This article concerns the career achievements of Wilt Chamberlain, a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer who holds numerous NBA records in scoring, rebounding and durability. Among others, he is the only player in NBA history to average 40 and 50 points in a season, score 100 points in a single game, and grab over 2,000 rebounds in a single season. He also won seven scoring, nine field goal percentage, and 11 rebounding titles, in addition to an assist title.[1] With an assortment of fadeaway and jump shots, his favorite one-hand finger-roll and powerful dunks in the low post,[2][3] he scored 31,419 points, grabbed 23,924 rebounds, averaging 30.07 points (second-best all time behind Michael Jordan) and 22.9 rebounds (all-time leader) and was also very durable, standing on the hardwood an average 45.8 minutes.[4]
Chamberlain holds 72 NBA records, 68 by himself.[8] Among his records are several that are considered unbreakable, such as averaging 22.9 rebounds for a career or 50.4 points per game in a season, scoring 100 points or 55 rebounds in a single game, scoring 65 or more points 15 times, 50 or more points 118 times.[7][9] During Chamberlain's time, defensive statistics like blocks and steals had not been recorded yet. According to Jack Ramsay, "Harvey [Pollack] said he used to tell one of his statisticians to keep track of Wilt's blocks in big games. ... One night, they got up to 25."[10] (The first season blocked shots were officially recorded in the NBA was 1973/74, the season after Chamberlain retired as a player. The official NBA record of 17 blocks in a single game was set by Elmore Smith in 1973.)
NBA playoff record – Most field goal attempts in a three-game series (104 vs. the Syracuse Nationals in 1960)
NBA playoff record – Most field goal attempts in a five-game series (159 vs. the Syracuse Nationals in 1962)
NBA All-Star Game record – Free throw attempts in a game (16 in 1962)
Chamberlain also holds the second-most attempts in an All-Star Game with 15 in 1960.
Other selected scoring facts
2nd-highest career scoring average (30.07) – record held by Michael Jordan
Jordan scored 581 three-point field goals, which didn't exist during Chamberlain's time. If his three-pointers were turned into two-pointers, his career scoring average would be of 29.58.
2nd-most career regular-season 30-point games (515) – record held by Michael Jordan
2nd-most free throws made in a season (835 in 1961–62) – record held by Jerry West
2nd-most free throws attempted in a game (34 vs. the St. Louis Hawks on February 22, 1962) – record held by Dwight Howard
Chamberlain also holds third place with 32 on March 2, 1962
2nd-fewest games played to reach 31,000 points (1,115, achieved on February 1, 1973, against the Phoenix Suns) – record held by Michael Jordan, at 1,111 games.
4th-most points in an NBA All-Star Game (42 in 1962) – record held by Jayson Tatum (55 in 2023)
2nd-most Playoff games with at least 50 points: 4 – record held by Michael Jordan (8);
All of Chamberlain's performances came in regulation time; two of Jordan's 50-point games came in overtime. Both of them scored a maximum 56 points in 48-minute playoff games;
All of Chamberlain's performances resulted in team wins; two of Jordan's 50-point games ended in a loss;
Chamberlain is the only player to score at least 50 points in two different Conference/Division Finals games;
Chamberlain is the only player to score at least 50 points in an elimination game (a feat he accomplished three times).
2nd-most playoff games with at least 45 points: 8 – record held by Michael Jordan;
3rd most points in a Playoff game: 56—record held by Michael Jordan;
When considered only Playoff regulation games, this is the 2nd highest scoring performance, and the record belongs to Elgin Baylor, with 61 in 1962.
