Wilt Chamberlain or Michael Jordan in a one-on-one basketball match, who would prevail?

Wilt Chamberlain or Michael Jordan in a one-on-one basketball match, who would prevail?

Wilt Chamberlain. There is absolutely no way in the universe that Michael Jordan could defeat Wilt Chamberlain one-on-one if both players were in their early to mid-20s. Fans of basketball are accustomed to seeing aging Chamberlain, who weighed 310 pounds and played with a bum knee, on the Los Angeles Lakers in pictures and videos taken in his mid-thirties.

youthful Wilt Chamberlain was incredibly athletic and fifty pounds lighter. He excelled in track in both college and high school. Competing in a variety of events, such as the shot throw, high jump, long jump, triple jump, and mid-distance running, he set records for both the State and Conference. In official competition, Chamberlain achieved a personal best in the high jump of more than 6 feet 6 and 3/4 inches.

He set a competition record in the long jump, clearing more than 24 feet. It implies that he had the option to leap from the three-point line and land below the rim. (at a separation of 23.75 ft)

Wilt stood more over half a foot higher than Michael Jordan and had a reach of more than a foot when standing, measuring over 7 feet 1 in his bare feet. His vertical leap was on par with, if not higher than, that of Jordan. As evidence, Chamberlain provides the picture below, stating that his vertical leap—then referred to as a sergeant jump—was more over four feet!

Chamberlain was incredibly resilient. He regularly participated in every minute of basketball games, averaging 48 and a half minutes a contest in one season. Wilt would never weary of chasing after Michael Jordan. In a game between the two of them, MJ would probably be the one to get worn out or drained. Jordan would struggle mightily to get off a shot with Wilt Chamberlain, a 25-year-old, covering him. Chamberlain would shoot whenever he wanted and he would never receive a rebound. MJ wouldn’t cause Wilt any problems outside of the dribbling area. But who says Wilt has to dribble for nothing at all? All he had to do was shot the ball from beyond the area and rush in to get the rebound. Chamberlain.

The 1958 Look Magazine story above shows a verified 45-inch vertical leap! That is barely three inches short of the four feet of vertical leap that Chamberlain claims the above Brussels, Belgium, World’s Fair photo depicts. Chamberlain had the ability to jump so high to block an opponent’s shot that his shorts were above the opponent’s head, as seen in the next two pictures!

If Wilt Chamberlain’s hands were straight up in the air in the picture below, just think of how high you would have to arc the ball to get it over him. With young Wilt in front of you poised to block the shot, it would be hard for any player to make a basket. You could attempt to shoot a fade away, but would it really have any effect?

Pump fakes were never Wilt’s thing. In the past, he would hold off until the player committed, knowing he could leap straight up and save the shot. He would actually jump straight up and catch the ball out of the air to block a shot at least once every game back in his Kansas days. When was the last time you seen a player, from high school to college or the professionals, do that? Wilt Chamberlain of the Kansas Jayhawks during the 1957 NCAA playoffs is shown in the highlight reel below. Here’s Wilt, a 20-year-old competing against the greatest college players in the country on his route to winning tournament MVP.

This is your evidence that Chamberlain would, at minimum, leap up and catch an opponent’s shot to stop it once each game. At 2:39, he completes the task. Repeats the action at 6:07. once more at 8:58. once more at 14:04, but goaltender is requested. He tries to catch it at 16:40, but the shot was lower than anticipated, requiring him to lower his hands to prevent the ball from striking his face!