Wilt Chamberlain was one of the most iconic and dominant basketball players of all time. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest players in NBA history, setting numerous records and winning multiple championships throughout his career. His imposing presence on the court was unparalleled, as he was a physical force with an impressive combination of size, strength, and athleticism.
His legacy lives on today as a pioneer who revolutionized the game by inventing new strategies and taking it to heights never before seen. During his 14-year NBA career, Chamberlain won two championships with two different teams, earned four MVP awards, and set dozens of records that still stand to this day.
He is remembered for his remarkable accomplishments both on and off the court—from leading his teams to victory to inspiring change within civil rights movements across America. This article will explore Wilt Chamberlain’s storied career in the NBA and examine how he changed the game forever.
Wilt Chamberlain – Early Life
Born on August 21, 1936 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Wilton Norman Chamberlain was born to Olivia Ruth Johnson and William Chamberlain. His mother was a domestic worker and homemaker while his father’s occupations included welding, custodian work, and general handyman duties. He had four sisters, Barbara, Margaret, Selina, and Yvonne, and two brothers, Oliver and Wilbert Chamberlain.
As a child, Chamberlain was extremely frail and nearly succumbed to pneumonia in his early years, resulting in the loss of an entire year of schooling. Though he was always tall – standing at 6 feet 0 inches (1.83 m) by age 10 – Chamberlain initially had no interest in basketball, viewing it as a “game for sissies”. But since basketball was so popular among the Philadelphia communities, he decided to give it a try when he began 7th grade.
Wilt Chamberlain – High School
Wilt Chamberlain attended Philadelphia’s Overbrook High School, towering at a height of 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m). As an avid track and field athlete, he was known for his impressive athletic feats: high jumping 6 feet, 6 inches, running the 440 yards in 49.0 seconds and the 880 yards in 1:58.3, putting the shot 53 feet, 4 inches away and long jumping 22 feet.
The Overbrook Panthers basketball team was a powerhouse, and at the center of it all stood Wilt Chamberlain. He wore jersey number 5, but he was no ordinary player; his remarkable talents put him head and shoulders above his peers. With incredible scoring prowess, immense physical strength and uncanny shot-blocking abilities, he quickly became renowned as a force to be reckoned with.
ESPN journalist Hal Bock shared that Chamberlain was “scary, flat-out frightening”. It was also during this period when Chamberlain earned three nicknames that would follow him for life: “Wilt the Stilt”, “Goliath” and his favorite – “The Big Dipper”.
Overbrook then won the Philadelphia Public League title after Chamberlain scored 34 points in the deciding game and earned them a spot in the city championship against West Catholic High School from the Catholic league. The Panthers were met with an all-out defensive effort by West Catholic, who quadruple-teamed Chamberlain throughout the match. Despite this daunting obstacle, he still managed to rack up 29 points but they fell short losing 54–42.
In the second season of his Overbrook career, Will Chamberlain again showcased his remarkable scoring ability by shattering the high school record when he scored an impressive 71 points against Roxborough. The Panthers easily won the Public League title after once more defeating Northeast in a game where Chamberlain scored 40 points; they subsequently clinched the city championship with a 74–50 win over South Catholic. To cap off their undefeated campaign, Wilt recorded 32 points, leading Overbrook to a perfect 19-0 record.
During the summer months, Wilt Chamberlain worked as a bellhop at Kutsher’s Hotel. This resulted in a lifelong friendship between the young man and its owners Milton and Helen Kutsher; they were considered “his second set of parents” according to their son Mark.
Red Auerbach, head coach of the Boston Celtics, was also athletic director of the summer basketball league held at Kutscher’s. After watching Chamberlain play, Auerbach arranged for him to have a one-on-one match up with University of Kansas (KU) standout B. H. Born who had been named NCAA Most Outstanding Player in 1953. The talented teen won 25–10 which caused such disappointment for Born that he chose to abandon his NBA career aspirations and become a tractor engineer instead.
In 1953, while still a high school sophomore, Chamberlain accomplished the incredible feat of leading his team, the Christian Street YMCA, to victory in the national YMCA tournament held in High Point, North Carolina. Defeating the defending champion High Point team 85–79 and being the youngest member on the squad, Chamberlain was able to secure his first championship title.
Wilt Chamberlain – College
After his final season at Overbrook High School, Chamberlain was heavily recruited by more than two hundred universities. UCLA offered him the chance to become an actor, while the University of Pennsylvania proposed buying him diamonds. His coach at Overbrook, Cecil Mosenson, was even offered a coaching job if he could convince Chamberlain to accept their offer.
In his 2004 biography of Chamberlain, Robert Allen Cherry reveals that Chamberlain wanted to move away from Philadelphia and New York City, as well as eliminating any options in New England. He was also unwilling to consider the South due to racial segregation. This left the Midwest as his only viable option, and after visiting the University of Kansas and speaking with their renowned college basketball coach Phog Allen, Chamberlain announced he would be playing at KU.
