Russell Still Holds Edge, 20 Years Later

Two decades after retiring from the NBA, Wilt Chamberlain still loves going after Bill Russell.

“Let me ask you something, coach,” Chamberlain said to former Celtics coach Red Auerbach, who had been signing autographs at the next table at a card show Sunday. “Who was the better looking?”

“I’ll give you the edge on that,” Auerbach said.

Chamberlain and Russell, whose rivalry invigorated the NBA in the 1960s, were together again at Boston College High School for their first joint autograph session.

It was just Russell’s second card show after 28 years in autograph exile, said show organizer Joie Casey.

But it paid off. Sure enough, Russell refused to talk to reporters, as he has for most of his life. But a good guess would be money.The five-time NBA Most Valuable Player got a minimum of $295 per signature, with the price going up to $495 for a basketball and $995 for a jersey (and yes, you have to bring your own).

The 500 tickets for a Russell autograph sold out before noon. At a minimum of $295 per, that’s about $150,000 - just for one, 4-hour signing period.

Chamberlain, who won two titles and four MVP awards to Russell’s 11 and five, was second-best again: His autograph could be had for a mere $75. Casey said the prices were not a reflection of the players’ abilities, but of the scarcity of Russell signatures.

Chamberlain didn’t let it bother him. He said they have remained friends to this day, never letting their on-court rivalry get in the way of their personal relationship.

“What should competition have to do with being friends?” said Chamberlain, who played against Russell for Philadelphia, San Francisco and Los Angeles. “We didn’t compete in life. We competed on the court.”