6 feet 9.25 inches. If Bill Russell knew the Fosbury Flop technique, he probably would've cleared 7 feet. I'm not sure what Wilt's best mark was.

Wilt won the Big 8 title every year he was there I believe, here he is clearing 6' 6.25"

 

[The Oldtimer]

If it is physically possible for a human being Wilt could have managed to do it. Any record, any sport or event, any time in history. That's my position

Quite a few people don't know that Wilt was a great track star at the University of Kansas.

 

[DragonfromTO]

Quite a few people don't know that Wilt was a great track star at the University of Kansas.

Superhuman.

 

[Mofo]

I didn't know about his shooting. I always thought he was just a dunking machine. I've read about his superb strength and athleticism, but it looks like he's more skilled than I thought.

Also banged 20,000 women.

 

[Robotech]

Also banged 20,000 women.

Wilt's got impressive stats.

 

[trojanfan12]

By today's standards, Wilt didn't have a great fadeaway, but for the time, his was actually pretty good. Had he shot it more, he probably would have been good even by today's standards.

Another Wilt fun fact: Wilt's favorite sport was actually volleyball. He had a traveling volleyball team that he used to tour with in the off-season.

I actually met him when I was 10 or 11 years old after one his volleyball games. After talking to me for a few minutes and signing an autograph for me, he patted me on the top of the head. I told my parents I was never washing my hair again. lol

 

[Darrell Green Fan]

I think Wilt is definitely underrated. He never shows up in anyone's top 5 list, because of only 2 rings. But in terms of talent, he is a top 5 all time player IMO.

Oh he's always been on my top 5 list, in fact I wavered between Wilt and Michael as the GOAT for a while. One look at his numbers is all you need, he dominated like nobody has since from a statistical perspective. It's not his fault that he played at a time when the Celtics could not be beaten.

 

[DragonfromTO]

By today's standards, Wilt didn't have a great fadeaway, but for the time, his was actually pretty good. Had he shot it more, he probably would have been good even by today's standards.

Another Wilt fun fact: Wilt's favorite sport was actually volleyball. He had a traveling volleyball team that he used to tour with in the off-season.

I actually met him when I was 10 or 11 years old after one his volleyball games. After talking to me for a few minutes and signing an autograph for me, he patted me on the top of the head. I told my parents I was never washing my hair again. lol

He played pro volleyball for a number of years after retiring, and I can't recall exactly but I think it was "his" league since we know Wilt was quite the entrepreneur.

 

[DragonfromTO]

Oh he's always been on my top 5 list, in fact I wavered between Wilt and Michael as the GOAT for a while. One look at his numbers is all you need, he dominated like nobody has since from a statistical perspective. It's not his fault that he played at a time when the Celtics could not be beaten.

One can apparently find tons of fadeaway clips but I find it is much more difficult to find a picture of Wilt holding the ball against the Celtics without 3+ players surrounding him

 

[tlance]

By today's standards, Wilt didn't have a great fadeaway, but for the time, his was actually pretty good. Had he shot it more, he probably would have been good even by today's standards.

Another Wilt fun fact: Wilt's favorite sport was actually volleyball. He had a traveling volleyball team that he used to tour with in the off-season.

I actually met him when I was 10 or 11 years old after one his volleyball games. After talking to me for a few minutes and signing an autograph for me, he patted me on the top of the head. I told my parents I was never washing my hair again. lol

You really should.

You have no idea where those hands have been.

 

[trojanfan12]

He played pro volleyball for a number of years after retiring, and I can't recall exactly but I think it was "his" league since we know Wilt was quite the entrepreneur.

I think you're right about that. When I was a kid, I read his autobiography Wilt: Just Like Any Other Black Millionaire Who Lives Next Door.

Really interesting read. He had 2 nicknames, "Wilt the Stilt" and "The Big Dipper". If I remember correctly from the book, he hated the "Wilt the Stilt" name. lol

 

[trojanfan12]

You really should.

You have no idea where those hands have been.

Yeah, hairs getting a little grungy. lol

There were actually 2 times I said that at about the same age.

In '72 and '73 Deacon Jones (who was one of my hero's) played for the San Diego Chargers who used to have their summer training camp on the athletic field at UC Irvine. I was there almost every day watching their practices.

After practice one day, I got him to teach me his "head slap" that he was famous for. He put his helmet on my head to teach me.