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Kareem Abdul Jabbar was an astoundingly great basketball player. Same number of NBA Championships as Michael Jordan (6). Jabbar made scoring look effortless and his defense altered almost every shot in the games in which he played.
After watching then Lew Alcindor dominate in his first year of College, the NCAA rules committee banned the dunk in 1967. The prohibition lasted until 1975 and was called "The Alcindor Rule."
As a result, he developed the "Sky Hook," which became his signature shot. It was virtually impossible to stop.
How dominant do you have to be to have the NCAA ban the dunk shot because of...YOU?
THAT'S how great Kareem Abdul Jabbar was.
In this interview, he displays both his humility and class. He says, "Those who think Michael Jordan is the greatest player ever, probably never saw Oscar Robertson, or Jerry West play."
Oscar "The Big O" Robertson was a triple double machine throughout his career. Jerry West was "Mr. Clutch" during his.
A strong case could be made for Robertson and also for Bill Russell (11 NBA Championships in 13 years, 11 of 12 in the NBA Finals), as the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time), although I couldn't put either over Kareem Abdul Jabbar.
In fact, aside from Jabbar, at least individually, perhaps the BEST case can be made for Wilt Chamberlain.
Wilt Chamberlain averaged over 50 ppg one NBA season. He set an NBA record of 100 points (against the NY Knicks) in a single game, then averaged over 25 rebounds per game in another season - he averaged 22.9 rebounds per game for his entire CAREER!
Among Wilt Chamberlain's records STILL standing are;
NBA record: Most career regular-season 60-point games (32)...Kobe Bryant is second with 6.
NBA record: Most career regular-season 50-point games (118)...Michael Jordan is second with 31.
NBA record: Most career regular-season 40-point games (271)...Michael Jordan is second with 173.
Chamberlain may have also had a near perfect NBA game, a rare quadruple double!
"If you are familiar with Wilt’s unbelievable stats then you are probably wondering what’s so insane about a 22/21 game.
"It’s insane because the second 20 was 21 assists for the dominant center. Yes, Wilt Chamberlain had a 20/20 game with assists during his 1967-68 MVP season.
"Now that those numbers have registered in your head, I’ll let you know that Wilt also had 25 rebounds in that game.
"Now that those numbers have registered in your head, I’ll let you know he also had unofficially 12 blocks! I’m saying unofficially because the NBA didn’t officially count blocks back then.
"So if you count the blocks that Wilt said he had during that game, his final stat line looks like this: 22 points, 25 rebounds, 21 assists, 12 blocks!
"More unbelievable than those numbers is the fact that Wilt led the league in total assists that season!"
If you're measuring "the best ever" by shear individual dominance, then the NBA's triumvirate is almost certainly Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell and Kareem Abdul Jabbar! Michael Jordan and Oscar Robertson, may well round out the top 5.
NONE of that three gets anywhere near the credit they deserve today.
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