3rd-most points in an NBA All-Star Game half (23 in 1962) – record held by Anthony Davis; 2nd place held by Glen Rice; 3rd place shared with Tom Chambers
3rd-most field goals made in an NBA All-Star Game (17 in 1962) – record held by Anthony Davis; 2nd place held by Blake Griffin; 3rd place shared with Kevin Garnett and Michael Jordan
NBA rebounding records
NBA record – Career total rebounds (23,924)
NBA record – Career rebounds per game (22.9)
NBA record – Most seasons leading the league in rebounds (11)
NBA record – Most seasons with 1,000 or more rebounds (13)
2nd-highest playoff career average (24.5) – record held by Bill Russell
2nd-most consecutive seasons with 1,000+ rebounds (10) – record held by Bill Russell
2nd-most rebounds in a half (31 vs. the Boston Celtics on November 24, 1960) – record held by Bill Russell
2nd-most rebounds in a quarter (17 vs. the Syracuse Nationals on February 5, 1960) – record held by Nate Thurmond, 2nd place is shared with three performances by Bill Russell
2nd-most rebounds in a 3-game NBA Playoff series (69 vs. the Syracuse Nationals in 1961) – record held by Bill Russell
2nd-most rebounds in a 4-game NBA Playoff series (106 vs. the Cincinnati Royals in 1967) – record held by Bill Russell
2nd-most consecutive games 20+ rebounds in the NBA Finals (12 over a series of games in the 1964, 1967, and 1969 finals) – record held by Bill Russell
2nd-most consecutive games 30+ rebounds in the NBA Finals (2 in 1967 finals, 2 in 1969 finals) – record held by Bill Russell; 2nd place is also shared by Bill Russell
2nd-most rebounds in a 5-game NBA Finals (vs. Boston Celtics in 1967) – record held by Bill Russell
2nd-most rebounds in a 7-game NBA Finals (vs. Boston Celtics in 1969) – record held by Bill Russell
2nd-highest rebounding average in the NBA All-Star Game (15.2) – record held by Bob Pettit
3rd-highest rebounding average in an NBA Finals series (28.5 in 1967) – first two spots held by Bill Russell
Chamberlain never grabbed fewer than 10 rebounds in any of playoff games he logged
Chamberlain never averaged fewer than 18 rebounds in a season
Distinction also held by Bill Russell
Chamberlain never averaged fewer than 20 rebounds in a postseason
Distinction also held by Bill Russell
Chamberlain is the only player to grab more than 2,000 rebounds in a single season: 2,149 rebounds in the 1960–61 season and 2,052 in 1961–62.
Chamberlain's 1961–62 season stat line: 4,029 points (50.4 ppg) and 2,052 rebounds (25.7 rpg).
NBA record – 2nd Highest single-season PER: 31.82 in 1963 season.(First is Giannis Antetokounmpo with 31.86, although Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo are both Numbers 1 and 2, the season is not yet over)[18]
Chamberlain also holds the third spot: 31.74 in 1962 season.
Only player in NBA history to lead the league in points and rebounds the same season (a feat he accomplished six times)
One of only three players in NBA history to lead the league in points and field goal percentage the same season (a feat he accomplished four times)
Only player in NBA history to lead the league in rebounds and assists the same season (a feat he accomplished during the '67-68 season)
Only player in NBA history to lead the league in points, assists, and rebounds in any season
Only player in NBA history to lead the postseason in points, rebounds, assists and field percentage in any postseason
Only player to lead the league in rebounds and assists in the same postseason (a feat he accomplished during the '66-67 Playoffs)
One of only two players in NBA history to record a double-triple-double (20+ in three different categories)
On February 2, 1968, against the Detroit Pistons, he logged 22 points, 25 rebounds, and 21 assists.[19]
Only player in NBA history to record a double-quadruple (40+ in two different categories) (a feat he performed 8 times).
On November 4, 1959, Chamberlain, in his third game in the NBA, scored 41 points and grabbed a then-rookie record 40 rebounds against the Syracuse Nationals.
On January 15, 1960, Chamberlain, as a rookie, scored 44 points and grabbed 43 rebounds against the Boston Celtics.
On January 25, 1960, Chamberlain, as a rookie, scored an NBA rookie record 58 points and grabbed 42 rebounds against the Detroit Pistons.
