Chamberlain did not want anyone to know that he was covering food and drinks for his basketball players.
While Wilt Chamberlain’s remarkable 14-year NBA career may not have received the full respect it deserved, owing to his lack of titles compared to Bill Russell, ‘The Big Dipper’ was unconcerned with the acknowledgment, both in the NBA and beyond. His humanitarian deed of discreetly footing the tab for two years of food and drinks for John Hanley and two others in college, with the goal of never disclosing his actions, justified just that.
Hanley believed that someone else was being generous. In an interview with Volleyball Magazine, Hanley noted Chamberlain’s lack of selfishness. The former volleyball player told how the 7’2″ monster would frequently join him and two others in a 2v2 game at Hilton, driving them to exhaustion. However, as college students with little funds, they struggled to purchase refreshments. Recognizing this, the four-time NBA MVP voluntarily offered to cover their bills, ensuring they were well taken care of.
“My roommate and me and another guy, and Wilt would come down and wed play doubles,” said Hanley. “The great thing about it was that out of nowhere some sandwiches would show up or a bunch of soft drinks or some beers for everybody who was playing.” Initially, Hanley assumed that a man named Herm was generously covering their expenditures because he valued students’ enthusiasm for the game. After two years, he realized that ‘Wilt The Stilt’ had been paying the bill all along.
Hanley stated, “He made it clear that he didn’t want anyone to know where it was coming from.” Chamberlain did the same while he was with the Harlem Globetrotters. Wilt’s compassion was not restricted to his collegiate years; the two-time NBA Champion displayed goodwill throughout his career. Even while with the Globetrotters, he was the epitome of a team player, constantly making sure his teammates had enough food by giving his own.
“He reveled in the camaraderie with teammates,” Gary M. Pomerantz said in an ESPN article. “On bus trips, he was known to open two cans of salmon, two loaves of bread, and two cartons of milk and pass them around.” Though some argue Chamberlain pursued individual glory over team achievement, such incidents demonstrate his genuine character and how satisfied he was working behind the scenes.