In 1955, Chamberlain enrolled in the University of Kansas (KU). He was a proud member of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity and held the prestigious title of president within his pledge class. The freshman team’s debut with Chamberlain on board was highly anticipated; they were pitted against the much-favored varsity squad that had been expected to win their conference championship. However, Chamberlain proved himself to be a force to be reckoned with as he scored an incredible 42 points (16–35 from field goals and 10–12 on fouls), grabbed 29 rebounds, and blocked 4 shots – making it impossible to ignore his presence.
Chamberlain’s dreams of playing under Allen were dashed when the coach hit 70 and had to retire according to Kansas University regulations. Unfortunately, his relationship with Allen’s replacement, Dick Harp, was severely strained by Chamberlain’s sense of resentment and disappointment.
Cherry has even speculated that if Chamberlain had known Allen would be retiring soon, he may not have chosen KU in the first place. For years after his departure from Kansas University, Chamberlain faced criticism that he wanted to escape the predominately white Midwest or was ashamed because he wasn’t able to secure a NCAA basketball tournament championship title.
At the University of Kansas, Wilt Chamberlain again demonstrated his impressive athleticism. He recorded a time of 10.9 seconds in the 100-yard dash, threw a shot put 56 feet, jumped over 50 feet in the triple jump and won the high jump at the Big Eight Conference track and field championships three years in succession. Additionally, he was responsible for initiating a rule change in 1956 which mandated that free throw shooters must keep both feet behind the line when they attempt the shot.
On December 3, 1956, Chamberlain made his varsity basketball debut as a center for the Kansas Jayhawks. In his first outing, he exploded onto the court with an incredible 52 points and 31 rebounds, setting both new all-time records in an 87–69 victory over Northwestern Wildcats, who had Chamberlain’s future NBA teammate Joe Ruklick in their lineup.
He quickly developed several offensive moves that would eventually become his trademarks – such as his finger roll, fadeaway jump shot and bank shot, passing abilities and shot-blocking skills. Chamberlain led a talented team of starters including Maurice King, Gene Elstun, John Parker, Ron Lonesky and Lew Johnson. The Jayhawks went on to win 13 out of 14 games until they were defeated 56–54 by the Oklahoma State Cowboys. Chamberlain earned a spot on the prestigious NCAA Men’s Basketball All-Americans first team.
In the 1957 NCAA University Division basketball tournament, twenty-three teams were selected to compete. The Midwest Regional was held in Dallas, Texas, which at the time was segregated. John Parker of the Kansas Jayhawks recalled that during their first game against the all-white SMU Mustangs, “The crowd was brutal. We were spat on, pelted with debris, and subjected to the vilest racial epithets.”
Despite this hostile environment, KU managed to come away with a 73–65 overtime victory. Following this match, police had to escort them out for their safety. Their second game against Oklahoma City was similarly unpleasant; however, they managed to win 81–61 even under intense racist taunts from the audience.
In the semi-finals, Chamberlain’s Jayhawks handily defeated two-time defending national champions San Francisco Dons 80–56, with Chamberlain scoring an impressive 32 points, grabbing 11 rebounds and blocking at least seven shots. He displayed his growing repertoire of offensive moves such as jump shots, put-backs, tip-ins and his signature turnaround fade away.
During the game, he was also more confident and accurate from the foul line than what would become his norm during his professional career. His outstanding foot speed allowed him to lead several fast breaks, including one where he blocked a shot near the basket before racing ahead for a layup. His performance enabled Kansas to gain an insurmountable lead, thus allowing him to rest on the bench for the final 3:45 of the game.
The NCAA finals saw Kansas, with Chamberlain, take on the first-ranked, unbeatable Tar Heels of North Carolina. Led by National Player of the Year Lennie Rosenbluth, the Tar Heels employed an unconventional plan to stifle Chamberlain: Coach Frank McGuire sent out his shortest player for the tip-off, and thereafter triple-teamed him at all times. As a result, the Jayhawks shot a paltry 27%, compared to the Tar Heels’ 64%. At halftime, they trailed 22–29.
Later, North Carolina led 40-37 with 10 mins left. After Tar Heel turnovers, the game ended in a tie at 46 in regulation. In the first overtime, each team scored two points while Kansas froze the ball to keep it tied at 48 in the second overtime. NC then scored consecutive baskets to lead 52–51 before Chamberlain made a three-point play. KU’s King put them ahead by one point, but Quigg was fouled and made two free throws for the win. The final play saw Loneski pass into Chamberlain which was tipped by Quigg and recovered by Kearns, giving NC the 54-53 victory.
Chamberlain was named Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four, despite his team’s loss. The game is renowned as one of the greatest in basketball history and marked North Carolina’s first NCAA title. It was also the first national final to go into overtime and still stands as the only one to reach triple OT. Chamberlain later said it was the most painful loss of his life.
