Even though Wilt dropped 100 points in a single game, averaged 50 points per season, and won nearly every individual honor throughout his 15-year career, Wilt alone…
In the NBA, when Wilt Chamberlain’s name is brought up, it is usually to discuss some record he broke during his prime in the 1960s. The 7’1″ “Big Dipper” is regarded by many as the most dominant force the league has ever seen, and the astounding stats support this claim. As usual, though, there is an exception.
Wilt defeated his former team, the San Francisco Warriors, in 1967. Given that Rick Barry, the star of the Warriors, called Chamberlain a loser and someone who was terrified of the big moment in his book “Confessions of a Basketball Gyps,” it must have infuriated Barry.
“Let me state how most players feel about Wilt: he is a loser.Big games are bad for him. You can see it in his eyes that he dreads losing and being held responsible for it; anyone who has ever played with him will concur with me, whether or not they would acknowledge it in public. He does not want the ball or any portion of the pressure when it comes to the last few minutes of a difficult or significant game. Wilt lacks greatness in these crucial moments when it is determined. He cannot be compared to a professional like Jerry West or Bill Russell in any manner.These rivals are clutch.
It is not often that we hear somebody disparage Wilt and his career, but Barry was uncompromising in his critique. Throughout his career, Wilt made six trips to the Finals, losing four of them, primarily to Bill Russell and the dynasty Celtics. Because of this, even if Russell does not have as impressive a personal record as Wilt, many still think he is the superior center. However, the eleven rings are quite expressive.
However, Jerry West, who is also named, may be referred to as Mr. Clutch, although his 1-8 Finals record does not support that claim. Nevertheless, he has a positive reputation among all NBA fans due to his ability to make clutch shots and his devotion to the Lakers. Ironically, he shared a 1972 championship ring with Wilt.
Regarding Barry’s remarks, it might be a little excessive to label Wilt as a loser. Someone who inflicted so much damage on rival players and achieved those types of stats, after all, could not be a loser. However, the truth is that he is hardly the greatest winner thus far.
