I loved Wilt. This record has already stood the test of time, as it's been on the books for more than 30 years dating to Dec. 30, 1990. During his playing time, Chamberlain owned and operated the Smalls Paradise nightclub in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City. Follow him on Twitter at @JRRadcliffe. He averaged 50.4 points per game, the highest ever -- and no one is close. He was stuck on 29 assists, the record held by Kevin Porter from 1978, for six minutes in the fourth quarter before getting the record dime with a minute to play. She earned a masters degree in kinesiology, coached volleyball, field hockey, and track and field at several universities before writing her autobiography and starting her own business. Growing increasingly frustrated and wanting to make money, Chamberlain decided to forego his senior year at Kansas. Wilt Chamberlain reminisces on his 100-point game (0:30), The King, The Stilt and The Dream: Meet the holders of the NBA's most unbreakable records, The paths of KD and Kyrie: How one month changed three franchises and two superstar legacies, Morant to miss two games after video with gun, Grizzlies' Clarke tore Achilles, out for season, 'Not going out this way': Nets, down 28, stun C's, Kerr touts 5-0 homestand: Dubs 'turned a corner', KD: Mavs tilt, Kyrie meeting 'just another game', Sources: Dragic joining Bucks for rest of season, Nets filling out big-man depth with Noel signing, Isaac has surgery on adductor, done for season. Perhaps most impressively though, he holds the record for most 30 point/30 rebound games with 124. Impressive stuff, but because of the era that he played in there simply isnt much information out there on his athletic abilities. Scroll to Continue. Chamberlain won his second and last NBA Championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1971-72 season. Let's check his math on the basketball legend's most . ", Alcindor said he didn't think he played well. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website . Sam Mitchell likens the overwhelming physical dominance of Giannis Antetokounmpo to that of the legendary Wilt Chamberlain. Here's a baller spread. So confident was he in his physical prowess that he talked of a comeback in his early 50s. Chamberlain would play one more year in the NBAwhere his Lakers would once again face the Knicks in the Finals, though this time coming out on the losing endbefore retiring. Chamberlain absolutely dominated Born in their matchup. In the year 2000, the Globetrotters retired Chamberlains #13 jersey. In his era he dominated and is widely regarded as one of the best players to ever play the game. Chamberlain had to keep it a secret that he was playing for money, as the revelation would nullify his eligibility for the Amateur Athletic Union and the NCAA. Here are some facts you might not have known about the dipper. Wilt Chamberlain Bench Press Summary: What you need to know Wilt Chamberlain has a lot of claims made about his incredibly physical feats, and when it comes to the bench press - the giant could max out at 500 pounds. LeBron James' 1,067 consecutive regular-season games (and counting) of double-digit scoring. But the advancing years meant little to Chamberlain in terms of physical conditioning. However, the man is almost like an urban legend with numerous sources claiming he can do these incredible feats but there not actually being a lot of video footage to support it all. This is nowhere near the 48 inch jump height he was rumored to have. In his later years, however, Chamberlain discouraged and regretted his promiscuous lifestyle. In 2006, the NBA put in new rules that called for suspensions once a player reaches 16 for a season, and it has probably iced Wallace's record for good. There was a much-hyped first meeting in 1969, a January meeting in 1972 in which the Bucks snapped the Lakers' record 33-game winning streak and a battle for first place on the final day of the 1973 season. He has the two highest offensive rebounding games in history with 21 and 19. His Shoe size is Not Known (US). 1 all-time chart. Lets analyze that video since Dwight is somewhat comparable in size and jumping ability to Wilt. On April 16 Alcindor's 24th birthday he finished with 31 points and 20 rebounds and held Chamberlain to 15 and 16 in a 117-94 win. What was Wilt Chamberlains vertical jump? Knicks-Celtics, 7:30 p.m. Wilt himself confirmed that he was able to dunk on a 12 foot rim, saying: Whats unfortunate is that most people regard the great leapers as being only the short guys who could dunk, said the 7 1 & 1/8 Wilt Chamberlain. ", Said Alcindor: "There was satisfaction on both sides. Chamberlains legendary high school basketball career led him to field scholarship offers from nearly 200 colleges across the country. