playing with absolutely no one on your team also has a flattering effect on your stats, see Bryant, Kobe.

speaking of Wilt, i wonder why there are so many tall guys 6'11" and over now as opposed to 40 years ago. population increase would only explain a part of it.

1) PER is era adjusted.

2) Let's say you're right and Kareem's poorer defense makes him worse than KG. How can you say it's not even close? "They are close, but I give the edge to KG because of better defense" is much closer to the truth than "KG AINEC."

international players have increased the player pool and nba salaries have far outpaced inflation which increases incentive.

pretty sure this has been discussed quite a bit itt.

All era adjusted means is that it compares you to an average player in that league. The average player where Wilt was the only 7-footer in the entire league during the 1960s was obviously much weaker than now where every team has at least one or two. Also, much, much stronger era, + much better defense + equal offense and rebounding = not even close, yes. I mean, obviously they're "close" since I have their peaks rated #4 and #5, but I think that it's clear which one was better.

Yeah, this. Before Wilt came into the league, the highest paid player was Bob Cousy who made $25,000 a year. If that's all you can make playing basketball, there's not really much reason for everyone with the height to succeed as an NBA big to train and see if they can get good enough to play in the league. Tons and tons of people with NBA talent just had no interest in playing back in the 60s.

Don't know why you guys are still debating Iggy on Kareem vs. KG. He's just going to play the "era/competition" card.

I already pointed out ITT that D-Robinson's PER, WS and overall numbers from 93-95 are all better than KG's peak. And that era had a bunch of quality centers and relatively tough defensive era. And Robinson had higher DWS, way more blocks, and more steals than KG. And by no means was Robinson a physically inferior specimen that requires some kind of an era adjustment.

Iggy just played the "but KG is best defender ever" quip with nothing to back up this assessment (not saying it might not be true, but what reason do we have to believe this?). Good luck getting more than that out of him.

If there is one sport where WIM exists, it is basketball. Jordan had in spades. LeBron, not so much.

It will be interesting to see how LeBron's game evolves when he loses a fraction of a step. Jordan attacked the rim like no other when he was a youngster. Then he got older and developed the sickest fade-away jump shot and sickest lateral move pull-up jumper.

Nutrition was also better in the 80s than it was in the 40s, which would have an impact on average height, though it is probably relatively negligible.

Sports science has also come a long way. Wilt grew up in the era where there were only 2 treatments for sports injuries; either rub some dirt on it or put a steak on it.

Don't feel like reading this whole thread, but you're talking about the guy who flopped around the court nearly crying when Chandler set a blind pick on him? He wouldn't brutalize anyone in the late 80s.

NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO! FALSE! LeBron had one bad series against Dallas because they had one of the best shot-blockers in the league in Tyson Chandler, and Carlisle gave a bunch of complicated zone looks to complement him that frustrated LeBron. Other than that series, LeBron's been probably as clutch as any player in league history other than Jordan. He had the best 4th quarter + OT in playoff history against the Pistons in '07, had the best postseason of all-time in 2008, and then facing elimination in Boston this year, he came out with what was pretty much an absolutely perfect half of basketball to destroy the Celtics. Bron just oozes WIM out of every pore of his body.

Don't forget when he quit when Delonte banged his mom.

Why do ppl say he quit? Bc of one bad game (game 5?) he had a ****ing triple double in game 6, the rest of that team gave him nothing.

I think Lebron quit hardcore game 5 in the finals this year, you see him on the bench with like 5 minutes to play WTF!!????!!!

But we need a narrative. Out of Jordan and LeBron, who do you think is better at giving 110% when it is what it is?