A veteran who helped the youthful “Lew” when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar first began playing in the NBA was Wilt Chamberlain. Kareem was consistently tutored by Wilt, to the extent that they became friends. But when Abdul-Jabbar gradually developed into a league superstar, everything changed.Kareem Abdul-Jabbar talked candidly about a moment when Wilt Chamberlain turned his back on him. “The Big Dipper” stopped being kind to Kareem when he began to perform at the level Wilt had at one point in his career. In the open, Chamberlain said that Abdul-Jabbar’s greatness stemmed solely from the fact that he was the only dominant center in the league at the time.
Abdul-Jabbar revealed, “When I started playing, when I started creepin’ up on his records.” “He had been rather supportive up until that point. Then, he made some critical remarks, to which I responded. That may not have made sense, but that is what transpired.”
If Kareem had remained in the league, Wilt thought he would never have realized his full potential. Chamberlain was certain that he was the one thing standing in Abdul-Jabbar’s way.
Among the best players in NBA history are without a doubt Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. It is unavoidable, though, when supporters and hoops lovers start contrasting the two players.Basketball was played in a different period when Wilt was playing, one in which using your height to your advantage made scoring easier. However, Kareem played during a period of change as the NBA started enforcing new regulations that prevented players from matching Wilt and Bill Russell’s statistical output. Evidently, Abdul-Jabbar was still able to achieve unthinkable heights, so it didn’t matter.
In addition to being a four-time league MVP, Chamberlain is a two-time NBA champion. He received one All-Star MVP award and was chosen for thirteen All-Star Games. Wilt received ten All-NBA Team nominations as well.Kareem has won six NBA titles, twice been named MVP of the Finals, and six times been named MVP of the league. In his career, he has been selected to 19 All-Star games and has won the scoring title twice in the league.The disparity in eras makes it hard to compare the two players to one another. All we can say is that Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar will always be remembered as the best players in league history.
