On March 2, 1962, a towering figure in the NBA, Wilt Chamberlain made history by scoring an incredible 100 points in the Philadelphia Warriors’ 169-147 win over the New York Knicks. It wasn’t 98 or 102 – just a perfect, round 100. This iconic record, set in Hershey, Pennsylvania, remains unmatched.
That night, Chamberlain was unstoppable. With New York’s starting center, Phil Jordan, sidelined by illness, He ran rampant against Darrall Imhoff and Cleveland Buckner. Chamberlain scored 23 points in the first quarter, 41 by halftime, and added 28 in the third.
By then, fans were chanting:
“Give it to Wilt!”
March 2, 1962
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) March 2, 2025
100 points
Iconic.
Here's the true story of the night Wilt Chamberlain stunned the basketball world. pic.twitter.com/hnE7V9G5Hu
The Warriors fed him relentlessly in the fourth quarter. The Knicks resorted to fouling other players to keep the ball out of his hands, but the Warriors fouled back to regain possession.
Finally, with 46 seconds left, Chamberlain hit a short shot off a pass from Joe Ruklick, reaching the historic 100-point mark. Fans stormed the court as the game briefly stopped.
In a moment that’s now legendary, PR man Harvey Pollack scribbled “100” on a sheet of paper, and Chamberlain held it up for photos in the locker room.
"I just doubled my average. Lots of guys have games where they double their average."
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) March 2, 2025
63 years ago today, Wilt Chamberlain did this to the Knicks and wasn't impressed. During that week, he played 4 games in 5 nights & scored 67, 65, 61, 100.
100 PTS (NBA record)
59 PTS in 1… pic.twitter.com/AXQEz8HtST
The former Warriors legend shot 36 out of 63 field goals and an astonishing 28 out of 32 free throws. This performance defied Chamberlain’s career free-throw average of just 51.1%.
Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain’s legendary rivalry
Basketball history changed on Nov. 7, 1959. That day, Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain first played each other. Boston beat Philadelphia 115-106. This game started their legendary rivalry.
Chamberlain scored 30 points and grabbed 30 rebounds. Russell had 22 points and 35 rebounds. They faced off 143 times. Their rivalry defines NBA individual battles.
In the 1960s, Celtics games had small crowds. When Chamberlain played, arenas sold out. Boston Garden, holding 14,000, filled up. The rivalry went beyond basketball. It was personal.
That time Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain got it cracking. You can see that Wilts strength was way too much for Bill. Bill tried to shove Wilt back but Wilt didn't move😂😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/B2r1W3kZk8
— BIG MALCOLM X PLAY COUSIN (@Omowale99949437) September 25, 2023
In 1965, Chamberlain signed a $100,000 contract. Russell demanded $1 more, using his championship rings as leverage.
Off the court, they were friends. Russell spent Thanksgiving at Chamberlain’s house.
“He’d… eat my food, sleep in my bed, and then whip my bu*t,” Chamberlain joked, according to KTVB7.
Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain ❤️
— NBA (@NBA) August 3, 2022
An incredible bond between two of the game's greatest legends. pic.twitter.com/3DaefVCcgN
Chamberlain led the league in scoring seven times. While Russell won more head-to-head games. He won 11 NBA championships. Chamberlain won two.
READ: Michael Jordan Wasn’t the Superstar We Know Today
I am a writer passionate about telling the stories behind the game of basketball. From the culture and personalities shaping the sport to the moments that define it, I explore basketball beyond the box score.
