LOS ANGELES -- The claim was so shocking as to be unbelievable: Wilt Chamberlain said he had sex with 20,000 women. I once told him, no one roots for Goliath." For 15 seasons with the Philadelphia-San Francisco Warriors (1959-1965), Philadelphia 76ers (1965-1968) and Los Angeles Lakers (1968-1973), he set numerous official NBA all time records. He was enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019. He didn't begin playing basketball until he was in the seventh grade. He was being treated by his Doctor for a cardiac condition. Having never fouled out in his career, a feat that he was very proud of, Chamberlain played aggressive defense despite the risk of fouling out, and blocked two of Lucas' shots in overtime, proving those wrong who said he only played for his own statistics; he ended scoring a game-high 27 points. "[92] The team has been ranked as one of the best in NBA history. [211] When Abdul-Jabbar broke his all-time scoring record in 1984, Chamberlain criticized his game and called on him to retire. "I never got into that with Wilt" Unfortunately, Wilt never made that call or any other from that list. [114] Instead, the Lakers gave away their 13-point halftime lead and succumbed to the aggressive Knicks defense, as they committed 19 second-half turnovers, and the two main scorers (Chamberlain and West) shot the ball in the entire second half only three and two times, respectively. [95], In the 196768 NBA season, matters continued to turn sour between Chamberlain and Kosloff, the Sixers' sole surviving owner. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. My Sincerest condolences for your loss. Each team scored two points in the first overtime, while Kansas froze the ball in return, keeping the game tied at 48, in the second overtime. In the Eastern Division Semifinals, they were pitted against the New York Knicks. [12][89] Kerr was traded to the Baltimore Bullets for point guard Wali Jones, and shooting guard Matt Guokas was selected in the first round of the 1966 NBA Draft. He scored 31,419 points during his career, averaging 30.1 points for his career. After the Knicks finished off the game with a late flourish led by Phil Jackson and Earl Monroe, Chamberlain made a dunk with one second left, which turned out to be the last play of his NBA career. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. "[111], In the 196970 NBA season, Chamberlain began the season under new coach Joe Mullaney strongly, averaging 32.2 points and 20.6 rebounds per game over the first nine games of the season. He spent a lot of time with the team. [77], In the summer of 1964, Chamberlain, one of the prominent participants at the famed Rucker Park basketball court in New York City,[78] made the acquaintance of a tall, talented 17-year-old who played there. [194][v] As a Philadelphia 76er, he could afford to rent a New York apartment and commute to Philadelphia. While Chamberlain was from Philadelphia, this was the new name of the relocated Syracuse Nationals, a former rival. [92] In Game 6, the Warriors were trailing 123122 with 15 seconds left. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. 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. It's the house that . Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. [111] Cherry comments that some journalists reported how Game 7 destroyed two careers: "Wilt's because he wouldn't take over and Van Breda Kolff because he wouldn't give in. After that season, coach Hannum wanted to be closer to his family on the West Coast; he left the Sixers to coach the Oakland Oaks in the newly founded ABA. Wilt Chamberlain claimed that he slept with 20,000 women. [b] Owners Milton and Helen Kutsher subsequently kept up a lifelong friendship with Chamberlain. This caused sports journalist Joe McGinnis to comment: "The Celtics played like champions and the Sixers just played. He openly risks and defies scandal when he is seen in public on a date at a movie theatre with a young white . With rookie Jim McMillian easing the scoring pressure, Chamberlain scored 24 points and grabbed 24 rebounds in a 118107 victory, but the Bucks defeated the Lakers 11794 in Game 4 to take a 31 series lead. [149] Chamberlain played a villainous warrior and counterpart of Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1984 film Conan the Destroyer. 1999 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Wynnewood 's Robert Cherry came along six years after Wilt Chamberlain, both in the classroom and on the court at Overbook High School. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. Considered one of the greatest players in history, he holds many 'NBA' records in several categories, such as durability, scoring, and rebounding. He also led the league in rebounds (24.2), was third in assists (7.8), and played strong defense. Countless suggestions were offered; he shot them underhanded, one-handed, two-handed, from the side of the circle, from well behind the line, and even banked it in. Chamberlain had a history of cardiovascular disease, and was briefly hospitalized in 1992 for an irregular heartbeat. Cremated, Ashes given to family or friend, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6886/wilt-chamberlain. "The 76ers family is deeply saddened by the loss of not only one of our greatest players of all time, but by an incredible human being. At Overbrook High School in Philly, he high jumped 6 feet, 6 inches, ran the 440 in 49.0 seconds and the 880 in 1:58.3, put the shot 53 feet, 4 inches, broad jumped 22 feet. Harvey Pollack s Most Memorable Wilt Performances. "He was the NBA. His huge hand brushed his cheek as he paused again, drowned out by more applause.1999 The Associated Press. After his retirement, Chamberlain explored other opportunities. By season's end, Chamberlain racked up more than 4,000 pointsbecoming the first NBA player to do soscoring an average of 50.4 points per game. This conflict had been going along for a while. With a staggering height of 7'1", Wilt became a towering figure in basketball, during and after his time. A feat matched only by fellow Hall-of-Famer. Cherry notes that there was a certain tension within the team, as Greer was the formerly undisputed leader and was not willing to give up his authority, and Jackson, a talented center, was now forced to play power forward because Chamberlain occupied the center spot; however, as the season progressed, the three began to mesh better. - Former NBA center and Bulls coach Johnny "Red" Kerr, who played part of one season in Philly with Wilt and against him for six-plus years. [106] Prior to Game 5, the Sixers seemed poised to win the series, as no NBA team had overcome a 31 deficit before;[106] however, the Celtics rallied back, winning the next two games 122104 and 114106, respectively, powered by a spirited John Havlicek and helped by the Sixers' bad shooting. [42], However, Russell and Chamberlain were friends in private life. Cherry says that Chamberlain was not a natural leader or a loyal follower, which made him difficult to fit in. "[110], Chamberlain experienced an often-frustrating season. A fire department spokesman, Jim Wells, said there were signs that Chamberlain might have had a heart attack. Chamberlain won his second championship as a member of the 1972 Lakers, a team which set a record with a 33-game winning streak. Sophomore season (1957): National runner-up to North Carolina, Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors (19591965), 195960 NBA season: MVP, All-Star Game MVP and Rookie of the Year, 196061 NBA season: Scoring, rebounding, durability, and field goal titles, 196162 NBA season: 100-point game and 42-point All-Star Game record, 196263 NBA season: Individual success, move to San Francisco, and playoff miss, 196364 NBA season: First NBA Finals loss to the Celtics, 196465 NBA season: Trade to the 76ers, Division Finals loss to the Celtics, 196566 NBA season: MVP and second Division Finals loss to the Celtics, 196667 NBA season: Back-to-back MVP and first NBA title, 196768 NBA season: Third straight MVP and assist champion, 196869 NBA season: Second NBA Finals loss to the Celtics, 196970 NBA season: First NBA Finals loss to the Knicks, 197071 NBA season: Conference Finals loss and challenge to Muhammad Ali, 197172 NBA season: Finals MVP and second NBA title, 197273 NBA season: Second NBA Finals loss to the Knicks, Overbrook had previously produced star basketball players like. Cherry describes his house as a miniature Playboy Mansion, where he regularly held parties and lived out his later-notorious sex life. Chamberlain was a standout player at Overbrook High School in Philadelphia. Most importantly, he was not afraid to stand up to the dominant Chamberlain, who was known to not communicate with coaches he did not like. It was North Carolina's first of six NCAA national titles. [166][167][168] Decades after his record, many NBA teams did not even average 100 points.[t]. He once said that "no one cheered for Goliath," but the response to his passing proved that to be false. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. [207], Cherry says that although Chamberlain was an egotist, he had good relationships with many contemporaries and enjoyed a great deal of respect. Colleagues remember the invincible Wilt . [c] Red Auerbach, the coach of the Boston Celtics, was also athletic director of the summer basketball league at Kutscher's. [108], On July 9, 1968, the trade between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Sixers was completed, making it the first time a reigning NBA MVP was traded the next season. [12] In an April 1965 issue of Sports Illustrated, Chamberlain conducted an interview titled "My Life in a Bush League" where he criticized his fellow players, coaches, and NBA administrators. Here is the paragraph most often cited: " Wilt is not a one-sport man, either. Wilton Norman Chamberlain ( / tembrln /; August 21, 1936 - October 12, 1999) was an American professional basketball player who played at the center position. [140], Barred from playing, Chamberlain mostly left the coaching duties to his assistant Stan Albeck, who recalled: "Chamberlain has a great feel for pro basketball the day-to-day things that are an important part of basketball just bored him. [132], The 197273 NBA season was to be Chamberlain's last, although he did not know this at the time. Share. [8] According to ESPN journalist Hal Bock, Chamberlain was "scary, flat-out frightening before he came along, very few players at the center position possessed his level of athleticism, stature, and stamina. During his two championship