In Chamberlain’s 1957-58 junior year, opponents resorted to freeze-ball tactics, deploying three or more players to guard him. Despite this, he averaged 30.1 points and led KU to an 18–5 record; however, they only came second in the league and were not invited to the NCAA tournament. He was named an All-American alongside future NBA Hall of Famers Baylor, Robertson, and Rodgers.
Disillusioned with NCAA basketball and looking for a way to make money, Chamberlain sold his story “Why I Am Leaving College” for $10,000. In two seasons at KU he scored 1,433 points and 877 rebounds while leading them to one Big Seven championship. At just 21 years old Chamberlain had already been featured in Time, Life, Look, and Newsweek magazines.
Wilt Chamberlain – Harlem Globetrotters
After his junior year frustrations, Chamberlain decided to make a professional career before graduating. Although the NBA forbade players from joining until after college, he found an opportunity with the Harlem Globetrotters and earned $50,000 in 1958. He was part of the team that made history by performing in Moscow in 1959, delighting crowds with their legendary showmanship. Even after his NBA career began, Chamberlain continued to join the Globetrotters during off-seasons, enjoying being one among many talented performers. On March 9, 2000, they retired his jersey number 13 in recognition of his contributions.
Wilt Chamberlain – Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors
On October 24, 1959, the Philadelphia Warriors saw their newest acquisition take to the court for his NBA debut; a 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) tall and 258 pound center by the name of Chamberlain. When he signed his rookie contract for $30,000 – making him the league’s highest paid player – it was a significant leap from former top earner Bob Cousy of the Celtics with $25,000, just seven years after Eddie Gottlieb bought the franchise for that same amount.
In the 1959–60 NBA season, Chamberlain joined up with the Philadelphia Warriors who were coached under Neil Johnston. Alongside Hall-of-Famers Tom Gola and Paul Arizin, Ernie Beck and Chamberlain’s old rival Rodgers, all five of their starters were from Philadelphia. In his first NBA game against the New York Knicks, he scored an impressive 43 points and grabbed 28 rebounds. Just two games later, he recorded 41 points and a career-high 40 rebounds in a victorious 124–113 win over the Syracuse Nationals.
On January 25th of that season, Chamberlain achieved a rare feat by posting at least 50 points and 40 rebounds in an NBA game against the Detroit Pistons where he ended with 58 points, 42 rebounds and 4 assists. Then on February 21st of that same year, he tied his own record with 58 points to go along with 24 rebounds in a 131–121 victory against the visiting Knicks.
In his debut NBA season, Chamberlain shattered records, averaging 37.6 points and 27 rebounds per game – the previous all-time bests for an NBA rookie. He broke 8 league records, including Bob Pettit’s single-season scoring record of 2,101 points (which he achieved in 56 games).
His accomplishments earned him the 1960 Rookie of the Year and MVP awards – a feat only matched by Wes Unseld in the 1968-1969 season. In the All-Star Game that year, Chamberlain posted 23 points and 25 rebounds to win MVP honors. However, it became evident that Chamberlain was not a proficient FT shooter – missing half of his foul shots. This problem persisted as his career progressed.
The Warriors entered the 1960 NBA playoffs and beat the Syracuse Nationals, paving the way for a battle with Eastern Division champs, the Celtics. Coach Auerbach had Tom Heinsohn commit personal fouls on Chamberlain in an effort to disrupt Philly’s offense. Whenever they shot foul shots, Heinsohn would grab and shove Chamberlain to keep him from getting back quickly. The plan was for Boston to throw in the ball fast so Chamberlain wouldn’t be under his own basket yet and score an easy fastbreak.
After splitting the first two games, Chamberlain punched Heinsohn during Game 3 and injured his hand. This affected Philadelphia’s performance as they lost the next two games. But with his hand healthy again, Wilt recorded 50 points and 35 rebounds in Game 5; a 128–107 win that extended the series to Game 6. Up until the 2019 NBA playoffs, he was still the only player to ever do this feat in postseason play. In a last-second tip-in, Heinsohn scored the decisive basket in Game 6 as Warriors ultimately lost 4–2.
Rookie Chamberlain stunned Warriors’ fans by announcing his possible retirement. Tired of being triple-teamed, and brutal hard fouls, he feared losing his temper. Heinsohn said: “Half the fouls against him were hard fouls … he took a pounding like no other player ever.” Reviled by fans and scorned by the media, Chamberlain’s coach Alex Hannum explained his situation with a quote that he often repeated: “Nobody roots for Goliath.” Gottlieb convinced Chamberlain to return with an increased salary of $65,000.
