Newz Forum: PFL:BASKETBALL: 'Wilt the Stilt' Chamberlain Sportznewz Profile

He was nicknamed 'Wilt the Stilt', but preferred the nickname of the 'Big Dipper'. Sportznewz takes a look at Wilt Chamberlain. The first outstanding 7-footer in basketball and still considered by some the greatest offensive player in the history of the game.

Wilt Chamberlain was born in Philadelphia and was one of nine children. His father lived in a racially-mixed middle class neighborhood, and Chamberlain had a relatively pleasant childhood. Wilt began to start playing basketball at Shoemaker Junior High School on the basketball team. Wilt attended Overbrook High School in Philadelphia beginning in 1952. At that time he was already 6'11" tall, and had developed what he termed a "deep love for basketball."

A track and field star at the University of Kansas, Chamberlain was 7'1" and weighed 275 pounds, but he added more muscle mass during his career and eventually weighed in at 300 pounds of pure muscle. Often overlooked is the fact that Chamberlain was an excellent all-around athlete. At Kansas, he was the Big Eight Conference high jump champion three years in a row, he put the shot 56 feet, ran the 100-yard dash in 10.9 seconds, and triple jumped more than 50 feet. He turned down offers to become a professional boxer and football player.

In 1955, the NBA created a territorial draft that allowed teams to claim players from the local university. Edward Gottlieb, one of the founders of the NBA, argued that since Chamberlain had grown up in Philadelphia, and there were no NBA basketball teams in Kansas, the Warriors could exercise their territorial rights. It was the only time a player was selected on the basis of his pre-university roots. After playing a year with the Harlem Globetrotters, Chamberlain donned a Philadelphia uniform in time for the 1959-60 season. The basketball world had eagerly awaited his debut, and he did not disappoint - in his first game against the New York Knicks, Chamberlain scored 43 points and grabbed 28 rebounds. In 1962, Chamberlain left for San Francisco, taking the franchise with him; but halfway through the next tournament, he was traded back to the Philadelphia 76ers for three other players, and the Sixers went on to win the NBA title. Following the 1967-68 season, Chamberlain was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers for three players. He spent his remaining five years in the league helping the Lakers reach the NBA Finals in four of those five years, winning it in 1972. He finally retired at the end of the 1972-73 season.

Chamberlain became the first player in NBA history to be named MVP and Rookie of the Year in the same season, and along the way set eight NBA season records. He averaged 37.6 points and 27 rebounds pergame in his first season, and was named to the All-Star team. Through 14 seasons in the league with the Philadelphia Warriors (1959-62), Golden State Warriors (1962-65), Philadelphia 76ers (1965-68), and the Lakers (1968-73), and was an All-NBA First Team selection seven times. Named to 13 All-Star games, Chamberlain set All-Star Game career record for most rebounds (197), most points in a single game (42), and in 1960 earned MVP honors. The multi-talented Chamberlain led the league in scoring seven consecutive years (1959-65), rebounding 11 times, and in 1968 led the league in assists (8.6 apg). In 1961-62, Wilt enjoyed a Hall of Fame season. He establised remarkable records for points (4,029, 50.4 ppg), and against the New York Knicks on March 2, 1962, he scored 100 points, a mark that has withstood the test of time. When Chamberlain left the NBA in 1973, he had captured two championships - in 1967 with the Philadelphia 76ers, and in 1972 with the Lakers.

Upon retirement, Wilt held numerous records: Chamberlain was the first player to score more than 30,000 points. He led the NBA in scoring seven times, in rebounding eleven times, and in assists once and he was the first-team all-star center seven times. In his 14 seasons, he played 1,045 games, scoring 31,419 points, an average of 30.1 a game, and had 23,924 rebounds. In 1972-73, he made 72.7 percent of his field goal attempts, an NBA record.


100-POINT GAME - March 2, 1962, vs. New York at Hershey, Pa.

