NBA lore is filled with countless stories and rumors, some exaggerated, some outright lies, and others twisted versions of the truth. Few players have inspired as many wild tales as the legendary Wilt Chamberlain. From his unbelievable strength to feats that defy common basketball sense, Chamberlain’s achievements continue to spark debate. Older fans and former players still argue over what’s fact, while younger generations question what belongs in the realm of fantasy.
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Former All-Star Dwight Howard recently added his own voice to the Chamberlain mythos. In an interview on Patrick Bet-David’s PBD Podcast, he shared a remarkable story that was told to him by Arnold Schwarzenegger. The former actor spoke to him at Gold’s Gym in Venice Beach, California, where he revealed something astounding.
According to Schwarzenegger, Chamberlain had just lifted 2,000 pounds. Now, scoring 100 points in an NBA game might be far-fetched, but still believable. This? Howard felt it was impossible.
“I talked to Arnold Schwarzenegger when he was at Gold’s Gym in Venice Beach,” Howard recalled. Mimicking Schwarzenegger’s accent, he said, “I was just with Chamberlain; I saw him lift 2,000 pounds.” When Bet-David and others in the room laughed, Howard got serious. “He talked about how strong Wilt Chamberlain was. He said [he was the] strongest person. [You’ve] got Arnold, who’s always lifting weights, saying how strong he was.”
Still, Howard doubted the claim. “The 2,000 sounds crazy to me, [but] I could see him doing some crazy weights [though],” he admitted. Chamberlain’s career sparked plenty of myths. One claims he nearly boxed Muhammad Ali professionally. Another suggests he could have worked as a deliveryman, thanks to his strength and speed. It’s also said he never fouled out of a game, which speaks to his discipline on the court.
Nonetheless, his most famous feat remains scoring triple figures in a single game. On March 2, 1962, Wilt led the Philadelphia Warriors to a 169–147 win over the New York Knicks in Hershey, Pennsylvania. That performance still stands as the most dominant scoring display in NBA history, though many continue to dispute it.
Another bizarre myth claims Wilt broke a player’s toe with a dunk. Howard addressed this story, saying, “One guy who said He said ‘Wilt dunked the ball one time so hard that when he dunked the ball, the ball hit somebody’s foot from the rim, and it broke the person’s foot.’ I said, ‘Get out of here.’ Like, ‘Yeah, y’all are just making stuff up.'” Howard’s responses reveal how Chamberlain’s legend often blurred the lines between fact and fiction.
Why there’s no video of Chamberlain’s 100-point night
Former Warriors forward Tom Meschery, who started alongside Chamberlain during his historic 100-point performance on March 2, 1962, recently reflected on that legendary night. In a video message shared with Miller Creek Middle School—where his daughter has taught for nearly three decades—Meschery provided a first-hand account of the game’s unique circumstances.
“I am here as an eyewitness to Wilt scoring 100 points,” Meschery detailed, noting that the game’s location in Hershey, Pennsylvania, rather than Philadelphia, played a major role in its limited media coverage.
“There weren’t a lot of newspaper people around to do filming of any kind whatsoever,” he added, offering rare insight into why such a monumental event remains without video footage. Still, a lot of modern-day NBA stars struggle to comprehend it. Big names, including Paul George, feel that the stat lines simply don’t add up. But we go by the history books — and according to them, it did happen.
