Is Shaq the strongest in the NBA, history?

TheXFactor · Post #31 » by **TheXFactor** » Thu Oct 4, 2012 2:16 am

Wilt benched over 500 lbs

Dude was strong

Post #32 » by **Doctor MJ** » Thu Oct 4, 2012 2:16 am

doozyj wrote:Bulk/size doesn't necessarily mean stronger, it just means Shaq was bigger, and IMO he probably was nowhere in the type of shape, strength and conditioning that Howard is/was.

I think it's important to distinguish between generic weight-lifting strength and the power applicable to the sport you're in. In tennis for example, Rafa can probably out-lift the other top players, but Andy Roddick can serve much harder and therefore is more of a power player.

In basketball strength is your ability to push other people out of the way, and that has not only a lot to do with sheer size but density. A shorter guy like Barkley can really get a lot of leverage because of his substantial mass in a more compact frame.

I don't really have any doubt at all that if Shaq & Wilt were going up for a rebound, Shaq would be the one who could push Wilt out of the way. (This doesn't mean Shaq's a better rebounder of course, there's a lot more to that than strength, but Wilt would be the better rebounder in SPITE of his lacking basketball power.)

So yeah, in terms of power on the basketball court, it's clearly Shaq at the apex.

Post #33 » by **Doctor MJ** » Thu Oct 4, 2012 2:21 am

Choker wrote:
CarMalone wrote:Chamberlain seems to take a lot of fadeaway jumpers.

And he was criticized for every single one of them. The media said that he couldn't do anything else besides dunk and overpower players, so you know what he did? He set out to prove them wrong by taking fadeaway jumpers.

...and making himself a worse player. :wink:

But you're right, Wilt's finesse game wasn't about lack of power, it was about poor strategy.

SunsRback4Good · Post #34 » by **SunsRback4Good** » Thu Oct 4, 2012 2:23 am

My vote goes for Louis Scola.

twomangame · Post #35 » by **twomangame** » Thu Oct 4, 2012 2:23 am

This thread somehow reminds me of the thread that had some substantial discussion about "manly" Nate Thurmond. That was one of the best RealGM ROFL moments I had.

SunsRback4Good · Post #36 » by **SunsRback4Good** » Thu Oct 4, 2012 2:23 am

twomangame wrote:This thread somehow reminds me of the thread that had some substantial discussion about "manly" Nate Thurmond. That was one of the best RealGM ROFL moments I had.

I remember that thread and some guy though his vein on his leg was indeed his penis.

HEAT33 · Post #37 » by **HEAT33** » Thu Oct 4, 2012 2:41 am

Shaq easily.

Dwight was being thrown around like a girl by an old Alonzo Mourning who is a beast.

Shaq was way to strong for Mourning everytime they matched up.

WIlt? Please..........

Dipper 13 · Post #38 » by **Dipper 13** » Thu Oct 4, 2012 3:03 am

I don't really have any doubt at all that if Shaq & Wilt were going up for a rebound, Shaq would be the one who could push Wilt out of the way.

Not so easily. Below we can see him dispose of Thurmond like a rag doll.

22:52 mark

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xq87va

Though I agree Shaq has a stronger base mainly due to his lower body mass. Wilt had a good base as well despite his thinner calves & legs, there is nobody who can physically force him off the block. Even Wayne Embry could not do it, with the refs seldom whistling fouls. I have seen a clip of Bob Ferry bodying up Wilt in the post, using his knee as leverage both arms out ready to deflect a poor pass. Below we can see Embry using two hands in the pivot defensively. Today this is whistled a foul 100% of the time.

Tall Tales: The Glory Years of the NBA - Terry Pluto

SCourGe OF GoD · Post #39 » by **SCourGe OF GoD** » Thu Oct 4, 2012 3:05 am

Well he had the combo of both weight and strength so yeah id give him the nod. ..just for lolz

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oyk7IrlPjpQ[/youtube]

LethalRangee · Post #40 » by **LethalRangee** » Thu Oct 4, 2012 3:09 am

Ben Wallace says hi.

therealbig3 · Post #41 » by **therealbig3** » Thu Oct 4, 2012 3:13 am

I think it's Shaq. Wilt was probably strong as hell...but hard for me to imagine he was on Shaq's level.

BTW, people saying Ben Wallace or Dwight Howard...really? The fact is, they're smaller and can't bully people as much as Shaq could. Yeah, you could say pound for pound, they might be stronger than Shaq, but if that's the criteria...didn't Earl Boykins bench like 350? Bottom line, Shaq was more of a physical force than those two by a clear margin.

SunsRback4Good · Post #42 » by **SunsRback4Good** » Thu Oct 4, 2012 3:33 am

LethalRangee wrote:Ben Wallace says hi.

Totally forgot about him. I wish he had some sort of offensive game but defensively he was great.