Chamberlain’s 1960-61 NBA season kicked off with a 133–123 road victory and an impressive 42-point, 31-rebound performance. On November 24th he broke the NBA record for rebounds with a staggering 55, as well as 34 points and 4 assists, in a 132–129 home loss to Russell’s Celtics. He topped himself on the 29th, notching 44 points, 38 rebounds and a career-high 7 assists in a 122–121 road win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
Chamberlain shattered rookie season records, averaging 38.4 points and 27.2 rebounds per game – becoming the first to break 3,000 points and 2,000 rebounds in a single season (2,149 boards). He also won his first FG% title while accounting for almost 32% of his team’s points and 30.4% of their rebounds. Despite his success, the team bowed out against the Nationals in a three-game sweep due to Chamberlain’s difficulty with coach Johnston.
In the 1961–62 NBA season, Frank McGuire coached the Warriors, who were helmed by Wilt Chamberlain. The iconic player set several all-time records that remain unbeaten today, averaging 50.4 points and 25.7 rebounds per game. On March 2, 1962 in Hershey, Pennsylvania, he accomplished a feat that has never been matched: scoring 100 points in one game against the Knicks. He achieved this incredible milestone by shooting 36 of 63 from the field and 28 of 32 on free throws.
Moreover, Chamberlain became the first and only player to breach the 4,000-point barrier in a single season with his total of 4,029 points. His average time on court was an amazing 48.53 minutes per game; playing 3,882 out of 3,890 minutes if not for being ejected after picking up two technical fouls with eight minutes left to play in one game.
Chamberlain achieved an impressive feat in the 1962 NBA regular season, scoring 42 points in the All-Star Game. His Warriors then faced a formidable Celtics team – one deemed by both Cousy and Russell as the greatest of all time – in the Eastern Division Finals.
In a tightly contested Game 7, Chamberlain tied the game with 16 seconds left; however, Sam Jones hit a shot with two seconds remaining to win it for Boston. McGuire praised Chamberlain’s performance, noting how he had no support from a consistent second scorer, playmaker or another big man to take pressure off him.
In the 1962-1963 NBA season, Warriors owner Eddie Gottlieb sold his franchise for $850K to a group of businessmen headed by Marty Simmons from San Francisco. The team moved and became the San Francisco Warriors with new coach Bob Feerick.
Unfortunately, Arizin chose to retire rather than relocate away from his family and job at IBM; McGuire resigned instead of moving West; Gola felt homesick and requested a trade to the Knicks during the season. Despite Chamberlain’s impressive stats (44.8 points/24.3 rebounds per game), the Warriors team lost 49 of 80 games and didn’t make it to the playoffs.
In the 1963-64 season, Alex Hannum joined the Warriors as head coach. The Hall of Fame coach was a masterful psychologist who encouraged defense and passing, and he was not afraid to confront Chamberlain, who had a reputation for disregarding coaches he didn’t like. With rookie Nate Thurmond providing support, Chamberlain averaged 36.9 points and 22.3 rebounds per game and led the team to the NBA Finals, where they were ultimately defeated by Bill Russell’s Celtics 4–1. Despite their loss, former Warrior Joe Cherry credited Hannum for transforming the previous year’s 31–49 squad into championship contenders.
In 1964, Chamberlain met a young Lew Alcindor at Rucker Park basketball court in NYC. The two soon developed an intense rivalry and personal animosity. In the 1965 NBA All-Star Weekend, Chamberlain was traded to Philadelphia 76ers (formerly the Syracuse Nationals). He didn’t get along well with the coach, Dolph Schayes, due to their previous rivalry as opposing players. After he left, Franklin Mieuli commented that people “came to see him lose” due to his hard-to-love nature.
Wilt Chamberlain – Philadelphia 76ers
Despite some initial hesitancy, Chamberlain’s transition to the Philadelphia 76ers proved to be a positive one. Joining Hall-of-Famer Hal Greer in the backcourt, as well as Larry Costello and Chet Walker on the wings, and Johnny “Red” Kerr and Lucious Jackson manning the center position, it was clear that Chamberlain had stepped into a team with loads of potential. Even though there were tensions between Greer – who did not want to relinquish his authority – and Jackson – who had to play power forward instead of center due to Chamberlain’s presence – things began to come together for the Sixers as the season went on.
In 1965, Chamberlain had a remarkable season in terms of stats, recording 34.7 points and 22.9 rebounds per game overall. John Thompson, who would later become the coach for Georgetown University’s basketball team, elbowed Chamberlain in the face during his rookie year with the Boston Celtics and broke his nose, requiring him to wear a face mask during some games.
After beating Cincinnati Royals – led by fellow All-American Robertson – in the playoffs that same year, Chamberlain’s greatest rival awaited him: The Boston Celtics. Despite this seemingly even matchup across all positions, Russell was still expected to give Chamberlain quite a match at center court. In the final minute of play, Chamberlain hit two clutch free throws before slamming it over Russell to reduce Boston’s lead to 110–109 within 5 seconds.
