Wilt Chamberlain is one of, if not, the most dominant force in NBA history. What is not known about the Big Dipper? He is the first player to score 100 points in a game, he holds the record for most rebounds grabbed in a game (55), most career rebounds (23,924), and the most 30 point-30 rebounds games with 124, and he was a track-star before he was a basketball star, and the list goes on seemingly forever. However, there are still some interesting facts about the late, NBA great that are somewhat unknown. Let’s take a look at the interesting life of Wilt the Stilt.
Wilt Chamberlain: Five Crazy Facts
Eight Siblings
On August 21, 1936, the basketball legend graced the earth. However, what is crazier is that Chamberlain has eight siblings. Out of the nine children, Wilt Chamberlain certainly ended up being the most noteworthy child in the world. The fact that he had a growth spurt in the early stages of his high-school career helped rapidly speed up his development in the game of basketball.
Magazine Covers
Magazine covers and athletes may go hand in hand in today’s world, but things were different back in the day. One could argue that Wilt Chamberlain was a major factor in paving the way for athletes to get more involved with magazines. What is more impressive is the type of covers Chamberlain graced. The magazines Chamberlain appeared on during his college years were Look, Time, Life, and of course, Newsweek.
Former Harlem Globetrotter
The Harlem Globetrotters are one of the most fun spectacles of basketball entertainment. Even today, the Globetrotters is an event like no other. Well, wouldn’t you know, Chamberlain was actually a member of the famous semi-pro basketball team long before he was being a dominant pain-presence for the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors and 76ers and of course, the Los Angeles Lakers. Notable names he played with on the Globetrotters were Tex Harrison and Meadowlark Lemon. Chamberlain used the Globetrotters as a spring-board into the professional scene considering he had left college too early to enter the league at the time. Regardless, Wilt was a monster both in the NBA and with the traveling exhibition squad.
A Different Alias
During high school, Wilt’s fame was growing. As a result, he ended up playing for money as the revelation could have ruined his eligibility for collegiate basketball. So, he played semi-professional under a different alias in order to conceal his identity. The name of the alias? George Marcus.
Wilt’s Time on the Screen
In 1984, Wilt Chamberlain made his presence felt in another realm. The film, Conan the Destroyer, featured Wilt the Stilt as the villain of the film’s protagonist. Wilt’s character was Bombaata while his nemesis was, of course, Conan. The man who played Conan was none other than Hollywood actor and bodybuilding mogul, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Simply put, the life that Wilt Chamberlain led is one that will never be replicated whether it be on the hardwood or off the court.
Main Photo: Embed from Getty Images