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I was having an argument with someone about Wilt Chamberlain's height, he said by records Wilt is 7'1. I don't believe that one instant, when I watch Wilt play he honestly looks closer to Big Z height then 7'1, the man is a monster on the court. The thing is though the records do officially say he's 7'1, though it's just hard to believe. I was watching clips of a Bucks and Lakers game, there was no way that Wilt was any shorter than Kareem and Kareem was not in any way shorter than 7'1. So how tall was Wilt really?

not a great pic, but still the best available i think

^^^
Keep in mind that in this picture Wilt is 60 years old and he is wearing normal shoes, not basketball like Kareem A-J. I think that in his prime he was 7'2.

Height wasn't shoe-inflated back then. If the official record states 7'1 you can go for a 7'2 if you want to compare him to nowadays players.

He seemed taller than that because there weren't as many pituitary cases back then. Not like now when you have Muresans and Thabeets lurking around every corner.

I believe height back then was barefoot. He was probably 7'2+ on the basketball court.

Solid Snake wrote:I believe height back then was barefoot. He was probably 7'2+ on the basketball court.

You're absolutely right, height was measured barefoot back then. I never understood why they began the practice of measuring players in shoes.

I'm at work and can't see the picture, but I've seen plenty of pictures of Wilt in which he EASILY appears to be 7' plus. I'll agree with others in the sense that if he were measured in his prime with shoes he'd go 7'2" without a doubt.

EDIT: There's an old picture of him in his young NBA days standing underneath the hoop. He has both arms up with his hands grabbing the net, and his hands are about 1/3 up the net with his elbows still being bent slightly.

5DOM wrote:not a great pic, but still the best available i think

Try this.

In 1980, people measured his true height for the first time since high school. He was measured at about 7 feet, 1/2 inches.

In reality, he'd probably measure in at 7'2 or so today.

As people have said, there is a shoe inflation with player heights now.

The most dominant center right now (Dwight Howard) measured in at 6'9" at the predraft measurements (huge wingspan though).

I completely forgot about the whole barefoot thing. Would anyone think he would be approaching 7'3 measured in shoes today? It would make sense if he was 7'2 but my instinct keeps telling me 7'3. But damn for a guy with that combination of height, strength, and athleticism, just makes you wonder how dominant he would be in today's game, though it seems like he takes way too many jumpers despite being so much taller than everyone else.

Seriously, what happened to Writerman?

Here is some good game footage of Wilt (though past his prime): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbcdliLtkEs.

youngcrev wrote:As people have said, there is a shoe inflation with player heights now.

The most dominant center right now (Dwight Howard) measured in at 6'9" at the predraft measurements (huge wingspan though).

Really?? but he is 6'11 in shoes right?

Dwight grew at least an inch since pre-draft.
I think Wilt was approaching 7'3" in his prime.

Choker wrote:I completely forgot about the whole barefoot thing. Would anyone think he would be approaching 7'3 measured in shoes today? It would make sense if he was 7'2 but my instinct keeps telling me 7'3. But damn for a guy with that combination of height, strength, and athleticism, just makes you wonder how dominant he would be in today's game, though it seems like he takes way too many jumpers despite being so much taller than everyone else.

Depends on the shoes. In Spencer Hawes shoes he'd be 7'6".

AdamTheGreek wrote:Dwight grew at least an inch since pre-draft.
I think Wilt was approaching 7'3" in his prime.

There's a pic of him and LeBron and they look the same size.



He's probably grown a bit since HS, but not much.

Facts from the book "The Rivalry" by John Taylor, page 277:

* Wilt himself said all his career that he was 7-1 1/16.
* The player's doors in Detroit were 7-3. When Wilt passed through w/shoes, he had to duck.
* Team mate Mel Counts, a seven footer, was dwarved by Wilt.
* In 1980, Wilt (44 years old) was measured at 7-0 1/2 barefoot.

Cybulski37 wrote:

AdamTheGreek wrote:Dwight grew at least an inch since pre-draft.
I think Wilt was approaching 7'3" in his prime.

There's a pic of him and LeBron and they look the same size.



He's probably grown a bit since HS, but not much.

Bad pic, LeBron is closer to the camera.