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website . My mom never told me how her best friend died. Now thats what I call a beat down. Chamberlain spent the night before the game in New York, partying all night with a woman. To put in perspective how unlikely this record is to be broken, there have been fewer than 50 instances of a team having at least 56 rebounds in a regulation game this season. On Jan. 9, 1972, the Bucks beat the Lakers, 120-104, snapping Los Angeles' historic 33-game winning streak that blew Milwaukee's record of 20 games (set in 1971) out of the water. He was a founding board member of the newly established International Volleyball Association. There are many claims and stories surrounding his athletic prowess. . Wilt Chamberlain is a legend of the NBA. He spent the next 14 years dominating for L.A. On April 5, 1984, Abdul-Jabbar passed Chamberlain for the NBA career scoring record, eclipsing Chamberlain's total of 31,419. On no sleep and nursing the beginnings of a hangover, Chamberlain boarded an 8 AM train to Philadelphia. 3, Chris Paul. What distinguishes push-ups from other chest exercises such as the bench press and dumbbell flies? Nope. Wilt was 7-2, 280 pounds. Warriors starNate Thurmond, another elite center in the league, was in attendance to watch the matchup. There might have been taller, heavier athletes, but none as good as Wilt the Stilt, the man who fashioned the finger roll, the player that dominated the game so much that other players and coaches thought it was unfair. Wilt Chamberlain's dominant physical presence, superior rebounding skills, and unparalleled scoring abilities (most notably racking up 100 points in a single game) cemented his legacy as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. In all, Chamberlain holds 72 NBA records. Though Chamberlain remained in top physical condition as he did during throughout his playing days, he retired after the 1972-73 season holding many of the NBA all-time records, some of which remain unbroken. This is actually preseason for the playoff, you know. In fact, he once claimed in an interview that in his prime his vertical was easily 46 to 48 inches. Abdul-Jabbar, who finished with five NBA titles with the Lakers in addition to his Bucks crown, closed his career at 38,387 points, still No. Rumors claim that Wilt Chamberlain could bench press up to 600 pounds (and has bedded 20,000 women), however given his height, weight and reach this seems highly unlikely. This is a full 18 inches above a 12 foot rim! Thanks for your help! How much should I bench press for my weight? But is that really true? Chamberlain stood at a towering 71. At his height that would still require a 40+ inch vertical jump, so we know that he is at least in the ballpark of the 48 inch claim. He is nearly 4,000 ahead of No. This meant that he would play in the NBA Finals for the first time in his career, where Chamberlain would go up against his old team the Warriors (who had since moved to San Francisco). At 71 that is amazing, but not quite the 48 inches that he has been claimed to reach. An outspoken, tell-all memoir that stands way above any basketball bestseller around. The January battle, of course billed as a chance for fans to glimpse Wilt and Lew, never materialized. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Scot Mendelson | Bench Press, Pec Tear, Height and More. So an impressive athlete in his own right but not quite Wilt. On March 2nd, however, he stuck with the underhand, and ended up making 28 free-throws, which stood as the most-ever in an NBA game for over two decades. Chamberlain had 25 points and 14 rebounds. Use Testo Lab Pro. However, van Breda Kolff refused, allegedly telling Chamberlain to sit your big *** back downwe dont need you. The Lakers ended up losing by a score of 108-106. The closest anyone has come recently was in 2017, when Rajon Rondo had a 25-assist game with New Orleans. Factinate is a fact website that is dedicated to finding and sharing fun facts about science, history, animals, films, people, and much more. [6] There is some pretty compelling evidence that Wilt Chamberlain had a really high vertical jump, like all time high. . Just like dunking, he would have to jump a good bit higher than the height of the backboard to be able to grab the change resting on top. It was a milestone move for Chamberlain, as he would make Los Angeles his primary home for the rest of his life. His average of 50.4 points per game is easily the highest in NBA history. Chamberlain not only had to play all regular minutes, but also had to play deep into overtime many times to get that average. Monday, December 3, 1956. The star player of the warriors was a 7-foot, 1,275-pound man with a towering physical presence. But it was always special when Kareem and Wilt shared a court. Wilt was 71 tall. Wilt Chamberlain vertical jump and reach have been an issue of contention simply because many people don't believe that some over 7 feet tall can jump that high. As a freshman at Kansas he was seen dunking his free throws, the NCAA decided to quickly move to ban the practice before Chamberlain could play his first game. It's also true that the highest-profile clashes between the two happened outside