Wilt Chamberlain Footage Analysis Thread

[70sFan]

stamina (playing 45-48 mins in a super high pace game full of running while spending energy on defense where shaq preserved energy)

"Full of running" is not how I would call it in this footage, not for the centers at least. Standing in the post, and switching from post to post is what Wilt is mostly doing on both ends. And high pace simply means you have to walk/jog/run accross court more often, but says nothing about the speed.

Maybe some future footage could change my mind, but if it's about "super human stamina" I'm not utterly impressed by it based on these footage.

I think that Wilt moved considerably less frequently and on lower intensity than centers on average in 2022, but when you compare him to someone like Shaq - I don't think Wilt moved less at all. In fact, Wilt seemed to move more often than Shaq and O'Neal struggled to stay on the court for as long as Wilt did.

I don't think Wilt had "super human stamina", but was very well conditioned for a man his size (7 feet tall and over 290 lbs).

[Mazter]

Game 2 of 1964 Finals
3:05 - off-ball double, stealing the entry pass to Wilt

This one and also at 4:07 kinda shows how dificult the Russell and the Celtics made it to feed the ball to Wilt in the post. There were a couple of comments in the past about not giving the ball to Wilt enough. But it's not like there was a free pass to the post every single play. The Celtics were certain capable of making Wilt's life as hard as possible...on court that is.

I might want to add, the running shot after the play at 4:07 is kinda cool and debunks the "incapable teammates" a bit. I think it was more difficult to create a shot while also looking for Wilt in the post than most think.

[falcolombardi]

stamina (playing 45-48 mins in a super high pace game full of running while spending energy on defense where shaq preserved energy)

"Full of running" is not how I would call it in this footage, not for the centers at least. Standing in the post, and switching from post to post is what Wilt is mostly doing on both ends. And high pace simply means you have to walk/jog/run accross court more often, but says nothing about the speed.

Maybe some future footage could change my mind, but if it's about "super human stamina" I'm not utterly impressed by it based on these footage.

wilt didnt have super Human stamina, that is actually my point

hence why the high as hell minutes (even for the era) and pace (jogginf constantly is very, very tiring even if overall there are not many full speed sprint, more so far someone with so much body mass)

if he played 8 minutes less in a slower pace (that means less faatbreaks to run in defense) with more breaks in game he would have more energy to spend on court and may be able to do thinghs like offensive off ball movement (common criticisms against him) more often

[70sFan]

Game 2 of 1964 Finals
3:05 - off-ball double, stealing the entry pass to Wilt

This one and also at 4:07 kinda shows how dificult the Russell and the Celtics made it to feed the ball to Wilt in the post. There were a couple of comments in the past about not giving the ball to Wilt enough. But it's not like there was a free pass to the post every single play. The Celtics were certain capable of making Wilt's life as hard as possible...on court that is.

I might want to add, the running shot after the play at 4:07 is kinda cool and debunks the "incapable teammates" a bit. I think it was more difficult to create a shot while also looking for Wilt in the post than most think.

It's true, Celtics put a lot of effort to exclude Wilt on offensive end, especially when he was a Warrior. On important thing is that there was no illegal defense rule, so Celtics could sag off non-shooters and focus on Wilt more. If you combine that with lack of spacing and smart, long help defenders like KC, Sanders or even Heinsohn, it makes more sense why Wilt didn't average as many FGA against Celtics in the playoffs as he usually did in RS.

[70sFan]

Watch on YouTube

This one is a bit longer than the previous clip. I don't have time to post my observations, but feel free to share your thoughts.

[70sFan]

My notes for game 3.

Defense

0:44 - Wilt left Russell wide open on FT line, staying under the basket
3:05 - Russell outhustled Wilt on the board here, great effort from Bill
3:14 - great block by Wilt, you couldn't shoot over him in his physical prime
3:30 - again, let Russell shoot an uncontested jumpshot
5:15 - didn't box out Russell, though he contested his hook well
7:55 - this time he couldn't reach jumpshot with his block, probably should have tried to contest it more horizontally than vertically
9:09 - again, lack of boxout
9:40 - didn't go around the screen to contest Russell shot, left him open
10:56 - good contest after P&R, though Russell cleaned the board

Notes - Wilt didn't defend Russell in halfcourt sets and he didn't put much effort on defensive glass in the footage we have from this game. His length obviously made him very intimidating pressence inside.

Offense

0:35 - putback made
1:29 - Russell did a good job denying the pass from Wilt
1:56 - drop step to the middle made, and-1
2:26 - signature fadeaway made
2:34 - Wilt is doubled in the post, he found open Rodgers who bricked midrange shot badly
2:42 - Ramsey doubled Wilt off-ball
2:48 - Wilt tried to spin off Russell without the ball, but he didn't get a lob, which made Russell fronting successful
5:52 - good off-ball movement, established very deep position, but entry pass stolen
6:14 - look how poor Warriors spacing was in this possession
6:29 - successfully fronted by Russell, horrible entry pass
7:40 - double team by KC Jones, Wilt unaware of open teammate, wasted possession
8:26 - deep position in the post, finger roll missed
8:56 - entry pass stolen by Russell
9:55 - this time guarded by Sanders, didn't pass to Thurmond under the basket but probably was aware of Russell waiting for that, fadeaway made
10:20 - didn't seal Russell off, another stolen entry pass
10:44 - Warriors did much better job here at creating space for Wilt to operate, clearing the side for post up isolation. Wilt made finger roll shot
11:44 - another fadeaway made from the post
11:57 - this time Wilt did better job at sealing Russell off, got the ball in the post, faked hand-off and made rare skyhook to the middle (with weak effort from Russell)

Notes - Warriors struggled to give the ball to Wilt in the post because of off-ball doubles and Russell doing a great job at fronting Wilt. When Wilt got the ball with Russell behind, he scored consistently. Wilt showed a few nice passes, but he also had one moment when he was unaware of double team.

