The 5 strongest players in NBA History

an angry Darryl Dawkins, sorta like the Incredible Hulk, Dennis Rodman,Artis Gilmore are also possible candidates.

Reggie Miller

-80 Below Zero wrote:

1.Wilt Chamberlain- Could bench press 500lbs in his prime.

2.Shaq

3.Ben Wallace

4.Karl Malone

5.Charles Oakley

Charles Barkley was ridiculously strong (while looking like a marshmallow)

Moses Malone

Wes Unseld

Wilt

Bob McAdoo

Karl Malone

Darryl Dawkins

Shaq

Chamberlin. Shaquille was also a center. Plus Chamberlin was a freak, imagine if he had access to the modern day stuff and training method Shaquille had.

Defense gotta go with Bill Russell. Have you seem the guy. Built like a twig. Swatting balls like flies from the offense. You have seen the videos. Holy smokes four or five guys went up against him. All rejected. Plus he can defend against the freak Wilt. That is like worth two thousand points.

Magic Johnson

Jordan.

Larry Bird

Kareem on the bench honorable mention.

Nikola Peković needs to be added to the list.

Danny Fortsen was a monster.

Maurice Lucas may be in the conversation. Definitely a candidate for toughest.

Adam Morrison

Greg Ostertag

Tayshaun Prince

Shawn Bradley

Manute Bol

Nah, on second thought, OP's list is pretty good.

Sabonis was a rock who couldn't get banged around by Shaq when the battled on the boards.

I forgot to mention Alonzo Mourning who had great physical strength also.

Anyways I am still sticking with my top 5

Wilt's 20,000 woman at a conservative 100 push-up like movements per is a sh!tload of push-ups!

Check this article about Wilt. The man was a freak of nature.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/438984-wilt-chamberlain-did-he-really-play-in-weak-era

"Anyway, Wilt could bench press 550lbs back in college. On the set of Conan the Destroyer and when he was around mid-forties, Wilt was rumored to have a bench pressed 450lbs and beaten Arnold in weight lifting."

"The New Jersey Nets, back in the 80's, were still actively wooing him back out of retirement when Wilt was already going 50 (in an 80's Lakers exhibition scrimmages, Wilt at center held a Magic Johnson-lead team scoreless)."

Would Wilt had dominated in today's NBA?

What would it be like if a prime 7'1'' 300-pounder with a 55" vertical and a 500 bench press came into the league now? I think he'd expose the NBA for the sham it is today.

First, he'd definitely lead the NBA in rebounds. He'd average 18.

Second, he'd lead the league in blocks. He'd average six or seven.

Third, he'd lead the league in shooting percentage for guys over 15 points per game.

He'd average over 60 percent (like Lebron James is doing this season, except Wilt would done it over several seasons).

Fourth, he'd lead the league in free throws tried. 15-20 per game.

He would also lead in minutes played at 45 per game. No center could run with him.

He'd average well over 20 points and a fraction over seven assists, also. And his team, no matter which one he's put on, would contend immediately.

Since there's so few good centers now, and a bloated 30-team league where he only plays half of them twice, the regular season would be a cakewalk.

Just wow. He would have bitch slapped Shaq up and down the court.

Magic, after the HIV thing, was incredibly strong.

No doubt Wilt would be a dominant player in any era BUT it is truly hilarious that you believe such tripe.

"Wilt was rumored..."

"Held a Magic-led team scoreless..."

55" vertical

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.

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Must be really fun to live in a fantasy world.

James Harden

I love the OP's list of five. They are the legit answers and none of the replies since have changed that top 5. I once saw Oakley up close and was one of the few times in my life I felt intimidated by someone just being in the same hallway and the dude liked to fight on top of that. For the person who replied with Barkley, even Barkley knew he couldn't mess with Oakley. Once Oakley pounded him looking to fight and Barkley was willing to let go of his pride and just walk (kinda run) away as he knew he had no shot in a fight against Oakley.

Ben Wallace - Ron Artest liked to fight and thinks himself a tough guy but when he pissed off Wallace, he ran into the stands to avoid him pretending to have a quabble with some Detroit fans just hiding the fact that he was scared s**t of Wallace.

Shaq in his Laker days was so strong he hurt people without even trying.

If going just on build (not sure how strong he was exactly) Kevin Willis would also be a candidate here.

A couple years ago, I listened to Sonny Hill on AM 610 WIP (the leading sports talk station in Philly)). Sonny Hill is a walking basketball encyclopedia and an icon. Throughout the Delaware Valleyt- he is known as Mr. Basketball and arbiter of all stories. He mentioned this very same story about Magic Johnson getting shut down in a pick-up game. The story goes something like this:

Wilt with a bunch of nobodies vs Magic Johnson also with a bunch of nobodies for a friendly game. No refs, of course. Wilt was in his mid-50's at the time. The game starts, Wilt is going up for a jump shot and clips Magic's arm- Magic calls him for a foul. Wilt looks at him rather curiously and states something to the efffect, "if you're going to play that way, then I'm going to shut you down..."

He proceeded to do just that, the game vitually turned into a one-on-one. It was a no contest, Magic could not drive to the basket and had most of his shots blocked. His team was held scoreless.

To give you an idea on how big Chamberlain was, check out this pic with Shaq (during his Orlando Magic days) standing next to him. An old Wilt looked fitter and stronger even in dress clothes. There is an interview with Sonny Hill attached.

Enjoy your ignorance.