Bird>James

[Moranis]

Heck Bob Ryan said "You think Shaq is strong?  You think Shaq is unstoppable?  Let's put it this way: If Wilt was a battleship, Shaq is a rowboat."

Again I get that is some hyperbole without confirmation, but everyone can't be wrong especially when there is video of Wilt doing some incredible things, even at an advanced age. 

Wilt Chamberlain was the strongest player in NBA history.  I have no problem saying that.  That man was a physical monster like none the game has seen before or will ever see again. 

[celticsclay]

Russell would have been a bigger stronger more athletic version of Ben Wallace and Dennis Rodman in the modern NBA.

A stronger Ben Wallace??? No, not even close.

The rest of that statement is possible though.

Yes, Russell would have been a stronger Ben Wallace.

Wallace might have been the strongest player in history alongside The Mailman.

That is just nonsense.  Ben Wallace's best bench was 460.  At the age of 59 years old Wilt Chamberlain benched 465. 

People have said in his prime Wilt benched over 500 pounds with ease and would do it multiple times.  Bill more than held his own with Wilt despite the significant size disadvantage. 

Now Wilt and Bill were freak athletes and far exceeded their peers in strength, athleticism, etc.  That is what made them so special and made their games just feel different than the games against everyone else.  And that is why there is no question, that especially with modern medicine, training, etc. they would have been every bit as good and dominant.

Hahahahahhaa. No. Wilt was the greatest physical specimen the league has ever seen, but he didn't bench 465 at 59 years old. He didnt even bench close to that in his prime. 465 is something that only the strongest linemen in football put up (while on a steroid cycle).

If Wilt was truly that strong he would be benching world records with today's diet and exercise while in his prime.

Edit: Wilt could clean and jerk 375 pounds and dead lift 625 pounds.  He benched over 500 pounds.  He ran the 400m in 49 seconds in high school (the world record at the time was 45 seconds).  He broad jumped 23 feet and shot putted 56 feet (this was at a meet for U of Kansas).  He tripled jumped over 50 feet and won the Big 8 championship in the high jump.  He ran a sub 11 second, 100 meter and a sub 2 minute 800 meters (multiple times).  All of this has been confirmed by multiple people over the years and is well documented.  Wilt was the greatest physical specimen sports has ever seen.  And this was all done with 1960's technology, equipment, medicine, food, etc. 

Here is Arnold talking about their training together.

https://youtu.be/STXbuXGPdoY

That video also talks about the time that Wilt lifted KC Jones off of the floor by lifting the basketball that KC Jones wouldn't let go.  Or how about the time Hondo tried to foul him and grabbed his arms and Wilt just went up and dunked with Hondo hanging on him.

Here is part 2 https://youtu.be/xrpmGuCmGnc

Any actual footage of these these feats? This sounds like the "the fish was this big" story where it keeps getting bigger over time. The old timers love to exaggerate. In the hockey world people claim that Bobby Hull had a 120mph slapshot and Gordie Howe has a 100 mph wrist shot, all while having smaller, wooden sticks.

I also heard Wilt could dunk from the free throw line flat footed. These feats just get greater and greater over the years.

I will admit that Wilt was the greatest athlete when it comes to dominating his peers in pretty much any sport, but let's be reasonable and assume that someone who did 1960s weight training and diets would not be head and shoulders stronger than those today. He was 7-1' and 260 at his peak, yet with his build he was as strong as 6-4' 350 linemen who do steroids today?

There are videos of some of his track feats out there and there are articles and records of his time at U. of Kansas regarding those track feats.  Arnold was talking about Wilt training with him when Wilt was 50.  I see no reason why Arnold would embellish that stuff. 

You can see old basketball footage of him dunking with guys hanging off of him.  All you have to do is some simple research. 

Wilt was a physical specimen like none the world has seen.  He was bigger stronger and faster than everyone else.  That is one of the reasons he still owns so many NBA records.  This is a guy that averaged 48.5 minutes one season when the average team scored 119 ppg and Wilt was taking 40 shots a game.  His stamina was incredible, his strength was incredible, his speed was incredible, etc.  Wilt was just a monster and he would have been a monster in any generation.