[70sFan]

Bump, anyone interested?

[falcolombardi]

Bump, anyone interested?

i ill try to watch and give my thoughts when i can watch with calm

will edit this same post with my thoughts later, this is a really cool Project and would hate to see it stop so quickly before at least getting to 72 wilt

[70sFan]

Bump, anyone interested?

i ill try to watch and give my thoughts when i can watch with calm

will edit this same post with my thoughts later, this is a really cool Project and would hate to see it stop so quickly before at least getting to 72 wilt

That's fine, no need to rush. I will upload more footage as long as anyone wants to take a look.

[ty 4191]

Bump, anyone interested?

i ill try to watch and give my thoughts when i can watch with calm

will edit this same post with my thoughts later, this is a really cool Project and would hate to see it stop so quickly before at least getting to 72 wilt

That's fine, no need to rush. I will upload more footage as long as anyone wants to take a look.

For which year(s) do you have color or HD restored game footage from?

This is just highlights, but it's brand new, and, pretty awesome, IMO.

Watch on YouTube

[70sFan]

i ill try to watch and give my thoughts when i can watch with calm

will edit this same post with my thoughts later, this is a really cool Project and would hate to see it stop so quickly before at least getting to 72 wilt

That's fine, no need to rush. I will upload more footage as long as anyone wants to take a look.

For which year(s) do you have color or HD restored game footage from?

This is just highlights, but it's brand new, and, pretty awesome, IMO.

Watch on YouTube

Colored footage starts from 1969. I have all of the games used in this video, I provided then for WCA.

[70sFan]

Bump, anyone else with notes from game 3? If not, I have another one - the most complete version of the final game 5

[tsherkin]

I think that at a baseline, watching any of that man's footage you have to agree that he was highly athletic. Even as an old guy on the Lakers, he was an impressive athlete for his size. Well conditioned and intriguing mobile. Was he Giannis? No, but he was also much heavier and stronger. He had some interesting skills, and a little more of a finesse game than someone like Shaq (who was himself a wild-ass outlier in terms of how he played the game as as non-roleplayer due to his physical gifts). Wilt would be really interesting in any era, IMHO. A perennial All-Star. PROBABLY not a guy you build around as your focal offensive player in the modern league, but certainly a guy who could be part of a perennial contender as #2, or as the primary star but not the main offensive hub, if that makes any sense. Just such an intriguing talent, and we actually see a lot more post game now than we were seeing in the mid/late 2000s.

[70sFan]

I think that at a baseline, watching any of that man's footage you have to agree that he was highly athletic. Even as an old guy on the Lakers, he was an impressive athlete for his size. Well conditioned and intriguing mobile. Was he Giannis? No, but he was also much heavier and stronger. He had some interesting skills, and a little more of a finesse game than someone like Shaq (who was himself a wild-ass outlier in terms of how he played the game as as non-roleplayer due to his physical gifts). Wilt would be really interesting in any era, IMHO. A perennial All-Star. PROBABLY not a guy you build around as your focal offensive player in the modern league, but certainly a guy who could be part of a perennial contender as #2, or as the primary star but not the main offensive hub, if that makes any sense. Just such an intriguing talent, and we actually see a lot more post game now than we were seeing in the mid/late 2000s.

It's nice to see you back!

[tsherkin]

It's nice to see you back!

Thanks.

Nice to see you're still around, too!

[Djoker]

I just noticed this thread and shall try to contribute!

[70sFan]

Watch on YouTube

Game 5 of 1964 Finals - probably the best Wilt clip in my whole collection. I will go back with my notes from that game later.

Enjoy!

[falcolombardi]

sonethingh that keeps happening in these clips is wilt palming the ball and from his position of height (field vision) strenght (hard to push) and hand size (grip the ball) he can just do literally any pass or fake he wants

some of his fskes and deliveries actually look quite crafty, but they feel wasted playing in the low post with ultra crámped spacing

people compare wilt in the modern day as someone who could play as shaq but i think he looks confortable being a hub from the post like a jokic (obviously not the same calibre of passer/shooter) or walton

i think a wilt who plays in the high post while players around him make cuts or space the floor could be a interesting helio, he doesnt seem a unwilling passer

i wonder what it would have looked line if he opersted further from the rim and faced up more, where he can see the whole floor and pass the ball to the open man and attack the rim in 1-2 long strides ala giannis when there is a lane

[70sFan]

sonethingh that keeps happening in these clips is wilt palming the ball and from his position of height (field vision) strenght (hard to push) and hand size (grip the ball) he can just do literally any pass or fake he wants

some of his fskes and deliveries actually look quite crafty, but they feel wasted playing in the low post with ultra crámped spacing

people compare wilt in the modern day as someone who could play as shaq but i think he looks confortable being a hub from the post like a jokic (obviously not the same calibre of passer/shooter) or walton

i think a wilt who plays in the high post while players around him make cuts or space the floor could be a interesting helio, he doesnt seem a unwilling passer

i wonder what it would have looked line if he opersted further from the rim and faced up more, where he can see the whole floor and pass the ball to the open man and attack the rim in 1-2 long strides ala giannis when there is a lane

Wilt was used that way in Philly later, I have some clips of him playing that way. Will try to find then and share later.

[Top10alltime]

Watch on YouTube

Game 5 of 1964 Finals - probably the best Wilt clip in my whole collection. I will go back with my notes from that game later.

I have notes from that game, if you are interested.