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Bill Walton once recalled a tense conversation between Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain. In 1996, at the NBA's 50th Anniversary Team meeting, Michael and Wilt sat in the corner of a room and argued about which one of them was the greatest of all time. As Walton recalled, everyone else was having a good time, interacting with each other jovially, while Wilt and Michael just sat at a table and debated.
(Original transcript of Bill Walton, video CC is incorrect)
“We’re in this one room, and it’s just 50 players. Over in the corner is Wilt and Michael Jordan. And they’re sitting at a table, arguing vociferously as to who the greatest player of all time was. They’re going back and forth and just, it’s just intense as could be. And we’re just having a great time. Bill Russell and Kareem are smiling and signing autographs and taking photographs, that’s how wonderful this all was. So now David Stern comes into the room (and says) ‘Okay guys, it’s time to go’."
"Everybody starts gathering together, lining up. And Michael and Wilt are still going at it at this table over here. And so, David finally says ‘Come on, Wilt, Michael, we got to get going’. So they stand up, the conversation ends. And Wilt, who always has the last word in everything, Wilt looked down at Michael and said ‘Michael, just remember - when you played, they changed all the rules to make it easier for you to dominate. When I played, they changed all the rules to make it harder for me’. And there was no retort, no comeback. Wilt Chamberlain, oh my gosh.”
“We’re in this one room, just 50 players. Over in the corner is Wilt & Michael Jordan…arguing who the greatest of all time was…Intense”
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) May 29, 2024
— Bill Walton, who was in the room for the NBA 50 Greatest event in 1997 pic.twitter.com/ihJVXTRurk
Both Wilt Chamberlain and Michael Jordan are two of the best players in history. But one thing both were famous for was their self-confidence. So it is not surprising in the slightest that they would get into such a heated argument about which one of them was better.
Jordan and Chamberlain both had valid claims at the time to be considered the greatest of all time, and their unwavering confidence and pride in themselves led to them having such a strong back-and-forth discussion.
Michael Jordan Has Cemented Himself As The GOAT
The timing of the debate between Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain is certainly interesting. Taking place at the 1996 NBA All-Star game, Chamberlain and Jordan had very similar resumes and accolades at the time.
Jordan had won 3 NBA championships, 3 Finals MVPs, 3 regular season MVPs, and 1 Defensive Player of The Year trophy. In contrast, Wilt Chamberlain had won 2 NBA championships, 1 Finals MVP, and 4 MVPs. So there was a fair argument that could be made for either player at the time.
But in the next three years, Jordan would eclipse Chamberlain's accomplishments, winning 3 more NBA championships and Finals MVP trophies and 2 regular season MVPs, while never losing in the NBA Finals. Jordan cemented himself as the best to ever do it by the time his career ended.
Wilt Chamberlain's career numbers are spectacular, as he averaged 30.1 points, 22.9 rebounds, and 4.4 assists. There is no data on his defensive stats, as those were not recorded during Chamberlain's time in the NBA.
Michael Jordan is not far behind from Chamberlain, averaging 30.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 2.3 steals in his career. It should be noted that Jordan's scoring averages went down due to his two seasons in Washington, where his numbers drastically went down and affected his totals.
Regardless of who you think the GOAT is, there is no denying how impactful both Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain have been for the sport of basketball. The imprint they left on the game is massive, and their presence is still felt to this day.
More must-reads:
- Ranking the top 10 players in the NBA conference finals
- Three keys to watch in Knicks-Pacers Eastern Conference Finals
- The 'Four starters with 20 points in an NBA playoff game since 2000' quiz
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