“Defying Odds: Wilt Chamberlain’s Stunning MVP Drought Amidst His Most Spectacular Season, as Bill Russell Emerges Victorious!”
Take Wilt Chamberlain if you wanted to score points and create a stir. Bill Russell is your man if championship rings are your preference. The rivalry between the two Hall of Fame centers on the basketball floor will always be connected to them.
Nine MVPs were won by the two together, with Chamberlain taking home four and Russell five. Two players who have won the award three times in a row are Chamberlain and Russell; the other is Larry Bird. Only Chamberlain and Bird would have won three MVP awards in a row if 1962 voters had made the correct choice.
When it came to the 1962 MVP, Wilt Chamberlain received a bad deal.
The ball that Wilt Chamberlain of the Philadelphia Warriors used to smash the NBA individual scoring record of 2,105 points is accepted, along with the compliments of General Manager Nick Kerbawy of the Detroit Pistons (left). | Getty Pictures
When Chamberlain first entered the NBA, he left quite an impression. The 7-foot-1 Kansas center led the conference in minutes (46.4), rebounds (27.0), and scoring (37.6). He not only earned the MVP award, the first of his four, but also Rookie of the Year.
He managed to improve upon his previous season’s performance, once again topping the NBA in minutes (47.8), rebounds (27.2), and scoring (38.4). Bill Russell won the first of his three consecutive MVP awards during that 1960–61 campaign, recording 16.9 points and 23.9 rebounds in 44.3 minutes of play. After defeating Chamberlain’s Philadelphia Warriors by an 11-game margin during the regular season, the Celtics went on to win the championship.
The next year, Chamberlain outperformed all of his rivals, including Russell, with his greatest statistical season. Throughout the season, Chamberlain averaged 50.4 points and 25.7 rebounds. Considering that NBA games lasted only 48 minutes, he even averaged 48.5 minutes each game, an incredible stat. With the exception of the last 8:33 of a game in which he was.
Having won 60 games, Russell’s Celtics once more took home the NBA championship. With 49 victories, Chamberlain’s Warriors took second place in the Eastern Division. The team that the Celtics had was vastly superior. Russell was surrounded by Bob Cousy, Sam Jones, Tom “Satch” Sanders, and Tom Heinsohn, who made formed an incredible supporting ensemble. In 1961–62, Guy Rodgers, Paul Arizin, Tom Meschery, and Tom Gola provided support for Chamberlain.
Throughout the season, Russell averaged 18.9 points and 23.6 rebounds. 45.7% of his shots came from the floor. 50.7% was Chamberlain. MVP went to Russell.
In nine years, Chamberlain and Russell combined for eight MVPs.
