Monday, December 8, 2008

Basketball God

I love playing and watching basketball, and I also love reading about players and coaches as well. I have just finished Robert Cherry's Wilt. Larger Than Life and I must say it was a great read.
It is always hard to say who the greatest basketballer was, or is, different eras played in different ways, and it is more than just comparing statistics and championships. But some players are always going to stand out, Jerry West, Michael Jordan, Elgin Baylor, Bill Russell, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Oscar Robinson and the list goes on. One name who would be near the top of most lists is Wilt Chamberlain.

Cherry's book does a great job of exploring this complex individual, while also highlighting the amazing things he could do on a basketball court. Some of the records he holds will never be broken, and it is rare to find someone of his height 7'1" who was so athletic.

Some of his stats:

Career average of 30.1 points per game (equal first)

Career average of 22.9 rebounds per game (first)

Career average of 45.8 minutes per game (first)

Only player to score 100 points in a game

Only player to grab 55 rebounds in a game

Only centre to lead the league in assists

4 time league MVP

Won Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same year ('59-'60)
A book for all fans of the game.