Wilt Chamberlain once strangely told the world that he thought Muhammad Ali was the greatest player of all time
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Wilt Chamberlain ushered in an era of basketball players that he doesn’t get enough credit for. Wilt was quite the egotistical man when it came to hoops, knowing full well that he was undoubtedly the most exceptional offensive talent in the NBA throughout his prime.
On and off the court, the ‘Big Dipper’ was as confident as any man of his stature and talent could be. He actively believed he was not the problem when it came to his teams not winning the championship despite it being glaringly obvious that his obsession with the stat sheet was what drove him and nothing more.
So, when asked about who the greatest player was of all time well into his retirement, fans were expecting an answer on the lines of, ‘Me’. They certainly weren’t expecting what he would go on to say next.
Also read: Retired Wilt Chamberlain Once Carried 600lbs In a Random Act Of Kindness Following Knicks Meeting
Wilt Chamberlain proudly proclaimed Muhammad Ali to be the greatest ‘player’ of all time in 1996
Wilt Chamberlain, alongside Bill Russell, was asked by reporters on who he thought was the greatest player of all time at age 60 in 1996. Without hesitation, Wilt claimed Muhammad Ali was the greatest player of all time.
Now the question that was asked to him certainly was leaning towards who he thought was the greatest ‘basketball’ player of all time. However, it seems as though the 2x NBA champ disregarded this and answered a question that could be interpreted as ‘who is the greatest athlete of all time’.
Bill Russell gave a more apt answer in comparison to his counterpart. He would go on to say that you can’t put one player’s prime over the other with guys as great as Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Julius Erving, and even Michael Jordan.
Wilt Chamberlain almost boxed Muhammad Ali in 1971
It had been 3 years since Muhammad Ali had earned a significant payday by the time 1971 had rolled around. This was due to him refusing to get drafted into the army to fight for the country in the Vietnam War. So, when Wilt Chamberlain challenged him and offered him the largest sum of money he’d ever been offered to box, Ali agreed.
However, when it came time for the press conference, Ali would start talking trash to him, yelling out ‘Timber!’ as he walked in. Wilt would immediately consult with his lawyers and have the fight called off. Many believe Wilt, a man who was a foot taller and 60 pounds heavier than Ali, was simply too frightened to get in the ring with him.
