Wilts coach at Kansas, Dr. Phog Allen, was advocating for twelve foot rims while Wilt was in college. Im Walter Bellamy. Wilt responded with Hello Mr. Bellamy. As for endurance, I never saw him come out a game. In the 1980 season Cleveland offered Chamberlain a contract and at age 50 New Jersey offered him a contract, but he again declined. The Speed of Wilt Chamberlain - YouTube 0:00 / 1:23 The Speed of Wilt Chamberlain jaranarm 3.5K subscribers 3.2K 411K views 9 years ago Weighing anywhere from 250 to 310 pounds the 7'1". So what happened on this particular on the court that allowed him to reach this unsurpassed peak? Throw that into his assist average being the best ever for a center, plus his points, plus his rebounds, and you've got even more numbers that would never be touched. And in that season he dropped 100 points against the New York Knicks. For whatever reason the players started playfully shoving each other and two of them set for Wilt. He also played polo, tennis, paddle ball, and water skied. Here are Pollacks most memorable Wilt games hes seen in person. Another observation is how unathletic and unskilled these guys look compared to current day scrubs even, Miles Bridges Expected To Re-Sign With Hornets, Lakers Not Interested In Pursuing Kyrie Irving; Mavericks Optimistic He'll Re-Sign, Sixers Have 'Optimism' Joel Embiid Could Return For Game 2, Celtics Hope To Hire Stephen Silas As Assistant Coach, Jimmy Butler And Tom Thibodeau: Kindred Souls Turned Rivals, Snoop Dog Joins Neko Sparks' Bid To Buy Senators, Joel Eriksson Ek Tried To Play With Broken Leg, Panthers Restricting Tickets Sales To Keep Maple Leafs Fans Out, Marc-Andre Fleury Wants To Stay With Wild, Even As Backup, https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=69&t=2046249&start=780#p91917155. Just to name a few: Most seasons leading the league in minutes: 8 Most points in a game: 100 Highest scoring average in a season: 50.4 Most seasons leading the league in field goal percentage: 9 Highest average in rebounds over a career: 22.9 YouTube Gold: The Immense Power Of Wilt Chamberlain He played basketball and ran track and field at the University of Kansas, played professional basketball with the Philadelphia Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers, and Los Angeles Lakers. The Boston Celtics played in Providence. On the 11th anniversary of his death, a man who was courtside for many of Wilts majestic performances weighs in on a daunting task: ranking Wilts most memorable achievements. He did things that are still incomprehensible and nearly superhuman.. Renamed Big Wilts Smalls Paradise, after Chamberlain purchased the club. NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLCs Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network. Im trying to square those two things and picture what it would have felt like. 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. Wilt Chamberlain was the greatest athlete the world had ever seen and he doesn't let you forget it. Wilt dominated the paint, taking everything in sight. Magic called a non-foul and Wilt declared that there would be no more shots from Magic. Harveys Take: Everyone makes a big fuss out of a triple double. 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. Pixabay 4. How does this night change the trajectory of the NBA? I was heartbroken when he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in the early '70s. 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. A piece of my Philadelphia childhood died when the greatest athlete of all time had fallen. How fast did Wilt Chamberlain run the 100 yard? How does that change our relationship to the feat itself? It would take 22 years for someone to score 50 or more points on consecutive nights. (Golden State, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles, respectively). And he did it on sneakers without much arch support, Converse. Not anymore. Why was this game in Hershey, and what does that tell us about the state of the NBA in 1962? He had no fear. wilt ran a 49 in high school. 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.. Best we can tell if we are to listen to Wilts narration the night before, thats what he was doing. Its still the signature record in basketball history. "Just to be in the record books along with staples in basketball . 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. Wilt kept that promise and blocked all of Magics shots. Ive had never seen Russell more distraught than that game when Wilt grabbed 55 rebounds. This game happens at a moment when the NBAs ascendence, dominance is certainly not inevitable. Well, it was a difficult moment to be an usher. Jimmy Butler and Tom Thibodeau remain linked. Oscar Robertson, the great NBA star, would later say that Wilt saves the league. In the last few years weve seen both Klay Thompson and James Harden sit out the fourth quarter in blowout games where they were already up to 60 points, so even if a player is red hot he may not even get a shot at the record unless the game is still competitive. Sixers owner Josh Harris, rival group submit formal bids for Commanders, AP sources say. Here are the 10 greatest players that wore purple and gold. Starting in the 1970s, he formed Wilt's Athletic Club. There wasn't anything he couldn't do in sports. 