Whose NBA career is better? Wilt Chamberlain vs. Bill Russell

My question is, if Wilt played his entire career with the Celtics and Russell somewhere else, how many titles would Wilt have won?

bobc33 wrote:My question is, if Wilt played his entire career with the Celtics and Russell somewhere else, how many titles would Wilt have won?

No way to know for sure - but my bet would be several more - based on the fact that he would have been playing with 5 or more HALL OF FAMERS for several of those years. - plus playing for a Hall Of fame coach.

swish

William F. Russel.

Wow, it must be late summer, but of course I'm hooked, too. Russell was my idol, but I think Bob C. asks a salient question. Wilt had all the tools, including the one Worcester noted, but he would have been a slicker player and won many titles if coached by Red, IMO. Russell would have thrived on any team because his goal was team victory. Imagine Russell with Baylor and West... Hawk

hawksnestbeach wrote:Wow, it must be late summer, but of course I'm hooked, too. Russell was my idol, but I think Bob C. asks a salient question. Wilt had all the tools, including the one Worcester noted, but he would have been a slicker player and won many titles if coached by Red, IMO. Russell would have thrived on any team because his goal was team victory. Imagine Russell with Baylor and West... Hawk

Hawksnestbeach

Or how about Wilt on the 1962-63 Celtic team with Hall Of Fame coach Red and HOF Players Cousy, the Jones boys, Hondo, Havlichek, Ramsey, Lovevellete, (and Sanders who made it as a contributor.)

swish

I doubt Wilt would have won 11 of 13 with the Celts. His teammates weren't exactly chopped liver. He played with Jerry by god West and Elgin freaking Baylor. Before that , with the Warriors, his teammates included Billy Cunningham and a number of other studs. I admire Wilt greatly, but he didn't have Russell's tenacity.

RosalieTCeltics wrote:It is called HEART.  Wilit was great, but when it came down to the nitty gritty of games, he gave in.  I saw it with moy own eyes. Stats don't always make the hero.  Funny thing is, he and Russell were very good friends for years.

That’s seems to be the consensus on all that saw them play, at crunch time Wilt was not able to take control, make winning plays....ofcourse he wasn’t playing with Havlicek or Sam Jones.