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Wilt Chamberlain’s unique career and place in NBA history cannot be denied. Nowadays, his reputation has become somewhat of an urban legend. And many of the stories regarding the 7-foot-1 legend come from word of mouth, with fans and former teammates sharing stories about his life and career.
As Hall of Famer Jerry West spoke about the man, legend, and legend on the “Dan Patrick Show,” Patrick recalled a time when he was just a young fan craving autographs from the NBA’s biggest stars.
As he recalled, he was lucky enough to get West’s autograph, but when he tried to get his autograph from Chamberlain, he got a unique memory instead.
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“You guys came to Cincinnati, the Royals beat you, you got autograph, you got Bill Sharman, you got everyone but Wilt,” Patrick said. And Wilt sat in the first seat on the bus, and after the game I saw him there and he didn’t sign my autograph.
“I walked on the bus, went up a step, and said, ‘Mr. Chamberlain, can you sign my autograph?'” So he got up and said, “Get off the bus!” And that was my meeting with Wilt.
From his beginnings as a standout member of the Harlem Globetrotters to a legendary career that sees him hold 72 NBA records, Chamberlain has done it all. Achievements like averaging 30 points and 20 rebounds per game over the season and scoring 100 points in a game baffle fans.
Jerry West Responds to Wilt Chamberlain’s Disdain for Dan Patrick
At the time of Dan Patrick’s story, Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West played together for the Los Angeles Lakers. Given that, the situation must fall to sometime between 1968 and 1973, which was the period when Chamberlain was with the Lakers.
As West recalled, things were different back then, and not just because he and Chamberlain were young NBA stars. Now, fans don’t have access to the player’s buses, and the fan won’t be able to get on the bus like Patrick did.
(Redding suggested: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar talks about his disagreement with Wilt Chamberlain)
Between security guards and safety protocols, players take paths to the arenas for the games, with security checkpoints along the way.
After the two shared a laugh at Patrick’s story, West said:
“Well, maybe it wasn’t what I was expecting. Today, not only the security guard but the entrance to the bus is really protected, because it’s usually under the ring. It really has changed.”
Since fans and analysts don’t have access to collections of Chamberlain’s interviews and gameplay footage, stories like Patrick’s are always appreciated.
(Redding suggested: At the time, Wilt Chamberlain closed the Michael Jordan case for goats)
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