the 70-71 season. She pioneered the use of water training with Olympic and professional athletes in the 1980s and 1990s. Warriors-Lakers, 3:30 p.m. (ABC) The article credits Wilt with a 96 standing reach and a height of 133 after jumping. Chamberlain was the first of professional basketball's dominating seven-footers. Of all Chamberlain's statistical accomplishments -- the 100-point game, the 55-rebound game (against Bill Russell . An effective, yet embarrassing method, Chamberlain usually preferred to miss overhanded than risk ridicule with the granny shot. "This time I turned around and faced the basket, and that made him play more honestly. Second to Bellamy is Tom Henderson, who played 87 games between the Bullets and Hawks in 1976-77. Wilt himself has been quoted as saying that his vertical jump during his prime was, 46 to 48 inches, easy. He was an incredible scorer, a dominant rebounder, great defender, and an exceptional passer for his position. On March 2, 1962, in a game between the Philadelphia Warriors and the New York Knicks in Hershey, Pennsylvania, Chamberlain scored 100 pointsthe most points a single player has ever scored in an NBA game. Igrao je na poziciji centra, a Philadelphia Warriorsi izabrli su ga na NBA draftu 1959. godine. Earlier this season, he left a game with an abdominal injury after scoring 10 points. To put it into perspective, all other NBA players combinedhave only done this 32 times. Despite being a rookie, Chamberlain became the leagues highest-paid player after signing a contract that paid him $30,000 per year (about $258,000 in todays dollars). This time, Alcindor was dominant with 37 points and 16 rebounds with a national TV audience looking on. But that was the Lakers' last stand. Given a national spotlight, Chamberlain became a celebrity during his time with the Jayhawks. Mark Eaton's record of 5.56 blocks per game in a season is far-fetched, too, but Olajuwon's number is enormous. He even appeared in a few games for the Seattle Smashers and was the MVP of one of the leagues All-Star games. Therein lies the tie to Chamberlain. Known as "Wilt the Stilt" (a nickname he hated) or "The Big Dipper," he is regarded as one of the greatest and most dominant basketball players of all time for the incredible statistical achievements he attained throughout his playing career. Chamberlain was part of the Harlem Globetrotters team that went to the Soviet Union for a series of historic exhibition games in 1959. That is more than enough height to touch the top of the backboard and getting real close to proving that Wilt Chamberlain had a 48 inch vertical jump. Old School . Then he was traded to the Detroit Pistons and, because of an unbalanced scheduling quirk, played 53 games there to reach 88 for the season. I tried to stay relaxed and keep this game in its proper perspective as the fifth game out of 82. While playing at Kansas, Wilt was exposed to the 12 foot basketball hoop. With Chamberlain's aggressiveness mitigated (and some writers noting that his overriding desire to keep his spotless foul-out record maybe played a role), Abdul-Jabbar scored 23 points in the final 22 minutes. It broke Russell's record of 51 rebounds set the previous season. While Chamberlain had the far more impressive individual statistics, Russell had the greater team accomplishments. As a result, Chamberlain joined the Harlem Globetrottersthe entertaining traveling exhibition team. Thats right! The 2012-13 Miami Heat won 27 in a row, and all they had was LeBron James at the peak of his physical powers as well as three other Hall of Famers (Ray Allen, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade) playing in perfect harmony. When Wilt Chamberlain was 59 years old, he could still bench press 465 pounds, which is more that Shaq has ever been able to do. I tried to get my ex-wife served with divorce papers. He was miraculously almost never in foul trouble, averaging a career-low 1.5 a game. He was much more than just a big man with leaping ability, he was an all time great who was one of the most dominant athletes to ever play the game. For the most part Wilts head appears to be right at the rim or slightly above it in all of the jumps that Ive looked at. He was 63. He made his announcement through an article in Look. Milwaukee is going to be a contender, so it was mostly a matter of experimenting, for later on. He's so strong and yet it isn't especially exhausting to play him. Alcindor (32 points, 22 rebounds) got the slight edge on Chamberlain (22,20, eight blocks). Born was so devastated by the loss that he decided to give up his dreams of playing in the NBA. He also claimed he never fathered a child, but Aaron Levi has some strong evidence that Wilt was his dad. To say it was the twilight of Chamberlain's career during the Bucks' title run was fair but also misleading. I in no way have tried to take anything away from his game, but rather I sought out to analyze an athletic skill through the eyes of a sports performance coach. Wilt Chamberlain's 