Bill Russell vs. Wilt Chamberlain

I wanted to note that these "sports debates" columns concern only debates that are "two-pronged" or binary. That is to say, I won't have a "Best Second Baseman Ever" entry. Rather, I'll be posting entries that break down into either / or categories, such as...

Better Player: Bill Russell or Wilt Chamberlain

This debate transcends an interest in basketball, because (a.) Bill Russell won 11 NBA championships in thirteen years, and (b.) Chamberlain was a dominant scorer, with the only 100-point game ever. As time goes by, both of these achievements stand as almost untouchable, but not entirely unbelievable, given a few factors. During Russell's era, there were almost a third of the teams in the NBA today, and getting to a finals (and winning a championship) were much easier than in the current long plow. In terms of Chamberlain's accomplishment, though he didn't have the benefit of a three-point opportunity, he also had a coach and a team that deferred to him, to a fault.

Basically, the debate comes down to a number of biases that typically have little to do with Russell or Chamberlain. There's the defense vs. offense bias. The Lakers or Celtics bias. The sullen superstar (Russell) or the gregarious trash-talker (Chamberlain). Which makes the discussion all the more compelling, of course. (For the record, I have always leaned toward Russell for those reasons, and more.)

Few fans actually remember Russell, and, when he does poke his head out, he makes inexplicable public speeches, such as "Keven Garnett more than my own son!" or the like. When LeBron James recently decided to change numbers, he chose the 6 jersey, to honor Michael Jordan (and his 23). James and others didn't seem to mind that Russell was being slighted for Jordan. Chamberlain, on the other hand, has always been on the edge of the public's consciousness.