Table of Biography
Wilt Chamberlain is a professional basketball player from the United States. Moreover, Wilt Chamberlain played as a center in the NBA and played for 14 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the sport’s history.
Early Life
Wilton Norman Chamberlain best known as Wilt Chamberlain was born on the 21st of October 1936, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the United States of America. At the time of his death, he was 63 years old and holds an American nationality.
Moreover, he belongs to the African-American ethnicity and has a birth sign of Leo. He was the son of William Chamberlain (father) and Olivia Ruth Johnson (mother). Professionally, his father was a welder and his mother was a homemaker.
Wilt Chamberlain grew up with six siblings whose names are Barbara Lewis, Margaret Lane, Oliver Chamberlain, Selina Gross, Wilbert Chamberlain, and Yvonne Chamberlain. He was a frail child who nearly died of pneumonia as a child and missed a whole school year as a result.
Death
Sadly, on the 12th of October 1999, Wilt Chamberlain died of heart failure at his Los Angeles home, and at the time, he was 63 years old.
College Career
Wilt Chamberlain was more of a track and field athlete as a kid and never really liked basketball. But when he got older, he discovered a passion for basketball because it was so common in Philadelphia.
He played basketball as a student at “Overbrook High School.” He was already over 6 feet tall at that point, thus playing basketball gave him a competitive advantage over other players. In 1957, he made his college basketball debut. The next year, he guided the “Jayhawks” to the NCAA championship.
Moreover, he left college in 1958 to pursue a basketball career. He was, however, prevented from doing so because he needed to finish college to qualify to play in the “NBA.” He was paid $50,000 to play for the “Harlem Globetrotters,” who signed him.
Professional Career
Philadelphia Warriors
On October 24, 1959, Wilt Chamberlain made his professional basketball debut for the Philadelphia Warriors against the New York Knicks. He made 28 rebounds and scored an amazing 43 points during the game.
Because he was the first player in the “NBA” to score 100 points in a game, the 1962 season was significant. He finished the season with a 50.4 point-per-game average. In San Francisco, he continued to play for the “Warriors,” averaging 37 points per game in the 1963–1964 season.
“Philadelphia 76ers” (Sixers)
He went back to his hometown in 1965 and joined the “Philadelphia 76ers” (Sixers), where he faced off against the “Boston Celtics.” The “Sixers” made a comeback in the 1967 “NBA Playoffs,” winning 4 out of 5 games after being defeated the season before.
Chamberlain had a great individual performance and significantly contributed to his team’s victory. The San Francisco Warriors competed against the Sixers in the 1967 NBA Finals (originally Philadelphia Warriors). He assisted his team in a victory once more.
“Los Angeles Lakers”
In 1968, he was traded to the “Los Angeles Lakers” for a total of $250,000, net of taxes. In a six-game tournament that the “Lakers” won four of, he helped his club defeat the “San Francisco Warriors” during the 1969 NBA Playoffs. The Boston Celtics, the team’s longtime and well-known rival, defeated them, though. In the 1972 NBA Finals, he acted as the Lakers’ captain and led them to a five-game winning streak over the New York Knicks.
Caption: Wilt Chamberlain playing basketball (Source: Instagram)
He played in his final NBA season in 1972–1973. Despite his performance in the finals against the “Knicks,” which included 23 points and 21 rebounds, his team came up short.
Retirement
The ‘San Diego Conquistadors,’ an ‘ABA’ (American Baseball Association which later merged with NBA) franchise, signed him as a player-coach in 1973. However, the “Lakers” sued him because his contract with them was still in effect, preventing him from joining another team. Soon after, he announced his retirement from the NBA.
He tried his hand at several other ventures after leaving the game; he made money in stocks and real estate, founded a nightclub, and made several commercial appearances. He contributed to the expenses of professional track and field and volleyball teams. His newfound passion was volleyball, and he thrived at it. In 1974, he joined the board of the ‘International Volleyball Association.’ In 1976, he tried his hand at acting after serving as president of the ‘International Volleyball Association.’ He also executive produced the film “Go For It.” In 1984, he co-starred in the film ‘Conan the Destroyer with Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Achievements
As a legendary basketball player, Wilt Chamberlain has earned various honors and awards in his life. He is the only player in the ‘NBA’ to average 30 points and 20 rebounds a season. In addition, he is the first player to score 100 points in a single game. He was inducted into the ‘Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame,’ in 1978 as a result of his accomplishments.
He was designated one of the ’50 Greatest Players in NBA History,’ in 1996. Wilt has won two ‘NBA Championships,’ in his career and has been named ‘MVP’ four times for his regular-season accomplishments. In addition, he was named ‘MVP’ for his performance in one of the ‘NBA Finals.’
Caption: Wilt Chamberlain with a legendary professional boxer, Mohammad Ali (Source: Instagram)
Net Worth 2024
He was an American basketball player who, at the time of his death, had a net worth of $10 million. Moreover, he was the first player to make at least $100,000 a year, and later, while playing for the Lakers, he made over $1.5 million.
Relationship Status
Wilt Chamberlain never married. He was reported to have had several affairs with women. In 1973, he co-wrote and released his autobiography, ‘Wilt: Just Like Any Other 7-Foot Black Millionaire Who Lives Next Door.’ In 1991, he published his autobiography, ‘A View from Above,’ in which he revealed information about his personal life.
Wilt Chamberlain – Body Measurements
Wilt Chamberlain stands 7 feet 1 inch and weighs around 125 kg. Likewise, this basketball has black hair with dark brown eyes and there is no other information regarding his other measurements.
Wilt Chamberlain – Social media
At this basketball players are no longer in this world. So, this legendary baseball player is not present on the social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.