The guy was a phenomenal athlete. His stats were incredible. The centers today pretty much sink. You don't think he would have a picnic against Chet Holmgren (pre-injury)?
Wilt would be the best athlete at the center position no matter what era. His game would be different if he grew up in the present era but, even so, prime Wilt would dominate the post in today's game. Jokic is too slow to check him and Wilt's length and jumping ability would stifle Jokic on offense. Embid is too small to stop Wilt in the post but would give Wilt some trouble on the perimeter although Wilt's quickness would enable him to limit Embid off the dribble. Wilt was too strong for Gobert but that would be an interesting matchup. Wilt would win that matchup but would have to utilize his entire repertoire on offense. There are two centers who would be great matchups with Wilt--Shaq and Akeem Olajuwon. I think prime Wilt gets the better of them but it would be fun to watch.
Wilt would be the best athlete at the center position no matter what era. His game would be different if he grew up in the present era but, even so, prime Wilt would dominate the post in today's game. Jokic is too slow to check him and Wilt's length and jumping ability would stifle Jokic on offense. Embid is too small to stop Wilt in the post but would give Wilt some trouble on the perimeter although Wilt's quickness would enable him to limit Embid off the dribble. Wilt was too strong for Gobert but that would be an interesting matchup. Wilt would win that matchup but would have to utilize his entire repertoire on offense. There are two centers who would be great matchups with Wilt--Shaq and Akeem Olajuwon. I think prime Wilt gets the better of them but it would be fun to watch.
yeah-peak Shaq late 90's early 2000's was hard to beat!
Wilt was listed as 7'1 and 275 pounds while Embiid is 7'0 and 280. Embiid might not stop him but not because he's too small. Wilt couldn't hit his free throws nor shoot from the perimeter, the rules today favor the perimeter game at the expense of post play even for big guys.
Nevertheless Wilt would be able to figure it out, the outliers of every era would find a way.
Wilt would be the best athlete at the center position no matter what era. His game would be different if he grew up in the present era but, even so, prime Wilt would dominate the post in today's game. Jokic is too slow to check him and Wilt's length and jumping ability would stifle Jokic on offense. Embid is too small to stop Wilt in the post but would give Wilt some trouble on the perimeter although Wilt's quickness would enable him to limit Embid off the dribble. Wilt was too strong for Gobert but that would be an interesting matchup. Wilt would win that matchup but would have to utilize his entire repertoire on offense. There are two centers who would be great matchups with Wilt--Shaq and Akeem Olajuwon. I think prime Wilt gets the better of them but it would be fun to watch.
yeah-peak Shaq late 90's early 2000's was hard to beat!
Shaq said he weighed 395 pounds when the Lakers won their third title with him. He would have weighed about 200 more pounds than Holmgren. Imagine you are say 6' and 175 pounds going up against someone weighing 375 pounds. You ain't moving that person around. You ain't doing much against that guy besides taking jumpers outside.
Wilt was listed as 7'1 and 275 pounds while Embiid is 7'0 and 280. Embiid might not stop him but not because he's too small. Wilt couldn't hit his free throws nor shoot from the perimeter, the rules today favor the perimeter game at the expense of post play even for big guys.
Nevertheless Wilt would be able to figure it out, the outliers of every era would find a way.
I don't remember the story exactly - way too many years - but a coach was talking to Wilt about his poor free throw shooting - and the coach said something like - if you were a better free throw shooter - it wouldn't even be fair.
Wilt was listed as 7'1 and 275 pounds while Embiid is 7'0 and 280. Embiid might not stop him but not because he's too small. Wilt couldn't hit his free throws nor shoot from the perimeter, the rules today favor the perimeter game at the expense of post play even for big guys.
Nevertheless Wilt would be able to figure it out, the outliers of every era would find a way.
Being "too small" in basketball parlance is about more than height and weight, it's about attitude, strength (Wilt was preternaturally strong), positioning and willingness to bang bodies. Not saying Embiid is soft but Wilt would have dominated him down low.
As for shooting from the perimeter, that's why I said Wilt's game would be different if he grew up in this era. If he had, his perimeter shooting would have been just fine.
Agree with a couple of the other posters: pick the era, and Wilt would be the best center. That is not to say he'd be winning the championships; for that you'd need Russell.