Thank you for providing so much background and info on this thread regarding this. As I have said throughout this thread it really saddens me how we feel the need to try and discredit some of the performances of the players that helped make the game what it was today. In addition to not having access to the nutrition, training and medical expertise that exists today these guys were also traveling by games to bus and staying in pretty average hotels while often times working a second job during the summer time. They also dealt with extremely horrible racism and social justice issues that just don't exist today. While inherently comparing different players from different eras is a fruitless eras, it makes one look foolish to be in a rush to anoint a modern day player as the greatest ever halfway through a career. Lebron has many many things that are advantageous to him compared to players from earlier errors and those should not be discounted. I also don't like the idea that whatever is happening now has to be the greatest ever.

[knuckleballer]

Russell would have been a bigger stronger more athletic version of Ben Wallace and Dennis Rodman in the modern NBA.

A stronger Ben Wallace??? No, not even close.

The rest of that statement is possible though.

Yes, Russell would have been a stronger Ben Wallace.

Wallace might have been the strongest player in history alongside The Mailman.

That is just nonsense.  Ben Wallace's best bench was 460.  At the age of 59 years old Wilt Chamberlain benched 465. 

People have said in his prime Wilt benched over 500 pounds with ease and would do it multiple times.  Bill more than held his own with Wilt despite the significant size disadvantage. 

Now Wilt and Bill were freak athletes and far exceeded their peers in strength, athleticism, etc.  That is what made them so special and made their games just feel different than the games against everyone else.  And that is why there is no question, that especially with modern medicine, training, etc. they would have been every bit as good and dominant.

Hahahahahhaa. No. Wilt was the greatest physical specimen the league has ever seen, but he didn't bench 465 at 59 years old. He didnt even bench close to that in his prime. 465 is something that only the strongest linemen in football put up (while on a steroid cycle).

If Wilt was truly that strong he would be benching world records with today's diet and exercise while in his prime.

Edit: Wilt could clean and jerk 375 pounds and dead lift 625 pounds.  He benched over 500 pounds.  He ran the 400m in 49 seconds in high school (the world record at the time was 45 seconds).  He broad jumped 23 feet and shot putted 56 feet (this was at a meet for U of Kansas).  He tripled jumped over 50 feet and won the Big 8 championship in the high jump.  He ran a sub 11 second, 100 meter and a sub 2 minute 800 meters (multiple times).  All of this has been confirmed by multiple people over the years and is well documented.  Wilt was the greatest physical specimen sports has ever seen.  And this was all done with 1960's technology, equipment, medicine, food, etc. 

Here is Arnold talking about their training together.

https://youtu.be/STXbuXGPdoY

That video also talks about the time that Wilt lifted KC Jones off of the floor by lifting the basketball that KC Jones wouldn't let go.  Or how about the time Hondo tried to foul him and grabbed his arms and Wilt just went up and dunked with Hondo hanging on him.

Here is part 2 https://youtu.be/xrpmGuCmGnc

Any actual footage of these these feats? This sounds like the "the fish was this big" story where it keeps getting bigger over time. The old timers love to exaggerate. In the hockey world people claim that Bobby Hull had a 120mph slapshot and Gordie Howe has a 100 mph wrist shot, all while having smaller, wooden sticks.

I also heard Wilt could dunk from the free throw line flat footed. These feats just get greater and greater over the years.

I will admit that Wilt was the greatest athlete when it comes to dominating his peers in pretty much any sport, but let's be reasonable and assume that someone who did 1960s weight training and diets would not be head and shoulders stronger than those today. He was 7-1' and 260 at his peak, yet with his build he was as strong as 6-4' 350 linemen who do steroids today?

There are videos of some of his track feats out there and there are articles and records of his time at U. of Kansas regarding those track feats.  Arnold was talking about Wilt training with him when Wilt was 50.  I see no reason why Arnold would embellish that stuff. 

You can see old basketball footage of him dunking with guys hanging off of him.  All you have to do is some simple research. 

Wilt was a physical specimen like none the world has seen.  He was bigger stronger and faster than everyone else.  That is one of the reasons he still owns so many NBA records.  This is a guy that averaged 48.5 minutes one season when the average team scored 119 ppg and Wilt was taking 40 shots a game.  His stamina was incredible, his strength was incredible, his speed was incredible, etc.  Wilt was just a monster and he would have been a monster in any generation.