On February 6, 1960, Chamberlain, as a rookie, scored 44 points and grabbed an NBA rookie record 45 rebounds against the Syracuse Nationals.
On January 21, 1961, Chamberlain scored 56 points and grabbed 45 rebounds against the Los Angeles Lakers.
On December 8, 1961, Chamberlain scored a then-record 78 points and collected 43 rebounds against the Los Angeles Lakers.
On October 26, 1962, Chamberlain scored 50 points and grabbed 41 rebounds against the Detroit Pistons.
On November 22, 1964, Chamberlain scored 50 points and grabbed 40 rebounds against the Detroit Pistons.
Chamberlain led the league in total assists 1967–68, with 702 assists (he did not lead the league in assists per game): he remains the only center to lead the league in assists.
Most 30-30 games (at least 30 points and rebounds) in the history of NBA: 124;
All the other NBA players combine to 32 games.[20]
2nd-most games leading both teams in points, rebounds and assists: 33 (record held by Russell Westbrook, 2nd place is shared with LeBron James)
Only player in NBA history to average at least 23 points, 14 rebounds, and 6 assists in the same season. Chamberlain did it in 1966–67 and 1967–68
Only player in NBA history to average at least 20 points and 20 rebounds in a 7-game Finals series (23.3 points and 24.1 rebounds, performed during the 1970 NBA Finals)
Chamberlain also had a field goal percentage of 62.5% (70/112) during that series.
Chamberlain is one of only two centers among the first 17 names, the other being Nikola Jokic.
Third most points scored in regulation in a triple-double game (53 points, along with 32 rebounds and 14 assists) (March 18, 1968). James Harden scored 60 in a triple-double with 11 assists and 10 rebounds January 30, 2018. Russell Westbrook scored 57 in a triple-double with 11 assists and 13 rebounds March 29, 2017.
Second most consecutive triple-doubles (9) (March 8–20, 1968). Russell Westbrook has the most consecutive triple-doubles with 11.
NBA playoff record – Most minutes played in a six-game series (296 against the New York Knicks in 1968)
NBA Finals record – Most minutes played in a five-game series (240 against the New York Knicks in 1973)
Chamberlain never fouled out of a regular-season or playoff game in his 14 years in the NBA. His career average was only 2 fouls per game, despite having averaged 45.8 minutes per game over his career. His fouls per 36 minutes (a statistic used to compare players that average vastly different minutes) was a remarkable 1.6 per game.[1]
Other selected durability facts
3rd-most minutes played in the NBA All-Star Game: 388;
2nd-most free throws missed in a game (22, vs. Seattle SuperSonics, December 1, 1967) – record held by Andre Drummond (23)
2nd-most free throws attempted in a game with none made (10 vs. the Detroit Pistons on 11/04/1960) – record held by Shaquille O'Neal (11) (12/08/2000)
3rd-most free throws missed in a playoff game (17, vs. Boston Celtics, April 12, 1966) – record held by Shaquille O'Neal (21); 2nd place held by DeAndre Jordan (20)
3rd-lowest career free-throw percentage in NBA history (minimum 1,200 attempts) – record held by Ben Wallace
Accolades
In addition to his many statistical accomplishments, Chamberlain also had a successful career. He is a two-time NBA Champion (1967, 1972) and a six-time NBA Finalist (1964, 1967, 1969–70, 1972–73), was voted NBA MVP 4 times (1959–60, 1965–66, 1966–67, 1967–68) and NBA Finals MVP once (1972), was elected to 7 All-NBA First Teams (1960–62, 1964, 1966–68), 3 All-NBA Second Teams (1963, 1965, 1972) and also made two All-Defensive First Teams (1972, 1973). Along with Wes Unseld, he is one of two players to have won the Rookie of the Year and the MVP awards in the same year, being the only one to add NBA All-Star Game MVP to this list.[7]