Wilt was listed as 7'1 and 275 pounds while Embiid is 7'0 and 280. Embiid might not stop him but not because he's too small. Wilt couldn't hit his free throws nor shoot from the perimeter, the rules today favor the perimeter game at the expense of post play even for big guys.
Nevertheless Wilt would be able to figure it out, the outliers of every era would find a way.
And Gobert is listed as 7'1 and 245, although he looks a bit heavier. But there is really nothing Gobert can do that Wilt couldn't do better, given his superior athleticism, quickness, and leaping ability. Wilt was also an underrated passer and he probably could have been a lot better.
If you think of Wilt as Gobert, but much better offensively it would certainly make him one of the top players in the league.
Wilt was listed as 7'1 and 275 pounds while Embiid is 7'0 and 280. Embiid might not stop him but not because he's too small. Wilt couldn't hit his free throws nor shoot from the perimeter, the rules today favor the perimeter game at the expense of post play even for big guys.
Nevertheless Wilt would be able to figure it out, the outliers of every era would find a way.
And Gobert is listed as 7'1 and 245, although he looks a bit heavier. But there is really nothing Gobert can do that Wilt couldn't do better, given his superior athleticism, quickness, and leaping ability. Wilt was also an underrated passer and he probably could have been a lot better.
If you think of Wilt as Gobert, but much better offensively it would certainly make him one of the top players in the league.
I don't think of Gobert as Wilt in any way. Gobert is good defensively, actually great defensively around the rim but not on the perimeter. As another poster stated Wilt would be good as a defender on the perimeter.
I think Wilt today would be more like Giannis, a physically gifted athlete not known for his shooting but could attack the rim with one long stride and score. And just as Giannis has improved his once poor free throw shooting Wilt would have adjusted and become a decent shooter as a poster suggested.
And Gobert is listed as 7'1 and 245, although he looks a bit heavier. But there is really nothing Gobert can do that Wilt couldn't do better, given his superior athleticism, quickness, and leaping ability. Wilt was also an underrated passer and he probably could have been a lot better.
If you think of Wilt as Gobert, but much better offensively it would certainly make him one of the top players in the league.
I don't think of Gobert as Wilt in any way. Gobert is good defensively, actually great defensively around the rim but not on the perimeter. As another poster stated Wilt would be good as a defender on the perimeter.
I think Wilt today would be more like Giannis, a physically gifted athlete not known for his shooting but could attack the rim with one long stride and score. And just as Giannis has improved his once poor free throw shooting Wilt would have adjusted and become a decent shooter as a poster suggested.
The outliers will do well in any era.
I didn't mean to imply that Wilt was like Gobert. He's not. But Gobert is considered one of the best centers in the game today because of his defense around the rim. Otherwise, why did Minn. give up so much for him? And Wilt could do everything that Gobert could do defensively but much more, especially on offense. Yes, he would excel in any era.
As far as free throw shooting, Wilt had every chance and incentive to improve but he never did, the same as Shaq. There is no reason to think he would be different today.
I don't think of Gobert as Wilt in any way. Gobert is good defensively, actually great defensively around the rim but not on the perimeter. As another poster stated Wilt would be good as a defender on the perimeter.
I think Wilt today would be more like Giannis, a physically gifted athlete not known for his shooting but could attack the rim with one long stride and score. And just as Giannis has improved his once poor free throw shooting Wilt would have adjusted and become a decent shooter as a poster suggested.
The outliers will do well in any era.
I didn't mean to imply that Wilt was like Gobert. He's not. But Gobert is considered one of the best centers in the game today because of his defense around the rim. Otherwise, why did Minn. give up so much for him? And Wilt could do everything that Gobert could do defensively but much more, especially on offense. Yes, he would excel in any era.
As far as free throw shooting, Wilt had every chance and incentive to improve but he never did, the same as Shaq. There is no reason to think he would be different today.
Shaq was lazy, Wilt was not. When Wilt was labeled a one dimensional scorer he came back to lead in assists. He played defense too. In his 100 point game his free throw shooting was outstanding. I think if he had to play more on the perimeter, like players today, he would have worked on shooting.
I don't know why Minn gave up so much but they sure are trying something new with their twin tower lineup. They're swinging for the fences this year, it will be interesting watching them.
