Wilt Chamberlain was every bit as talented as many who supported him thought. He would repeatedly rewrite the NBA record book. He would go on to become the sport’s all-time greatest individual force.
Additionally, he would encourage Bill Russell to play some of his best basketball. Bill Russell would have been fantastic if Wilt Chamberlain hadn’t existed. But like the old Army commercial stated, Bill Russell became all that he could be because of Wilt Chamberlain’s scary presence.
In the 1990s, Russell remarked, “People say it was the greatest individual rivalry they’ve ever seen.” “I concur with that. I can’t help but laugh now. Half the time Patrick Ewing isn’t even protecting Shaq O’Neal when I turn on the TV to see the Knicks play the Lakers, and vice versa. I can promise you that the coach of Wilt or Russ would have lost that player for good if he had ever informed one of them he couldn’t guard the other player!
