NBA legends Shaquille O’Neal and Wilt Chamberlain are said to be two of the most dominant players in the history of the league. Chamberlain won the MVP award 4 times and believes that he was the better player. He has spoken out about O’Neal multiple times in the past. Wilt often tends to play down Diesel’s skills. Wilt once claimed that O’Neal would not have been able to face him had they two played against each other. Regardless, obviously influenced by the comparison, Chamberlain once claimed that he would easily average 65-70 points in the NBA, in the 90s. The hilarious clip recently resurfaced on Reddit, and was shared specifically on the r/NBA subreddit.
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The two NBA greats are often compared due to their combination of size and athleticism. Wilt was able to dominate his opponent in much the same way that O’Neal did, during his prime. The two players had obvious similarities but it seems as if Chamberlain was never fond of the comparisons.
Wilt Chamberlain claimed he would drop 65-70 points in 90s NBA
Considered to be one of the hardest eras in the NBA, the 90s was known for its physical basketball. However, there were various rule changes since Chamberlain’s time that made things easier for offensive players.
This included increased physical contact that Chamberlain had to suffer through during his career. The Philadelphia 76ers legend cited these rule changes as the reason why he would end up dominating even more during the 90s:
“You gotta understand with the rules of the game with the offense allowed to touch you, and have 3 or 4 guys around you when you don’t have the ball. Probably 65 to 70 would be a good number.”
Chamberlain and O’Neal are two of the best players of all time. However, considering Wilt Chamberlain’s multiple 50+ seasons as well as a career-30+ points average, there is little doubt that he could have produced even better numbers during the 90s. Whether that would have translated to an average of 65-70 is something fans will never be able to find out.
Shaquille O’Neal always had the utmost respect for Wilt Chamberlain
While Chamberlain might have been reluctant in praising, the Lakers legend had a lot of respect for Wilt. In a Fluent and Chill podcast appearance, Shaq claimed that Wilt was the most dominant player of all time.
Shaquille O’Neal counted Wilt alongside himself as two of the most dominant players of all time. He also claimed that, unlike Wilt, he himself did not have any claim to being the greatest player of all time.
Of course, Chamberlain was known for his winner’s attitude and often claimed that he was the greatest of all time. The now 63-year-old’s achievements speak for himself and warrant his inclusion in the GOAT debate.
