Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-Point Game Evidence Sees 4500X Growth in Value Over Six Decades

A piece of paper with the number 100 on it is part of basketball lore all over the world. Yes, after Wilt Chamberlain dropped 100 points against the Knicks in 1962, he would hold the paper for all the photographers, which is now an iconic photo. It’s been six decades since that record, and it remains untouched. In fact, he is the only player in league history to have multiple 70+ point games (5). Even though there is no video proof of that event, its iconic nature shouldn’t be diminished.

Despite no video to back the claim, there is an official NBA stat sheet, and even fans in attendance on that night are not disputing it. One of the few fans has sold his ticket from that game, which fetched him more than 4500% in return. “An $8 ticket to the game Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points at sold for $36,000.” William Tilford and his future wife were watching the game as one of their first dates as a couple. Never in his wildest imagination did he think any basketball player would drop 100 points.

“The game wasn’t televised and there were only 4,124 people in attendance, adding to its mythical reputation. The ticket stayed in the Tilford family for over 60 years, until his son Todd Tilford decided to list it for auction with REA Auctions, where it sold for $36,000.” Till now, the record stands, as Kobe Bryant was the only one to break the record. His effort of 81 points was no slouch either, but again, not enough to beat the three-figure mark. Apart from scoring, Wilt Chamberlain added 25 rebounds and two assists while playing all 48 minutes.

Another memorabilia from that game fetched a massive sum of $214,579 at auction. As per TMZ, the Philadelphia Warriors’ scorer’s sheet from Wilt Chamberlain’s NBA record 100-point game was a hot commodity. Because Warriors statistician Toby DeLuca had to make extra room every quarter to document the 36 field goals and 28 free throws Chamberlain made during the game.

DeLuca had to make the adjustments on the fly, since Chamberlain scored 23 points in the first quarter, had 41 at the half, added 28 in the third, and 31 in the fourth to reach 100. In fact, his shooting that day was efficient; he shot 36-of-63 (57.1%) from the field and 28-of-32 (87.5%) from the free-throw line. During his career, Chamberlain wasn’t the best from the charity strip; his career average was 51.1%. However, that day, it all fell in place. That’s why the not-so-perfect so perfect scoresheet got sold for more than 200k.

A Lakers legend already predicted a 100-point game for Wilt Chamberlain

The former Lakers legend was already breaking records when he signed his first NBA contract. He became the NBA’s highest-paid player when he signed for $30,000 in his rookie contract. In his debut match against the New York Knicks, Chamberlain scored 43 points and grabbed 28 rebounds. Just a small glimpse of what a legendary career that panned out.

It was Jerry West, who joined the league one year after Chamberlain, who predicted that the three-figure mark would be breached soon. “He’s been scoring so many points, and we were going to play the St. Louis Hawks, which are now the Atlanta Hawks… I think one of the things that was kind of amazing about him — we were talking, went to the hotel in a cab. I said, two or three of us said, ‘He’s going to score a 100 points in one night, if he can make free throws,’ and I think that night he scored 100 points, but I think he made 28 of his 32 free throws,” West revealed.

That year, Chamberlain’s free-throw percentage was an all-time high at 61.3%. That was the same year when his average was 50.4 points, another career-high. His 14-year NBA career ended with him averaging 30.1 points and 22.9 rebounds. Yet, the most memorable moment still remains his 100-point game that came during his team’s 169–147 win in Hershey, Pennsylvania.