"Did he score better than me?" - Wilt Chamberlain once insinuated he is a better player than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
The rivalry between Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was one of the NBA's greatest storylines. Kareem came into the NBA when Chamberlain was already a veteran in the league, and his career was in its final stages.
However, the two historically gifted big men enjoyed a rivalry that elevated the NBA. Both Chamberlain and Kareem believed they were better than each other.
Recently, a throwback clip of a 1987 interview with Chamberlain surfaced on Reddit, where the former big man can be seen discussing whether he was better than Abdul-Jabbar:
"In the facets of the game," Wilt Chamberlain said. "Did he score better than I did? Did he rebound better than i did? Did he pass better than me? Did he run better than me? Hard for me to figure out. He shot a hook shot better than I did. For absolutely sure
"Kareem was also a different type of basketball player than I was. I would have also loved to had a chance to play against Kareem when I was scoring 50-points a game."
Wilt Chamberlain was then asked if he would have liked to play against Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in some backyard basketball in a one-on-one setting.
"I'm too strong for Kareem. And if you're going to go one-on-one, you take it to the basket."
While the rivalry between Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a story from yesteryear, both big men are a significant part of NBA history, and their battles remain the stuff of legend.
Wilt Chamberlain's Golden State Warriors teammates rejected his ball dominance
During the 1964-65 NBA season, the Golden State Warriors began to unravel. The previous season, Wilt Chamberlain had been an offensive hub for his team, operating as a high-level playmaker along with his usual scoring dominance.
However, during the 64-65 season, Chamberlain went back to being a ball-dominant scorer, which alienated his teammates.
According to a 1965 article by Sports Illustrated's Frank Deford, Chamberlain's teammates began to question his position on the Warriors roster.
"Last year," an NBA official says, "they were all cutting off Wilt and working together. This year nobody moved. Wilt was forced to shoot most of the time, whether he wanted to or not.
"The whole team has just lost heart. These guys are pros, all right, but their attitude became 'What if we do win a few? Who can make money with this guy on the team? Who gets any kick out of playing with him?'"
Midway through that same season, Chamberlain ended up being traded to the Philadelphia 76ers for $50,000. However, it took another two years for the dominant big man to taste success and become an NBA champion. Nevertheless, every stop Wilt Chamberlain had in the NBA was just part of a historic legacy.