Unfortunately for the Sixers, Russell botched the inbounds pass which hit a backboard guy-wire and gave possession back to them. Coach Schayes called timeout, deciding it was unwise to pass to Chamberlain because of the risk of intentional fouling. Red Kerr’s pick on Jones freed Chet Walker, but John Havlicek stole Greer’s inbound pass and sealed the Celtics’ fifth title win in seven years, denying Chamberlain a championship.
During the 1965-66 NBA season, tragedy struck when Ike Richman, a close confidant and lawyer of Chamberlain’s as well as co-owner of the Sixers, passed away from a heart attack while attending an away game in Boston. Despite this sorrowful event, the team still managed to achieve a 55–25 regular-season record with Chamberlain leading the way. He won his second MVP award that season and averaged 33.5 points & 24.6 rebounds per game – both tops in the league. One memorable moment during this time was when Chamberlain blocked a dunk attempt by Baltimore Bullets’ Gus Johnson so hard it resulted in Johnson dislocating his shoulder.
Chamberlain’s commitment to the team was questioned off the court, as he preferred to sleep in late and live in New York City instead of Philadelphia. This caused tension with the rest of the Sixers, who wanted an earlier training schedule so they could have their afternoons free. However, owner Irv Kosloff’s pleas for Wilt to move to Philly during the season were refused. To keep Chamberlain happy and still practice, Coach Schayes set a 4 PM daily workout time – “There is no other way” – even though it frustrated his other players.
In 1966, the Philadelphia 76ers met the Boston Celtics in the NBA playoffs. The Sixers had home court advantage for the first time and Boston took Games 1 and 2 on the road. Chamberlain’s supporting cast shot below 40%, bringing Joe McGinnis to comment: “Celtics played like champions; Sixers just played.”
Game 3 saw a 31-point, 27-rebound performance from Chamberlain, but when he refused Schayes’ plea to practice with his team before Game 4, Boston nabbed a 114–108 victory. Before Game 5, Chamberlin skipped practice again and was not accessible. Despite scoring 46 points and 34 rebounds, the Celtics won 120–112 and the series, leaving Cherry highly critical of Chamberlain’s unprofessionalism which set a bad example for teammates.
Prior to the 1966-67 NBA season, Alex Hannum took over as coach. In a heated locker room meeting, he addressed many issues from the previous season that put Chamberlain in an unfavorable light. Players had to pull them apart to stop them from throwing punches.
Despite this tension, Hannum won Chamberlain’s respect by standing his ground and being clear about expectations. He asked him to focus on defense and let others handle scoring; Kerr was traded for Wali Jones, and Matt Guokas drafted in the first round of 1966 NBA Draft. Hannum wanted Chamberlain to “act like a man” both on and off court if they were to win a title.
Chamberlain’s playstyle change resulted in a career-low average of 24.1 points and 14% shots taken, yet his efficiency was unparalleled with an all-time record .683 field goal accuracy. He also topped the leaderboard in rebounds (24.2), placed third in assists (7.8). Additionally, Chamberlain played impressive defense. His 35 consecutive made field goals over 4 games in February earned him MVP honors for the 3rd time.
In 1967, the Sixers and Celtics battled in the Eastern Division Finals, with the Sixers having home-court advantage. In Game 1, Philly won 127–112 thanks to Greer’s 39 points and Chamberlain’s 24/32/13/12 quadruple double. Game 2 ended 107–102 in overtime; Russell praised Wilt for forcing Boston into taking low percentage shots. Game 3 saw Chamberlain grab 41 rebounds as they won 115–104.
The Celtics avoided a sweep by winning Game 4 121–117. As he was close to his first real loss of his career, Russell said: “Right now, he (Wilt) is playing like me [to win].” Then in Game 5, Philly overpowered Boston 140–116, ending their 8-year reign as NBA champion. Chamberlain scored 29 points, 36 rebounds, and 13 assists ,and was praised by both teams’ players. Philadelphia fans chanted “Boston is dead!”
In the ’67 NBA Finals, the Sixers faced Chamberlain’s former team, the Warriors. Led by Hall-of-Famers Barry and Thurmond, SF won two of three games to make it 3–2 Philly prior to Game 6. Down 123–122 with 15 seconds left in G6, SF ran a pick & roll against Chamberlain & Walker – but they foiled it as Barry was covered by Walker and Thurmond blocked off by Chamberlain.
Unable to pass or shoot, Barry missed his shot attempt and Philly won the championship. Of their victory, Chamberlain said: “It is wonderful to be part of the greatest team in basketball … Being a champion is like having a big round glow inside of you.” This extraordinary team has been hailed as one of best ever in NBA history.
The 1967–68 season saw Chamberlain’s feud with Sixers owner Kosloff escalate. In 1965, Chamberlain had claimed he and Richman had agreed to award him a 25% stake in the team after his career ended, but this was not documented. Kosloff denied the request, which left Chamberlain steaming and willing to join the rival ABA once his contract expired in 1967. Eventually they worked out a truce and signed a one-year $250K deal.