And he slept with 20,000 women.  Talk about stamina.   

[budMovin]

Russell would have been a bigger stronger more athletic version of Ben Wallace and Dennis Rodman in the modern NBA.

A stronger Ben Wallace??? No, not even close.

The rest of that statement is possible though.

Yes, Russell would have been a stronger Ben Wallace.

Wallace might have been the strongest player in history alongside The Mailman.

That is just nonsense.  Ben Wallace's best bench was 460.  At the age of 59 years old Wilt Chamberlain benched 465. 

People have said in his prime Wilt benched over 500 pounds with ease and would do it multiple times.  Bill more than held his own with Wilt despite the significant size disadvantage. 

Now Wilt and Bill were freak athletes and far exceeded their peers in strength, athleticism, etc.  That is what made them so special and made their games just feel different than the games against everyone else.  And that is why there is no question, that especially with modern medicine, training, etc. they would have been every bit as good and dominant.

Hahahahahhaa. No. Wilt was the greatest physical specimen the league has ever seen, but he didn't bench 465 at 59 years old. He didnt even bench close to that in his prime. 465 is something that only the strongest linemen in football put up (while on a steroid cycle).

If Wilt was truly that strong he would be benching world records with today's diet and exercise while in his prime.

Edit: Wilt could clean and jerk 375 pounds and dead lift 625 pounds.  He benched over 500 pounds.  He ran the 400m in 49 seconds in high school (the world record at the time was 45 seconds).  He broad jumped 23 feet and shot putted 56 feet (this was at a meet for U of Kansas).  He tripled jumped over 50 feet and won the Big 8 championship in the high jump.  He ran a sub 11 second, 100 meter and a sub 2 minute 800 meters (multiple times).  All of this has been confirmed by multiple people over the years and is well documented.  Wilt was the greatest physical specimen sports has ever seen.  And this was all done with 1960's technology, equipment, medicine, food, etc. 

Here is Arnold talking about their training together.

https://youtu.be/STXbuXGPdoY

That video also talks about the time that Wilt lifted KC Jones off of the floor by lifting the basketball that KC Jones wouldn't let go.  Or how about the time Hondo tried to foul him and grabbed his arms and Wilt just went up and dunked with Hondo hanging on him.

Here is part 2 https://youtu.be/xrpmGuCmGnc

Any actual footage of these these feats? This sounds like the "the fish was this big" story where it keeps getting bigger over time. The old timers love to exaggerate. In the hockey world people claim that Bobby Hull had a 120mph slapshot and Gordie Howe has a 100 mph wrist shot, all while having smaller, wooden sticks.

I also heard Wilt could dunk from the free throw line flat footed. These feats just get greater and greater over the years.

I will admit that Wilt was the greatest athlete when it comes to dominating his peers in pretty much any sport, but let's be reasonable and assume that someone who did 1960s weight training and diets would not be head and shoulders stronger than those today. He was 7-1' and 260 at his peak, yet with his build he was as strong as 6-4' 350 linemen who do steroids today?

There are videos of some of his track feats out there and there are articles and records of his time at U. of Kansas regarding those track feats.  Arnold was talking about Wilt training with him when Wilt was 50.  I see no reason why Arnold would embellish that stuff. 

You can see old basketball footage of him dunking with guys hanging off of him.  All you have to do is some simple research. 

Wilt was a physical specimen like none the world has seen.  He was bigger stronger and faster than everyone else.  That is one of the reasons he still owns so many NBA records.  This is a guy that averaged 48.5 minutes one season when the average team scored 119 ppg and Wilt was taking 40 shots a game.  His stamina was incredible, his strength was incredible, his speed was incredible, etc.  Wilt was just a monster and he would have been a monster in any generation.

Sure, if Wilt grew up today he would a freak with today's diet and exercise. 1960s Wilt would not be bigger, faster and stronger than anyone else in the game today. Wilt was one of the first players to actually do physical training, which is why he was so much better than his peers. He was also way taller. You had 6-6' centers back then. If you want to talk stamina, when compared to his peers, his peers consisted of guys that smoked packs of cigarettes a day (Tommy for example).

