10/13/2026
WILT WILL NEVER BE IN MY TOP 20!
Here's my analogy. Jesse Owens was the greatest sprinter of his era, winning gold in the 100m and 200m at the 1936 Olympics. His 100m winning time was 10.3 seconds. Compare that time with the 2024 Paris Olympics, and it would rank roughly 47th in the opening round, not even enough to reach the semifinals! ATHLETES EVOLVE, SPORTS EVOLVE, AND COMPETITION EVOLVES!
Now let's talk basketball. Put Michael Jordan in LeBron James' prime era, and he would STILL be Michael Jordan! And here's my biggest argument: KOBE BRYANT WAS PRACTICALLY A CLONE OF MICHAEL JORDAN! Kobe modeled his entire game after MJ, from his footwork, fadeaway jumpers, post moves, midrange shooting, killer instinct, and competitive mentality. He was the closest thing basketball has ever seen to another Michael Jordan! Kobe competed directly in LeBron's era and won BACK-TO-BACK championships in 2009 and 2010. If a player who modeled his game after Jordan could dominate and win championships in LeBron's era, imagine what the ORIGINAL MICHAEL JORDAN could have done!
Wilt Chamberlain was absolutely a legend, but averaging 50 points and grabbing 25 rebounds in the 1960s doesn't automatically make him better than modern superstars. Basketball has evolved tremendously. You can respect Wilt's achievements without putting him above players who competed in more modern eras.
WILT WILL NEVER BE IN MY TOP 20, BUT HE WILL ALWAYS BE IN MY TOP 100! Why? Because he was one of the greatest players of his era, and that deserves recognition and respect. Being the best in your generation makes you a legend, but it doesn't automatically make you the greatest of all time. Every generation raises the level of competition, and greatness should be judged with that evolution in mind.
KOBE WAS THE CLOSEST THING TO JORDAN, BUT MICHAEL JORDAN WAS THE ORIGINAL! AND FOR ME, MJ IS AND WILL ALWAYS BE THE GOAT!