Chamberlain continued to excel on the court in 1968, averaging 24.3 points and 23.8 rebounds a game. On March 18th, he achieved a record-breaking quintuple-double with 53 points, 32 rebounds, 14 assists, 24 blocks, and 11 steals. He also set an NBA record for most points scored in a triple-double; this was broken by Russell Westbrook in 2017 and improved upon by James Harden in 2018. With Chamberlain leading the way, the 76ers had the best record in the league for three consecutive seasons – further cementing his legacy as one of basketball’s greatest players after becoming the only center to lead assists for a season (with 702).
The ’68 Sixers won an impressive 62 games, securing the first playoff berth of that NBA season. In the Eastern Division Semifinals they faced the Knicks in a hard-fought series. Philly lost sixth man Cunningham with a broken hand, and Chamberlain, Greer and Jackson were hampered by injury. Despite this, they managed to win 3–2 after Chamberlain stepped up in Game 6, scoring 25 points and 27 rebounds; he led both teams in points (153), rebounds (145) and assists throughout the series.
In ’68, the Sixers met Boston in the Eastern Division Finals as reigning champs. Despite Philly’s injuries, coach Hannum predicted a win “in less than seven”. On April 4th, Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination shocked both teams deeply and calls to cancel the series arose. In an emotionally charged Game 1, Philly lost 127–118. After attending King’s funeral, Chamberlain urged rioters to stop in his name. The Sixers evened the series with a 115–106 victory then won Games 3 and 4; Russell was suspiciously played by Embry leading to speculation he was worn down.
15,202 shocked Philadelphians saw the Sixers suffer a 100–96 defeat in Game 7, an NBA-first for losing a series after leading 3–1. Greer, Jones, Walker, Jackson and Guokas hit 25 of 74 shots; Chamberlain grabbed 34 rebounds and shot 4-of-9 for 14 points-but didn’t attempt a single field goal in the second half.
Despite usually getting the ball 60 times in the low post per game, he only got it 23 times in that crucial match; just seven times during the third quarter, twice in the fourth. He blamed coach Hannum later on; something even Hannum admitted was true. Cherry believes Chamberlain should have asserted himself more as “the best player of all time” to demand possession of the ball. The Celtics ended up 1–6 against Chamberlain’s teams in the playoffs.
Chamberlain asked to be traded and Jack Ramsay made the deal with Los Angeles Lakers, sending Darrall Imhoff, Archie Clark and Jerry Chambers in return. It’s unclear why this happened: some say Chamberlain was angry at Kosloff for not honoring their agreement; others believe he wanted out of Philly due to personal reasons like wanting fame and dating opportunities that weren’t available elsewhere.
Wilt Chamberlain – Los Angeles Lakers
On July 9, 1968, the Lakers and Sixers completed a historic trade involving reigning NBA MVP Wilt Chamberlain. Jack Kent Cooke gave him an unprecedented contract worth around $1.9 million in real value. Joining him was fellow All-American Elgin Baylor, Hall-of-Famer Jerry West and backup center Mel Counts. Butch van Breda Kolff had concerns about the lack of speed and quickness on defense due to the absence of Clark and Gail Goodrich after their move to the Phoenix Suns in the expansion draft. Despite this, Chamberlain found it hard to fit in due to his issues with leadership.
Chamberlain faced a difficult season that included benchings from Van Breda Kolff and two games in which he scored only 6 and 2 points. But, despite this adversity, Chamberlain averaged 20.5 points and 21.1 rebounds per game, helping boost ticket sales by 11%. The Lakers eventually defeated his former team the Warriors 4-2 in the 1969 NBA playoffs before taking on rivals Boston Celtics and Chamberlain’s old adversary Bill Russell.
Game 5 saw Wilt Chamberlain score 13 and grab 31 rebounds, guiding L.A. to a 117–104 victory. However, in Game 6 he only tallied 8 points despite 18 rebounds and 4 assists – leading Boston to the 99–90 win. Cherry criticized Chamberlain’s performance; asserting that if he had put up his normal 30-point scoring night, the Lakers would have likely taken their first championship at Los Angeles.
In Game 7, the Lakers faced a 15-point deficit after three quarters. Despite mounting a comeback, Chamberlain’s injury caused them to trail 103–102 with 3 minutes left. Despite West’s triple-double (42 points, 13 rebounds, 12 assists), a few turnovers cost them the game 108–106, making him the only NBA Finals Most Valuable Player award on the losing team in history.
Russell didn’t think Chamberlain’s injury was severe and called him a malingerer. Van Breda Kolff defended Wilt, despite their quarrels, but the coach soon resigned. Journalists reported how Game 7 had destroyed two careers – Wilt’s for not taking over and Van Breda Kolff for not giving in.
