Wilt Chamberlain Once Said He'd Average 70 Points In Michael Jordan-Led 1990s
Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain once claimed he slept with more than 20,000 women before later backtracking, so he's known for embellishing a little at first.
It's no surprise he refused to hold back during an interview with NBC's Bob Costas in 1997 when asked about how he would have fared if he played in the `90s.
Of course, Chamberlain took it to the extreme.
"With the new rules, which are all slanted to help the offense, now when I get the ball, instead of having two or three people and [Bill Russell] all on me at the same time, I'm by myself with one guy," Chamberlain said. "I would love it. I would love it. Fifty points, 60 points, maybe 70 points a game."
Chamberlain is proof players from the 1970s and `60s are no different than those from the `80s and `90s who are now critical of today's game. It seems the older generation always thinks it was better than the new school. Just entertain any LeBron James versus Michael Jordan debate.
Chamberlain, who played from 1958-73, was perhaps the most dominant force in NBA history. It would have been interesting to see how he matched against the likes of Hakeem Olajuwon, Patrick Ewing, Shaquille O'Neal and David Robinson during that era.
"It's easier now," Chamberlain said at the time. "I was too fast, too strong. One guy is not going to take me down in that particular way. The best basketball athletes I've ever seen played in the `50s and `60s."
Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Back In The Day NBA. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com
