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Engraved portrait of Wilt Chamberlain
Sports · 1960s

Wilt Chamberlain

In memoriam 1936–1999
Basketball (center)Sport
Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles LakersTeams
Two NBA championships (1967, 1972); four-time MVPTitles
100 points in a game; 50.4 ppg in 1961-62; 4,029 points that seasonRecords
Wilton Norman Chamberlain in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaBorn
The Turning Point

Wilton Norman Chamberlain dominated as a 7-footer at Kansas before barnstorming with the Harlem Globetrotters. He joined the NBA's Philadelphia Warriors in 1959 and was an instant sensation, winning Rookie of the Year and MVP. He became a national legend in 1962, scoring 100 points in a single game, a feat that still stands as the league's greatest scoring night.

Wilt Chamberlain, 1962
Wilt Chamberlain, 1962

Philadelphia Giant

Wilt Chamberlain was born in Philadelphia in 1936 and grew into a 7-foot-1 force. He starred at the University of Kansas, then toured with the Harlem Globetrotters before the NBA allowed him to sign with his hometown Warriors in 1959. He won Rookie of the Year and MVP in his very first season.

Wilt Chamberlain with the Philadelphia 76ers, 1967
Wilt Chamberlain with the Philadelphia 76ers, 1967

Unmatched Scoring

Chamberlain rewrote the record books, capped by his 100-point game in 1962 and a 50.4-point season average that may never be broken. A relentless rebounder as well, he set marks that still stand. Critics noted he carried a reputation for individual statistics over team success early in his career.

Champion and Icon

Chamberlain finally won championships with the 76ers in 1967 and the Lakers in 1972, silencing doubters. A four-time MVP, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979. One of the most dominant athletes ever, he died of heart failure in Los Angeles in 1999 at age 63.

Career Timeline

  1. 1936Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  2. 1957Stars at the University of Kansas
  3. 1958Tours with the Harlem Globetrotters
  4. 1959Joins Philadelphia Warriors in the NBA
  5. 1960Wins Rookie of the Year and MVP
  6. 1962Scores 100 points in a single game
  7. 1962Averages record 50.4 points per game
  8. 1967Wins first NBA title with the 76ers
  9. 1972Wins second title with the Los Angeles Lakers
  10. 1973Plays final NBA season
  11. 1979Inducted into Basketball Hall of Fame
  12. 1999Dies in Los Angeles at age 63

Biggest Hits

1962
100-Point GameScored 100 vs. Knicks, an NBA single-game record
1962
50.4 Points Per GameHighest single-season scoring average ever
1967
NBA ChampionLed the Philadelphia 76ers to the title
1972
Second NBA TitleWon championship with the Los Angeles Lakers
1968
Four-Time NBA MVPNamed Most Valuable Player four times
1979
Hall of Fame InductionEnshrined as one of basketball's most dominant
Did You Know
  • On March 2, 1962, he scored 100 points in a single game against the New York Knicks, a record that has never been approached.
  • In the 1961-62 season he averaged an unmatched 50.4 points per game and became the first NBA player to score over 4,000 points in a season.

Portrait: Unknown author · Public domain · via Wikimedia Commons

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