In the 1969–1970 NBA season, Chamberlain began strongly under new coach Joe Mullaney; he put up 32.2 points and 20.6 rebounds in his first nine games. Then, a serious knee injury occurred – rupturing the patellar tendon of his right kneecap – causing him to miss multiple months before returning for the last three regular-season games. Despite this, he still averaged 27.3 points, 18.4 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game for the season.
The Lakers powered through the 1970 NBA playoffs, reaching the Finals against a formidable Knicks team boasting Hall-of-Famers Willis Reed, Dave DeBusschere, Bill Bradley, and Walt Frazier. Chamberlain’s injury made him slower to block Reed’s high-post shots, but he still managed 45 points and 27 rebounds in Game 6. Despite this heroic effort, the Knicks won Game 7 with Reed inspiring them to one of history’s most iconic playoff upsets. Though criticized for not dominating his injured counterpart, Chamberlain was able to return from a near career-ending injury – an often overlooked feat.
In 1970–1971, the L.A. Lakers signed future Hall-of-Famer Gail Goodrich who had previously played for them up until ’68. Chamberlain led the NBA in rebounding with 20.7 points, 18.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game as they captured the Pacific Division title. Despite losing Baylor to an Achilles injury and West to a knee problem, the handicapped Lakers were seen as underdogs in their playoff run against Milwaukee’s MVP Alcindor and Robertson in the Western Conference Finals.
Kareem outscored Wilt 32-22 in Game 1, leading the Bucks to victory. The Lakers managed a 118-107 win in Game 3 despite Erickson’s appendectomy and West’s absence, with rookie McMillian easing the scoring pressure on Chamberlain (24 points, 24 rebounds). However, Milwaukee took Games 4 and 5 for a series win. Despite his team’s loss, Chamberlain was praised for holding his own against Alcindor (10 years younger and healthy) in the Finals.
In the 1971–72 season, Bill Sharman was hired as head coach of the Lakers. He implemented morning shoot-arounds and worked with Chamberlain to refine his game, transforming him into a defensive-minded post defender in the image of his old rival Russell. Additionally, Sharman told Chamberlain to use his rebounding and passing to start fastbreaks for his teammates. With Baylor retiring due to an Achilles tendon rupture, Chamberlain took on the responsibility of team captain; West declined this role so he could focus solely on playing.
The ’72 NBA playoffs saw the Lakers sweep the Bulls and advance to face Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Milwaukee Bucks. Life dubbed their matchup as possibly the greatest sports rivalry of all time. Chamberlain’s heroic performance in Game 6, scoring 24 points, 22 rebounds and playing all 48 minutes, helped seal a 104–100 win for the Lakers after being 10 points down in the fourth quarter – outrunning his younger opponent on several fast breaks.
In 1972, the Lakers faced a shorthanded New York Knicks in the NBA Finals. Jerry Lucas had to guard 7’1″ Chamberlain, but his 9 of 11 shots in Game 1 helped the Knicks take an early lead. In Game 4, Chamberlain put up a fight with five fouls – determined to not be fouled out for the first time ever – blocking two shots from Lucas in overtime. Despite breaking his right hand late in that game, he refused a painkiller shot for fear of losing touch, yet still scored 27 points.
Chamberlain’s 1972-73 NBA season was his last, unknown to him at the time. Despite losing key players during the season, he still managed to average 13.2 points per game and 18.6 rebounds, earning him his 11th rebounding title and setting a new NBA record for field goal percentage (0.727).
Chamberlain helped the Lakers win 60 games in the regular season and reached the 1973 Finals vs. New York Knicks, whose team was healthier than LA’s injury-riddled squad. In Game 5 of the series, Chamberlain scored 23 points and grabbed 21 rebounds; however, they lost 102-93 due to poor performances from West and Hairston. His final moment on an NBA court was a dunk with one second left in that game – a fitting ending for his illustrious career.
Wilt Chamberlain – Coaching Career
In 1973, Chamberlain signed with the San Diego Conquistadors as player-coach for $600,000. He stated that he was trying to renegotiate his contract with the Lakers and felt upset when they didn’t contact him until after attempting to acquire Bill Walton in September 1972. The Lakers sued and successfully prevented Chamberlain from playing due to an old contract, so he mostly left coaching duties to assistant Stan Albeck.
Despite being competent, the 7-footer was often indifferent and more focused on promotion of his autobiography than actual coaching. In one season, they went 37–47 in the regular season before losing in the Division Semifinals against the Utah Stars. Poor attendance (averaging 1,843) led Chamberlain to retire at year’s end.
Wilt Chamberlain – Personal Life
Chamberlain, nicknamed “The Big Dipper”, became well-known for his womanizing after becoming a Laker. He built a million-dollar mansion in Bel Air called Ursa Major, which was filled with luxury and equipped with automated gadgets. Cherry, author of the biography “Wilt: Larger than Life”, described it as a mini Playboy Mansion where Chamberlain regularly held parties and lived out his infamous sex life.
