'Come on out, big fella' - Sam Jones intentionally made it a mission to taunt Wilt Chamberlain

Standing at just 6'4" in an era dominated by towering 6'11"-7-foot centers, Sam Jones was one of the most fearless players. This boldness was exemplified by his teammate Bob Cousy's admission of how the 10-time NBA Champion regularly taunted the imposing Wilt Chamberlain at every opportunity. However, Sam didn't stop at mere words; he constantly reminded "Wilt The Stilt" not to fall prey to his mind games.

Cousy on how Sam got into Wilt's head

Throughout his career, Jones attempted 15.8 field goals per game and shot 45.6 percent from the field. This meant that to score effectively from the paint against someone as physically dominating as Chamberlain, Jones would have to rely on more than just skill—he used strategy.

According to Cousy, the five-time All-Star often drew WIlt into verbal exchanges, enticing him to move away from the rim. Once the four-time MVP fell for the bait, the 6'4" guard would capitalize, also making sure Chamberlain realized it had all been part of his clever ploy.

"Sam used to taunt Wilt something terrible," Cousy said. "Wilt half the time wouldn't come down the floor if we were in transition. Sam would be waiting by himself and I would go to that option and Sam would be, like, 20 feet from the basket, waving to Chamberlain, 'Come on out, big fella,' and Wilt would take a few steps and Sam would drill that backboard shot, saying, 'Too late.' Sam never missed."

"The Big Dipper" ultimately lost his cool on Jones

Cousy's account offers a more vivid glimpse of Jones' audacity during the 1962 Eastern Division Finals. In a particularly memorable moment in Game 5, the Boston Celtics guard reportedly elbowed Chamberlain in the midsection, sparking an intense exchange of words, forcing Jones to use a stool to protect himself from the 7'1" center.

While that single incident seemed enough for Wilt to warn the Celtics' guard against crossing the line with him, it may also have subtly urged Sam to tone down his provocative antics during the pivotal Game 6 of the series.

Safe to say, despite the risk of confrontation, "Mr. Clutch" thrived on challenging Wilt in ways others wouldn't even dare. In an era where "The Big Dipper" seemed impossible to contain, Jones used his antics to provoke and unsettle the 13-time All-Star at every turn.