Though Wilt Chamberlain mainly added value to his teams as a scorer, it looks like he wasn't much of a playoff scorer at all. 17 year old Wilt Chamberlain CATCHES a shot and runs the fast break Wilt Chamberlain Archive 69.6K subscribers Subscribe 45K 4.4M views 8 years ago This is a rebound, a blocked shot, and 3. Its the statistical Everest. He didn't let one [of Johnson's] shots get to the rim.". He participated in high jump, long jump, and even broad jump, but excelled in the 100 yard-dash, and the 400 metre. There is something about this specific record that, for me, goes well beyond sports and goes to math, the base-10 number system. Gary Payton had a good night and Thomas Bryant put his name in the record books by each going 1414, but theyre the only two players to even come close in the last four decades. Phillies fans traveling to Clearwater, FL for Spring Training are frustrated by the MLBs lockout and cancellation of games. Wilt did what he wanted, when he wanted. On a early summer day in the 1980s Chamberlain decided to play some pick up basketball at UCLA. There are game tapes of him going up for a block and his fingers are parallel to the top of the backboard. They were on a trip to Russia and they were assigned a tight locker room. His six rings are a testament to his prowess, and this article explains all the reasons he's the best of all time. He had six games with 43 or more, topping out at 55. Mark Tulin (author) from Long Beach, California on January 29, 2019: Very true, Mouser. Lets start the night before the game. Known for shooting a fake horse with a fake gun. Wilt Chamberlain PPG 30.1 RPG 22.9 APG 4.4 HEIGHT 7'1" (2.16m) WEIGHT 250lb (113kg) COUNTRY USA LAST ATTENDED Kansas BIRTHDATE August 21, 1936 DRAFT 1959 EXPERIENCE 14 Years Stats Career Per Mode. I was glued in front of my old black and white TV trying to fix the rabbit ears so I could see the Sixers play the Boston Celtics on the old parquet floors of the Boston Garden. One, Darrall Imhoff, was a rookie. Phillies fans who booked trips to Clearwater for Spring Training frustrated by MLB lockout. This game was not televised. Quarterback is the most important position in football. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. The mere mention of the Big Dipper's name evokes images of hoops dominance and romantic impossibilities. Harveys Take: Another away home game, this time it took place in Bethlehem, Pa. Wilt scores 58 points and a little less than a month later he did it in New York versus the Knicks. It's unbelievable how fast Wilt was at 7'1 and 290-310 lbs. Faster than Al Attles (and the rest of his Warriors team) in a full court race after Wilt and Attles' coach Alex Hannum set up races to see who the fastest players on the Warriors team were. Who is the greatest NBA player ever? WHYY thanks our sponsors become a WHYY sponsor, Wilt, 1962: The Night of 100 Points and the Dawn of a New Era.. Stars like Bumpy Johnson, Sammy Davis Jr., Malcom X, Frank Lucas, Nicky Barnes, Willie Mays, Sonny Liston Langston Hughes, Muhammad Ali were all known to hang around Smalls Paradise. The Stilt burst onto the NBA scene in 195960 and not only set the rookie single-game record with 58 points, but matched it less than a month later. Yes. The club helped many of them train to compete in the Olympics. No other player had more rules changed specifically to thwart that player, such as widening the lane and not allowing dunks during a free throw (as Wilt was known to do). Its a monumental scoring achievement that sets social media ablaze. Jimmy Butler and Tom Thibodeau remain linked. In 1967, Wilt decided to prove a point. Wilt ran the 100-yard dash in 10.9 seconds, threw the shot-put 56 feet, he triple jumped 50 feet, and he won the Big Eight high jump three straight years." James' junior season high school football stats were indeed solid. He goes on to explain how he would lift up Arnold and Andre the Giant with one hand. He was Great friends with Arnold Schwarzenegger. For decades, no other big man has come remotely close until Denvers Serbian dime-dropper Nikola Jokic posted averages of 6.1 and 7.3 in 201718 and 201819, respectively. The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers to this website may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Wilt skipped his Senior season at Kansas choosing instead to play with the famed Harlem Globetrotters. He was at an All-Star Game in El Paso for Volleyball and a player on the East team (Wilt was in the West) was misquoted about Wilts imperfections on the court. Another rumor had it that Wilt Chamberlain challenged Muhammad Ali to an exhibition fight, but Ali's boxing manager, Jabir Herbert Muhammad, backed out due to the mere visual intimidation of Chamberlain, fearing an