There have been a lot of conspiracies around the life of Wilt Chamberlain. Some say his 100-point game never happened since there was never any footage, while others say he slept with over 20,000 women.
A lesser-known chapter of his journey reveals a story that nearly prevented him from achieving numerous NBA records. From a Reddit post by User dantheman9758, back in Overbrook High School, Chamberlain was already a basketball phenom that nobody could contain. To make things a bit more challenging for him, Chamberlain was rumored to play in the National Basketball League (NBL) to compete with professionals. But he didn't join the league as himself since it could have ruined his eligibility in the NBA.
How Wilt Chamberlain faked his identity to play professional basketball
With ambitions of playing in the NBA, Chamberlain devised a plan that would allow him to earn a little money on the side without jeopardizing his future. His solution was to use a fake identity. Since background checks weren't as extreme as they are today, Chamberlain joined the Pittsburgh Raiders as “George Marcus.”
Against seasoned professionals, he averaged an astonishing 40 points per game in the regular season. In the playoffs, Chamberlain saved his best for last, bumping his average up to 53 points per game. As expected, Chamberlain denied the ordeal ever happened. However, judging from these news clippings, it's clear that Chamberlain did play in a league outside of his high school team.
Photo credit: @WiltCArchive on Twitter
As a senior, Chamberlain did get to play legally for the Quakertown Fays since The Pennsylvania Athletic Association did not have jurisdiction over city schools, which meant Chamberlain could play without losing his eligibility to play in college or the NBA.
Photo credit: @WiltCArchive on Twitter
In retrospect, this story serves as a testament to Chamberlain's extraordinary talent. Whenever a legend rises, there will be untold stories. Some of them will even stretch beyond the boundaries of belief. For “The Big Dipper”, or the man once known as George Marcus, his path to basketball immortality is a road unlike any other, and that's one of the reasons why he'll always go down as one of the greatest players in basketball history.
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