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“Nobody will ever approach any of the records Wilt Chamberlain has”: When Walt Frazier reasoned why “Wilt the Stilt” was his pick for the GOAT debate over Michael Jordan

Advait Jajodia
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“Nobody will ever approach any of the records Wilt Chamberlain has”: When Walt Frazier reasoned why “Wilt the Stilt” was his pick for the GOAT debate over Michael Jordan

New York Knicks legend Walt Frazier believed that Wilt Chamberlain was his GOAT pick, followed by the likes of Bill Russell.

The NBA has been blessed with several talented superstars throughout the course of its 75 years of existence. Many, in their own way, have revolutionized the game, however, when talking about the famous GOAT debate, only two players majorly dominate this endless conversation – LeBron James and Michael Jordan.

However, New York legend Walt Frazier once had none of these two legends as his picks for the famous, ongoing debate.

Also Read: How a unique jersey number, conspiracies, and eccentricity combined to become Michael Jordan’s perfect partner 

Back in 2015, the HOFer revealed Wilt Chamberlain to be the greatest player ever, followed by 11-time NBA champ Bill Russell.

“If I had to pick a guy it would be Wilt Chamberlain, because if you look at his records, it’s hilarious, nobody will approach any of his records. So he would be my guy. Bill Russell would be behind him. A guy who is always overlooked is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar — the leading scorer in the history of the game. The skyhook is the most lethal weapon the game has ever seen, but when people talk about the greatest player he’s not even in the top five.”

“Michael Jordan isn’t the leading scorer, winningest or even the most versatile player in the history of the game”: Walt Frazier

It seems like Frazier has some kind of enmity against Jordan. A year back, the former 6-foot-4 point guard went on a passionate rant to explain why MJ wasn’t the GOAT. According to Walt, “His Airness” wasn’t even the leading scorer of all time, wasn’t the winningest nor the most versatile player in the history of the game.

I always say what is the criteria. If you are talking about the most dominant, then it’s Wilt Chamberlain because the guy has all the records. If you are talking versatility, it’s Oscar Robertson, the guy who averaged a triple-double for almost his entire career. Talking about winning, it’s Bill Russell; the man has 11 world championships, so what is the criteria? Michael Jordan is not the leading scorer in the history of the game, he is not the winningest player in the history of the game, he is not the most versatile player in the history of the game, so how can you say he is the greatest player.”

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However, Frazier did give Jordan his flowers by saying that the Bulls legend was in the same stratosphere as the greats.

“I would find it hard to say Mike. Mike is right there with those guys, but if I had to pick, it would be Chamberlain.’’

Also Read: Steve Kerr reminisces over his iconic game-winner following assist from Michael Jordan in ‘97 Finals

About the author

Advait Jajodia

Advait Jajodia

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Advait Jajodia, a seasoned NBA journalist, has had a passion for the game for over a decade. His journey from admiring Kobe Bryant's precision to being in awe of Stephen Curry's long-range mastery instilled a profound understanding of basketball. With a background as a two-time National-level player, Advait uses his experience on the hardwood to offer insightful analysis. Over three years of dedicated sports journalism has equipped the 21-year-old with a unique perspective, reflected in his prolific portfolio of 3,350+ articles.

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