What an awesome moment. 1997 in Cleveland. R.I.P to 17 former players that have past away in the last 27 years (1997 to 2024). 🏀😥👼🙏❤ Paul Arizin (1928 -2006) , Elgin Baylor (1934 - 2021) , Wilt Chamberlain (1936 - 1999) , Dave DeBusschere (1940 - 2003) , Hal Greer (1936 - 2018) , John Havlicek (1940 - 2019) , Sam Jones (1933 - 2021) , Moses Malone (1955 - 2015) , Pete Maravich (1947 - 1988) , George Mikan (1924 - 2005) , Willis Reed (1942 - 2023) , Bill Russell (1934 - 2022) , Dolph Schayes (1928 - 2015) , Bill Sharman (1926 - 2013), Nate Thurmond (1941 - 2016) , Wes Unseld (1946 - 2020) , Bill Walton (1952 - 2024) , Jerry West (1938 - 2024). Also too NBA Commissioner David Stern (1942 - 2020).
Ewing is one of the top 6-7 centers ever & having grown up in New York City and seen that team, it's amazing they went to the final twice in the '90s. The '90s were an absolute stacked decade and the number two player was an undrafted kid named John Starks. Everyone else was playing with a Hall of famer next to them. That's how good Patrick Ewing was. He didn't have a single Hall of famer with him the entire time and he still was a bucket away from a championship.
I get teary-eyed watching these athletes, the heroes of my youth, gather and celebrate! I would have loved to listen to all the stories and conversations shared among the greats! ☮️🖖🏽
No player in the history of Basketball was ever further ahead of his time than Maravich was. Arrived too soon. Gone too soon. One of the most influential players ever though. No one before or since did the shit he did.
@@bradsullivan2495Sometimes you feel good and die it’s weird. Pistol Pete died in the middle of a basketball game I’m sure he felt fine and didn’t see that coming that day he laced up for a simple church pick up game condolences to them both and many other NBA legends gone too soon.
Bird, classy as hell. MJ, trash-talking everyone (but Wilt). Wilt, loud and dominant. Magic, wingman to MJ. Russell, hard-ass but classy. Isiah, gossipy. Barkley, serene. Robinson, laid-back. Pippen, going with the flow. Ewing, looking for fun.
@@tomhazelton3070 I dont care. Nothing wrong with busting balls at all. It’s the “classy” comment. He’s a white man that talks so he’s atomically “classy”? No. Busting balls isn’t “classy”. It’s the exact opposite by definition.
I laughed my ass off at the 3:54 moment... Larry Byrd's reaction is hilarious... and Wilt really is an MJ just of the 60's and 70's, very charismatic dude he was
@@bobsink624 Here we go again why do people fail to comprehend basketball is a team game one guy can not!!! I repeat not win a championship do you understand therefore a player can be the greatest and still not have a ring again a player can be the greatest and still not have a ring because it takes a team to win a ring!!!!! Repeat it takes a team to win a ring!!!!!
Wonderful celebration. Frazier, Wilt and Walton all gave well expressed, heartfelt explanations of the magnitude of what it meant to be a part of this.
What an amazing moment in history. The amount of extraordinary talent in one place at the same time. Incredible. I wish I was there in person . I watched it live on TV like everyone else.
I really enjoyed seeing all of these players gathered together. The game of basketball was so much a part of my life. Just to see these great players mingling, talking and appreciating each other was awesome. We don’t appreciate so many things in life until they are “ the past”…just memories. These players added so much joy to my life and to millions of others as well. I’m glad I got to see this gathering of the greats.
So many of my childhood heroes. I’m so glad Lenny Wilkens was there. He was the smartest guy on the court, and one of the few player-coaches in NBA history.
Kareem was jealous like he always was of Wilts style and way he had with the ladies also the talent he had on the court. Wilt will never be surpassed the greatest big man to ever play the game. Kareem was great but Wilt was a god on the court.
It's kinda unbelievable to think that Rober "Chief" Parish came into the league in the 70s when John Havelicek was still playing, he's older than Bird and Mchale, and yet back in 1997, the man was STILL an ACTIVE player. I think he was 43 going on 44. Sure, he barely played for the Bulls, but still, a man who never had the benefit of today's technology playing until he was almost 44 is mind-boggling.
@@popdafourliketupacshakur6256 a different level of respect. Each of the other players is in awe of them and some seem almost starstruck by those three in particular.
Watching this today and knowing who we lost makes me emotional but happy because I watched many if them play live in the 70's. I just wish my Dad and oldest Brother were still around..
I agree with the selection, but Dominique Wilkins should be up there. Wilt still looks taller then many of the guys who are suppose to be tall. Great, great video. R.l.P. to all those that are no longer here.
A lot of folks think Dominique should have been picked before Shaq - even SHAQ has said he didn't belong in the 50 as he hadn't established himself YET.
@@Joseph-lz5er Most folks say Dominique should have replaced Shaq in that 50 - but Bill was also marginal due to his VERY SHORT actual time playing in his career. Pretty much never seems to be a question that 'nique SHOULD have been there though!