Also Shaq dunked all the time with guys hanging off of him and he wasn't nearly as strong as you say Wilt was, all while weighing 100lbs more in his prime.

http://i.imgur.com/1zmYMLE.gif
This image is the average height and weight of each position in the NBA over the years. Wilt was so much further ahead physically than his peers, but not compared to players today (As his 1960s self).

[budMovin]

Russell would have been a bigger stronger more athletic version of Ben Wallace and Dennis Rodman in the modern NBA.

A stronger Ben Wallace??? No, not even close.

The rest of that statement is possible though.

Yes, Russell would have been a stronger Ben Wallace.

Wallace might have been the strongest player in history alongside The Mailman.

That is just nonsense.  Ben Wallace's best bench was 460.  At the age of 59 years old Wilt Chamberlain benched 465. 

People have said in his prime Wilt benched over 500 pounds with ease and would do it multiple times.  Bill more than held his own with Wilt despite the significant size disadvantage. 

Now Wilt and Bill were freak athletes and far exceeded their peers in strength, athleticism, etc.  That is what made them so special and made their games just feel different than the games against everyone else.  And that is why there is no question, that especially with modern medicine, training, etc. they would have been every bit as good and dominant.

Hahahahahhaa. No. Wilt was the greatest physical specimen the league has ever seen, but he didn't bench 465 at 59 years old. He didnt even bench close to that in his prime. 465 is something that only the strongest linemen in football put up (while on a steroid cycle).

If Wilt was truly that strong he would be benching world records with today's diet and exercise while in his prime.

Edit: Wilt could clean and jerk 375 pounds and dead lift 625 pounds.  He benched over 500 pounds.  He ran the 400m in 49 seconds in high school (the world record at the time was 45 seconds).  He broad jumped 23 feet and shot putted 56 feet (this was at a meet for U of Kansas).  He tripled jumped over 50 feet and won the Big 8 championship in the high jump.  He ran a sub 11 second, 100 meter and a sub 2 minute 800 meters (multiple times).  All of this has been confirmed by multiple people over the years and is well documented.  Wilt was the greatest physical specimen sports has ever seen.  And this was all done with 1960's technology, equipment, medicine, food, etc. 

Here is Arnold talking about their training together.

https://youtu.be/STXbuXGPdoY

That video also talks about the time that Wilt lifted KC Jones off of the floor by lifting the basketball that KC Jones wouldn't let go.  Or how about the time Hondo tried to foul him and grabbed his arms and Wilt just went up and dunked with Hondo hanging on him.

Here is part 2 https://youtu.be/xrpmGuCmGnc

Any actual footage of these these feats? This sounds like the "the fish was this big" story where it keeps getting bigger over time. The old timers love to exaggerate. In the hockey world people claim that Bobby Hull had a 120mph slapshot and Gordie Howe has a 100 mph wrist shot, all while having smaller, wooden sticks.

I also heard Wilt could dunk from the free throw line flat footed. These feats just get greater and greater over the years.

I will admit that Wilt was the greatest athlete when it comes to dominating his peers in pretty much any sport, but let's be reasonable and assume that someone who did 1960s weight training and diets would not be head and shoulders stronger than those today. He was 7-1' and 260 at his peak, yet with his build he was as strong as 6-4' 350 linemen who do steroids today?

There are videos of some of his track feats out there and there are articles and records of his time at U. of Kansas regarding those track feats.  Arnold was talking about Wilt training with him when Wilt was 50.  I see no reason why Arnold would embellish that stuff. 

You can see old basketball footage of him dunking with guys hanging off of him.  All you have to do is some simple research. 

Wilt was a physical specimen like none the world has seen.  He was bigger stronger and faster than everyone else.  That is one of the reasons he still owns so many NBA records.  This is a guy that averaged 48.5 minutes one season when the average team scored 119 ppg and Wilt was taking 40 shots a game.  His stamina was incredible, his strength was incredible, his speed was incredible, etc.  Wilt was just a monster and he would have been a monster in any generation.

