Wilt Chamberlain

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Lore & Background

Chamberlain played for the Philadelphia / San Francisco Warriors before joining the 76ers and Lakers. He won two NBA championships: the first with the 76ers in 1967 and the second with the Lakers in 1972. He never won an NBA championship with the Warriors.

In Their Own Story

The atmosphere inside the arena shifted whenever Wilt Chamberlain stepped onto the court. At 7 feet 1 inch, he towered over defenders who could not challenge him without fouling. In one legendary night, he poured in 100 points against the New York Knicks, a feat no other player has ever accomplished. He once averaged 50 points per game in a season, a statistical anomaly that defined his era. His success near the basket was so profound that it led to rule changes, including the banning of inbound passes over the backboard and restrictions on offensive goaltending. Despite never fouling out, he struggled with free throws, though he possessed the unique ability to dunk from the foul line. His nickname 'the Big Dipper' came from friends who watched him dip his head walking through doorways, a name that stuck alongside his signature 'dipper dunk.'

Reader's Guide

Chamberlain holds 72 NBA records, including several regular season records in scoring, rebounding, and durability; blocks were not counted during his career. He remains the only player to score 100 points in a single game. He once averaged 50 points per game in a season, and is the only player to average 30 points and 20 rebounds per game in a season (a feat he accomplished seven times). He won seven scoring, eleven rebounding, nine durability, and nine field goal percentage titles overall; with the Warriors, he won 4 scoring titles and 5 rebounding titles.

Did You Know?

• Chamberlain is the only player to average 50 points per game in a season.
• He once gathered 55 rebounds in a game and never fouled out.
• He won four regular-season MVP awards, one of which (1960) was while with the Warriors.