100 - holds single-game records for most points
59 - most points in one half
36 - most field goals made
22 - most field goals made in one half
63 - most field goals attempted
37 - most field goals attempted in one half
21 - most field goals attempted in one quarter
28 - shares single-game record for most free throws made

NBA REGULAR-SEASON RECORDS

Career

118 - most games with 50 or more points
9 - most seasons leading league in field goal percentage
23,924 - most rebounds
22.9 - highest rebounds-per-game average (minimum 400 games)
7 - shares career record for most consecutive seasons leading league in scoring (1959-60 through 1965-66)

Single-Season

45 - holds single-season records for most games with 50 or more points (1962)
3,882 - most minutes played (1962)
4,029 - most points (1962)
50.4 - highest points-per-game average (1962)
2,707 - most points by a rookie (1960)
1,597 - most field goals made (1962)
35 - most consecutive field goals made (February 17 through February 28, 1967)
3,159 - most field goals attempted (1962)
.727 - highest field goal percentage (1973)
1,363 - most free throws attempted (1962)
2,149 - most rebounds (1961)
1,941 - most rebounds by a rookie (1960)
27.2 - highest rebounds-per-game average (1961)

Single Game

# record set on March 2, 1962, vs. New York at Hershey, Pa.

#100 - most points
#59 - most points in one half
#36 - most field goals made
#22 - most field goals made in one half
#63 - most field goals attempted
#37 - most field goals attempted in one half
#21 - most field goals attempted in one quarter
58 - most points by a rookie (January 25, 1960, vs. Detroit)
1.000 - highest field goal percentage (minimum 15 made)
(15-for-15, January 20, 1967, vs. Los Angeles;
18-for-18, February 24, 1967, vs. Baltimore; and
16-for-16, March 19, 1967, vs. Baltimore)
55 - most rebounds (November 24, 1960, vs. Boston)
45 - most rebounds by a rookie (February 6, 1960, vs. Syracuse)
#28 - shares single-game record for most free throws made (March 2, 1962, vs. New York at Hershey, Pa.)

Points

#record set on March 2, 1962, vs. New York at Hershey, Pa.

118 - holds career records for most games with 50 or more points
7 - shares career records for most consecutive seasons leading league in scoring (1959-60 through 1965-66)
45 - most games with 50 or more points (1962)
4,029 - most points, single season (1962)
50.4 - highest points-per-game average (1962)
2,707 - most points by a rookie (1960)
#100 - most points, game
#59 - most points in one half
#36 - most field goals made
#22 - most field goals made in one half
#63 - most field goals attempted
#37 - most field goals attempted in one half
#21 - most field goals attempted in one quarter
58 - most points by a rookie (January 25, 1960, vs. Detroit)
Rebounds
23,924 - most rebounds, career
22.9 - highest rebounds-per-game average (minimum 400 games)
2,149 - most rebounds—2,149 (1961)
1,941 - most rebounds by a rookie (1960)
27.2 - highest rebounds-per-game average (1961)
55 - most rebounds (November 24, 1960, vs. Boston)
45 - most rebounds by a rookie (February 6, 1960, vs. Syracuse)

HONORS

NBA Most Valuable Player (1960, 1966, 1967, 1968)
NBA Rookie of the Year (1960)
All-NBA first team (1960, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1968)
All-NBA second team (1963, 1965, 1972)
NBA All-Defensive first team (1972, 1973)

NBA PLAYOFF RECORD

NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (1972)
26 - most rebounds in one half (April 16, 1967, vs. San Francisco)
32.0 - holds single-series playoff record for highest rebounds-per-game average (1967)
41 - holds single-game playoff records for most rebounds (April 5, 1967, vs. Boston)
26 - most rebounds in one half (April 16, 1967, vs. San Francisco)
53 - most points by a rookie (March 14, 1960, vs. Syracuse)
24 - shares single-game playoff records for most field goals made (March 14, 1960, vs. Syracuse)
48 - most field goals attempted (March 22, 1962, vs. Syracuse)
25 - most field goals attempted in one half (March 22, 1962, vs. Syracuse)

NBA ALL-STAR GAME RECORD

NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player (1960)
197 - holds career record for most rebounds
42 - holds single-game records for most points (1962)
16 - most free throws attempted (1962)
10 - most field goals made in one half (1962)
17 - shares single-game records for most field goals made (1962)
16 - most rebounds in one half (1960)

Sources

NBA.com

Terra.com

Lakersweb.com

wilts battles under the boards with bill russell were legendary and the likes will probably never be seen again, i remember a picture. don't remember if it was when wilt was in college or the pros of players from another team practicing before playing against him, the defensive player was holding a lacrosse stick up for the offensive player to shoot over, he is a big

Great work TRD!

Interesting profile of one of the best ever. I wish I had a chance to see him play. I wonder how he'd fit in today's game.

It was interesting in finding information on him as i was amazed at how many records he holds and did hold.

Originally posted by ProudAmerican
Great work TRD!

Interesting profile of one of the best ever. I wish I had a chance to see him play. I wonder how he'd fit in today's game.

He'd amck Shaq's punk butt...