The average NBA center was two inches taller and 30 pounds heavier when Shaq was playing than when Wilt was playing. I think Wilt would still do well in today's NBA, but he wouldn't dominate the way he did back then. Especially with the addition of the international players, the talent pool is just too deep.
I could be wrong on a few of these, but I am guessing that Wilt played against Russell, Jabbar, Willis Reed, Unseld, Cowens, Artis Gilmore, Nate Thurmond, Walt Bellamy, Bob McAdoo and Bob Lanier. These guys were of all different sizes, but they were all great players. It would be interesting to see how his stats compared against players of different sizes and early vs late in his career. Wilt was a freak athlete. Shaq was a comparable beast and was one of the 5 greatest centers of all-time? I think that Wilt was a better athlete than Shaq and anyone else who ever played center in the NBA. He was a great track athlete in a variety of events including high jumps and 440’s.
great NBA big men, but big man depth wasn't so great in those days. Nate Bowman, Willis Reed's backup was the worst NBA center I ever saw. https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ubYOm8B7...ld8Q1gCLcBGAs/w1200-h630-p-k-no-nu/bowman.png
Bowman must have been really bad, especially considering that we have some really bad big men in the NBA right now. Wilt just missed playing against one of my all-time faves, Daryll Dawkins. He also just missed on Moses Malone. There are a lot of old-time NBA big men who would kick butt today.
Jitoboh was great again tonight against Ole Miss in a losing effort. 6-of-6 from the field for 12 points with 1 block and 1 steal. He should have been playing much more up to this point.
