Wilt Chamberlain: A Man Amongst Boys – CrownHoops

There have been a lot of careers that have come and went through the NBA. Some careers are worth of legendary status such as Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabber, and many more. Some careers end as total busts, either due to injury, or simply playing bad and are forgotten into obscurity. There is one career that is full of curiosity, and that’s the career of Wilt Chamberlain. His career was full of some facts and some rumors that showed how dominating he was. With the many records and feats, he still holds to this day, it definitely backs up some of the rumors about him.

The Career Of Wilt Chamberlain

The Records

Many people know about his scoring records like his 100 point game against the New York Knicks on March 2, 1962, and when he averaged 50.4 points a game during the 1961-62 season. There are also numerous records that he holds, which includes 72 records, 68 of them by himself. Some of the records that he has seemed impossible like when he recorded 55 rebounds in a single game or most career minutes played per game with 45.8 minutes. One record that stood out was when he scored 60+ points in a game, 32 times throughout his career, second place is Kobe Bryant with only six.

The Feats

There are plenty of records to look at that shows Wilt’s dominance, but there are also plenty of feats that only he has accomplished. He’s the only player in NBA history to lead the league in points, rebounds, and assists in a single season. He is also the only player in NBA history to lead the postseason in points, rebounds, assists and field percentage in a single postseason. In the 1967-68 season, he recorded 702 assists and became the only center in NBA history to lead the league in total assists. These feats not only show his dominance as a player but as an athlete.

The Rumors

With all the records and feats to show for, there are a lot of rumors about Wilt that are unthinkable. One of these rumors is when Wilt said he said in an interview can jump as high as 46 to 48 inches in the air. With Wilt being 7’1″ tall, this would mean that his neck would reach the top of the rim. We could only base this on the grainy footage that was used back then. Another rumor that’s out there is that Wilt recorded the first and only quintuple double in NBA history. Unfortunately, there’s no actual truth to this cause the NBA didn’t record blocks and steals until 1974. Even though there’s no proof of this event, it’s plausible because Wilt was a solid inside defender and he also holds the record for most career double-doubles in NBA history with 968.

Final Thoughts

Wilt Chamberlain’s career is not only legendary but almost mythical. His sheer dominance led him to pretty much owning the record book. One of the things that is underappreciated about him is his athleticism. His athleticism was unreal, probably even in today’s game. The curiosity and legend of Wilt Chamberlain will live from now and for years to come.

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