Thank you for providing so much background and info on this thread regarding this. As I have said throughout this thread it really saddens me how we feel the need to try and discredit some of the performances of the players that helped make the game what it was today. In addition to not having access to the nutrition, training and medical expertise that exists today these guys were also traveling by games to bus and staying in pretty average hotels while often times working a second job during the summer time. They also dealt with extremely horrible racism and social justice issues that just don't exist today. While inherently comparing different players from different eras is a fruitless eras, it makes one look foolish to be in a rush to anoint a modern day player as the greatest ever halfway through a career. Lebron has many many things that are advantageous to him compared to players from earlier errors and those should not be discounted. I also don't like the idea that whatever is happening now has to be the greatest ever.

Whatever is happening now is not the greatest. The Jordan Bulls is the greatest team we have ever seen and MJ was the best player ever. We haven't seen centers as good as Wilt, Russell and Kareem since those players actually played. What makes Lebron so special is that the playing field is so level when it comes to diet and exercise, yet he is head and shoulders above his peers. Lebron today is an amazing force, but he isn't the greatest when you compare him to his peers as you do with other greats.

With that being said, I think it also discredits players today to think you can just drop someone from 50 years ago into today's NBA and that they would be as dominant today as they were back then when they were so much more physically dominant than their peers.

[Moranis]

Russell would have been a bigger stronger more athletic version of Ben Wallace and Dennis Rodman in the modern NBA.

A stronger Ben Wallace??? No, not even close.

The rest of that statement is possible though.

Yes, Russell would have been a stronger Ben Wallace.

Wallace might have been the strongest player in history alongside The Mailman.

That is just nonsense.  Ben Wallace's best bench was 460.  At the age of 59 years old Wilt Chamberlain benched 465. 

People have said in his prime Wilt benched over 500 pounds with ease and would do it multiple times.  Bill more than held his own with Wilt despite the significant size disadvantage. 

Now Wilt and Bill were freak athletes and far exceeded their peers in strength, athleticism, etc.  That is what made them so special and made their games just feel different than the games against everyone else.  And that is why there is no question, that especially with modern medicine, training, etc. they would have been every bit as good and dominant.

Hahahahahhaa. No. Wilt was the greatest physical specimen the league has ever seen, but he didn't bench 465 at 59 years old. He didnt even bench close to that in his prime. 465 is something that only the strongest linemen in football put up (while on a steroid cycle).

If Wilt was truly that strong he would be benching world records with today's diet and exercise while in his prime.

Edit: Wilt could clean and jerk 375 pounds and dead lift 625 pounds.  He benched over 500 pounds.  He ran the 400m in 49 seconds in high school (the world record at the time was 45 seconds).  He broad jumped 23 feet and shot putted 56 feet (this was at a meet for U of Kansas).  He tripled jumped over 50 feet and won the Big 8 championship in the high jump.  He ran a sub 11 second, 100 meter and a sub 2 minute 800 meters (multiple times).  All of this has been confirmed by multiple people over the years and is well documented.  Wilt was the greatest physical specimen sports has ever seen.  And this was all done with 1960's technology, equipment, medicine, food, etc. 

Here is Arnold talking about their training together.

https://youtu.be/STXbuXGPdoY

That video also talks about the time that Wilt lifted KC Jones off of the floor by lifting the basketball that KC Jones wouldn't let go.  Or how about the time Hondo tried to foul him and grabbed his arms and Wilt just went up and dunked with Hondo hanging on him.

Here is part 2 https://youtu.be/xrpmGuCmGnc

Any actual footage of these these feats? This sounds like the "the fish was this big" story where it keeps getting bigger over time. The old timers love to exaggerate. In the hockey world people claim that Bobby Hull had a 120mph slapshot and Gordie Howe has a 100 mph wrist shot, all while having smaller, wooden sticks.

I also heard Wilt could dunk from the free throw line flat footed. These feats just get greater and greater over the years.

I will admit that Wilt was the greatest athlete when it comes to dominating his peers in pretty much any sport, but let's be reasonable and assume that someone who did 1960s weight training and diets would not be head and shoulders stronger than those today. He was 7-1' and 260 at his peak, yet with his build he was as strong as 6-4' 350 linemen who do steroids today?

There are videos of some of his track feats out there and there are articles and records of his time at U. of Kansas regarding those track feats.  Arnold was talking about Wilt training with him when Wilt was 50.  I see no reason why Arnold would embellish that stuff. 

You can see old basketball footage of him dunking with guys hanging off of him.  All you have to do is some simple research. 

