Doctor MJ wrote:So, all of this stuff is just conjecture since basketball isn't really a strength contest.
In general when I think of strength GOATs, I tend to divide it up 2 ways:
In terms of "basketball strength",
In terms of "weight room strength",
Quoting Doc here as this is just as I see it. However, I always see weight strength get heavily overrated in terms of trying to prove basketball strength more than in anything else.
For instance, I know Doc is 6'9 and I am just shy of 6 feet tall. Now I'll use my prime b-ball stats: 205lbs with a strong lower base who was able to bench press 385lbs for one rep.
Now I don't know Doc's prime weight but given his size I would assume he would have a good 30-40 pounds on me and possibly more based on his height alone. But let's pretend Doc was closer to my size, like Wilt & Artis and note that if Doc is an athlete and playing in the nba, we can also assume that he may be a tad...and just a tad,stronger than say a Napoleon Dynamite type, and especially when compared to your average to non-athlete.
I am not sure how much Doc could bench, squat or leg press etc, but let's just say for his size and weight he is right in line with historical data taken, so he is average here. Let's use 215lbs for this example and assume that in every weight strength feat, I am superior to Doc.
Basketball is a game largely based on 'position' which helps gain you the advantage over your opponent. Action then reaction. So for this example, a shot goes up and rebounds off the rim on my weak-side where Doc is currently planted. He grabs the rebound and because of the position I went at him to challenge for the board we make contact which sends me off balance based off of normal physics (reactive force) and nothing more. Now I am not sure what the weight breaking point would be where when I made contact with Doc and then he goes flying with the ball, however that is the force in physics as well and another question. Like how much additional horsepower does it take to overcome a car that's gained a couple of tenths head start on you in the quarter-mile when both cars already have a decent amount of power and torque to run it quickly?
But, going off of we are close in size but me being much stronger in weight strength, how could this happen? LOL, and please do not answer this but the point I am making here is that there is so much more to it than just raw weight training strength or ability. So you simply just can't go off of what others would say about a said athlete unless there was a way to actually measure say 'post position strength' or 'try to move me out of the way without fouling me strength' and add this to the combine.
Even at 6'9, I could box out Doc and prevent him from getting the rebound and he could do the same to me. Mind you at 6'9, he could do it easier than me based off his length but that isn't going to tell us who is stronger. And that is because the game of basketball doesn't require you to be a strength freak like say the NFL does. And it's the same reason why the NFL doesn't need their O. Lineman to be able to play running-back.
Obtaining position is so key, and based on a more inside out game, was much more of a factor in how the game was played back in Wilt/Artis' day, so there is that sense of this mattering more because of no 3 point line, less dunking etc. When someone is planted it is very hard to move that person out of position without either fouling them or using an insane amount of your own energy. And by energy, I would have to say, more than what the other person could exhume. The problem is, it is very rare to find two people of similar height and size where there is such a discrepancy that it becomes that obvious (A 200bhp 2016 Lambo for instance) History showed us that Russell could guard Wilt, as well as Thurmond etc, but such a big part of this is position their commitment to their position, while already possessing good basketball strength.
Now don't get me wrong, obviously you're strong, you're a pro athlete, but my own thought here is that given how basketball is played, position against position, and the rules that apply to it, with fouling, you aren't going to come close to maximizing your weight strength and utilizing it in this manner. While it will help you in aspects, the game is set up where even Kyle Lowry can go in and challenge a big for the board based on Bball IQ. And it's because of this why to me, who was stronger in a basketball sense would only matter in some sort of off-season combine battle Royal.
From the center position, Shaq is the only player that I have witnessed to actually play to his size and power the way one should and to me is the only outlier here because of his demanding play which remained consistent throughout his career. However, that isn't to say that Rodman, Wallace and many others haven't had success in containing him or preventing him from getting the rebound. Stronger base, lower center of gravity etc, all these things happen and it's also why there would be a noticeable size difference.
What Shaq did do though was lean on you from the start of the box, all the way into it his positioning, then post up, and this was all game long. This is also how a player gains the advantage over you by causing you to fatigue but again, this isn't weight training strength being used here. It's also why teams loaded up on bigs because when you're fatigued, you foul.
As for Wilt /Artis, both had great bodies for the game and both I am sure could out position the other. To me, it's the Bball IQ and tips/tactic's that you learn along the way that truly demonstrate who appears to be the stronger opponent.
