Wilt Chamberlain had a great run during his career, but the star center could have made some more money during his career if things worked out better.
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Wilt’s career was defined by dominance. There was simply no NBA player in the same league as him when he played for the Warriors back in the day.
Of course, everyone is well aware of his untouchable record of 100 points in a single game, and everyone also knows about his monstrous season when he averaged 50.4 points per game and 25.7 rebounds per game, yet another untouchable mark.
However, Wilt’s dominance also came with the tagline that he was an ’empty stats’ player as he hadn’t won a championship despite putting those ridiculous scoring numbers. People labeled his style of play selfish, and it wasn’t until he joined Philadelphia, changed his style of play, and won a ring that he lost that label. He would of course win another with the Lakers in 1972.
55 years ago today (March 2, 1962): Wilt Chamberlain stuns the sports world by scoring 100 points in a single game in Hershey, PA. pic.twitter.com/D4MnCRdhPk
— NBA History (@NBAHistory) March 2, 2017
Wilt Chamberlain potentially lost $500 million after Ike Richman’s death
The 76ers have Ike Richman to thank for their existence. Richman paired up with Irv Kosloff and acquired the Syracuse Nationals in 1963, co-owning the team.
Richman had a lot of influence over the team, and he also was Wilt Chamberlain’s personal attorney. The two had formed a close relationship with each other, and there was a lot at stake.
Wilt Chamberlain, who had a net worth of $10 million, even thought of Richman as a father figure in his life. There was a strong link between the two.
The link was strong enough to where Richman offered Chamberlain a 25% stake in the 76ers. However, before the deal could go through, Richman passed away due to a heart attack in 1965.
Kosloff didn’t honor the agreement, and Wilt lost his chance at gaining a stake in the company. The 76ers are now worth $2.45 billion, and Wilt could have cashed in as much as $612 million.