The Celtics were playing whatever team Chamberlain was on (I’m guessing the Warriors) and some young guard started mouthing off at Wilt. Russell quickly took the kid aside and said: “Shut up. If you leave him alone, he’ll go for 35 or 40 and we’ll win. If you make him mad, he’ll go for 70 and he’ll be a bear on defense, and we could lose”. The rookie shut up.
No idea f it’s true, but it summed up Russell’s respect for how good Wilt could be.
Replies to: "Bill Russell supposedly told a story about that"
- Old School Basketball Exhibit End of Discussion [LINK]
- Hensou - 2:00pm 3/30/25
(20) [View All]
- Have someone read this to you [NT]
[LINK]
- Chris94 - 5:54pm 3/30/25
- The Atlantic? Use your eyes man. Crap D is Crap D. - Hensou - 6:08pm 3/30/25
- Paywalled links are worthless - Cheg80 - 6:04pm 3/30/25
- That’s a good point. About the players, not the paywall. - Chris94 - 9:08am 3/31/25
- Wrong on several points. - Hensou - 10:59am 3/31/25
- Exactly but if you don’t think todays NBA is the best ever, you’re a MAGA idiot, - TampaIrish - 6:34pm 3/30/25
- Paywall or not, still worthless. [NT]
- Hensou - 6:09pm 3/30/25
- Read my edit [NT]
- Cheg80 - 6:19pm 3/30/25
- Agree. [NT] - Hensou - 6:30pm 3/30/25
- Read my edit [NT]
- Cheg80 - 6:19pm 3/30/25
- That’s a good point. About the players, not the paywall. - Chris94 - 9:08am 3/31/25
- A freaked of an athlete in multiple sports [NT]
- LanceManion - 3:53pm 3/30/25
- Still angry that he double-crossed Conan. [NT]
- jakers - 9:41am 3/31/25
- Bros before hos. [NT] - LanceManion - 11:55am 3/31/25
- Quite possibly the greatest athlete ever - Cheg80 - 6:25pm 3/30/25
- Fortunately for his rivals, he was mostly a gentle giant on the court. - MAS - 6:52pm 3/30/25
- Bill Russell supposedly told a story about that - Cheg80 - 8:21pm 3/30/25
- 100%. They were trying to get him to come back to the NBA into his 40s - LanceManion - 6:48pm 3/30/25
- Nolan Ryan could still throw 80+mph in his late fifties. [NT]
- MAS - 6:53pm 3/30/25
- Nolan Ryan is the older bull on the hill. - conorlarkin - 8:14pm 3/30/25
- Nolan Ryan could still throw 80+mph in his late fifties. [NT]
- MAS - 6:53pm 3/30/25
- Fortunately for his rivals, he was mostly a gentle giant on the court. - MAS - 6:52pm 3/30/25
- Still angry that he double-crossed Conan. [NT]
- jakers - 9:41am 3/31/25
- Love how Wilt defended Jabbar. - MAS - 3:26pm 3/30/25
- Very close to goal tending but it wasn't...timed perfectly. [NT] - THEISMANCARR - 5:36pm 3/30/25
- Have someone read this to you [NT]
[LINK]
- Chris94 - 5:54pm 3/30/25