upset. Often times the day would end with Breakfast dances at 8 am. The most dominant player the NBA has ever seen died 11 years ago today. But later in life, he realized that when he walked down the street, people would point at him and say, There goes the guy that scored 100 points.. One of my favorites was when he scored 78 points against the Lakers in a triple overtime game. Wilt passed away on October 12, 1999, at the age of 63. Copyright 2023 Legends Clothing Co. | Website builder by Shopify, Comments have to be approved before showing up, On a early summer day in the 1980s Chamberlain decided to play some pick up basketball at UCLA. Walter and Wilt went to half court to shake hands. Chamberlains single-season scoring record is so out of reach that only one player Michael Jordan in 198687 has even come within 1,000 points of it. Red Auerbach the coach of the Boston Celtics spotted the talented teenager at Kutsher's and had him play 1-on-1 against Kansas University star and MVP of the 1953 NCAA Finals, BH Born. Wilt credits the Globetrotters for advancing his basketball growth helping him to improve his overall ball handling skills. With no sleep and a hangover, he boarded the train to Philadelphia at 8 AM. There is a more holistic power Jimmy Butler has access to, involving his fearlessness and his great strategic intelligence but not limited to these things. Half-filled in the famous chocolate town of Hershey. The 4-minute mile. Even when a player sustains greatness like Harden did, it only serves to highlight the magnitude of the statistical gap between Wilt and everyone else. After his basketball career ended in 1974, the Big Dipper picked up a new hobby: volleyball. Claiming that he had never been beat in shot put and only been beaten in high jump by Olympic Gold Medalist Charles Dumas. Not only did they both play two different sports each during their sports careers. Who Was Wilt Chamberlain? Chamberlain was a well-rounded athlete in the discipline; his personal best in the high jump was six feet six inches, he threw 55 feet in shot put, he ran the 440 in 49 seconds, and he could do a 22-foot long jump. Probably fastest 7 footer ever, possibly just plain one of the fastest NBA players ever regardless of his height as testimony indicates faster than any players from his era: Archived post. In his mid-forties, he was able to humble rookie Magic Johnson in practice. During an interview for a book called Tall Tales by writer Terry Pluto, former college and NBA player Johnny Kerr admitted that Chamberlain broke his toe with a dunk one time when he was playing against him. Embiid's post-All-Star Game surge has led sportsbooks to make him a slight favorite over Jokic in the MVP race. Hes inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, the Volleyball hall of Fame, and the Kansas Jayhawk Hall of Fame. A closer like at the life and play of the most dominant player in NBA history, Wilt Chamberlain.Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/nonstopFollow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/nonstopWilt Chamberlain is often considered the most dominant force that played the game of basketball, and one of the greatest players of all time. Jones. He played two years (1956-58) at the University of Kansas, after which he joined the Harlem Globetrotters for a year (1958-59). By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. The coach argued that without any practice their was no way he could be competitive. Whats the scene on the court and in the locker room after the game? the story goes Magic made a game ending foul call that angered Wilt greatly. Top notch work. This was how the NBA tried to develop its base. Alex Hannum, the great Sixers coach told Wilt that the team didnt need him to dominate with his scoring but to get his teammates more involved. Together we can reach 100% of WHYYs fiscal year goal. Imhoff committed six fouls and therefore fouled out of the game after playing just 20 minutes. Wilt Chamberlain's age is 86. After he retired from basketball, he played professional volleyball. One myth surrounding Chamberlain was that he played against no height, that is far from the truth. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979. There are multiple stories of Wilts strength. To order, mail a check for $20.00 to Harvey Pollack, Philadelphia 76ers, 3601 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19148. Michael Jordan cemented as the modern day GOAT, David Robinson's impact on the 1990's. It was unimaginable to think someone could score 100 points in a single game. Wilt. Before he was in the NBA, Wilt played for the Harlem Globetrotters. During his career he played Hall of Fame Centers Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Willis Reed, Nate Thurmond, Artis Gilmore, Bob Lainer, Walt Bellamy, Wes Unseld and Dave Cowens. On March 2, 1962 exactly 60 years ago the legendary Philadelphia Warriors center scored 100 points in a single game. For context, Wilt Chamberlain was 71, and 236 lbs. No player has had more than 26 rebounds since 1977, so Wilts playoff single-game record of 41 seems pretty safe as well. 4. 