Despite loving Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain thought he was a terrible holiday guest.

Despite loving Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain thought he was a terrible holiday guest.

There was no greater rivalry between individuals in the 1960s than that between Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain. During the decade, Russell’s Celtics won nine titles, with Chamberlain’s 1967 run of success being the lone exception. Though they were intense rivals on the court, Wilt and Russell were good friends off it. Older people frequently criticize the friendships displayed by today’s NBA stars.

When Wilt Chamberlain and Russell faced off in the regular season, from Wilt’s rookie year in 1959–60 to Russell’s final season in 1968–69, the NBA was a considerably smaller league. They met 94 times. They added 49 more matches in the playoffs. Eight postseason collisions between the superstars occurred throughout those ten seasons. Seven of those series were won by Boston, giving Russell a significant edge.

For better or worse, Wilt Chamberlain earned a reputation as a fantastic player who valued statistics more than victories. However, Bill Russell was seen as the epitome of a team player who put larger honor ahead of personal ambitions.

Wilt began his career with six consecutive scoring titles, and when he retired, his average of 30.1 points per game was the most in NBA history. His record of 22.9 rebounds per game on average is probably unbreakable.

Russell, who averages 22.5 rebounds a night, is second only behind Chamberlain on the all-time list and was a five-time rebounding champion. But the rings were with him. Chamberlain possessed the women. Although Chamberlain wasn’t treated fairly, it was the storyline of the day.

Many fans were unaware of the strong bond between the two titans of the NBA at the time, since newspapers provided the majority of the coverage of the NBA (and other sports) at that time.