He owned expensive cars such as a Ferrari and Bentley, plus an extravagant Le Mans-style car called Searcher One worth $750K. Despite being shy in his youth, he was confident around women according to Swedish Olympic high jumper Annette Tånnander who met him at age 40 and 19 respectively. Los Angeles Times columnist David Shaw reported that Chamberlain often exhibited rude and sexist behavior towards his own date during dinner with Shaw’s wife.
Rod Roddewig remembers Chamberlain using a Day-Timer to document his romantic conquests. According to the book, in 10 days he had 23 checkmarks, which he conservatively halved and multiplied by his age minus 15 years—culminating in the infamous 20,000 number. In an interview before his death, Chamberlain warned other men not to follow in his footsteps and instead find satisfaction with one woman “a thousand different times.” He also admitted he never married or planned to have children.
Wilt Chamberlain – Career End and Post-NBA Life
Wilt Chamberlain had a successful post NBA career, with ventures in business and entertainment. He bought a popular Harlem nightclub which he renamed Big Wilt’s Smalls Paradise and invested in stocks, real estate, and broodmares. He sponsored his own professional volleyball and track and field teams, as well as high-level teams for girls and women in various sports.
He also appeared in ads for several companies such as American Express, Volkswagen, Le Tigre Clothing, and Foot Locker. Volleyball became one of his passions after basketball; he was a board member of the International Volleyball Association (IVA) from 1974-1975 and MVP at an IVA All-Star game. In 1976 he ventured into film production with his first movie Go For It! He also formed Wilt’s Athletic Club to promote track & field athletics.
Later on he wrote a book critical of the NBA during the 90s titled “Who’s Running The Asylum? Inside The Insane World Of Sports Today.” Throughout his life Chamberlain maintained an excellent level of physical fitness up until his death in 1999; even at 50 years old he received offers from both the Cleveland Cavaliers and New Jersey Nets to come back to play professionally in the NBA again.
Wilt Chamberlain – Later Life and Death
Chamberlain had a long history of cardiac issues and was briefly hospitalized in 1992 for arrhythmia. He eventually began taking medication, but his condition worsened rapidly in 1999 leading to him losing 50 lbs. After dental surgery, he could not recover and passed away on October 12th at age 63 from congestive heart failure.
NBA players and officials mourned the loss of a legend who was remembered as an iconic symbol of the sport, with Bill Russell commenting that “the fierceness of our competition bonded us together for eternity”. Red Auerbach praised Chamberlain’s impact on the NBA, while Jerry West recalled his dominance combined with friendliness and humor. Other hall-of-famers such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Johnny Kerr, Phil Jackson, and Wes Unseld all asserted that Chamberlain was one of the greats in basketball history.
Wilt Chamberlain – Sexual Assault Allegations
In 2021, Cassandra Peterson revealed in her memoir that NBA star Wilt Chamberlain had sexually assaulted her during a party at his mansion decades earlier. She alleged he forced her to perform oral sex after offering to show her a closet full of jerseys. Peterson felt the experience was “creepier” because he’d been a friend. To make matters worse, she blamed herself until the Me Too movement encouraged her to reassess what happened.
Wilt Chamberlain – NBA Legacy
Wilt Chamberlain is regarded as one of the greatest NBA players ever, some even ranking him above Michael Jordan. He holds many official NBA records and was an all-time top rebounder, scoring champion and accurate field goal shooter. His influence on the game was so great that rules such as lane width and free throw shooting were changed in his honor. He will forever be remembered for his historic 100-point game – a feat considered one of basketball’s most remarkable records.
Chamberlain was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1978, named part of the NBA 35th Anniversary Team (1980), one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History (1996) and ranked No. 13 in ESPN’s “Top North American Athletes” list (1999). He was voted second best center ever by ESPN after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (2007), No. 2 on Slam’s “Top 50” list (2009) and No. 6 on ESPN’s “Top 74” list of all time players, third best center behind Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Russell (2020). For his achievements, he earned a spot as No. 5 on ESPN’s 75th Anniversary Team list (2022) and The Athletic’s similar ranking at No. 6.
Wilt Chamberlain – Net Worth
Wilt Chamberlain is one of the best players in NBA history. He set numerous records and won multiple championships among other titled. His net worth is estimated to be $10 million.
Did Wilt Chamberlain have any family?
He was born to William Chamberlain and Olivia Ruth Johnson, and had four sisters plus two brothers. Wilt Chamberlain never tied the knot, nor did he have any children, meaning his parents and siblings were his only family. In one of his interviews, he revealed that he never planned to get married or have children but regretted not settling down with one woman, instead of having many.
How many championships does Wilt Chamberlain have?
He won two championship rings during his career, both with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1967 and 1972. His performance in Game 7 of the 1967 Finals is considered one of the best individual performances ever from an NBA player. Chamberlain also holds numerous records in basketball that may never be broken.
