“You Had to Be There”: Walt Frazier on Why the Younger Generation Doesn’t Understand Wilt Chamberlain’s Greatness
As someone who played against Wilt Chamberlain, let me be honest: I’m tired of the disrespect. I see all the ignorance, the misguided takes, and the dismissive opinions from today’s fans and media pundits, and I can’t help but vent.
Let me tell you—if you didn’t witness Wilt in the 1960s, you don’t really know how great he was. And that’s not your fault. It’s a matter of time, of history, and most of all—documentation.
Most of what’s available today to review Wilt Chamberlain’s career focuses on his time with the Lakers in the early ’70s. By then, the NBA had more consistent video coverage. But that’s not the Wilt I remember fearing on the court. The Wilt who played for the Philadelphia Warriors and the 76ers—the Wilt of the early to mid-60s? That Wilt was something out of a comic book.
He was scoring 50 points a night like it was routine. He once averaged over 48 minutes per game for an entire season—more than the regulation time, which means he didn’t sit, not even in overtime. He scored 100 points in a single game. And if there had been a Defensive Player of the Year award back then, he would’ve owned it too. He was blocking shots, grabbing rebounds in traffic, running the break like a guard at 7-foot-1.
But you don’t see that Wilt on YouTube highlights. You don’t see the grainy black-and-white footage of him sprinting the floor, making impossible fadeaway bank shots, or casually swatting shots into the third row. The NBA just wasn’t televised the way it is now. There wasn’t a camera in every arena. A lot of his dominance—his most incredible feats—lives only in the memory of those who played with him, against him, or saw him live.
That’s the tragedy of history. People think because they can’t see it, it didn’t happen. But Wilt didn’t need the camera to be great. He was greatness. He changed the game. He made the league widen the lane, rethink goaltending rules, and he forced big men to evolve. Players today should thank Wilt for paving the way.
Look—I love today’s game. I respect the young stars, the analytics, the innovation. But let’s not let modern ignorance wash away legends. Let’s not reduce Wilt Chamberlain to “that guy who played before my time.” He was the guy before anyone else even imagined being that guy.
You think Shaq was dominant? Wilt did it with less weight training, no three-point line, and more minutes on the floor. He didn’t take games off. He didn’t rest. He showed up and took over.
So I’ll say it again: if you didn’t see Wilt in the ’60s, you don’t know Wilt. And if you don’t know Wilt, you don’t really understand basketball history. He’s not just a part of it—he made it.
Let’s start giving the man the respect he deserves.
—Walt “Clyde” Frazier