4. (Im 99% sure he meant backboards for a ten foot rim) That height is about 13.5 feet from the ground and Wilt could clear it. He was a legend when he played and still a legend today. Sometimes you take greatness for granted. As we continue our new series of five things you didn't know about famous people, let's take a look at Wilton Norman Chamberlain. Wilt Chamberlain is the greatest ATHLETE of all time, and its not even close. This article will go over who is the greatest running back of all time. When was . (AP Photo/Paul Vathis, File). If theres a possible rebounding record, Wilt probably has it (with Bill Russell a close second). Who are the 10 best basketball players of all time? It scared the hell out of me. For context, Wilt Chamberlain was 71, and 236 lbs. Jaylen Brown and the Celtics are learning from Bill Russell and Wilt Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Legend has it that it featured the only working air-conditioning in Harlem. Financially, Chamberlain probably made out like a bandit by skipping the NBA to head to Harlem. Well, as Wilt would tell it, the night before the game as with most nights he was with a woman. In the end he was able to win the Big 8 track and field championships three straight years. Half-filled in the famous chocolate town of Hershey. Most significantly, perhaps, the New York Knicks had two centers both 610. He also played Volleyball after his NBA career, and became a star. 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. It was one of many incredible scoring runs Ive seen from Wilt., Harveys Take: Bill Russell is considered, by many as the greatest defensive player in the game. Wilt wasn't just a basketball player. Harveys Take: Look up in the NBA Guide and youll find Wilt has four of the top highest single-game performances. Well, its possible when you literally never leave the floor and a few of the games go into overtime. It's still the signature record in basketball history. As an avid track and field athlete, Chamberlain high jumped 6 feet, 6 inches, ran the 440 yards in 49.0 seconds and the 880 yards in 1:58.3, put the shot 53 feet, 4 inches, and long jumped 22 feet. In total, I defy you to find an athlete and argue that he is a better athlete than Wilt. Because it was not a certain future for the NBA. Defenders used to hang all over Wilt and nothing was called. Keep in mind this is a guy who once averaged 50 PPG over a whole season. Jerry West, from "Wilt: Larger than Life". The cart was so heavy that the elevator sunk a few inches under the floor. Wilt Chamberlain had held 72 NBA records, according to NBA.com. The yellow ride, called Searcher One, was built for Chamberlain in 1996 at a reported cost of $750,000. Wilt Chamberlain Career Stats | StatMuse Chamberlain and Arnold also had several different encounters in the weight room. What was Wilt up to? That's completely insane. The only hitch was that he couldn't fit his giant frame into any of the sports cars on the market; he allegedly had to take the seat out of his Lamborghini Countach and replace it with a padded mat just so he could fit behind the wheel. Why Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game still matters - WHYY He rose to the challenge and was named the game's MVP. For a player to score 100 points in an NBA game, he must not only want to do it, he must on, on a deeper level, need to do it. He then asked who was next and the guy said You are, Wilt. Although Gotty as he was known was round, his estimates for crowd totals never were because they seemed more realistic. Wilt also claimed to have been able to snatch change off of the top of the backboard. We'll also look at some honorable mentions and best players by position. While fans and media have made light of players sitting out for load management, players and teams know the importance of rest not just to be ready for the playoffs or for the next season, but to be able to walk comfortably in retirement. He was at least 7-1, played as heavy as 325, and as Russell. How good was Wilt Chamberlain really? There is no doubt that Wilt was one of the greatest players ever to play the game of basketball. The greatest NBA record book ever is Harvey Pollacks NBA Statistical Yearbook. The 86-year-old basketball player was born in Philadelphia, PA. WHYY provides trustworthy, fact-based, local news and information and world-class entertainment to everyone in our community. 3. When someone asked Wilt to explain why he did so well from the line, he responded: I cant., We knew something big was in store because earlier that day, Wilt lit up the arcade in Hershey, taking on all comers and knocking em down whether it was shooting clay pigeons or pinball., Im glad I wrote 100 on a piece of paper for Wilt to hold up after the game for The Associated Press photographer because otherwise, Im not so sure people to this day would believe he actually scored 100..