2023 The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers on this website. Your imagination is triggered by it, though. Over a four-game stretch in February of 1967, Wilt Chamberlain simply could not miss setting an NBA record by making 35 consecutive shots in that span, including an 1818 performance on February 24th. He learned when he was 34 years old. Collection of Wilt Chamberlain speed stories, Track and 40 times. Here are Pollacks most memorable Wilt games hes seen in person. He wore number 13. All while being a 71 Goliath of a man. In which he out jumped all of Kansas current high jumpers. He won the Rookie of the Year award, 4 MVP awards, 1 Finals MVP award and 2 NBA championships. Wilt Chamberlain was the greatest athlete the world had ever seen and he doesn't let you forget it. The crowds were so small the joke went back then that P.A. How about a triple double double! Thirty seven years after he retired at the age of 37, Chamberlains name appears in the NBAs record book a whopping 97 times. Wilt won again. Actually thats below average by todays standards. Enraged and frustrated, the Seattle player ran up to Chamberlain swinging. He and Magic Johnson both made incredible plays look easy. In his mid-forties, he was able to humble rookie Magic Johnson in practice. Little did we know that this game would be a precursor to his 100-point game only a few months later. He had a Goliath syndrome. That game proved one thing to the NBA brain trust, that they can't let one man dominate a game inside the way Wilt Chamberlain had been doing. That year he became a board member of the International Volleyball Association, a fledgling pro coed volleyball league that only lasted until 1979, and brought his intimidating 7'1" frame to the Seattle Smashers' front line. It also helped launch the legend of Wilt a superstar who would help establish the NBA at a time when its future seemed wobbly. Fans wanted to see Wilt. 8. Despite competing and excelling in both sprinting and throwing, these were not his best events. He has almost four times as many 50-point games as the next-closest player (Michael Jordan), more than five times as many 60-point games as the next-closest (Kobe Bryant) and more 70-point games than every other player in NBA history combined. At Kutshers Wilt used his unique height as a bellhop to hand the suitcase and luggage from guests directly to the second story of the hotel, making it easier for other Bell boys to transfer for more click here. Imagine a player doing that for an entire season. The fact that he scored 100 not 103 or 99 has always stood out and imbued [the record] with something I cant quite put my finger on. Amid so many sports records, why does this milestone still resonate? Wilt Chamberlain - one of the most extravagant, dominant, iconic (and victorious) sportsmen. Twenty one assists in a game is simply unheard of for a center. "So Wilt said, 'There will be no more layups in this gym,' and he blocked every shot after that. When the issue of championships comes up, I am reminded of a quote Wilt once gave in an interview (I used to have it on videotape from a documentary on the history of basketball) where he said, "The Boston Celtics had to figure out how to beat Wilt Chamberlain, but I had to figure out how to beat the Boston Celtics." Wilt Chamberlain somehow went his entire 1,045 game career without getting six personal fouls in a single game. The other, more experienced player was named Phil Jordon. It would take 22 years for someone to score 50 or more points on consecutive nights. Its launched into the imagination. Scoring a hundred meant infinitely more than scoring, say, 97 or 103. Chamberlain's famous claim that he slept with 20,000 women first appeared in his 1991 autobiography A View From Above. Wilts line from that game 22 points, 25 rebounds and 21 assists. He became the first (and still only) center to lead the league in total assists with 702 in 196768 for an average of 8.6, which remains the single-season record for the position. The 86-year-old basketball player was born in Philadelphia, PA. It was in 1971, though, that it looked like this throwdown was really going to finally happen. His shot put was 53 feet when the world record was 63 feet. Not anymore. The news was as stunning and jarring as one of his typical NBA box scores. Wednesday marks the 60th anniversary of the greatest