Top 10 NBA Players That Would Have the Best Chance of Defeating Wilt Chamberlain

The Top Ten
1 Michael Jordan Michael Jeffrey Jordan, also known by his initials, MJ, is an American retired professional basketball player.
2 Lebron James LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association. LeBron has played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and the Lakers.

It's questionable whether LeBron is faster than the young Wilt. Wilt was also a star on his college track team. Because he did not finish college, NBA rules at the time stated he was not yet eligible, so he had to play for a year with the Harlem Globetrotters, often playing point guard, leading the fast break. Wilt is the consensus fastest 7-footer in history. A small amount of footage from his Globetrotter and college days survives and can be viewed on YouTube. It's pretty amazing. Most of the NBA footage of him is as an older man, playing at a muscular 315 pounds or so [after knee surgery], but his game had changed from his younger days. When Wilt appeared as the bad guy in the movie

LeBron is just too undersized and not strong enough. Wilt was 6 inches taller, had an 8-inch wider wingspan, and a 7-inch higher standing reach. Vertical is always arguable, but with length plus jump, Wilt could reach higher than any NBA player in history. He is the only player able to block prime Kareem's skyhook, famously doing so twice in a row during a key playoff game. LeBron is strong, but Wilt is the strongest player in NBA history. Next.

3 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is an American retired professional basketball player who played 20 seasons in the National Basketball Association for the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers.

Sadly, Kareem and Wilt faced each other only one time before Wilt suffered a terrible knee injury, had major surgery, and missed almost a whole season. When Wilt came back, he was never the same, although he still defended prime Kareem better than any other player. Famously, he was the only player who repetitively was able to block prime Kareem's skyhook.

Assuming prime-age versus prime-age, only Kareem would have a chance against Wilt, and really, not even him. Young Wilt was so other-worldly, his numbers defy belief even today, hence folks may incorrectly tend to underrate his opponents.

Kareem is the only man with even a chance at defeating Wilt (assuming it's a 1v1). But Wilt would probably still win.

4 Scottie Pippen Scottie Maurice Pippen is an American retired professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association.
5 Magic Johnson Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association for 13 seasons.
6 Clyde Drexler Clyde Austin "The Glide" Drexler is an American retired professional basketball player. During his career, he was a ten-time All-Star, and named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History.
7 Bill Russell William Felton "Bill" Russell was an American retired professional basketball player. Russell played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association from 1956 to 1969.

Bill Russell has 11 NBA championships, more than any other player. He is also considered the best defender in NBA history and is the exact same barefoot height as Dwight Howard and Hakeem Olajuwon at 6-9.5. Bill Russell has said hundreds of times that even he could not come close to stopping Wilt. However, Russell was on much better teams, and basketball is a team sport.

8 Julius Erving Julius Winfield Erving II, commonly known by the nickname Dr. J, is an American retired basketball player who helped popularize a modern style of play that emphasizes leaping and playing above the rim.
9 Bill Walton
10 Nate Thurmond Nathaniel Thurmond was an American basketball player who spent the majority of his 14-year career in the National Basketball Association with the Golden State Warriors. He played the center and power forward positions.

Nate would give Wilt all he could handle. It's a shame nobody knows about him anymore, but he was better than any current NBA center.

The Contenders
11 Stephen Curry Wardell Stephen Curry II is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is widely considered to be one of the greatest shooters in NBA history, if not the greatest. He is one of the most beloved stars in the NBA today, as well as one of the most controversial.
12 Kobe Bryant Kobe Bryant (1978 - 2020) was an American retired professional basketball player. He played his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association. Kobe Bryant has won 5 NBA championships with the Lakers and was the all-time leading scorer in Lakers franchise history. ...read more.
13 Jayson Williams

Wilt would crush him with one hand.

14 Oscar Robertson Oscar Palmer Robertson, nicknamed "The Big O", is an American retired National Basketball Association player who played for the Cincinnati Royals and Milwaukee Bucks.
15 Moses Malone Moses Eugene Malone was an American basketball player who played in both the American Basketball Association and the National Basketball Association from 1974 through 1995. The center was named the NBA Most Valuable Player three times and was a 12-time NBA All-Star and an eight-time All-NBA selection. ...read more.
16 Dwyane Wade Dwyane Tyrone Wade Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association.

He is the best. One day he is going to wipe the NBA and players away. Watch out for this guy.

17 Yao Ming
18 Kevin Durant Kevin Wayne Durant is an American professional basketball player for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association. He has played for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors, and the Nets. He was MVP of the 2017 and 2018 NBA Finals.
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