Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain were two of the biggest stars in the NBA during its formative years. Russell was the leader of the Boston Celtics and played a big part in establishing themselves as the most successful franchise in NBA history, a title they still boast to this day.
As for Wilt Chamberlain, he was a true statistical marvel. Chamberlain put up incredible numbers throughout his career and holds the record for most points in a single NBA game with 100, and the most points averaged in a season with 50.4 points per game.
But the two were treated very differently in terms of their legacy. For all of Chamberlain’s incredible statistics, he only won 2 NBA championships; one with the Warriors and one with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Whereas Bill Russell was and is still considered the greatest winner in NBA history. Across his 13-year career in the NBA, he won 11 NBA championships, the most by any individual player in NBA history.
The two were considered equals in the league, which made them fierce rivals. In an interview after he retired, Bill Russell destroyed Wilt Chamberlain, who at this point was with the Los Angeles Lakers.
He pointed out that the Lakers are playing the way he and the Celtics used to during his playing days, and added that Chamberlain is trying to replicate his style of play. Russell also pointed out that then-Lakers head coach Bill Sharman was a former Celtic and played with him, and is making his Lakers play the same way.
“Well, first you have to say, as well as he can. The Lakers are playing the same style of ball that we played 10-15 years ago. Well you know, some people are slow learners. 2 Celtics, Bill Sharman and Casey Jones are coaching them.”
Russell and Chamberlain were rivals in the NBA, so it is not surprising to hear him speak about Chamberlain in this manner. On top of that, the fact that Chamberlain won his second championship so late in his career was one of the reasons why Russell called him a slow learner for playing his style of basketball.
Russell was far from the only player to have issues with Wilt Chamberlain. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who much like Russell and Chamberlain is considered one of the greatest players in NBA history, had a complicated relationship with Chamberlain, which started with mentorship but ended in mutual disdain.
