All it was to Wilt Chamberlain was another record. For everyone others, it was simply history. On February 16, 1972, the guy who once scored 100 points in a single game and broke other records during his NBA career became the first player to reach 30,000 career points.
The Phoenix Suns were playing the Chamberlain’s Lakers, and it was an odd night in Los Angeles. Chamberlain never witnessed his thirty thousandth point pass through the net. He wasn’t really thrilled after the game.
Ever when he stepped onto an NBA court, Wilt Chamberlain effortlessly made the game appear effortless. The 7-foot-1 athletic center won MVP and Rookie of the Year as a rookie in the 1959–60 season. With an average of 37.6 points and 27.0 rebounds, he concluded the season. Playing 46.4 minutes each game, he further demonstrated his durability.
Remarkably, during the next two seasons, his numbers improved. He achieved remarkable results in his third year. Today sixty-one years ago, he scored a game-high 107 points to lead the New York Knicks to a 169-147 victory. Chamberlain averaged 50.4 points and 25.7 rebounds per game during the season. The fact that he played an average of 48.5 minutes each game in a season with only 48 minutes of play was the most remarkable aspect about it. The fact that he didn’t win MVP that season is the biggest joke ever.
In addition to scoring 100 points in that game on March 2, 1962, he also grabbed 25 rebounds. He rewrote the record books as well. In that game, he broke nine records. Chamberlain, who had a dismal career record as a foul shooter, shot 28 of 32 from the line that evening.
During his first six NBA seasons, Chamberlain led the league in scoring. In his first four years, he also led the league in rebounds. Over the course of his career, he led the NBA in minutes played nine times and in rebounds eleven times.
Chamberlain’s deficiency in NBA titles is a point of criticism. While Bill Russell, the center for the Boston Celtics, won eleven championships, he only won two. Throughout his career, Russell was constantly on superior teams, yet Chamberlain’s legacy seemed to be negatively impacted by this.
