The Eternal NBA Rivalry: Russell’s Legacy vs Chamberlain’s Records
Sixty years later, the debate still rages on. The NBA has always sold fans on legendary rivalries – from Larry Bird vs Magic Johnson, which saved the league during its crisis era, to Michael Jordan’s battles with the “Bad Boy” Pistons and his manufactured personal rivalries, to LeBron James’ multiple Finals clashes with Stephen Curry in the 2010s.
Modern Rivalries and the Center Conundrum
Today, Anthony Edwards shows potential to become someone’s archrival, but it’s difficult to imagine him as a direct opponent for someone like Nikola Jokić. Centers inhabit their own island – their battles are better understood as kaiju-style clashes between seven-foot titans, much like the giant monsters from science fiction films.
Yet when watching the original Godzilla from 70 years ago, it’s hard to understand how it could have frightened or impressed anyone. This is why every such character and film should be appreciated as a document of its era – the same applies to NBA players of the past.
The Statistical Mythology of NBA Legends
Modern basketball players often boast that they’d average 40 points, 20 rebounds, and 10 blocks per game in the 20th century NBA. In response, others argue that with modern training conditions, past legends would still dominate today. Every NBA legend considers their era the best in history.
There’s just one problem – history actually featured two basketball players who regularly posted the very numbers that today sound like arrogant exaggeration: Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell, the bitter rivals of days long past.
The Unmatched Achievements
Chamberlain genuinely averaged 40-50 points, sometimes even 70 per game. Russell consistently grabbed 20+ rebounds, blocked everything near his basket, and won championship rings almost every year. As time passes, these achievements seem increasingly mythological.
The Problem With Secondhand Arguments
In the sports publishing bestseller “The Book of Basketball,” renowned journalist Bill Simmons dedicated an entire chapter to the Wilt vs Bill rivalry. The famous journalist dissected this confrontation thoroughly and reached a definitive conclusion: Chamberlain wasn’t fit to tie Russell’s shoes, the most decorated basketball player in NBA history.
But Simmons was proving what he already understood from the beginning. This wasn’t a search for truth, but an attempt to convince readers of his own correctness. A Celtics fan defended one of the greatest Celtics players – who would have thought!
Simmons made maximum effort to protect himself from accusations of bias – his conclusions rely on numerous contemporary testimonies and memories of Russell and Wilt’s games. But in 2025, basketball content enthusiasts understand that others’ opinions aren’t always reliable sources.
For example, when players themselves vote for individual awards, it becomes clear: athletes assess their own situations with significant biases. Fans are left to interpret the myths about Russell and Chamberlain through layers of time and perspective.
