Oscar Robertson Declares Wilt Chamberlain the Greatest NBA Player of All Time: “He Carried the League on His Shoulders”
In a time where conversations about the greatest basketball players of all time often circle around Michael Jordan, LeBron James, or Kobe Bryant, one living legend is adamant that another name deserves to be front and center: Wilt Chamberlain.
Oscar Robertson, the Hall of Fame guard known as “The Big O,” has never been shy about his admiration for Chamberlain — the 7-foot-1 giant who dominated the NBA in the 1960s and early ‘70s. In a recent interview, Robertson expressed frustration that Wilt’s name is too often left out of modern “GOAT” conversations.
“Wilt Chamberlain is the greatest NBA player of all time,” Robertson said firmly. “People forget how much he carried the league on his shoulders. Without him, the NBA wouldn’t be what it is today.”
Robertson, himself no stranger to record books — being the first player to average a triple-double over an entire season — emphasized how unprecedented Wilt’s on-court dominance truly was.
“I can’t imagine one man doing most of the things that Chamberlain did on the court,” he added. “People talk about stats today, but Wilt lived in a world of stats no one could touch. And he wasn’t just a scorer. He was everything.”
Indeed, Chamberlain’s numbers remain staggering even decades after his retirement. He averaged 30.1 points, 22.9 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game across a 14-year career. He won seven scoring titles, 11 rebounding titles, and even led the league in assists once — the only center in NBA history to do so.
Robertson believes that today’s analysts too often measure greatness through championships or media narratives, ignoring how Wilt changed the game fundamentally.
“When you talk about who made basketball what it is today — it’s Wilt. He was bigger, faster, and stronger than anyone. They had to change the rules just to slow him down. He doesn’t get talked about enough, and that’s a shame.”
The respect between Chamberlain and Robertson was mutual during their playing days, and the two were giants of their generation. Now, as one of the last living players from that era, Robertson continues to advocate for his friend and rival’s legacy.
“The man averaged 50 points a game for a season. Fifty! What more do you need to see? Wilt wasn’t just great — he was something we’ll never see again.”
In an era obsessed with comparing players across generations, Oscar Robertson offers a timeless reminder: before Jordan soared, before LeBron passed, and before Steph redefined range — Wilt Chamberlain built the mountain they all now climb.
