SuperFan Sports Talk: Making the Case for NBA's GOAT

1960 NBA

Most Valuable Player: Wilt Chamberlain (37.6/27.0/2.3)

Rookie of the Year: Wilt Chamberlain (37.6/27.0/2.3)

PPG Leader: Wilt Chamberlain (37.6)

RPG Leader: Wilt Chamberlain (27.0)

In #Wilt's first year, five players are at least 7' tall, and 23 guys at least 6'8". In his rookie season, #Wilt put up these numbers. And one other guy averaged 20+ rebounds, Bill Russell. Of the other guys who were 7' none averaged over 10 reb/gm. But Bob Petit 6'7" averaged 16 reb/gm.

There were 86 Guys in the NBA, and 23 were over 6'7". The average height in the NBA was 6'6". In his career, Wilt played against 40 players who were 7' tall. And he out rebounded them all. Among them were NBA legends and hall of famer's. Walt Bellamy, Nate Thurmond, Kareem abdul Jabar, Mel Counts, Leroy Ellis, Swede Halbrook, Artis Gilmore, Willis Reed, Walt Frazier, Dave DeBusschere, Bill Bradley

The claim that #Wilt was dominant because there were no tall guys in the NBA is not accurate. Of the 240 guys who played in the #Wilt Chamberlain era, 110 were over 6'8". 46% of the players were over 6'8" and 27% were at least 6'10. Stop trying to discredit what Wilt Chamberlain did by saying he was taller than everyone else in the league. At 7'3" Swede Halbrook averaged 7 reb/gm in 23 minutes a game.
Another telling statistic was that he was never disqualified(fouled out), nor ejected.
Athleticism- 10.9 100 yard dash, 7'1" high jump, 48"-50" vertical jump, 500 lb bench press. The bench press number as told by Arnold Swarzenegger, and various stories from feats of strength as told by NBA players and eye-witnesses. Too many stories to be discounted. If a guy was 7'1" with a 48" vertical, 4.5 speed, 500 lb bench press, and high basketball IQ were coming into the league today, then he would be dominant. 45+ minutes per game has never been seen again.

Now look at #Wilt Chamberlains career numbers and ranks

13X all-star, 4X MVP, 7X scoring champ. 1045 games played, 8th all-time minutes played, 1st in MP/gm, 1st in reb/gm and total reb, .540 FG%, 31,419 career points 5th all-time, 30.1 ppg 2nd all-time.

Wilt Chamberlain

Year	Team	GP	MPG	FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	PPG
1959–60	Philadelphia	72	46.4*	.461	.582	27.0*	2.3	37.6*
1960–61	Philadelphia	79*	47.8*	.509*	.504	27.2	1.9	38.4*
1961–62	Philadelphia	80*	48.5	.506	.613	25.7*	2.4	50.4
1962–63	San Francisco	80*	47.6*	.528*	.593	24.3*	3.4	44.8*
1963–64	San Francisco	80*	46.1*	.524	.531	22.3	5.0	36.9*
1964–65	San Francisco	38	45.9	.499*	.416	23.5	3.1	38.9*
1964–65	Philadelphia	35	44.5	.528*	.526	22.3	3.8	30.1*
1965–66	Philadelphia	79	47.3*	.540*	.513	24.6*	5.2	33.5*
1966–67†	Philadelphia	81*	45.5*	.683*	.441	24.2*	7.8	24.1
1967–68	Philadelphia	82	46.8*	.595*	.380	23.8*	8.6*	24.3
1968–69	Los Angeles	81	45.3*	.583*	.446	21.1*	4.5	20.5
1969–70	Los Angeles	12	42.1	.568	.446	18.4	4.1	27.3
1970–71	Los Angeles	82	44.3	.545	.538	18.2*	4.3	20.7
1971–72†	Los Angeles	82	42.3	.649*	.422	19.2*	4.0	14.8
1972–73	Los Angeles	82*	43.2	.727	.510	18.6*	4.5	13.2
Career		1045	45.8	.540	.511	22.9	4.4	30.1

Roster Boston Celtics

No.	Player	Pos	Ht	Wt	Birth Date		Exp	College
17	Gene Conley	PF	6-8	225	November 10, 1930	us	2	Washington State University
14	Bob Cousy	PG	6-1	175	August 9, 1928	us	9	College of the Holy Cross
20	Gene Guarilia	SF	6-5	220	September 13, 1937	us	R	George Washington University
15	Tom Heinsohn	PF	6-7	218	August 26, 1934	us	3	College of the Holy Cross
25	K.C. Jones	PG	6-1	200	May 25, 1932	us	1	University of San Francisco
24	Sam Jones	SF	6-4	198	June 24, 1933	us	2	North Carolina Central University
19	Maurice King	PG	6-2	195	March 12, 1935	us	R	University of Kansas
18	Jim Loscutoff	SF	6-5	220	February 4, 1930	us	4	University of Oregon
23	Frank Ramsey	SG	6-3	190	July 13, 1931	us	4	University of Kentucky
16	John Richter	C	6-9	225	March 12, 1937		R	North Carolina State University
6	Bill Russell	C	6-10	215	February 12, 1934	us	3	University of San Francisco
21	Bill Sharman	SG	6-1	175	May 25, 1926	us	9	University of Southern California

