Wilt and LeBron

PARIS (George Eddy's International Show) - Last week, the NBA celebrated beautifully the 50-year anniversary of my childhood idol's 100-point game in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

Wilt Chamberlain (along with the Harlem Globetrotters) drew me to basketball at the age of eight in 1964. Wilt looked so big and strong and the ball looked so small in HIS hands that I was awestruck. He was like Superman or Batman, a super-hero, except that Wilt was REAL!

Watching his duels with Bill Russell throughout the 1960s was a treat and helped me develop knowledge that would later serve me well as a TV commentator. As Wilt said, nobody cheers for Goliath... except me!

His nemesis but also longtime friend, Russell, said it best when he pointed out that if Wilt had had a mean streak in him, he would have been unstoppable and deadly dangerous!

Russell outwitted Wilt with his mind games, steely will and stronger teammates, which proved that basketball really is a team game and the best group usually wins over the brilliant individual.

Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant figured this out, made their teammates better and started winning titles after being overly individualistic early on in their careers.

Wilt saw the light and won with Philadelphia as a low-post assist machine in 1967 after losing numerous battles with Russell's Celtics when scoring aplenty.

He then had his crowning achievement was with the 1972 Lakers in a Russell-like defensive and rebounding role setting up their murderous fastbreak and winning a record 32 games in a row on the way to the NBA championship trophy!

Wilt's transformation from egocentric stat machine, eternally frustrated and trying to justify himself, to ultimate team player and champion was a pleasure to see.

I see many similarities between Wilt back then and LeBron James right now.

Both were so physically dominant and larger than life that no matter what they did or how many they scored it was never enough for the fans and pundits. They both got labels as money-time chokers as well as lacking that decisive killer instinct in big games.

LeBron is playing the best ball of his life right now but all we hear about is how he passed up two chances to win games in the space of a few days, first in the All-Star Game and then against Utah on Friday.

He will have to win the title and play a decisive role in the money time come the playoffs and NBA Finals this June to finally silence his critics. Anything less and he will keep getting the Wilt treatment!

Wilt and LeBron bear the weight of their incredible but cumbersome talent while being fun-loving, generous and smiling guys which some people consider a sign of weakness.

Not many people have Russell's or Jordan's or Kobe's unique intensity and will to win and even they couldn't do it alone.

Wilt, or Jordan for that matter, finally broke through and LeBron eventually will with increasing maturity and the help of his teammates.

LeBron made the right "Decision" because he recognized his own limits (he would have wilted under the pressure going it alone in New York) and we must also give him credit for working to improve his  game through much better outside shooting and this season with a better low-post presence and technique.

When we watch James bulldoze through five defenders on his way to a coast-to-coast monster highlight jam let's just admit how lucky we are to witness such talent today the same way I was awestruck watching Wilt as a little kid!

George Eddy

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