Sixty-three years ago, Wilt Chamberlain capped off one of the most extraordinary seasons in NBA history, a campaign so dominant that its records remain untouched to this day.
On March 14, 1962, Chamberlain’s Philadelphia Warriors secured a 119-115 overtime victory against the Chicago Packers, marking the end of a regular season that redefined the limits of individual achievement in basketball.
Chamberlain’s 1961-62 season is best remembered for his jaw-dropping scoring average of 50.4 points per game, a feat that no player has come close to replicating. Over the course of 80 games, Chamberlain scored a staggering 4,029 points, setting a single-season scoring record that still stands. To put this into perspective, Michael Jordan never averaged more than 37.1 points per game in a season.
Chamberlain’s scoring prowess was on full display throughout the season, including his iconic 100-point game on March 2, 1962, against the New York Knicks. In that historic performance, he shot 36-for-63 from the field and 28-for-32 from the free-throw line, cementing his place in basketball lore.
Equally astonishing was Chamberlain’s endurance. He averaged 48.5 minutes per game, a figure that defies logic. Considering that regulation games are 48 minutes long, Chamberlain’s average was only possible because he played nearly every minute of every game, including overtime periods. In fact, he missed just eight minutes all season.
Chamberlain’s 1961-62 campaign was a season of superlatives. He recorded 45 games with 50 or more points, including 12 games with 60 or more points. His dominance extended beyond scoring; while blocks and steals were not officially recorded at the time, anecdotal evidence suggests he was a defensive force as well. Chamberlain also averaged 25.7 rebounds per game.
Chamberlain’s achievements during the 1961-62 season are often described as “unbreakable,” and for good reason. The combination of his scoring, rebounding, and minutes played represents a level of dominance that is unlikely to be seen again.