Post #43 » by **tsherkin** » Thu Oct 4, 2012 3:46 am

There are a couple of guys in this discussion. Shaq is one of them. Wilt has to be another, as does Artis Gilmore.

I think that Shaq's overall mass, in combination with his strength, makes his realized basketball power greater than anything Wilt was capable of managing... but I wouldn't suggest that Shaq was a TON more potent in that respect than Lakers Wilt. I do think that Shaq's base was more powerful than Wilt and that this was the difference. There are various stories and referenced truths about Wilt that make it abundantly clear that he was basically he strongest guy in the league during his career and he was all into weight training well before it became widespread in the league, plus he had a great deal of natural physical talent.

But Shaq's a freak athletic specimen who, in some ways, is even more insane than Wilt. Chamberlain's cardio and such outstrip what Shaq showed, but in terms of power on a basketball court? Shaq as a rookie weighed what Wilt weighed at his peak, AND he was really strong. Shaq in his hey-day? There's no way that he starts throwing around his +30-pound frame with that kind of strength and that Wilt outstrips him in basketball power, IMHO. Wilt would have the best chance of anyone at containing Shaq, and I mean his length and foot speed would be boons to him in the same way as they were for someone like David Robinson, so Wilt would be up there and wouldn't get Ostertag'd in a matchup with Shaq, but I don't think he was quite as powerful. That said, power and strength aren't exactly the same thing, so it's worth defining what we're discussing.

doozyj · Post #44 » by **doozyj** » Thu Oct 4, 2012 3:49 am

Doctor MJ wrote:
doozyj wrote:Bulk/size doesn't necessarily mean stronger, it just means Shaq was bigger, and IMO he probably was nowhere in the type of shape, strength and conditioning that Howard is/was.

I think it's important to distinguish between generic weight-lifting strength and the power applicable to the sport you're in. In tennis for example, Rafa can probably out-lift the other top players, but Andy Roddick can serve much harder and therefore is more of a power player.

In basketball strength is your ability to push other people out of the way, and that has not only a lot to do with sheer size but density. A shorter guy like Barkley can really get a lot of leverage because of his substantial mass in a more compact frame.

I don't really have any doubt at all that if Shaq & Wilt were going up for a rebound, Shaq would be the one who could push Wilt out of the way. (This doesn't mean Shaq's a better rebounder of course, there's a lot more to that than strength, but Wilt would be the better rebounder in SPITE of his lacking basketball power.)

So yeah, in terms of power on the basketball court, it's clearly Shaq at the apex.

Makes perfect sense.

Minge · Post #45 » by **Minge** » Thu Oct 4, 2012 4:00 am

LethalRangee wrote:Ben Wallace says hi.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNn9dKBb24Y[/youtube]

D.Brasco · Post #46 » by **D.Brasco** » Thu Oct 4, 2012 4:05 am

Wilt practically became an amateur bodybuilder towards the end of his career and after retirement. I mean arnold the king of bodybuilding just had an interview of how he worked out with wilt and was very impressed with his strength and how it was up there with the top bodybuilders.

Shaq is terms of pure bulk was enormous but in actual strength wilt hands down.

Here's the interview but then again what does arnold schwarzenegger know about strength training and bodybuilding right?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzIu7o5NH1k[/youtube]

aal04 · Post #47 » by **aal04** » Thu Oct 4, 2012 4:54 am

Wilt Bench = 500lb
Arny Bench = 500lb
B wallace Bench = 460lb
Ron Artest bench = 460lb
Shaq bench = 455lb
LBJ Bench = 390lb
Dwight bench = 365lb
Bobkins bench = 300lb
Andre Iguodala bench = 185lb
** George Bush bench = 185lb
Durant bench = 145lb

Bare in mind most of these guys are on the juice

Buckeyevstworld · Post #48 » by **Buckeyevstworld** » Thu Oct 4, 2012 5:32 am

Minge wrote:
LethalRangee wrote:Ben Wallace says hi.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNn9dKBb24Y[/youtube]

Back when Wade had a small jaw. :lol:

The mid-2000s were fun.>.>

franktony · Post #49 » by **franktony** » Thu Oct 4, 2012 5:45 am

That block on Shaq was amazing

Ben Wallace was a beast back then

TheXFactor · Post #50 » by **TheXFactor** » Thu Oct 4, 2012 5:59 am

aal04 wrote:Wilt Bench = 500lb
Arny Bench = 500lb
B wallace Bench = 460lb
Ron Artest bench = 460lb
Shaq bench = 455lb
LBJ Bench = 390lb
Dwight bench = 365lb
Bobkins bench = 300lb
Andre Iguodala bench = 185lb
** George Bush bench = 185lb
Durant bench = 145lb

Bare in mind most of these guys are on the juice

As for Wilt, he was a beast.

Pretty crazy Artest can out bench Shaq