Wilt was a physical specimen like none the world has seen.  He was bigger stronger and faster than everyone else.  That is one of the reasons he still owns so many NBA records.  This is a guy that averaged 48.5 minutes one season when the average team scored 119 ppg and Wilt was taking 40 shots a game.  His stamina was incredible, his strength was incredible, his speed was incredible, etc.  Wilt was just a monster and he would have been a monster in any generation.

Sure, if Wilt grew up today he would a freak with today's diet and exercise. 1960s Wilt would not be bigger, faster and stronger than anyone else in the game today. Wilt was one of the first players to actually do physical training, which is why he was so much better than his peers. He was also way taller. You had 6-6' centers back then. If you want to talk stamina, when compared to his peers, his peers consisted of guys that smoked packs of cigarettes a day (Tommy for example).

Also Shaq dunked all the time with guys hanging off of him and he wasn't nearly as strong as you say Wilt was, all while weighing 100lbs more in his prime.

http://i.imgur.com/1zmYMLE.gif
This image is the average height and weight of each position in the NBA over the years. Wilt was so much further ahead physically than his peers, but not compared to players today (As his 1960s self).

In 1961/62 here are the centers of the 9 teams

Celtics - Russell 6'10", 215 (played over 45 minutes a game)
Warriors - Chamberlain 7'1", 275 (Wilt played all but 6 minutes the entire season)
Nationals - Red Kerr 6'9", 235 - backed up by Swede Hallbrook 7'3", 235
Knicks - Phil Jordan 6'10", 205 - Darrall Imhoff 6'10", 220
Lakers - Jim Krebs 6'8", 230 - Ray Felix 6'11", 220
Royals - Wayne Embry 6'8", 240 - Hub Reed 6"9", 215 - Bevo Nordmann 6'10" 225
Pistons - Bob Ferry 6"8", 230 - Walter Dukes 7'0", 220
Hawks - Bob Petit 6'9", 205 - Cylde Lovellette 6'9", 234 - Larry Foust 6'9", 215
Packers - Walt Bellamy 6'11", 225 (played over 42 minutes a game)

Plenty of players in Wilt's general height range.  He was obviously a heavier guy, but he wasn't towering over most of his peers. 

Look the numbers are what they are.  You can choose to ignore them or you can just come to accept that Wilt was a physical specimen like none the basketball world has seen.  The man was bench pressing over 500 pounds at 50 years of age (just ask Arnold he will tell you).  He was a top level track and field athlete in high school and college.  He was a world class volleyball player in his 50's.  He was in such good shape at the end of the 70's (when he was well into his 40's) that the Knicks actually brought him in and considered signing him to a contract.  Some guys are just physical freaks.  Wilt was one of those guys.

[budMovin]

Russell would have been a bigger stronger more athletic version of Ben Wallace and Dennis Rodman in the modern NBA.

A stronger Ben Wallace??? No, not even close.

The rest of that statement is possible though.

Yes, Russell would have been a stronger Ben Wallace.

Wallace might have been the strongest player in history alongside The Mailman.

That is just nonsense.  Ben Wallace's best bench was 460.  At the age of 59 years old Wilt Chamberlain benched 465. 

People have said in his prime Wilt benched over 500 pounds with ease and would do it multiple times.  Bill more than held his own with Wilt despite the significant size disadvantage. 

Now Wilt and Bill were freak athletes and far exceeded their peers in strength, athleticism, etc.  That is what made them so special and made their games just feel different than the games against everyone else.  And that is why there is no question, that especially with modern medicine, training, etc. they would have been every bit as good and dominant.

Hahahahahhaa. No. Wilt was the greatest physical specimen the league has ever seen, but he didn't bench 465 at 59 years old. He didnt even bench close to that in his prime. 465 is something that only the strongest linemen in football put up (while on a steroid cycle).

If Wilt was truly that strong he would be benching world records with today's diet and exercise while in his prime.

