Wilt Chamberlain Would Not Be As Dominant in 2024
I love Wilt Chamberlain, but the conversation on Middays with Bob Cooney recently went too far. Fans suggested that Wilt would be just as dominant today as he was in his era. That is impossible to imagine. I hate to be put in this spot because I have tremendous respect for the legend of Wilt, but his fans go too far.
Respect is a 2-way street. By suggesting that a player who made his NBA debut in 1959 would be just as dominant in 2024, is disrespectful to everyone who has played in the NBA the last 60+ years.
The Game Is Different Than When Wilt Chamberlain Played
I am not at all saying that Wilt Chamberlain wouldn’t be able to compete in today’s game, I am saying that he would not be as dominant as in the 50s and 60s. Saying he would average 28, and not 40 feels fair. We accept that as a fact in every other sport.
No reasonable person believes Chuck Bednarik, who also played in 1959 like Wilt did, could start at center and linebacker in today’s NFL. It is an impossibility. Wilt was a true marvel, and a true great, but there is no way he would average 22.9 rebounds per game for his career if it started in 2019 and not 1959. This isn’t hating, it is being reasonable. Wilt averaged 50.4 points per game in a year where he shot 50.6% from the foul line. That couldn’t happen in today’s game. He would still be an All-Star but come on people.
I have questioned how Michael Jordan who made his NBA debut 25 years after Wilt, would adjust to today’s NBA. He is many fans’ (other than me) GOAT. The rule changes like illegal defense going away, would force Jordan to make adjustments he never had to make. Would he still be great? 100%. Would he still be 6-0 in the finals? Maybe.
Where Does It Stop?
If we say that Wilt would be just as dominant today, where does it stop? Do we believe that if Babe Ruth played today that he would hit more homers than whole teams like he did back in the day? Do we believe that Wayne Gretzky would still score 92 goals and have 120 assists like he did in 81-82? Of course not!
None of this is Wilt Chamberlain’s fault. This is about the fans who doesn’t understand that sports evolve for the better over time. We can laud greatness without disrespecting today’s superior athletes. Sports get better over time, we should embrace that, not fight it.
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A Cup of Coffee: 10 Philadelphia Sixers Players Better Known With Other Teams
Nikola Vucevic
Vucevic has had a nice career between the Magic and Bulls. But he started out as a rookie that Doug Collins refused to give too many minutes to. The next offseason after being drafted, he was part of the now infamous deal for Andrew Bynum. He went on to make two All-Star games. Bynum never played a minute for the Sixers.
Kwame Brown
One of the most famous NBA busts had a cup of coffee with the Sixers. The Warriors sent him to the Bucks as part of the Andrew Bogut trade. The Bucks cut him soon after though. He signed a 2-year deal with the Sixers, but played in only 22 games and was cut before the second season of his contract. He nearly had as many personal fouls (37) as he did points (41) while with the Sixers. It was the last chance in the NBA he ever got.
Glenn Robinson
The Sixers tried so hard to find the second scoring option behind Allen Iverson. One of the guys they tried, was Glenn Robinson. He was very good with the Bucks, usually averaging over 20 points per game. He was not bad with the Sixers, but he was not that same guy. He played just 42 games here and averaged 16 points per game. He was injured for his entire 2nd season here and then got traded.
JaVale McGee
McGee is perhaps best known for his frequent appearances on Shaqtin a Fool. Its gave him a bit of an unfair repuation. Did he make some bone headed plays in his career? Yes. But he was also a 3-time champion, an Olympic Gold Medalist, and a physical presence on defense.
His time with the Sixers was know memorable at all though. The Nuggets shipped him here, along with a first round pick, and the rights to Chukwudiebere Maduabum, as a pure salary dump. He played just 6 games here.
Toni Kucoc
Kucoc won 3 NBA Finals with the Bulls, was 6th Man of The Year in the 1995-1995 season, and won pretty much every award you can as a Basketball player when over in Europe. He was a significant piece of the Bulls second run of 3 straight championships. But he did not get much time with the Sixers.
He was decent in the 1999 -2000 season, averaging 12 points per game. But the next season he was part of the trade that landed the Sixers Dikembe Motumbo. In the end, he played in only 80 total games here, averaging a little over 8 points per game.
Dwight Howard
Obviously we don’t forget he played here. It is too recent. But he will be one of those guys where we look back one day and go “Oh yea, he did play here.”. Howard was probably one of the best backups for Embiid. He only lasted one year here. And like so many backup bigs before him, he disappeared in the playoff.
Chris Webber
Not sure if anyone forgets his time here, so maybe it doesn’t quite fit the brief. But Webber is a superstar, who had a disappointing cup of coffee in Philly. Webber was supposed to come here and finally be the guy to be AI’s Co-Star. It never quite worked out. He was injured for parts of his first season, had a decent first full season here, but then was benched in year 3.
