Walt Frazier on Why Wilt Chamberlain Is the Real GOAT: “They’ve Tried to Erase Him from the Game’s History”
When talking about the greatest basketball player of all time, names like Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Kobe Bryant dominate the conversation. But for Knicks legend and Hall of Famer Walt “Clyde” Frazier, there’s one name that deserves far more respect than it receives in today’s debates: Wilt Chamberlain.
In a recent interview, Frazier didn’t mince words when expressing who he believes is the true GOAT of the NBA.
“Wilt Chamberlain is the most dominant player to ever play the game,” Frazier said. “He was doing things no one had ever seen—and to this day, no one has done since.”
The Forgotten Giant
Frazier believes the media and modern narratives have unfairly downplayed Wilt’s impact, if not outright erased his brilliance.
“It’s like they want to remove him from the conversation,” he said. “You have guys today who average 30 points a game, and suddenly it’s front-page news. Social media explodes, people go crazy. But Wilt averaged 30 points for entire seasons, almost every season of his career. And not just 30—he had years where he averaged over 50.”
Indeed, Wilt Chamberlain averaged 50.4 points per game in the 1961-62 season—a number so astronomical that it seems more like a video game stat than a real-life achievement. He also scored 100 points in a single game, a record that has stood untouched for over 60 years.
Rule Changes Because of Wilt
What makes Wilt even more legendary, according to Frazier, is the fact that the league had to change the rules because of him.
“They widened the lane because Wilt was too dominant in the paint,” Frazier recalled. “They changed how players could inbound the ball and shoot free throws—all because of one man. That’s not just dominance. That’s game-breaking power.”
Frazier played against Wilt and knows firsthand how impossible it was to contain him. “He wasn’t just tall. He was stronger, faster, more athletic than everyone else on the floor. It was like playing against a superhero.”
Wilt the Playmaker
While Wilt was known primarily for scoring, Frazier pointed out something often overlooked by younger fans: Wilt once led the league in assists.
“That’s what people don’t talk about,” he said. “He got criticized for scoring too much, so he said, ‘Fine. I’ll lead the league in assists.’ And then he did. No other center has done that—not Kareem, not Shaq, not Jokic.”
In the 1967-68 season, Chamberlain averaged 8.6 assists per game, leading the league and proving he was not just a scorer but a complete player.
A Standard No One Can Match
Frazier says the modern NBA, for all its talent and highlights, still hasn’t produced a player like Wilt.
“Guys today are great, but they’ve never had to face what Wilt did. No load management, no three-point line, no soft whistles. He played every minute, every night, against guys trying to beat him up—and he still dominated.”
In Frazier’s eyes, Wilt Chamberlain isn’t just a historical figure. He’s the measuring stick.
“If you want to talk about greatness, don’t leave out the man who forced the NBA to evolve just to keep up with him. That’s GOAT status. Wilt is the greatest of all time.”
Final Thought:
Walt Frazier’s words serve as a powerful reminder of how quickly basketball legends can be overshadowed by modern media cycles. Wilt Chamberlain didn’t just play the game—he redefined it. And to ignore that, as Frazier puts it, is to ignore the very foundation of NBA greatness.