scoring effort in NBA history 36 field goals, 28 free throws, 100 points for Chamberlain, in the Warriors 169-147 win in a game played before about 4,000 people in Hershey. When Wilt hits 100 points, all heaven breaks loose. There is no doubt that Wilt was one of the greatest players ever to play the game of basketball. A basketball game, as you know, is 48 minutes. I idolized him growing up as a kid in Philadelphia, his hometown. Youre not going to get a shot off in the first half. And he kept the promise blocking all nine of Walters shot attempts. The club was finally closed in 1986. He averaged 8.8 blocks in those 122 games. In warm ups he made hook shots fron half court with ease. Wilt Chamberlain almost boxed Muhammad Ali. What do you, the writer of this article, think of Wilt Chamberlain's endurance? Back then their was far more talent inside. But safest of all rebounding records may be his 2,149 in the 196061 season. Wilt Chamberlain's accomplishments are widely known, from his 100 points in a game, 25,000 woman or never fouling out of a basketball game. When asked about the incident, one of the men said that the cart weighed about 600 lbs. This article will go over who is the greatest running back of all time. Wilt Chamberlain in 1972 with the Los Angeles Lakers. The mere mention of the Big Dipper's name evokes images of hoops dominance and romantic impossibilities. Because it was not a certain future for the NBA. Most significantly, perhaps, the New York Knicks had two centers both 610. The 21 assists was a Sixers single-game assist mark for many years. Located in the basement of 2294 Seventh Avenue near 135th Street in Harlem, New York City. Basketball for me would never be the same. To celebrate, CLNS and FanDuel are giving players $200 when they bet $5. Chamberlain's presence brought enough attention to the league that the IVA's All-Star game was televised. Chamberlain even thought about a return to competition. " to imply that the number was actually more like 2,000. What was Wilt up to? Pixabay 4. He played the whole game and rarely fouled out. That's hilarious. Chamberlain won 25-10; Born was so dejected that he gave up a promising NBA future and became a tractor engineer ("If there were high school kids that good, I figured I wasn't going to make it to the pros"). "He would a tricep extesion, the biggest strongest guys would do 120 and he would come and do 150, 170 pounds.". You cant see it. Both were incredibly dominant during their era, totally unstoppable. Now if a player just looks at a star the wrong way, he gets called for a foul!! Lets set the scene a little. When it came to the rivalry between Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell, Russell always got the better of Chamberlain as he was a force down low at the defensive end with him being able to hold his . The ushers stepped aside, and they were overrun by the kids who ran out to the court to congratulate Wilt. Is Wilt Chamberlain in the Hall of Fame? Just to name a few: Once Wilt got upset with me and dunked the ball so hard it went through the rim with such force that it broke my toe as it hit the floor. So they did what any two athletes would do and they went outside, took their shoes off and raced. He then asked who was next and the guy said You are, Wilt. According to Chamberlain's sister Barbara, the former NBA star was known to run across the roofs of Los Angeles on the hunt for a swimming pool in which he could soak his hulking frame. 2. What Wilt did was shatter that quota the whole notion that this league would be a white mans enclave. . When he retired following the 1972-73 season, it was 128 times. Wilt Chamberlain. Walter said Hello Mr. Chamberlain. WHYY offers a voice to those not heard, a platform to share everyones stories, a foundation to empower early and lifelong learners and a trusted space for unbiased news. Against the Knicks, Wilt took 63 of the teams 115 field goal attempts and made 36 of them. Stream WHYY-FM, read the top stories from WHYY News, and listen to the latest podcast from WHYY Digital Studios anytime, anywhere. Wilt came with a body and an ego perfectly sculpted for dominating this game. Well, it was a difficult moment to be an usher. In his 14-year NBA career, Wilt Chamberlain routinely put up video-game-like numbers. Wilt skipped his Senior season at Kansas choosing instead to play with the famed Harlem Globetrotters. As a Kansas track and field athlete, Wilt ran a sub-eleven second 100m, a forty-nine second 400m in baggy sweats, and a 1:58.3 second 800m. For more information, please see our Wilt was playing against a good player named Walter Bellamy. