Wilt Chamberlain Disrespectfully Shuts Down The Comparison With Shaquille O’Neal: “It’s Like Comparing Me With Clark Gable, In This Case, I’m Clark Gable And He Is Me.”

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Any NBA fan that has combed through any statistics of the game has come across the name Wilt Chamberlain with some of the craziest accomplishments in history. The only man to score 100 points in a game, Chamberlain is widely recognized as one of the greatest centers to play the game. 

Wilt retired from the NBA in 1973 after a 14-year career in the league. He was the NBA’s all-time leading scorer at the time of his retirement and stayed there until Kareem Abdul-Jabbar broke it years later. Wilt was a titan of the game, whose opinion was highly sought-after until his untimely passing in October 1999. 

Shaquille O’Neal had emerged as one of the best centers in the league, and fans often wondered how he would fare against Wilt on the court. Chamberlain was once on ‘Conan’ and was asked about Shaq, and he was quite dismissive of Shaq, claiming the only comparison between them is the fact they are poor free throw shooters. He followed that up with an analogy about legendary actor Clark Gable.  

“Yeah, we’re both terrible foul shooters. But Shaquille and I is like comparing me with Clark Gable. In this case, I am Clark Gable and he is me.”

Clark Gable was one of the most iconic Hollywood actors from the ’30s, starring in the iconic ‘Gone With The Wind’. Wilt attempted an acting career after his NBA days were over, starring in movies like ‘Conan The Destroyer’. His analogy comparing meant to convert that what Wilt was in acting compared to Gable, Shaq was in terms of basketball to Wilt. 

That is quite a disrespectful comparison considering everything Shaq would go on to achieve. Wilt never got to see Shaq become a 4-time champion and have some of the most dominant seasons in NBA history. Both men are Lakers legends, and this comparison has been proven wildly untrue over time. 

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Ishaan Bhattacharya is a content manager for Fadeaway World from New Delhi, India. With his expertise in NBA content creation, Ishaan brings a wealth of experience to his role, contributing to the site's authority and reach within the basketball community. Over the last year, Ishaan has interviewed Ray Allen and Mark Tatum, while also covering the 2023 NBA Abu Dhabi Games which saw the Dallas Mavericks take on the Minnesota Timberwolves.Since joining Fadeaway World in March 2022, Ishaan Bhattacharya has become known for his unique perspective on the NBA. He consistently delivers this insight through his daily news coverage and detailed opinion pieces on the most significant topics in the league.Before his tenure at Fadeaway World, Ishaan worked in corporate communications, where he serviced prominent sports brands, including NBA India, Sports18, Amazon Prime Sports, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. This experience in strategic communications for leading sports entities has enhanced his ability to craft impactful narratives and connect with a global audience.A true MFFLer (Mavs Fan for Life, for the uninitiated), Ishaan is a massive fan of the Dallas Mavericks. When he is not upset about Jalen Brunson walking in free agency, you can see Ishaan as an avid gamer and content creator. His passion for basketball extends beyond the Mavericks, as evidenced by his thoughtfully curated NBA Mount Rushmore, featuring LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Russell—each representing distinct eras and bringing their unique qualities to the game.Featured On: ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher ReportYahoo Sports, NBA, Fox Sports, The Spun
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