Edit: Wilt could clean and jerk 375 pounds and dead lift 625 pounds.  He benched over 500 pounds.  He ran the 400m in 49 seconds in high school (the world record at the time was 45 seconds).  He broad jumped 23 feet and shot putted 56 feet (this was at a meet for U of Kansas).  He tripled jumped over 50 feet and won the Big 8 championship in the high jump.  He ran a sub 11 second, 100 meter and a sub 2 minute 800 meters (multiple times).  All of this has been confirmed by multiple people over the years and is well documented.  Wilt was the greatest physical specimen sports has ever seen.  And this was all done with 1960's technology, equipment, medicine, food, etc. 

Here is Arnold talking about their training together.

https://youtu.be/STXbuXGPdoY

That video also talks about the time that Wilt lifted KC Jones off of the floor by lifting the basketball that KC Jones wouldn't let go.  Or how about the time Hondo tried to foul him and grabbed his arms and Wilt just went up and dunked with Hondo hanging on him.

Here is part 2 https://youtu.be/xrpmGuCmGnc

Any actual footage of these these feats? This sounds like the "the fish was this big" story where it keeps getting bigger over time. The old timers love to exaggerate. In the hockey world people claim that Bobby Hull had a 120mph slapshot and Gordie Howe has a 100 mph wrist shot, all while having smaller, wooden sticks.

I also heard Wilt could dunk from the free throw line flat footed. These feats just get greater and greater over the years.

I will admit that Wilt was the greatest athlete when it comes to dominating his peers in pretty much any sport, but let's be reasonable and assume that someone who did 1960s weight training and diets would not be head and shoulders stronger than those today. He was 7-1' and 260 at his peak, yet with his build he was as strong as 6-4' 350 linemen who do steroids today?

There are videos of some of his track feats out there and there are articles and records of his time at U. of Kansas regarding those track feats.  Arnold was talking about Wilt training with him when Wilt was 50.  I see no reason why Arnold would embellish that stuff. 

You can see old basketball footage of him dunking with guys hanging off of him.  All you have to do is some simple research. 

Wilt was a physical specimen like none the world has seen.  He was bigger stronger and faster than everyone else.  That is one of the reasons he still owns so many NBA records.  This is a guy that averaged 48.5 minutes one season when the average team scored 119 ppg and Wilt was taking 40 shots a game.  His stamina was incredible, his strength was incredible, his speed was incredible, etc.  Wilt was just a monster and he would have been a monster in any generation.

Sure, if Wilt grew up today he would a freak with today's diet and exercise. 1960s Wilt would not be bigger, faster and stronger than anyone else in the game today. Wilt was one of the first players to actually do physical training, which is why he was so much better than his peers. He was also way taller. You had 6-6' centers back then. If you want to talk stamina, when compared to his peers, his peers consisted of guys that smoked packs of cigarettes a day (Tommy for example).

Also Shaq dunked all the time with guys hanging off of him and he wasn't nearly as strong as you say Wilt was, all while weighing 100lbs more in his prime.

http://i.imgur.com/1zmYMLE.gif
This image is the average height and weight of each position in the NBA over the years. Wilt was so much further ahead physically than his peers, but not compared to players today (As his 1960s self).

In 1961/62 here are the centers of the 9 teams

Celtics - Russell 6'10", 215 (played over 45 minutes a game)
Warriors - Chamberlain 7'1", 275 (Wilt played all but 6 minutes the entire season)
Nationals - Red Kerr 6'9", 235 - backed up by Swede Hallbrook 7'3", 235
Knicks - Phil Jordan 6'10", 205 - Darrall Imhoff 6'10", 220
Lakers - Jim Krebs 6'8", 230 - Ray Felix 6'11", 220
Royals - Wayne Embry 6'8", 240 - Hub Reed 6"9", 215 - Bevo Nordmann 6'10" 225
Pistons - Bob Ferry 6"8", 230 - Walter Dukes 7'0", 220
Hawks - Bob Petit 6'9", 205 - Cylde Lovellette 6'9", 234 - Larry Foust 6'9", 215
Packers - Walt Bellamy 6'11", 225 (played over 42 minutes a game)

Plenty of players in Wilt's general height range.  He was obviously a heavier guy, but he wasn't towering over most of his peers. 