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. According to Don Cherry's biography Wilt: Larger than Life, legendary boxing trainer and promoter Cus D'Amato approached Chamberlain in 1965 with a lucrative offer to box heavyweight champ Muhammad Ali. Sign up for our weekly newsletter. Well, its possible when you literally never leave the floor and a few of the games go into overtime. The biggest misconception on Wilt is that he dominated because the game had no competition, which is just wrong and. In college at the University of Kansas, the 7'1" goliath ran a sub-11-second 100-yard dash and also threw the shot put 56 feet. Both also changed the game by their very presence. Imagine what he would have been doing in his prime. Wilt is the Greatest Athlete Of All Times (GAOAT) and Ali the greatest boxer! Well, in a seven-game series versus Russell, Wilt averaged nearly 29 rebounds per game against him and in the final Game 7, grabbed his 200th of the series., The Sixers lost Game 7 on Sam Jones shot, 110-109.. Wilt and Arnold stared on the movie Conan the Destroyer together. I saw those cool underhanded free throws and his no-look passes to the cutting teammates. I decided to use only NBA clips, without more famous college footage. Harveys Take: To give you some perspective, Wilt scored 50 or more points 118 times in his illustrious career. The NBA initiated offensive goaltending, in which players couldn't touch the ball going in a downward trajectory toward the hoop or flick the ball away when it was within the cylinder of the basket. For someone who played as many minutes in as many games as he did, it seems impossible that he never got a little sloppy on defense or encountered a game scenario that required him to hack away, yet here we are. NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLCs Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network. Mark Tulin (author) from Long Beach, California on June 09, 2020: Spud, I dont know for sure, but it wouldnt surprise me. Tools and Resources Used by Real General Managers. He and Chamberlain comprised an intimidating front court. Top . Legendary NBA center who was a 13-time All-Star, 4-time MVP, and 2-time NBA Champion; scored 100 points in a single game on March 2, 1962 while playing for the Philadelphia Warriors. In the end he was able to win the Big 8 track and field championships three straight years. A group led by Josh Harris and Mitchell Rales and another group led by Canadian billionaire Steve Apostolopoulos have submitted fully financed bids. You can spot Harvey courtside this season, jotting down stats. He arrived several hours before the game and played an arcade shooting game in the area before tip off. Hall of fame coach Larry Brown retells the rest "Magic Johnson used to run the games and he called a couple of chintzy fouls and a goal tending on Wilt," Brown said. I traveled with the Warriors during these peak years when Wilt was dropping 50 or more points. That means for 28 minutes of that game in Hershey, the tallest player the Knicks had was 68 Cleveland Buckner. Magic called a non-foul and Wilt declared that there would be no more shots from Magic. Their will never be another athlete that could come close to Wilt Chamberlain athletic abilities. The yellow ride, called Searcher One, was built for Chamberlain in 1996 at a reported cost of $750,000. 4. In Wilts rookie season, he not only led the league in scoring (37.6) and rebounds (27) but also in minutes per game (46.4), Harveys Take: I was at every one of those games and no matter what defenses they threw at Wilt, he either willed his way to the basket or dominated from mid range. FILE - Wilt Chamberlain, of the Philadelphia Warriors, holds a sign reading "100" in the dressing room in Hershey, Pa., March 2, 1962, after he scored 100 points, as the Warriors defeated the New York Knicks. (Of course Wilt won the MVP of the game.) In the big 8 conference Chamberlain dominated, he ran the 100 yard dash in 10.9 seconds, shot-putted 56 feet and triple jumped more than 50 feet. He also played Volleyball after his NBA career, and became a star. They wanted to see the guy who scored 100 points. Well, a few things happened off the court that allowed him to reach this unsurpassed peak of 100 points. And then theres Wilt Chamberlain. HubPages is a registered trademark of The Arena Platform, Inc. Other product and company names shown may be trademarks of their respective owners. He did things that are still incomprehensible and nearly superhuman.. Harveys Take: Wilt scored 135 points in a 24 hour span -- 73 against the Bulls and 62 points against the Celtics. He averaged 50.4 points per game in the 1962 season. He made it! Not even Wilt himself came within 6 PPG of his record 50.4 PPG in 196162 and the leagues most elite scorers of the past half century have come no closer than Michael Jordans 37.1 PPG in 198687.