Frazier contends that Chamberlain could only be contained by Russell and the Celtics.
Even while it’s unlikely that these talks would ever cause individuals to modify their opinions, the never-ending argument over the greatest of all time will probably never end. Walt Frazier, for example, has always maintained that Michael Jordan is unworthy of the title.
The legendary New York Knicks player gave an explanation of why, in his opinion, Jordan is not the greatest player in history a few years ago. It’s interesting to note that Frazier had felt exactly the same way long before. He defended Wilt Chamberlain in a 2000 interview with SLAM Magazine, claiming that the Boston Celtics dynasty’s lack of rings was the primary reason the great big man didn’t receive enough recognition.
“Some have suggested that Wilt was not the greatest player ever because he only won two titles, as opposed to Jordan’s six,” Frazier stated to SLAM. “This is just not fair. Had it not been for the Celtics dynasty, Wilt probably would have won nine rings in the end. Jordan had no real adversaries. If you believe that this is an unjust comparison, ponder about this: If Larry Bird and Magic Johnson hadn’t had to contend with one another, how many championships would they have won? And the two championship teams that Wilt managed, the ’66-67 Sixers and the ’71-72 Lakers. Both are among the top ten greatest squads of all time.”
Wily kept running into a brick wall the size of Russell.
Frazier feels that “The Big Dipper” should be given more credit for his dominance in the league. Sadly, it didn’t always result in titles. Some have criticized Chamberlain for failing to step up when it counted, but he wasn’t at fault when his team occasionally lacked the firepower to compete with the best teams in the league, including the Celtics.
Nevertheless, it’s important to remember that the Chicago Bulls legend defeated Magic Johnson, the 1992 MVP, Clyde Drexler, the 1993 MVP, Charles Barkley, Gary Payton, the 1996 Defensive Player of the Year, and the legendary team of Karl Malone and John Stockton in the Finals.
Not even the Hall of Famers he faced during the 1990s Eastern Conference playoffs—Patrick Ewing, Reggie Miller, and Shaquille O’Neal—are included in that list. Thus, perhaps Glyde ought to reevaluate his belief and perspective of “His Airness.”
