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Welcome to a special edition of
Jersey Sunday. I know it's Monday, but I'm making an exception because I was waiting for this to come through the mail and since the post office is closed on weekends, I'm letting it slip. Also, it's my blog and I do what I want. But to the jersey, on hand is a gem I won on
eBay at the final second. This is a player I have always wanted for a long time and even though it doesn't fit very well, I'm still stoked to add it in my collection. Here is my
Los Angeles Lakers Wilt Chamberlain jersey made by
Mitchell and Ness.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiH7Zit6LWrw4D0nUrnVAJcwFmqi3TXP3HlJzPFPm0v14pfZdFhRXgzQd3c-mDgM5nlDOwLBThYZ09jvpzESZUCGPo1fwFTfagUQGjAVhvebwPx-oaGOIr8WfaIe1YpAXOCEweuL9i7B2c/s400/Wilt+jersey+2.JPG)
Any jersey of
"The Big Dipper" would be appropriate, whether it's his
Warriors,
Sixers, or even
Globetrotters. But when I saw this
Lakers item going for a very reasonable price, I was not hesitant at all placing my bid. The materials, detail, and construction are admirable with stitched double layer tackle twill making up the letters and numbers.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6GMHa57kTm058RhHe1xTDYYWsUDIKi6cjPQm4MZAWPmuuv2ZhWU1-j8-bJMVtsk-s9NiMN72jii2Sd_KTr027JvdQ8xRuk_frIPFxUVqpPjgjLvXWftRTFwvBQIdkuiwBgNDkYnQzMf_L/s400/jock+tag.JPG)
The jock tag at the bottom displays his best season in Tinsel Town. Although he has had a tremendous career with his previous teams, this entry will be more focused on his years wearing the gold and forum blue.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3tE16o3oBZHbrYHBwBeh2ya9sNnobCiz09Lyw23XhOAOdqu7Ol9R9UjPMXIIH8Oc7YGmx9H4EFX7lDYrcq6tciJQ_MWTBZDcCIznjEbjYAVmVYqZAPwwG2a9lrI-xVMKo3PRe-jEJi-pX/s400/wilt-chamberlain++KU.jpg)
Born as
Wilton Norman Chamberlain on
21 August 1936 in
Philadelphia, PA, he attended
Overbrook High School before playing with the
Kansas University Jayhawks [
1956-58]. In 1959, after spending a season with the
Harlem Globetrotters, the
Philadelphia Warriors selected the
7'1" 250 lbs center as a territorial draft pick. He would go on to win
Rookie of the Year and
Most Valuable Player, the first athlete to obtain those honours in the
NBA. In the
1961-62 season, he averaged an unimaginative
50 points per game, and on
2 March 1962, he scored the untouchable
100 points against the
New York Knicks in
Hershey, PA. Roughly attended by 4, 000 people, the untelevised event only lives on through radio broadcast and eyewitness accounts.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJpvtXbwCCjOMTQO3Gy0nl81ZbTp0CDmGnOjW-udq4aulYV-DxPqvz8Ut0Fg7IHNN-SYs_5BWzxa2KGm2d2P4vpyItoBrpaGLpg0Y1xtJk-CZeb7apEwR3LSmItl-DGUYeUXhqbOmzuVl2/s400/Wilt+Russell.jpg)
In 1963, the
Warriors franchised moved to
San Francisco, CA. However, he would move back to
Philadelphia in a trade with the
76ers. In
1967,
Wilt Chamberlain would win hist first
NBA Championship along with his
second MVP trophy. The 60's would be a memorable decade for basketball fans as they witnessed a great rivalry between
"Goliath" and
Boston Celtics' center
Bill Russell.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTyDNzpKTpMx2R0ihtMeloklA9Jc1O3iBYjP4MHQvHFXekyxODSZb9E0uscrgjwqoIlrqEnBaSfBhOofm9iD7rRtwDAiPp7WK7ma50qJweRR-tTARCB4X_jwtqy3oMp5uni8eGs0brdxOF/s400/Wilt+Lakers.jpg)
Before the
1968 season,
Wilt Chamberlain was traded to the
Los Angeles Lakers, making it the first time a reigning MVP was sent to another team. Although his numbers fell, he helped provide leadership amongst his squad with future Hall-of-Famers
Jerry West and
Elgin Baylor. They would advance to the
NBA Finals against the
Boston Celtics, a team coached by the first African-American in league history;
Bill Russell. In a controversial decision,
Coach Van Breda Kolff benched his starting center in the final minutes of
Game 7 in
The Forum and would lose again to his counterpart. At the end of that season, he
average 20.9 PPG and
21.1 RPG.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWTusK88HQQMHVtbDuJdbD22MqcS5ms0RkPb1YSWm2bwSVga_ZljhVYUWCXCtIOzOznMfsGyqjPpR3V55iAqZ7SrxFZ5s71OZNQbnSVsu5XBcm32dn25gQprA8KqXTS8UlDPyrfxDSzHHs/s400/wilt+vs+willis+reed.jpg)
