Plenty of NBA fans, players and analysts hail Michael Jordan as the greatest player of all time. However, Wilt Chamberlain believed Jordan benefited from different rules.
Hall of Fame point guard Isiah Thomas told FOX's Chris Broussard that Chamberlain once had an encounter with the Chicago Bulls legend in which he pointed out the NBA changed the rules so he could not be so dominant, whereas another rule change allowed MJ to excel in his era.
"Wilt said to Jordan, 'The difference between you and me is that they had to change the rules, so I couldn't dominate. They changed the rules for you so that you could dominate.'“
@IsiahThomas shares Wilt Chamberlain's argument for why he should be considered the GOAT ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/wClYVrmRfU— The Association on FOX (@TheAssociation) April 26, 2020
Thomas never specified what rules Chamberlain was referring to in this conversation, though one in particular stands out.
The NBA never used to enforce free-throw shooters staying behind the line until the ball hit the rim, but they did so in part because of Chamberlain. The “Big Dipper” was so much bigger and more athletic than his peers that he could routinely collect his own misses for easy baskets, and the NBA eventually instituted the rule to prevent such overpowering tactics.
Chamberlain also had an influence on the league widening free-throw lanes, as well as the rule stating inbounds passes cannot be thrown over the backboard.
These rule changes — at least according to Chamberlain — prevented bigs from truly taking over the sport, allowing for smaller players to make their impact felt.
Of course, as Thomas said, the rules are even friendlier to guards in the modern game. Jordan still had to deal with hand checking in his career, but the NBA instituted a hand-check penalty prior to the 2004-05 season.
Chamberlain would likely be stunned at the current state of the league, one that prioritizes shooting and point guards who can score.
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