Wilt Chamberlain's fundamental argument over Michael Jordan in GOAT case still holds true 25 years later
The late Wilt Chamberlain never conceded the greatest basketball player of all time (GOAT) title to Chicago Bulls icon Michael Jordan. Based on numerous interviews and even a reported talk with Jordan, “Wilt the Stilt,” considered himself to be the best to ever play the game.
“His Airness” allegedly told fans that he was the GOAT. Chamberlain responded:
(4:12 mark)
“Michael, until you are so great that they are changing the game to stop your greatness, I don’t think you have the right to make that accolade in that particular way.”
During Wilt Chamberlain’s prime, the NBA had to change several rules to curtail the shockingly dominant performances of the big man. The league didn’t want to take the competition so lopsided in “Wilt’s” favor that it had to tinker with the way the game was played:
Per NBA.com:
“During his career, his dominance precipitated many rules changes. These rules change included widening the lane, instituting offensive goaltending and revising rules governing inbounding the ball and shooting free throws (Chamberlain would leap with the ball from behind the foul line to deposit the ball in the basket).”
An argument could be made that the rules in Chamberlain’s era weren’t as refined as those in Michael Jordan’s time. Still, had the big man not come along with his unmatched size, skill and mobility, the rules might not have been modified that significantly.
Wilt Chamberlain even had something to say to people who insist that Jordan was the best scorer the NBA has ever seen.
“What people don’t remember was that in my first seven years, I scored a lot of points then I stopped scoring on my own volition. I tried to do other things. I was asked to do other things and that’s what I did. If I had continued to score, I would probably be up to 40 points [per game] my whole lifetime.
“All the years while I was scoring all those points, I was leading the league in percentile shooting. If you take all the shots, you should be making the highest percentage. ”
“Wilt” led the NBA in FG% for 9 of his 14 seasons, hitting 72.7% during the 1972-73 campaign. Jordan’s highest FG% was 10th (53.9%) in the league during the 1990-91 season.
Wilt Chamberlain’s last NBA game was exactly 50 years ago.
In his final season, he led the league in field-goal percentage and won his 11th rebounding title.
“He just stepped away. Another chapter in his life.”
✍️ @HuntPatterson_ and @DamonSayles
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Wilt Chamberlain’s game, though, was inside the paint while Michael Jordan was an excellent interior scorer but he was still a perimeter player.
Wilt Chamberlain even dismissed Michael Jordan’s edge in championship rings
Wilt Chamberlain went to the NBA Finals six times, winning two of them. He led the Philadelphia 76ers to the 1967 title and the LA Lakers to the championship in 1972.
Michael Jordan, on the other, never lost in six championship rounds. “His Airness” lifted the Larry O’Brien Trophy in 1991-1993 and 1996-1998.
“The Big Dipper” isn’t giving Jordan the GOAT edge due to MJ’s six championships:
(1:30 mark)
"I have a friend of mine who I talk to about once a week. You know what he says about Michael’s [then] four championships? He doesn’t say anything about it because he has 11! I don’t think you can predicate how great a guy really is because he has championships.”
Chamberlain's statement is even a dig at Bill Russell, his buddy but bitter rival on the court. Some fans would even say Russell was the better player as he had 11 titles compared to just two by "Wilt."
Bill Russell vs. Wilt Chamberlain is the classic sports debate. Stats or championships?
Jerry West, perhaps the best qualified of anyone to discuss this topic, gave this smart take (via the LA Times) https://t.co/RLR0ZBpEHL
Wilt Chamberlain always wanted to have the last say in arguments, particularly the GOAT debate against Michael Jordan. Some of his points have remained true while others have fallen by the wayside.
Also read: When Wilt Chamberlain recorded NBA’s only quintuple-double and the doubts surrounding it: All you need to know