In the
1969-70 season,
Wilt was limited to only twelve games due to injury. He averaged
27.3 PPG and
18.4 RPG, respectively, and rejoined just in time for the playoffs. Unfortunately, the
Lakers would lose in the
NBA Finals to the
New York Knicks in one of the greatest comebacks in league history as the injured
Willis Reed made an unexpected return to the starting lineup inspiring his team to win the title.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT_nTSr3rgTExhh9FhArZjHqPBofIK3Jk1F3SyEU3qUpWcbtYOEby3sSXeZFZly0_cZAiidMBxytoMpGN3zZbIylt1F0gcrV-p3TtMZtzs-wvfj6PYuMhmYUDo_TwcEt1ZbldS1grLceVt/s400/wilt+vs+kareem.JPG)
In the
1971 season, he averaged
20 PPG and
18 RPG leading the league in rebounding once again and helped the
Lakers into the post-season. Although they coasted through the playoffs, they lost in the
Western Conference Championship series to the eventual
Milwaukee Bucks, led by the younger
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwnyy0bd2af8m73wj64Ps0ZCB3vnB3XTJmmxxZSIkQ1MBLGN8Q8RGcPotPJ6nM6511LCQrU7-lul1yOaV6sujxGQIJl2ekd9nEDOIeRx3VAoRe1MKu-rgyN6pwGmS46kgtiLVnoUzjGIdG/s400/wilt+chamberlain+lakers+2.jpg)
The
1971-72 season would be a staple year for
Wilt Chamberlain. His
Lakers won 33 consecutive games, a record which still stands to this day. He also
became the all time leader in rebounds grabbing 21,772 boards. While averaging
15 PPG [the lowest of his career], he collected his
10th rebounding title with
19 RPG and took his team to another playoff run. In one of the greatest matches of all time against
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and his
Milwaukee Bucks,
Los Angeles eliminated them in 6 games en route to the
NBA Finals against the
New York Knicks. In 5 games against the
Knicks, he averaged
20+ PPG and
20+ RPG, a performance that earned him his
second NBA Championship and the
NBA Finals MVP Award, which was inaugurated into the league just 5 years earlier.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN7MB-0yWDPOFtCLDMcXTuNfIhfa_oOyuvkl6sVJlhPMKF3YBYCDK1zEKGCQ6LawgQfOiS7nr31T9WL4i4NOnW1z9YDZCUoCQs_-vDDuNRl9tz8NksV-GoBO1H5sGuluJMERjQ-TUhs1sY/s400/wilt1972_1973.jpg)
The next season would be his last as a player. While averaging
13 PPG and
19 RPG, he collected his
11th and final rebounding title. However, he would average an outstanding
.727 FG%, beating his own record 8 years earlier. It remains a league record to this day. He would also play in his last
NBA Finals against the
New York Knicks, but would unfortunately lose in 5 games. After that season, he would jump ship to the rival
American Basketball Association as a coach for the
San Diego Conquistadors. After a losing season with
The Qs, he completely retired from the game of basketball at the age of
37.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDIU9ps9t0JzPODuPqwkj1bBqGGUsRqIOaOd6EzGYxg542c9re6bVg60WDT69SvIyS8zPq1undgEleZKqo3NTiouL3oBj1EWu45LuEplgplK5oEfEjJPfDHasizWRVknGpe7nMEa5-luY8/s400/chamberlain+99.jpg)
In
October 1999,
Wilt Chamberlain passed away at the age of
63. A great loss mourned by all in the basketball community, he left behind an unmatched legacy 54 years after his professional debut. He is still remembered greatly through his colleagues, writers, teammates, and friends.
Career Highlights and Achievements:
1, 045 games played, 31, 419 total points [30.1 PPG], 23, 924 total rebounds [22.9 RPG], 4, 643 total assists [4.4 APG]
Rookie of the Year [1960]
2x NBA Champion [1967, 1972]
NBA Finals MVP [1972]
4x MVP [1960, 1967-68]
13x NBA All-Star [1960-69, 1970-73]
NBA All-Star Game MVP [1960]
7× NBA scoring champion [1960–66]
11× NBA rebounding champion [1960–63, 1966–69, 1971–73]
NBA 35th Anniversary Team
NBA 50th Anniversary Team
Scored 100 points against the New York Knicks on 2 March 1962
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee [1978]
College Basketball Hall of Fame [2006]
His #13 is retired by the Golden State Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers, and Los Angeles Lakers.
More of his records and feats can be found
here.
“Everything is habit forming, so make sure what you do is what you want to be doing.”
-
Wilt Chamberlain