@@Joseph-lz5er Even with a short peak he had imense impact, on top of leading the Blazers to their only ring ever, winning the FMVP and the MVP aswell. He certainly deserved to be there and so did Wilkins.
A great group of legends, once in a lifetime moment. So many greats, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, larry bird, Russell, I would of loved to be there in person.
Man thats so cool. Thats what I love about the NBA that they give so much love to the players throughout all of the history of the sport. It's one big brother hood.
It did happen. Bill Walton witnessed it and has told it. It can be seen on RU-vid. Wilt and MJ were debating each other on who was better. Let's just say that Mr. Chamberlain had the LAST WORD and won the debate.
@@prescriptionexercise3899 Wilt had the last words? As an embellished bragger for sure! Let’s see, sleeping with 20k women, bench pressing 600 bls… blah blah… Only his fanboys would believe in his fairy tales. With those long arms, and slender body, he should not even press more than 400bls
There has never been a time when Barkley didn't crack me up. That dude was just born to be in front of the camera. "I want everybody autograph tonight!" - and then he went and got them all.
The admiral was no joke. I see people slighting how Shaq & Maybe Bill Walton should’nt been here. Shaq wasn’t here but was in list I think it should’ve been pistol Pete or Dominique Wilkins over him
@@taegotkash He was more like 6 ft. 10 and in many pics looked 3 inches taller than Magic who is really 6ft 7. Wilt looked taller than everyone including Kareem!!
That was still when COVID was still going, so a number of elderly players didn't want to risk and appeared on video. Plus, some of the guys here were already old, so it's not surprisingly that they weren't around in 2021.
Its seems to me that Wilt is the total Alpha in this room, I think in another other instances MJ would be, but look at 1028, Wilt hovering over Jordan, and puts his arm around him like a kid and MJ is almost sheepishly looking away,,I think MJ is the GOAT, but Wilt is the biggest Alpha no matter who is in the room,,,you probably will never see anything like this ever again
@@barney5583 They actually did talk and it was an intense conversation, bill walton saw it and talked about how intense they were about who is the greatest
I honestly love for a quick second seeing Isiah and Mike talking and smiling.....i hope they one day can put their issues to the side.....they both make each other great.....big part of NBA history
It was fun watching the reaction of the players when Wilt Chamberlain was in their presence. They looked at him in awe. Like they were children seeing the greatest player who ever lived. Michael Jordan had a hard time being in the presence of Wilt. I bet his ego got in the way of Reality.
I don’t think MJ was bothered by Wilts presence. MJ hates to be considered the greatest because he never played against him, Jerry West and Oscar Robertson.
@@aitortilla5128 Not a fanboy of anyone but ONLY a handful of people like u think Wilt is the Goat. And please don’t blame it on the generation bias because most of the poll across all ages have shown the consensus choice of Goat.
These dudes would make today's players look soft on the court. They played hard, no flopping, just went all out all the time. I'll take any of these guys over any of the 2010+ players.
In my opinion correct me if I'm wrong as well. I think that era died off when Duncan Garrnett Kobe and Vince Carter retired along wit Pual Pierce. If I'm missing some lmk
@@BoosterGoldEarth6 Owned as a 76er, Reed was a power forward. Walt Bellamy was the Center! Reed was playing Lucious Jackson! Reed as the power forward in 1968 averaged 21, 10, and 2 shooting over 54% in under 35 minutes and Luke Jackson averaged 12, 9, and 2 shooting under 37%! Looks like Reed despite playing out of position and having Walt Bellamy clog the middle on offense kicked some ass on Luke Jackson! Gotta know your basketball before you post BGE6!
@@BoosterGoldEarth6How you don't know that Walt Bellamy was the Knicks center in 1967/68 I'll never know? Very pathetic! In the 1968 playoffs, the 76ers went up 3-1 to Boston and choked and lost in 7 games and Chamberlain shot under 49% against Russell. In game 7 Wilt disappeared on offense only shooting 4 for 9 and scored 14 points in 48 minutes! Another example of small Wilt! In game 7 of the 1970 finals Wilt came up small with only 21 points against one leg Willis Reed in 48 minutes. The game before with Reed in his street clothes Wilt went for 45 and 27 in LA! Reed was the 1970 finals MVP! In game 5 of the 1973 finals when the Knicks won a second title, Reed with a bad left knee was able to play 31 minutes against Wilt and scored 18 with 12 rebounds and 7 assists shooting over 56%. In games 3 to 5 of the finals, Reed against Wilt was able to play 96 minutes and scored 61 points with 33 rebounds and 10 assists shooting 54% winning a second Finals MVP against Wilt despite a terrible left knee!
@@BoosterGoldEarth6 In the 1973 finals on ABC, Bill Russell as the color man constantly was singing Reed's leadership and ability to will his body to perform against Wilt despite a horrible left knee. Reed was on borrowed time as shown the next season when he was only able to play 19 games and retired at age 31! Despite that Reed played Jabbar twice within a week in November of 1973 and held Jabbar to 18 for 40 shooting and 44 points in 86 minutes! Right after the second game, Reed sat out 47 games with his right knee bad along with the already bad left knee. Kareem hated playing Willis and only won 6 of 21 games against Reed!