55 rebounds. Stockton is also the all-time leader with 3,265 career steals, which is almost 600 more than Kidd at No. With plenty of clinical studies and research behind it, it's ideal for boosting: And more, especially when it comes to adding weight to your bench press, and it's also completely vegan. Wilt Chamberlain (13) in action vs. New York Knicks in the 1973 NBA Finals. His standing reach was also measured while playing at KU and it came out to 96. His wingspan was confirmed on film as 78 during a television appearance. Madame de Pompadour didn't just share King Louis XV's bed, she also shared his power. Wilt retired from the NBA after the 1972-73 season with the . He was a top high jumper in college with a 44+ inch vertical leap. In 1984, Wilt was cast in the major motion . To go up under Wilt Chamberlain, to be down there and look up at him when he's towering up over you waiting to dunk, was a terrifying picture. As a 25-year-old physical phenomenon intent . Wilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain (21. elokuuta 1936 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Yhdysvallat - 12. lokakuuta 1999 Bel Air, Kalifornia) oli yhdysvaltalainen koripalloilija.Chamberlain on yksi koripallon historian suurista pelaajista. Wilt was on his job. Moses Malone's 6,731 offensive rebounds. This is why I have set out to analyze the infamous Wilt Chamberlain vertical jump to determine if in fact he was able to leap 48 inches through the air. And they've got a lot of guys who are exceptionally quick Lew, (Bob) Dandridge, Greg Smith. The evidence that Wilt Chamberlain could touch the top of the backboard gets even more solidified by an article found in the June 10, 1958 edition of Look Magazine. Both of these times exceed the average speed of NFL wide receivers. That means he was nearly able to touch the rim from a flat footed position off of the ground. Historys most fascinating stories and darkest secrets, delivered to your inbox daily. He was between 280 and 290 in his Philadelphia years, and over 300 with the Lakers. But in 1975-76, the Lakers traded for Abdul-Jabbar to fill the void. Game 7 of the 2000 Western Conference finals lives in infamy in Portland because of controversial whistles. Before Bird-Magic or LeBron-Durant, there was Russell-Chamberlain. In 1968-69, Bellamy started with the New York Knicks and played 35 games. He never coached another playoff game in his career. Sports medicine also made huge strides in the last 40 years between their careers. In his off time, Chamberlain continued playing basketball at the resort, impressing guest Red Auerbach, who was the coach of the Boston Celtics that Chamberlain would have many run-ins with throughout his career. A 48 inch vertical jump would mean that the top of his head would be 13 inches above the rim, or 111 off the ground. 1 in 1969. At Factinate, were dedicated to getting things right. Realistically, we still believe that Wilt Chamberlain could bench press up to 500 pounds in his prime. The Jazz had 68 in a December win over the Hornets (Rudy Gobert pulled down 21 of them), matching the season high the Grizzlies set in a November win over the Kings (no Memphis player had more than 12). Chamberlain had a multi-faceted game. This is likewise the case for Olympic high jumpers who often measure at least 1.9 meters tall . In Wilt Chamberlain's 1991 book, 'A View From Above,' the basketball great claimed to have slept with 20,000 different women during his life. . Wilt Chamberlains dominant physical presence, superior rebounding skills, and unparalleled scoring abilities (most notably racking up 100 points in a single game) cemented his legacy as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. The unique home, which he named Ursa Major as a nod to his nickname The Big Dipper, was designed by architect David Tenneson Rich. The Lakers sued to prevent Chamberlain from playing because he hadn't fulfilled his Lakers contract, and he wound up merely coaching for the season, then retiring from basketball. The opponent was Bill Russell and the Boston Celtics, who won by three points. Amongst NBA players with at least 1,200 free throw attempts, Chamberlain is third-from-last, with a career free throw percentage of only 51.1%. It was an effort, but I could do it. LA Times. The 2012-13 Miami Heat won 27 in a row, and all they had was LeBron James at the peak of his physical powers as well as three other Hall of Famers . Recommended Articles. The Bucks won Game 1 of the Western Conference finals, 106-85. "Lew Gets 23, Wilt Nets 25; Bucks lose" It was the largest crowd at the Forum in Inglewood, California, a sellout of 17,489. He had 31 games of 20 assists or more. But 1970-71 was by far the best stretch for the Bucks against Chamberlain's Lakers, with four wins in five regular-season games and a 4-1 win in the Western Conference finals. Chamberlain still led the NBA in rebounding and shooting percentage in the final two seasons of his career and made the all-star team in the final