seasons, Chamberlain led the league in rebounding, while his scoring decreased. Scoring 35 points, Chamberlain led Overbrook to an 8342 victory. [59] On November 24, 1960, Chamberlain grabbed an NBA-record 55 rebounds,[12] along with 34 points and 4 assists, in a 132129 home loss against the Russell-led Boston Celtics. [34] Offensive goaltending, or basket interference, was also introduced as a rule in 1956, after Bill Russell had exploited it at San Francisco and Chamberlain was soon to enter college play. [n] In the playoffs, the Warriors again met the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Division Finals, and this season was called by both Cousy and Russell the greatest Celtics team of all time. Chamberlain was one of the few players of his . - NBA Commissioner David Stern. Wilt was a great performer and a great athlete." [38] Leading a talented squad of starters, including Maurice King, Gene Elstun, John Parker, Ron Lonesky, and Lew Johnson, the Jayhawks went 131 until they lost a game 5654 versus the Oklahoma State Cowboys, a team holding the ball the last three and a half minutes without any intention of scoring a basket, which was still possible in the days before the shot clock (introduced 1984 in the NCAA). Chamberlain often criticized Abdul-Jabbar for a perceived lack of scoring, rebounding, and defense. His number 13 was retired by the Kansas Jayhawks, Harlem Globetrotters, Golden State Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers, and Los Angeles Lakers. [189], Although Chamberlain racked up some of the most impressive statistics in the history of Northern American professional sports, Chamberlain was often called selfish and a loser because he won only two NBA championships and lost seven out of eight playoff series against the Celtics teams of his rival Bill Russell. When Chamberlain died in 1999, Chamberlain's nephew stated that Russell was the second person to whom he was ordered to break the news. Detroit Eastern High, then located on the corner of Mack Avenue and East Grand Boulevard, won three consecutive Public School League basketball city championships from 1959-1961. His greatness as a basketball player can't be questioned. Chamberlain was a track athlete who showed his basketball talent in high school. [130] Chamberlain performed so well in the series that Time stated: "In the N.B.A. [88] Concerning basketball, he persuaded him to change his style of play. Chamberlain's Lakers coach Bill Sharman said: "First he was a scorer. [105], In the Eastern Division Finals, the Sixers met the Boston Celtics, again with home-court advantage and this time as reigning champions. [5][155][156] His longtime attorney Sy Goldberg stated Chamberlain died of congestive heart failure. In his first game, he scored 52 points and grabbed 31 rebounds, breaking both all-time Kansas records in an 8769 win against the Northwestern Wildcats, a team having Chamberlain's future NBA teammate Joe Ruklick. [42] Frank Deford of ESPN said that Chamberlain was caught in a no-win situation: "If you win, everybody says, 'Well, look at him, he's that big.' Quigg made his two foul shots to put the Tar Heels up 5453. [106] In a game called "unreal" and "devoid of emotion", the Sixers lost 127118 on April 5. "[162] He was a scoring champion, all-time top rebounder, and accurate field goal shooter. [89] Jerry West called him a "complex very nice person",[208] and NBA rival Jack McMahon even said: "The best thing that happened to the NBA is that God made Wilt a nice person he could have killed us all with his left hand. Inside the Insane World of Sports Today, in which he criticized the NBA of the 1990s for being too disrespectful of players of the past.[148]. One of his most famous records is the 100 points he scored in a single game in the Philadelphia Warriors' 169-147 defeat of the New York Knicks on March 2, 1962, in Hershey, Pa. [110] While he was on cordial terms with West, he often argued with team captain Baylor, later explaining in regard to Baylor: "We were good friends, but [in] black culture you never let the other guy one-up you. .component--type-recirculation .item:nth-child(5) { [214], In 2021, Cassandra Peterson, who is primarily known for her alter ego Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, alleged in her memoir Yours Cruelly, Elvira: Memoirs of the Mistress of the Dark that Chamberlain had sexually assaulted her during a party at his mansion in the 1970s. Did not know this at the time When he is seen in public on a at... And defense, Ashes given to family or friend, https: //www.findagrave.com/memorial/6886/wilt-chamberlain Grave, if you have feedback. ] he was enshrined in the series that time stated: `` first he enshrined! Response to his passing proved that to be unbelievable: Wilt Chamberlain that... 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Playboy Mansion, where he regularly held parties and lived out his later-notorious sex.... 197273 NBA season was to be unbelievable: Wilt Chamberlain claimed that he slept with 20,000 women cherry his! Helen Kutsher subsequently kept up a lifelong friendship with Chamberlain later-notorious sex life Fame... Difficult to fit in heart failure accurate field goal shooter Chamberlain often criticized Abdul-Jabbar a!
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