NBA Legends Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem, Big O, & Bill Walton on Michael Jordan

[PTBG]

Wilt Chamberlain on the NBA at 50 celebration in 1996:

"They are trying to sell today's game, not the game from the 1960's, 70's or 80's." "If Michael was here right now, I would say to him: When you are so great that the league tries to change the rules in an attempt to stop you then you can claim you are the best ever. Every rule change I have seen during your career has been meant to enhance your game (such as shortened 3 point line, hand checking rules & well defined rules regarding illegal defenses)."

I did not know that Wilt went at Jordan like that.

Oscar Robertson on Jordan:

Let me tell you about what being great is. Ever hear of Elgin Baylor? Never mention his name, do we? Great basketball player. You know what you have today? Michael Jordan was a great player, but he won after Chicago got Pippen, Grant and those other players to go along with him, because for a while they couldn’t beat Detroit.

“Everybody looks at what you’ve done. Sure he won six championships, Russell won eleven. There are other players on these teams when they play. They don’t play by themselves. Michael Jordan is a great player. Was he the greatest? Ask Kobe that. Ask Bill Russell. Ask Oscar Robertson. Ask Wilt Chamberlain. Ask Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, ask those guys.”

“The problem today is you get some people who have never been around a basketball. The media now has anointed Michael Jordan the greatest of all time. Is he greatest of all time? No, I don’t think he is. I think he is a great player. There have been other great players as well, great players before I played. Now you have a situation where Pippen is saying (James) could be better than Michael Jordan, and everyone gets so upset by it. All these commentators, did they ever see any of these guys play?”

Bill Walton:

Without question, no hesitation, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the best player I ever played against. Not just the best center, he was the best player, period. He was better than Magic (Johnson), better than Larry, better than Michael (Jordan).

Kareem Abdul-Jabber:

"[Jordan's] incredible athletic ability, charisma and leadership on the court helped to make basketball popular around the world — no question about that. But in terms of greatness MJ has to take a backseat to The Stilt."

I'm probably going to get a lot of hate for this thread, but I'm surprised and was interested in real NBA legends and there thoughts on Jordan and who they think is the GOAT rather than the media's take and its pretty interesting imo.

 

[mastermind]

I been saying this since SOHH was around. Jordan is the best player I HAVE EVER SEEN. But if someone older tells me Kareem, Wilt, Oscar, Elgin, Magic, etc were better, who am I to call them out. They have seen those guys play. And looking at video of all of those players, I get it. Shoot, looking at the numbers I have a tough time saying Wilt or Kareem arent the best. Wilt has the stats, Kareem has the accomplishments from high school to the NBA.

Thats why I always say its important to say "I have seen" instead of just saying GOAT without any thought.

And yes, the NBA and Nike have done a great job at making Jordan the unanimous number one. Its bullshyt. And then NBA have done a great job at scrubbing the NBA before 1980 out of everyones memory.

 

[Steezy]

them old nikkas salty as fukk they never got the fame and recognition as AIR JORDAN did .. big O was and will forever remain a salty mufukka.. wilt chamberline beasted on 6'3 white boys and bill walton...

 

[mastermind]

them old nikkas salty as fukk they never got the fame and recognition as AIR JORDAN did .. big O was and will forever remain a salty mufukka.. wilt chamberline beasted on 6'3 white boys and bill walton...

Spoiler

none of this is true.

 

[HacksawJimThuggin]

Can't really argue. Mike certianly benefitted from being the face of the league as the NBA went international and really blew the fukk up. Being the face of Nike during that period didn't hurt, either. Especially because the NBA almost made it a point to whitewash anything pre-Dr. J. Mike also benefitted from the fact that his iconic moments were seen by so many more people and forever immortalized by the ESPN's of the world. I'm sure every great player throughout history has at least a few signature moments, yet which ones do we remember most? Mike's jumper in game 6, Magic's running sky hook in the lane, Shaq running down the floor after catching the alley oop from Kobe vs the Blazers, and Dr. J's wind up dunk on the break or him pumping it and scoring on the other side of the basket. shyt, I can't tell you any definitive Wilt Chamberlain or Elgin Baylor "iconic" moments but I'm sure they had plenty. Most famous Wilt Chamberlain moment is him holding up a sign that says 100 on it rather than actual game footage of him while he was scoring 100. That speaks volumes.

Greatest I ever saw? Sure. But I think the thing is, there's just no criteria for what determines "the best". Russell won more and Wilt has astronomical numbers. So if someone said Wilt was the best, how could you really argue that? My older brother still swears Kareem is the best player he ever saw. No way you can really argue that.

 

[Kobes Two Jerseys]

Walton is smart.

 

[Kobes Two Jerseys]

Can't really argue. Mike certianly benefitted from being the face of the league as the NBA went international and really blew the fukk up. Being the face of Nike during that period didn't hurt, either. Especially because the NBA almost made it a point to whitewash anything pre-Dr. J. Mike also benefitted from the fact that his iconic moments were seen by so many more people and forever immortalized by the ESPN's of the world. I'm sure every great player throughout history has at least a few signature moments, yet which ones do we remember most? Mike's jumper in game 6, Magic's running sky hook in the lane, Shaq running down the floor after catching the alley oop from Kobe vs the Blazers, and Dr. J's wind up dunk on the break or him pumping it and scoring on the other side of the basket. shyt, I can't tell you any definitive Wilt Chamberlain or Elgin Baylor "iconic" moments but I'm sure they had plenty. Most famous Wilt Chamberlain moment is him holding up a sign that says 100 on it rather than actual game footage of him while he was scoring 100. That speaks volumes.

Greatest I ever saw? Sure. But I think the thing is, there's just no criteria for what determines "the best". Russell won more and Wilt has astronomical numbers. So if someone said Wilt was the best, how could you really argue that? My older brother still swears Kareem is the best player he ever saw. No way you can really argue that.

Your brother is a smart man.

 

[Sam Peel]

Kobe Stan's are truly pathetic

 

[Loose]

Old nikkas is salty as fukk made money and had fame at the same time. I dont see Big O's short slow ass game translating to today, where as Micheal's would easily.

 

[god shamgod]

Don't just post the bitter old guy's opinions

"I didn't think anyone was capable of doing what Michael has done to us," marveled Celtics ace Larry Bird. "He is the most exciting, awesome player in the game today. I think it's just God disguised as Michael Jordan."-Larry Bird

"Michael is the greatest ever — point blank." "There's Michael Jordan and then there's the rest of us"-Magic Johnson

"Michael Jordan is the greatest player to ever play the game"-Charles Barkley

Michael is still the greatest player I've ever seen in all facets of the game. Michael was the best offensive player in the game, and Scottie Pippen didn't even defend like he did."-Jerry West

 

[GoddamnyamanProf]

One star neg rep

Die, Kobe groupie, die.

 

[FTBS]

I remember hearing about Mike and Wilt having an actual argument over who was the greatest. Now that is something I wish I could have witnessed.

 

[Po pimp]

MJ said himself he isn't the greatest because you can't really compare eras like that. I will say MJ is the most accomplished to ever play.

 

[Easy-E]

And yes, the NBA and Nike have done a great job at making Jordan the unanimous number one.

This

 

[mastermind]

I will say MJ is the most accomplished to ever play.

Kareem's NBA accomplishments>>>

and if you go from HS on up.