NBA: Wilt Chamberlain’s genuine thoughts about Larry Bird

NBA: Wilt Chamberlain’s genuine thoughts about Larry Bird.

Basketball legend Larry Bird, known as the “orange ball,” will have influenced a whole generation of players with his plays. Wilt Chamberlain was not one of the few observers who did not find the Bostonian’s play to be entertaining. Twenty-four years prior, the renowned pivot had likewise given a cash opinion on No. 33.

Despite quitting the game nearly thirty years ago, many still rank Larry Bird among the top 10 players of all time. The legendary Celtics player, known for his devastating and amazing attacking skills, made a lasting impression on the league in the 1980s, especially because of his rivalry with Magic Johnson. A unusual cross-generational player.

Thus, it’s understandable why Larry Legend was highly praised in the years that followed his retirement. Among these tributes, Wilt Chamberlain’s, from 1997, stands out in particular. During his appearance as a guest on Howard Stern’s show, the Hall of Famer famously disproved the claim that Larry’s skin tone would have prevented him from achieving high status:

Wilt responded, “Well, I think that may be the case in the minds of many, but the man is also very, very talented. I think he embodies what a winger is supposed to do, especially in the game he played, because he was technically correct. He was a basketball player who played right, and most people today don’t play the game right, but he did.” It seemed as though they were somehow elevating Larry Bird because he was a white man.

It’s remarkable an expression of love coming from Chamberlain, a fiercely competitive player who rarely showed appreciation to other players (we hear him trashing David Robinson throughout the show). It must be acknowledged that Bird possessed every one of the attributes mentioned by The Stilt, which helped him to become one of the all-time greats in basketball.

Not to be outdone, the NBA inducted him into the Hall of Fame in 1998, the year following Wilt’s interview. It’s still utilized as a benchmark for NBA players who are thought to be all-arounders. Evidence that his playing has been remembered, and that is not going to change in the near future.