Knightmare
Brownlow Medallist
- Sep 22, 2010
- 19,533
- 19,542
- AFL Club
- Collingwood
- Other Teams
- Chicago Bulls
- Banned
- #1
In the history of all sports??
That's a very large call to make...
It will seem like a big call for those not aware or with little knowledge of Wilt and naturally there will be debate as the range of sports people over such a long period of time in such a wide range of sports is so wide and diverse but Wilt is the only guy I'd make that statement of and I don't think it's even close. Past or present there is no guy who was in so many categories was elite. Just that height and wingspan, size of hands, but then strength, speed, agility, leaping ability and with that he had the co-ordination and dexterity of a small guy. That combination and totality of everything there just has and likely never will never again be anything like Wilt. The guy was 216cm (7'1 and a bit w/o shoes) and he would in the world in each category I'd imagine feature in the top 0.1 percentile worldwide. What Wilt could do, it's like a story you'd tell your children, he was a physical specimen like no other. It's comic book/video game stuff that he did.
This video while long if interested will give you some idea of exactly how incredible Wilt was:
It's just a shame Wilt isn't a current athlete/sports-person in today's media crazy world because he would be on a pedestal in and of his own.
With Wilt he is one guy who you really need to research to fully understand exactly how freakish he was. There just isn't anyone ever who compares in sporting history.
These are some interesting factoids regarding Wilt that I have accumulated that back up my claim and make his case beyond his legendary basketball numbers which in and of it's own is without equal (imagine a guy 5cm taller than Aaron Sandilands doing this!):
440 yards = 402.336m (49sec)
880 yards = 804.672m (1min.58.3sec)
100m = 10.9sec
53 feet = 16.1544m (shot put)
High jump = 6 feet, 6.75 inches (2.00025m)
Standing vertical = 48 inches (1.21.82m)
Broad Jump = Long Jump – 22 feet = 6.7056m
500 pound bench press (226.796kg). – Some say almost 500lbs. Others say 550. Wilt says “right around 600lbs.”
7’1 without shoes. 275lbs start of career, 315lbs end of career. Standing reach of 9’7, wingspan of 7’9.
170lbs triceps extension (77.1107kg)
Dislocated a guys shoulder from a clean – all ball block. (Confirmed)
Dunks so hard that he broke a guys toe. (Confirmed)
Dunks so hard it goes back through the basket. (Confirmed)
Threw a two handed chest past to a target with an opposition player holding onto it. (Confirmed).