three, never missing a game in those three seasons. This . Wilt Chamberlain 3.38 170 ratings24 reviews The quintessential big man, who changed the way basketball was played, reveals his controversial and candid views on sports, sex, race, Michael Jordan, the NBA, as well as money and drugs in sports. The 7-foot-1 center regarded as one of . Chamberlains biggest accomplishment in college was leading Kansas to the 1957 National Championship Game. Shaq could only bench about 450, probably less now. You don't shove him around much because he's just about immune to it.". The Bucks beat the Lakers twice during that streak, though Alcindor wasn't at his best in either contest, including a season-low 15 points and six rebounds in the second of those clashes. Then when I would make my move, he would time his leap perfectly and block the shot," Alcindor said. Chamberlain had . Before hitting the hardwood, Chamberlains sport of choice was actually track and field. Despite his tenacious brand of defense, Chamberlain never fouled out of an NBA game. The physical attributes here are just off the charts, Wilt Chamberlain possessed a coveted combination of size and athleticism by todays NBA standards. FactSnippet No. He would start from the top of the key, take a step, jump, and successfully dunk the basketball. Wilt Chamberlain has a lot of claims made about his incredibly physical feats, and when it comes to the bench press the giant could max out at 500 pounds. The Lakers won three of those games by a combined eight points, but it wasn't necessarily a fluke. How much does Ezekiel Elliott Bench Press? All we really have left is grainy videos shot from camera angles that leave a lot to be desired. The most popular of which is that in his prime Wilt had an amazing ability to jump high, like all time, best in the NBA high. Wilt's most impressive performances in his rookie season included a 41-40 . During the visit, Chamberlain and the Globetrotters met with then-Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev. There is currently no video of Wilt Chamberlain bench pressing his max. Wilt Chamberlain Bench Press Max: How much could he do realisitically? On the anniversary of his 100-point game, Wilt Chamberlain reflects on his historic night against the New York Knicks. During the 1967 playoffs, Chamberlain finally vanquished his old foe Bill Russell, as his Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Division Finals. He told an interviewer, With all of you men out there who think that having a thousand different ladies is pretty cool, I have learned in my lifethat having one woman a thousand different times is much more satisfying.. Wilt Chamberlain is a legend of the NBA. 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. All Rights Reserved. You give whatever you have to give, and when it's appreciated, it's gratifying. There was a lot of give and take out there. In 1970, Chamberlain returned to his track roots by establishing Wilts Athletic Club, a track and field club based in Southern California. 2) Wilt held the distinction of being the last Big 7 high jump champion in 1957, clearing 6-5 in that competition. The key was at the line, where he was 28 of 32. Known as "Wilt the Stilt" and "The Big Dipper," basketball great Wilton Norman Chamberlain was opinionated and iconoclastic, a seeker of good times and intellectual stimulation whose outsized personality matched his towering 7-foot stature and legendary athletic accomplishments. Now its time to analyze all of this evidence to determine the legitimacy of each claim. Wilt Chamberlain's 100 points. "People say I tried harder tonight," Chamberlain said. Do you question the accuracy of a fact you just read? As a teenager, Chamberlain spent his summer vacations working as a bellhop at the Kushters Hotel, a popular resort in New Yorks Catskill Mountains. The man would successfully jump from the free throw line to complete a foul shot. But that snot all Wilt Chamberlain could do. The series comprised of nine sold-out games at Moscows Lenin Stadium and was a sign of the improving of US-USSR relations. He was eventually convinced to continue playing when Warriors owner Eddie Gottlieb upped Chamberlains annual salary to $65,000. Chamberlains claim drew both criticism and mockery (if you do the math, his claim does seem a littleunlikely). He was very fast running down the court. The slower pace and less violent nature of the game would benefit Wilt from a physical/defensive standpoint. To see him poised up there, knowing he was about to sweep down with that big jam . Chamberlain played in the NBA during the 1960s, and many people think he is one of the best players in basketball history. They met in the playoffs eight times and Russells Celtics were on the winning side seven of those times. One impressive tidbit regarding the legendary 100-point game was that Chamberlain spent the entire night before partying in New York City. When he was asked to elaborate he simply said, "No.". The information is unclear on what