Wilt Chamberlain vs. Michael Jordan

I've always felt that Wilt Chamberlain was the greatest basketball player ever, with Michael Jordan second (and Magic Johnson 3rd and Oscar Robertson 4th and Kareem 5th). I never bought the fact that all the championships Jordan won made him greater; after all, Yogi Berra, a great player, played on more championship teams than any other baseball player, and was a significant part of those championships, winning the league MVP 3 times, but no one considers him the greatest player of all time (though many consider him the greatest catcher).


But what Jordan's doing this year is making me think again. Who else could come back after all this time and turn a team almost single-handedly from horrible to respectable? (In fact, better than respetable, 13-3 their last 16 games.) Chamberlain always talked about coming back out of retirement to play again, even when he was 50, but I don't think he could have done it. [He did, though, a lot of spectacular things at that age, if you believe his book.]


No question Wilt made teams much, much better; just look at the winning percentages of the teams he played on. And with better coaching (say, equivalent to Phil Jacakson) Wilt might have won as many championships as Michael (he won 2).


But I'm certainly reconsidering my rankings.

wilton normon chamberlain...i'd take him in an all time draft #1 over any player ever...

Those of us from Chicago have know this fact for some time. Forget basketball. He may be the single most dominating athlete of all time. Period. (Tiger Woods will tell).

I remember watching a game on TV when Wilt was with the 6ers, playing against the Warriors. Wilt got the ball virtually all alone under the basket and, in order to stop him, Nate Thurmond, who was neither small, weak, nor unskilled, grabbed him around the shoulders.


Chamberlain went up anyway, with Thurmond wrapped around him, the two of them rising in unison as Chamberlain dunked, literally carrying Thurmond. Most awesome thing I've ever seen.

I'd have a hard time picking between:


Michael Jordan

Chamberlain

Kareem

Majic

Bird

Bill Russell

Oscar Robertson

Dr. "J"


I do think MJ is the best ever though.


Some comments about each:


MJ


I always thought the Bulls were vulnerable but after seeing what MJ meant to them I now understand why they did so well. I just never thought the other players were that good but I never realized how good MJ really was and is.


Wilt


An awesome talent who had some incredible accomplishments. I didn't realize it at the time but Bill Russell and Wilt were great friends when they played and after they played. Bill Russell said that the biggest flaw in Wilt's game was that he was too nice of a guy. Russell gave the example of the Knicks vs. Lakers game 7 in 1970 I believe where Willis Reed was hobbling on one leg. Russell said that Reed would have never made it through the first minute if he had been playing against Reed. Russell wasn't knocking Wilt just pointing out that Wilt was a nice man.


Bill Russell


I think his record speaks for itself. Basically made blocking shots a must have skill for big men. I don't think there ever was a better defensive player and he wasn't that bad on O either.


Kareem


I was a big UCLA fan during John Wooden's reign as coach at UCLA (I guess I'm a front runner). When Kareem went to UCLA and later to the pros he had many detractors who said that since he was so tall it was so easy for him. Well if you ever read anything or hear anything that John Wooden stated about him you'd realize that Wooden doesn't agree at all. If the sky hook is such an easy shot then why doesn't every big man in the NBA use it? I think Kareem is the best center ever but one could certainly make a case for Russell or Chamberlain.


Majic


What can you say? He didn't have a great jump shot but he did so many things so well. He was a true champion who was a joy to watch.


Larry Bird


Again what can you say that hasn't been said about Bird. A better pure shooter than Majic and could do everything well. A great leader and another champion that was a joy to watch.


Oscar Robertson


In his prime he was basically unstoppable. He sort of invented the triple double. Again he wasn't a great pure shooter but always could get a high percentage shot whenever he wanted to in his prime.


Julius Erving


His greatest days were probably in the ABA but he certainly was great in the NBA. Kind of a precursor to MJ with his acrobatic slams and incredible moves. I used to love watching the Sixers in the early 80's with his quest to win a championship which he finally did in 1983 I believe. I used to say "Does he the glass or what?" I've never seen anybody spin the ball off the glass to make the shots that he did. It's not as easy as it might appear. He wasn't a great pure shooter either but he could do so many things well.

Well I have always been a loyal Lakers fan, and throughout my life I always regarded Magic as the greatest ever (obviously biased thinking), but the reality is that Michael Jordan is so amazing that he simply outclasses everybody. The reason that I don't put Wilt on the same pedestal as Michael is because his competition was much weaker in his day. As for most dominant player- I'd say that goes to Wilt, but once again only because of his competition.

Anyway my ranking would be #1-MJ, #2-Magic, #3Wilt, #4Kareem.

As for the NBA future, I was almost 100% sure that Kobe would emerge as the greatest in the league, maybe even be as good as Michael, but now I'm only about 95% sure :-) Kobe is unbelievable but the one guy that has my eye more then anybody else in the league is the new superstar Tracy McGrady. That guy is fu-king awesome! Sorry, but there is simply no other way to put it. He might be as good as Kobe someday- he sure isn't far behind right now. Of course I don't know how good he is defensively, but if its anywhere near as good as his offense he will become a legend.


Kris

conan was way better and is the tiebreaker imho.


wilt is the best.

I do not like either one (Russell has the rings!) but Wilt can not be considered the best ever. Your example illustrates my theory for both Wilt and Shaq perfectly: they are physically superior to their respective competition but they are not the best basketball players of their time, let alone the best ever. Jordan combines physical superiority (or did at one point) with a highly skilled and developed game that (eventually) made his teammates better players. Can Wilt lay claim to dragging a player into the Top 50 Players of All Time despite himself (Scottie Pippen).

"Can Wilt lay claim to dragging a player into the Top 50 Players of All Time despite himself"


Hal Greer

Dr. J. said Magic was the only player who could score 4 points in a game and be in complete control of the game.


I like your 8 as the 8 greatest ever.