Look the numbers are what they are.  You can choose to ignore them or you can just come to accept that Wilt was a physical specimen like none the basketball world has seen.  The man was bench pressing over 500 pounds at 50 years of age (just ask Arnold he will tell you).  He was a top level track and field athlete in high school and college.  He was a world class volleyball player in his 50's.  He was in such good shape at the end of the 70's (when he was well into his 40's) that the Knicks actually brought him in and considered signing him to a contract.  Some guys are just physical freaks.  Wilt was one of those guys.

Wilt was the greatest physical specimen the league has ever seen. With that being said, he still isn't remotely close to the athlete that you are describing. That athlete did not exist because it's just not physically possible, especially with the age things you are describing. Wilt wouldn't even be that ridiculous with today's diet and exercise regimens. These are tall tales that have only gotten taller as time has gone on.

Bill Russell looked like this:


He did not physicality hold his own against the machine you are describing. He physically held his own against Wilt Chamberlain.

[Moranis]

https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=bill+russell&view=detailv2&&id=7E14C46EA4188F48EEB1F2281E2F64E764CE488A&selectedIndex=20&ccid=hkL4MErI&simid=608020615414416359&thid=OIP.M8642f8304ac8586808099a445251e6faH0

pictures can show whatever you want, in the one from the link you can see a guy that is incredibly muscular.  Lean, yes, but muscular.

I mean here is one of Ben Wallace

https://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?&id=OIP.Mb47f6fa27da64bbd1570bd98302fe732o0&w=182&h=280&c=0&pid=1.9&rs=0&p=0&r=0

[byennie]

In 1961/62 here are the centers of the 9 teams

Celtics - Russell 6'10", 215 (played over 45 minutes a game)
Warriors - Chamberlain 7'1", 275 (Wilt played all but 6 minutes the entire season)
Nationals - Red Kerr 6'9", 235 - backed up by Swede Hallbrook 7'3", 235
Knicks - Phil Jordan 6'10", 205 - Darrall Imhoff 6'10", 220
Lakers - Jim Krebs 6'8", 230 - Ray Felix 6'11", 220
Royals - Wayne Embry 6'8", 240 - Hub Reed 6"9", 215 - Bevo Nordmann 6'10" 225
Pistons - Bob Ferry 6"8", 230 - Walter Dukes 7'0", 220
Hawks - Bob Petit 6'9", 205 - Cylde Lovellette 6'9", 234 - Larry Foust 6'9", 215
Packers - Walt Bellamy 6'11", 225 (played over 42 minutes a game)

Plenty of players in Wilt's general height range.  He was obviously a heavier guy, but he wasn't towering over most of his peers.

Um, every starting center on that list gives up both 35-70 pounds and 3-5 inches. If that's not towering over your peers, I don't know what is.

[flybono]

LeBron is better. If Bird never hurt his back things could have been different overall but this last championship seals the deal for me. LeBron is past Bird.

I'll bet you never watched Bird play after that statement, have you?

Turn in your colors, your not Celtic fan

[kozlodoev]

Edit: Wilt could clean and jerk 375 pounds

A 120 lbs (56 kg) guy can clean and jerk 375 lbs (170 kg). I assume you typoed the number?

http://www.iwf.net/results/world-records/

In the early 60's the world record was less than 480 pounds.

Sure. As of 1960s, the world record for bantamweights was around 300 lbs, and the world record for heavyweight was 445 lbs.

Right, which means Wilt's 375 is very impressive especially when you consider he wasn't actually training to maximize that or go for a record. 

Wilt was the strongest player the NBA has ever seen and might very well have been the most athletic.  Countless people, including Bill Russell, John Havileck, and KC Jones all verify his strength.  The fact that Bill could at least hang around with Wilt physically says far more about Bill's athleticism and strength than anything else.

I'm sure he was considered strong in the 1960s, when moving a 220 lbs guy out of the paint was considered some sort of a feat (more on this here). The rest is tall tales.

The article you posted references Arnold confirming Wilt was benching over 500 pounds. 

Look I'm sure there is some fantasy with Wilt, but it is unquestioned that Wilt was a monster.  EVERYONE who ever played against him, said he was by far the strongest person they ever met.

Of course he was the strongest person they ever met. He was playing against 6'8, 230 lbs "centers". This pretty much meant Wilt was going against a Khris Middleton on an average night. It's all relative.

[hagar55voa]

Give me Bird any day of the week...You can have anybody else...There will never be another
Bird...