testing procedures were utilized, if any. 16 pages of photos. Someone would put a quarter up and Id snatch it down. Wilt Chamberlain, one of the most dominant players in the history of basketball and the only one to score 100 points in an NBA game, died Tuesday at 63 . Chamberlain never fouled out in his NBA career, but he incurred his fourth foul early in the second half. He also ignored offers from schools in New England and, seeking a fresh start and a new environment, he ruled out schools close to Philadelphia, which included universities in New York City. The former Utah Jazz legend owns the four highest assist seasons in history and seven of the top 10. Wilt Chamberlain could also run a 40 yard dash in 4.6 seconds and had a 45+ inch vertical. The San Diego Conquistadors of the upstart American Basketball Association signed him to a player-coach contract in 1973, but a lawsuit from his old team the Lakers prevented him from playing. In a game for the Philadelphia Warriors against the Boston Celtics in the 1960-61 season, Chamberlain set the record for most rebounds in a single NBA game. 500 pounds seems much more realistic for Wilt, even it is still an incredibly high number to put up on the bench press. Wilt Chamberlain Wilt Chamberlain Biography and Unknown Facts Please leave a comment below if you have any questions about the article above. The Big Dipper brought down a massive 55 boards in that game. ", Said Alcindor, "This was the first time I ever played against Wilt for real, and I learned a few things. Ive heard stories about Jackie Jackson doing it, but Ive never seen anyone (but himself) come close.. Despite being one of the greatest players of all time, and a completely dominant physical force for his time in the league, Wilt Chamberlain won only two NBA championships. One would think this would seriously hurt his chances at racking up points, but Chamberlain had a trick up his sleeve that night: He shot his free-throws underhanded. In the fourth quarter, Chamberlain reportedly said to Alcindor, "It looks like you're going to win it, so I hope you go all the way. "It was wonderful," Chamberlain said of the standing ovation from the fans at the Milwaukee Arena. A review of his quotes so far in this article proves that. There are some conflicting statements out there regarding just how high this man could jump. Chamberlains biggest on-court rival was Boston Celtics center Bill Russell. Please reach out to us to let us know what youre interested in reading. I know that a 12 foot rim seems high, but it is really only 2 feet higher than a standard rim. Wilt Chamberlain Bench Press Summary: What you need to know. For such a momentous event, it wasnt televised and was only attended by a small gathering of press. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Wilt didn't come from a race of giants as many thought. During his final season with the Overbook Panthers, he had a three-game stretch where he recorded 74, 78, and 90 points. Wilt Chamberlain's 55 rebounds. - Bel Air, Los Angeles, 1999. oktber 12.) "They were triple-teaming me in the pivot. But while 1970-71 was Milwaukee's season to shine, it didn't always have bragging rights over the Lakers and Chamberlain. It was in high school where Chamberlain was given the famous nicknames that would stick with him for the rest of his life. That is a full 2 foot difference in height, the amount of force an athlete would need to generate to get up that high is off the charts. It wasn't on TV; Los Angeles proved too far for Milwaukee's local Channel 18 to travel, especially with a late tip time, though the station did plot out a schedule of 12 games that included one home game, a January battle with Chamberlain and the Lakers. With a nickname like "The Stilt" in the world of basketball, where athletes are commonly a foot taller than the average man, it is no wonder why this guy was something special. The sickness made the future basketball star quite frail and even caused him to miss an entire school year. . To frame what it takes to put together something even close, consider the last two. Even in retirement, Chamberlain still played basketball recreationally and would field offers to return to the game. The record was only seriously threatened once, when Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant dropped 81 points in a 2006 game against the Toronto Raptors. Why is this impressive? He even towered over his greatest competition, Bill Russell, when it came to physical stature. Wilt Chamberlain had just scored 100 points, the most any player . This picture truly showcases the physical phenom that was Wilt Chamberlain. This move was legal because he never stepped foot inside the paint area until after the ball went through the rim. October 12, 1999 / 6:33 PM / CBS/AP. He was a career 51% free throw shooter, and it was easily the best-percentage free throw night for him in that magical season. Bouncing elsewhere. (0:30). Wilt was an impressive athlete with a seriously impressive vertical jump.
