The Reason Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell Didn’t Speak for Almost 20 Years

The Reason Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell Didn’t Speak for Almost 20 Years

Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell are two names that are frequently mentioned together. This is due to a few factors. One reason is that everyone’s list of the best centers has Russell and Chamberlain at the top.

Both Russell and Chamberlain were excellent rebounders, and they would undoubtedly rank first and second on that list if blocks had been counted in the 1960s.

The main reason their names are frequently mentioned together is because, in the 1960s, they were fierce competitors on the court. In the regular season, the two faced off 94 times, and in the postseason, they faced off 49 additional times.

Chamberlain was dominant on an individual basis in these games, averaging 29.9 points and 28.1 rebounds per contest. Russell averages 14.2 points and 22.9 rebounds a game in contrast to this.

For Chamberlain, the issue was that Russell’s squad was winning more than 60% of the time. Russell’s Boston Celtics defeated Chamberlain’s teams in 59% of their postseason games.

The most notable distinction was that Russell’s club set an NBA record with 11 NBA titles. However, Chamberlain’s teams only brought home two titles.

However, the question remained: were the two rivals friends? Yes, they had a close friendship. In fact, when they played each other, they would frequently pick each other up at the airport.