The #5 position (center) isn't really the same position anymore. It's a perimeter game now and Wilt's strength and abilities could be overcome by many different strategies and the superior shooting of today's players so this is not a straight up proposition. Not to mention the rules today shut down hand checks and most contact is ruled foul, if not flagrant foul.
Of today's #5s, Jokic could easily outshoot Wilt.
Wilt would absolutely dominate rebounding, and no one would be able to drive to the bucket on him without suffering. He would still ragdoll anyone brave enough to grab the ball if he was going for it also. His D alone would make thr dominant force today.
It would've been more interesting to see Wilt go against Shaq when Shaq was his best and while the NBA still had rougher rules and less perimeter oriented. But Wilt could outrun Shaq all day and could still physically handle a much heavier Shaq. ...Wilt had a huge vertical jump (self claimed @48" but actually 40") and could dunk a 12' basket height and could touch the top of the glass easily... something Shaq could not come close to. He could also run sub 50 400 in college, bench press 500 pounds, and his hands wrapped around the basketball. ...All things that Shaq could not do!
But in today's NBA these qualities are neutralized by perimeter shooting and hands off rules.
I would say Jokic would regularly score more than Wilt today at the 5 position
I grew up watching 20-30 of Wilt's games per year in Philly on tv and a couple each year in person and one of my family members played against him in high school and one of my high school track coaches competed against him in track. In recent years I have watched 20-30 of Embiid's games per year on tv and a couple in person per year. I have strong opinions on them and on the other NBA centers of my lifetime. I am sure that Wilt was the best and it's kind of a litmus test for me to smoke out people who never saw him play, or understand the game, when they name other people. He was amazing and had exactly the physical abilities and mental obsessiveness that would make him great in today's game. My reverse test is anyone who says Shaq was the best (or for that matter anywhere near the top 3 all time.) He was woefully show compared to Chamberlain, underskilled compared to Jabbar, Olajawon, and Embiid, and would be outworked and outsmarted by Malone and Russell. Young Shaq had a very limited game and against lots of weak centers in an expansion dilluted league. Older Shaq was overweight, a bit more skilled, and referee favored. He would get zero "because he's Shaq" calls against any of those seven. Russell was really good, but he played every game of his career on an all star team assembled by an owner, GM and coach who outsmarted the league. His "winner" reputation is largely a result of at good fortune. Sure he was a great defender against regular players, but was afwful against Wilt and also would be weak against Jabbar, Olajawon, Embiid, Malone and even Shaq. Wilt ran the quarter/400 faster than Alan Iverson could at his peak. He was NFL lineman strong and had a mental toughness that was unlike any of those other great big men with the exception of Moses Malone. Wilt burned hot when he wanted to. In that way different than Jordan or Iverson, who always burned hot. I have never seen an athlete the physical and mental equal of Wilt. For the combination, a young Kevin Garnett comes the closest, although weaker physically, but comparable speed and intensity. In today's game, you would have to put together Giannis' ability to get down the court as a big man, Embiid's strength and instincts in close quarters, and Jimmy Butler's I'll do what it takes in the moment intensity and willingness to take on the hardest role at the biggest time. We all thought will was the future, the near future. We were wrong. That future still hasn't come yet. Wilt 2 has not yet arrived. He was rare in height, unusual in competitiveness, and unparalleled in strength and speed. In track happy Philadelphia, he was the fastest quarter miler as a skinny 6 foot 11 kid. He got muscle, tons of it and became a collegiate shot putter while also being a collegiate high jumper. Lots of nobody ever did that and that at the same time stuff with Wilt.
In my opinion, Wilt versus Shaq as his career actually went would have been very uninteresting. Will would embarass him and young Shaq would be gassed and toyed with. Fat Shaq would likely never have happened if he competed against Wilt. He would never have become fat and happy in his prime, but would have been chasing to compete with the great Wilt. Fat Shaq would be booed against Wilt, pure embarassment. Wilt versus Garnett interesting because each could get to the same spot on the court at nearly the same time with similar intensity. Wilt versus Embiid interesting in close quarters, but once again, Wilt downcourt far faster. Wilt versus Olajawon might be the most interesting because of Hakeem's mix of defensive smarts, quickness and strength, but Wilt was taller and stronger. I think anything Russell could do, others have done better. Not so true with Wilt and certainly not the whole package.