There was only one player Wilt Chamberlain was afraid of,…
One of the greatest basketball players of all time is Wilt Chamberlain. Throughout his 14-year career, Chamberlain was an All-Star in all but one of his seasons. He was a player with the Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers, and San Francisco Warriors. When it came to points and rebounds per game, he regularly dominated the league. He averaged 50.4 points and 25.7 rebounds per game in 1961–1962, two absurd numbers that are probably never going to be matched.
Julius Erving said of the 7-foot-1 Hall of Famer, “there was one person on the court he feared.” Talking on “The Knuckleheads Podcast,” Erving identified the person as Wes Unseld. Erving talked about how difficult it was to play against the Washington Bullets, a squad that was led by Unseld and Elvin Hayes.
“I’m heading down the lane, and Elvin and that fucking Wes Unseld were back there helping.” I was certain Unseld would harm you without even blinking. The other players on your team wouldn’t even venture outside to save you; instead, he would steal their bravery. Erving stated, “They might not even come pick you up because they’re going to get hit by him too.” Erving continued: “So he was the only guy Wilt was scared of in the league, and I always heard that before I got over to the league.”
In addition to being a five-time All-Star and the 1969 MVP and Rookie of the Year, Unseld is a Hall of Famer in his own right. In 1978, he contributed to the team’s NBA championship.
