When thinking of sheer offensive dominance, a few NBA players come to mind, both former and current. Active superstars like Nikola Jokic, LeBron James, and Stephen Curry all fit the category in their own way, but there are past legends who rose above their competition in a way that we haven’t seen in the modern NBA.
Shaquille O’Neal comes to mind for physical dominance, while Michael Jordan did it by mentally breaking down his opponents and rarely losing a big game in his prime. However, there’s one player whose name will forever dominate the basketball record books, with feats so insane that today’s NBA fan can’t even comprehend it.
Of course, that man is Wilt Chamberlain. Chamberlain owns a seemingly unlimited number of records, from single-season scoring average (50.4) to single-game points (100) to all-time marks in rebounds per game and free throw attempts. Whatever kind of gaudy total you can think of in the sport of basketball, Wilt likely holds that mark.
In his post-playing days, Chamberlain entertained fans with his interesting (and sometimes absurd) takes on the modern game. The media were often interested in what he had to say, and he never disappointed, always offering up a spicy opinion. He gave many quotes, including which player he believed to be the greatest offensive force ever.
Surprisingly, Wilt Credits a Former Rival
Wilt has given an array of intriguing statements on the history of basketball and its players. For example, he argues that Michael Jordan should get 10% of every player’s contract because of his global influence and how he helped grow the game. He chose John Stockton over Magic Johnson for his all-time greatest point guard.
He even said that if he played in the 1990s, “it would be a joke” because of how easy he would have it. Wilt claimed that a guy like Shaquille O’Neal couldn’t hang in the 1960s, as he “could learn to play better”.
“He plays a totally different type of basketball. He uses his physicality, and he’s a big, strong young man, and that works well in today’s game. If he faced me and other guys from my time, that wouldn’t work well for him. He could be taught to play much better.”-Wilt Chamberlain on Shaq
Clearly, Wilt doesn’t struggle for self-confidence when discussing his place among NBA legends. So, it was jarring to hear him rain praise down on a certain player for being the “greatest offensive force ever”. You’d think he’d just call himself that.
The guy who Chamberlain calls the best offensive player ever is the man who’s also had the greatest basketball life from start to finish, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Jabbar is one of only three players with a credible GOAT case, but is too often forgotten in the debate in lieu of LeBron James and Michael Jordan.
Jabbar and Chamberlain were rivals late in Wilt’s career with the Lakers and early in Kareem’s in Milwaukee, but they sparred multiple times in the playoffs, splitting the two series. Jabbar beat Chamberlain in the 1971 West Finals on the way to his first title, and Wilt returned the favor just one year later on HIS path to a championship.
Nonetheless, Wilt showed respect to his counterpart in a rare moment of humility, at least by his standards. However, it was still Wilt Chamberlain speaking, so he had to get a dig in at Kareem after complimenting him.
“Kareem is the greatest offensive force I have ever seen. He only had a problem with me being an obstacle to his true immortality. We were both centers and rivals, so he spoke about me a couple of times that were not too complimentary.”- Wilt Chamberlain
Kareem Should Get More GOAT Love
Wilt was right to show Kareem love, as he compiled arguably the best basketball resume of all-time. His famous sky-hook remains iconic as perhaps the most unstoppable shot the league has ever seen. Jabbar was also a tremendous teammate, leader, and defender.
In his 20 seasons, Jabbar earned 19 All-Stars, 15 All-NBA honors, and 11 All-Defensive teams. He won six championships, two Finals MVPs, and finished his career as the all-time leader in total points scored. That record held up for 39 years before LeBron James broke it in 2023.
Kareem’s lore goes further than this, however. He also won three high school state championships and three college titles at UCLA, creating the greatest basketball life of any player ever. In short, Kareem played high-level basketball for almost 30 years, and accomplished more than anyone else has in the sport. He should be given much more consideration for the GOAT debate than he has.
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