Roster Syracuse Nationals

No.	Player	Pos	Ht	Wt	Birth Date		Exp	College
5	Dick Barnett	SG	6-4	190	October 2, 1936	us	R	Tennessee State University
24	Al Bianchi	PG	6-3	185	March 26, 1932	us	3	Bowling Green State University
23	Barney Cable	SF	6-7	175	July 29, 1935		1	Bradley University
21	Larry Costello	PG	6-1	186	July 2, 1931	us	4	Niagara University
8	Connie Dierking	C	6-9	222	October 2, 1936	us	1	University of Cincinnati
15	Hal Greer	SG	6-2	175	June 26, 1936	us	1	Marshall University
9	Bob Hopkins	PF	6-8	205	November 3, 1934	us	3	Grambling State University
10	Red Kerr	C	6-9	230	July 17, 1932	us	5	University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
17	Togo Palazzi	SF	6-4	205	August 8, 1932	us	5	College of the Holy Cross
3	Jim Ray	G	6-1	180	January 12, 1934		1	University of Toledo
4	Dolph Schayes	PF	6-8	220	May 19, 1928	us	10	New York University
11	Frank Selvy	SG	6-3	180	November 9, 1932	us	4	Furman University
5	Paul Seymour	G-F	6-1	180	January 30, 1928	us	11	University of Toledo
12	George Yardley	SF	6-5	190	November 3, 1928	us	6	Stanford University

Roster New York Knicks

No.	Player	Pos	Ht	Wt	Birth Date		Exp	College
18	Bob Anderegg	SF	6-3	200	August 24, 1937	us	R	Michigan State University
15	Whitey Bell	PG	6-0	180	September 13, 1932	us	R	North Carolina State University
4	Carl Braun	PG	6-5	180	September 25, 1927	us	10	Colgate University
8	Mike Farmer	SF	6-7	210	September 26, 1936	us	1	University of San Francisco
19	Ray Felix	C	6-11	220	December 10, 1930	us	6	Long Island University
18	Dick Garmaker	SG	6-3	200	October 29, 1932	us	4	University of Minnesota
5	Jack George	PG	6-2	190	November 13, 1928	us	6	La Salle University
11	Johnny Green	PF	6-5	200	December 8, 1933	us	R	Michigan State University
9	Richie Guerin	SG	6-4	195	May 29, 1932	us	3	Iona College
3	Brendan McCann	PG	6-2	178	July 5, 1935	us	2	St. Bonaventure University
6	Willie Naulls	SF	6-6	225	October 7, 1934	us	3	University of California, Los Angeles
19	Jim Palmer	C	6-8	224	June 8, 1933	us	1	University of Dayton
15	Cal Ramsey	SF	6-4	200	July 13, 1937	us	R	New York University
12	Kenny Sears	PF	6-9	198	August 17, 1933	us	4	Santa Clara University
17	Ron Sobie	G	6-3	185	September 21, 1934	us	3	DePaul University
14	Charlie Tyra	C	6-8	230	August 16, 1935	us	2	University of Louisville

Roster St Louis Hawks

No.	Player	Pos	Ht	Wt	Birth Date		Exp	College
11	Al Ferrari	SG	6-4	190	July 6, 1933	us	2	Michigan State University
20	Bob Ferry	C	6-8	230	May 31, 1937	us	R	Saint Louis University
13	Larry Foust	C	6-9	215	June 24, 1928	us	9	La Salle University
12	Dave Gambee	SF	6-6	215	April 16, 1937	us	1	Oregon State University
17	Si Green	PG	6-2	185	August 20, 1933	us	2	Duquesne University
16	Cliff Hagan	SF	6-4	210	December 9, 1931	us	3	University of Kentucky
34	Clyde Lovellette	C	6-9	234	September 7, 1929	us	6	University of Kansas
22	Slater Martin	PG	5-10	170	October 22, 1925	us	10	University of Texas at Austin
15	Johnny McCarthy	SG	6-1	185	April 25, 1934		2	Canisius College
21	Jack McMahon	PG	6-1	185	December 3, 1928		7	St. John's University
9	Bob Pettit	PF	6-9	205	December 12, 1932	us	5	Louisiana State University
12-25	Dave Piontek	SF	6-6	230	August 27, 1934		3	Xavier University
13	Cal Ramsey	SF	6-4	200	July 13, 1937	us	R	New York University
19	Hub Reed	C	6-9	215	October 4, 1936	us	1	Oklahoma City University
13	Chuck Share	C	6-11	235	March 14, 1927		8	Bowling Green State University

