One of the top 4 professional athletes of all time

[Sadyv]

you really believe half that stuff? ok. If Shaq played 40 years ago we'd be hearing tales about how he took one step and dunked from half court or something.

Wilt was a freak athlete too, maybe even moreso than Shaq with his speed and stamina(although I think Shaq in his prime was quite a bit bigger than Wilt in his prime, which makes up for some of the quickness difference). But Wilt was not always the dominant the playoff scorer Shaq was despite his athletic gifts. Partly because I think Shaq was a little more coordinated, had better footwork, and that is absurd given he was about 340 at his peak(00-01). Out of shape 380 pound Shaq was still somehow dominating people in the 02 playoffs. That speaks a lot to his innate athletic ability. And Shaq was ragdolling the likes of Ewing and Hakeem when he wasn't even at his peak.

Anyways, at the end of the day it is still LeBron for me. 6'8" 260 at that strength level with a 43-45 inch vert and guard like movement, coordination, and body control is just too much. I mean people think Westbrook is a freak athlete (he is) but LeBron has a higher vertical, better body control, speed difference is minimal, and strength difference is laughable. LeBron makes freak athletes look ordinary. Wilt wasn't that much heavier in his best years (around 290, and LeBron was probably closer to 270 around 2010) and he still couldn't move like that or jump anywhere near that. They measured LeBron's speed on the Iguodala block and for the 60 feet he sprinted it was faster than an NFL running back who ran a 4.36 40.

Not a question of belief, the stuff is documented. You can see plenty of footage of Wilt brushing off guys like Artis Gilmore, Walt Bellamy, Wes Unseld, etc like they are little kids. You can also see him grab the 6'7 240lbs Gus Johnson by the arm and throw him out of the frame like a sack of potatoes.

KAJ speaks highly of Wilt's athleticism, and that was a mid 30's Wilt. He played against Ewing and Robinson and Olajuwon.

Shaq was a fat after Orlando. Wilt was lean and had incredible stamina even at 310 with the Lakers. Shaq was fat at anything over that range.

Wilt stopped being a scorer for the back half of his career. Look at his scoring in the playoffs when he was still the primary option on his team. Wilt was only taking 9 or 10 shots a game his last few seasons with the Lakers. Wilt was basically playing like Bill Russel his last 5 or 6 seasons.

LeBron was dying of cramps because the arena was hot. He would have broke down in less than a season playing in the conditions the old NBA guys did. James is a great athlete, but he is far behind Wilt in strength and stamina, and only a little ahead in areas that one would think a smaller player would dominate.

 

[metsman]

Not a question of belief, the stuff is documented. You can see plenty of footage of Wilt brushing off guys like Artis Gilmore, Walt Bellamy, Wes Unseld, etc like they are little kids. You can also see him grab the 6'7 240lbs Gus Johnson by the arm and throw him out of the frame like a sack of potatoes.

KAJ speaks highly of Wilt's athleticism, and that was a mid 30's Wilt. He played against Ewing and Robinson and Olajuwon.

Shaq was a fat after Orlando. Wilt was lean and had incredible stamina even at 310 with the Lakers. Shaq was fat at anything over that range.

Wilt stopped being a scorer for the back half of his career. Look at his scoring in the playoffs when he was still the primary option on his team. Wilt was only taking 9 or 10 shots a game his last few seasons with the Lakers. Wilt was basically playing like Bill Russel his last 5 or 6 seasons.

LeBron was dying of cramps because the arena was hot. He would have broke down in less than a season playing in the conditions the old NBA guys did. James is a great athlete, but he is far behind Wilt in strength and stamina, and only a little ahead in areas that one would think a smaller player would dominate.

lebron doesn't have great stamina? The same guy that has played way more minutes than any player the last 10 or however many years? Sure he got cramps once or twice, still came back and hit the dagger 3. And he is way ahead in the categories he should be (explosiveness, vertical leaping, quickness, body control

And Shaq definitely wasn't fat in 2000 which was his peak, when he was 340. He played 40 a night in the regular season and 44 a night in the playoffs and it was by far his best season. Also the NBA game is more demanding today than 40 years ago, guys are better athletes. That's true of any sports. Like I said, Wilt has Shaq beat in speed and stamina, but Shaq had more functional strength and was more coordinated/better footwork. I don't think you want to be arguing strength here considering the amount of guys, all time great guys, shaq just completely dominated physically.

 

[abmk]

More obnoxious snark and sarcasm. Your conclusion does not follow from your premise. Being a slow starter in a highly skilled sport has nothing to do with athleticism, intensity or effort. If you were an athlete you would know that.

it doesn't have to with athleticism. Never said it did >>> I said it didn't not once, but twice. but then you can't comprehend.

But it has to do with intensity.

If you can maintain focus/concentration from the start, that is being intense.
if you are a slow starter, it means you are not intense from the start.

 

[abmk]

You don't know what you're talking about. You've never seen them play. You argue only because it is your nature to be obnoxious and argumentative and you misrepresent my words for the sake of being obnoxious and argumentative.

I haven't misrepresented what you said. I've seen Laver play in full length matches. But hey, lets believe you when you say I haven't !

 

[abmk]

NM.

 

[Booger]

Americans seem to be naming a bunch of athletes from american sports and act like they mean something to the outside continents. The only american who deserves to be in the top 5 is Jordan. Thats it. Full stop.

It means something because the US has been the most athletic country for about a century. Thus, the best American athletes are almost always the best world athletes. If even B-grade US athletes played soccer, no other country would have a chance.

 

[Limpinhitter]

Americans seem to be naming a bunch of athletes from american sports and act like they mean something to the outside continents. The only american who deserves to be in the top 5 is Jordan. Thats it. Full stop.

FYI, "Man of Steel" is an American phrase which refers to an American comic book superhero, Superman. BTW, are you familiar with Sugar Ray Robinson? Jim Brown? Wilt Chamberlain? Willie Mays? Walter Payton? Sugar Ray Leonard? Dan Gable? Emmitt Smith? John Smith? Deion Sanders? Barry Sanders? Among others. I think they would compare favorably to any athletes of any era from any continent.

 

[AceSalvo]

Becker: All-time great Federer on a par with Ali, Jordan and Pele

any doubt Becker is alive and kicking in TW??

Cmon, the timing makes it too obvious.

 

[upriser7]

I don't really know much about American sports, so can't really comment on them. Among the sports I follow(Football,Tennis, Cricket, F1 and few other), I'd pick Messi and Roger as probably the best professional athletes in last 25 yrs.

I am pretty sure that most of us here wouldn't seen athletes of 50's, 60's, 70's play regularly(can only catch few full matches or highlights reel on youtube and its tough to judge them based on such small sample). Also several sports evolved a lot in last 50-60 yrs, various things changed like how there was no offside rule in football previously or say how the rackets used by tennis players of previous eras are so different to rackets used now etc etc. So, I don't really think its possible to compare players of different era. That's why picking an all time list is quite tough, so just putting out my choice of best professional athletes of last 25 yrs in the sports which I follow.

 

[upriser7]

And some people seem to be underrating Messi a lot here...the guy is an absolute genius,once in a lifetime player. I haven't seen such a talented athlete in my lifetime(only Roger in Tennis and Ronaldinho, Ronaldo in football come close but sadly both Ronaldinho(due to his lifestyle and all) and Ronaldo ( dude suffered some terrible injuries) sadly couldn't sustain for a longer period like how Messi is doing now)