Some records are broken. Others feel like they belong to another planet. On 2 March 1962 Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in a single NBA game, and that season he averaged 50.4 points a night. More than six decades later, nobody has come close to either.
The Big Dipper stood 7 ft 1 in, won two NBA titles and four MVP awards, and reshaped the rules of the game simply by being too good for them. Explore more hoops legends in our basketball collection.
Wilt Chamberlain Fact File
| Full name | Wilton Norman Chamberlain |
| Date of birth | 21 August 1936 |
| Place of birth | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA |
| Died | 12 October 1999, aged 63 |
| Height | 2.16 m (7 ft 1 in) |
| Position | Centre |
| Nationality | American |
| Status | Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame |
| Shirt number | 13 |
| Nickname | The Big Dipper, Wilt the Stilt |
Career History
| Years | Team | Games | Points | Rebounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959–65 | Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors | 429 | 17,783 | 10,768 |
| 1965–68 | Philadelphia 76ers | 277 | 7,651 | 6,632 |
| 1968–73 | Los Angeles Lakers | 339 | 5,985 | 6,524 |
| Career | 1,045 | 31,419 | 23,924 |
NBA regular-season totals. That is 30.1 points and 22.9 rebounds per game across his career. Before the NBA he played college basketball at Kansas (1956–58) and spent a season with the Harlem Globetrotters (1958–59).
Early Years: Philadelphia, Kansas and the Globetrotters
Born in Philadelphia in 1936, Chamberlain was already a phenomenon by the time he reached the University of Kansas. He was named Most Outstanding Player of the 1957 NCAA Tournament, even though Kansas lost the final to North Carolina in triple overtime, and was a consensus All-American in 1957 and 1958.
Before entering the NBA he spent a season touring with the Harlem Globetrotters, a team that would later retire his No. 13.
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Breakthrough: Rookie and MVP
Chamberlain joined his hometown Philadelphia Warriors in 1959 and announced himself in astonishing style, winning Rookie of the Year, league MVP and All-Star Game MVP in the same season.
On 24 November 1960 he grabbed 55 rebounds against Boston, still the NBA single-game record.
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Peak: 100 Points in Hershey
The 1961–62 season was ridiculous: 4,029 points in 80 games, an average of 50.4. On 2 March 1962, in front of 4,124 fans at Hershey Sports Arena in Pennsylvania, he made 36 of 63 shots and 28 of 32 free throws as the Warriors beat the New York Knicks 169-147. He finished with exactly 100 points.
He won seven scoring titles and eleven rebounding titles, and in 1967–68 he even led the league in assists.
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Later Career: Two Rings
Traded back to Philadelphia in 1965, Chamberlain won his first championship with the 76ers in 1967, part of a run of three straight MVP awards. He joined the Lakers in 1968 and won his second title in 1972, when he was named Finals MVP. He retired in 1973.
Honours
Championships
- NBA champion: 1967 (76ers), 1972 (Lakers)
MVP Awards
- NBA MVP: 1960, 1966, 1967, 1968
- NBA Finals MVP: 1972
- All-Star Game MVP: 1960
Selections & Records
- 13 NBA All-Star selections
- 10 All-NBA selections
- 100 points in a game (1962) and 55 rebounds in a game (1960)
- NBA 75th Anniversary Team
- Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
College
- NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player: 1957
- Consensus first-team All-American: 1957, 1958
Off the Court
After basketball, Chamberlain played in the International Volleyball Association and served a term as its president, and he is in the volleyball halls of fame for his efforts. His No. 13 has been retired by the Warriors, 76ers, Lakers, Harlem Globetrotters and Kansas.
FAQs
How old was Wilt Chamberlain when he died?
Wilt Chamberlain died on 12 October 1999, aged 63.
Where was Wilt Chamberlain born?
He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on 21 August 1936.
How tall was Wilt Chamberlain?
Chamberlain was 7 ft 1 in, or about 2.16 m.
What teams did Wilt Chamberlain play for?
In the NBA he played for the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers. He also played for Kansas and the Harlem Globetrotters.
Who did Wilt Chamberlain score 100 points against?
He scored 100 points against the New York Knicks on 2 March 1962 in Hershey, Pennsylvania, in a 169-147 Warriors win.
How many championships did Wilt Chamberlain win?
Two: with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1967 and the Los Angeles Lakers in 1972.
Shop the Wilt Chamberlain Collection
Wear a piece of NBA history with our Wilt Chamberlain designs, made to order in the UK.
Find more in our basketball collection, or shop his old teams in our Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers and Golden State Warriors collections. Fancy your own name on the back instead? Design a custom name hoodie.
Part of our Player Profiles series. Read next: Magic Johnson and Shaquille O'Neal.
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