Roster Detroit Pistons

No.	Player	Pos	Ht	Wt	Birth Date		Exp	College
16	Gary Alcorn	C	6-9	225	October 8, 1936		R	California State University, Fresno
10	Barney Cable	F	6-7	175	July 29, 1935		1	Bradley University
12	Ed Conlin	SG	6-5	200	September 2, 1933		4	Fordham University
22	Archie Dees	PF	6-8	205	February 22, 1936	us	1	Indiana University
23	Walter Dukes	C	7-0	220	June 23, 1930	us	4	Seton Hall University
18	Bailey Howell	PF	6-7	210	January 20, 1937	us	R	Mississippi State University
10	Billy Kenville	SG	6-2	187	December 1, 1930	us	5	St. Bonaventure University
17	Earl Lloyd	SF	6-5	200	April 3, 1928		8	West Virginia State University
15	Dick McGuire	PG	6-0	180	January 25, 1926	us	10	St. John's University
6	Shellie McMillon	SF	6-5	205	March 11, 1936		1	Bradley University
14	Chuck Noble	SG	6-4	190	July 24, 1931		4	University of Louisville
21	Gene Shue	PG	6-2	170	December 18, 1931	us	5	University of Maryland
10	Tony Windis	PG	6-1	160	January 27, 1933		R	University of Wyoming

Roster Minneapolis Lakers

No.	Player	Pos	Ht	Wt	Birth Date		Exp	College
22	Elgin Baylor	SF	6-5	225	September 16, 1934	us	1	Seattle University
30	Boo Ellis	PF	6-5	185	February 11, 1936		1	Niagara University
14	Ray Felix	C	6-11	220	December 10, 1930	us	6	Long Island University
50	Ed Fleming	SG	6-3	189	July 25, 1933		4	Niagara University
14	Larry Foust	C	6-9	215	June 24, 1928	us	9	La Salle University
16	Dick Garmaker	G-F	6-3	200	October 29, 1932	us	4	University of Minnesota
30	Steve Hamilton	SF	6-6	190	November 30, 1935	us	1	Morehead State University
20	Tom Hawkins	SF	6-5	210	December 22, 1936	us	R	University of Notre Dame
33	Hot Rod Hundley	SG	6-4	185	October 26, 1934	us	2	West Virginia University
32	Jim Krebs	C	6-8	230	September 8, 1935	us	2	Southern Methodist University
35	Rudy LaRusso	PF	6-7	220	November 11, 1937	us	R	Dartmouth College
21	Slick Leonard	PG	6-3	185	July 17, 1932	us	3	Indiana University
16	Nick Mantis	SG	6-3	190	December 7, 1935	us	R	Northwestern University
70	Frank Selvy	SG	6-3	180	November 9, 1932	us	4	Furman University
44	Chuck Share	C	6-11	235	March 14, 1927		8	Bowling Green State University
24	Bobby Smith	G	6-4	190	August 20, 1937		R	West Virginia University
17	Ron Sobie	PG	6-3	185	September 21, 1934	us	3	DePaul University

Roster Cincinnati Royals

No.	Player	Pos	Ht	Wt	Birth Date		Exp	College
15	Bucky Bockhorn	SG	6-4	200	July 8, 1933	us	1	University of Dayton
32	Wayne Embry	C	6-8	240	March 26, 1937	us	1	Miami University
25	Dave Gambee	SF	6-6	215	April 16, 1937	us	1	Oregon State University
16	Phil Jordon	C	6-10	205	September 12, 1933	us	3	Whitworth
24	Jim Palmer	C	6-8	224	June 8, 1933	us	1	University of Dayton
14	Med Park	SG	6-2	205	April 11, 1933	us	4	University of Missouri
25	Dave Piontek	F-C	6-6	230	August 27, 1934		3	Xavier University
26	Hub Reed	PF	6-9	215	October 4, 1936	us	1	Oklahoma City University
11	Phil Rollins	PG	6-2	185	January 19, 1934	us	1	University of Louisville
10	Larry Staverman	PF	6-7	205	October 11, 1936		1	Thomas More College
20	Wayne Stevens	F	6-3	185	June 19, 1936		R	University of Cincinnati
27	Jack Twyman	SF	6-6	210	May 11, 1934	us	4	University of Cincinnati
22	Win Wilfong	PG	6-2	185	March 18, 1933		2	University of Memphis

SuperFan Sports Talk

Saturday, February 24, 2018

Making the Case for NBA's GOAT