To this day, Wilt Chamberlain is considered by many to be one of, if not, the most dominant force to ever step foot on an NBA court.
He continues to hold records for most points and rebounds in a game, as well as highest season average for points and rebounds.
Chamberlain was a trail blazer for NBA big men, and when he joined Jerry West and Elgin Baylor on the Lakers in 1968, great things were expected.
In 1972, West and Chamberlain would lead the team to their first championship in the city of Los Angeles. But there was another important moment that season for Chamberlain personally.
On February 16, Chamberlain would score his 30,000th career point, becoming the first player in the history of the NBA to do so.
Milestones are great, but being the first to do something makes it a little more special. Chamberlain remains one of only five players to reach the 30,000 point plateau.
He now ranks fifth all-time in scoring, being passed by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Michael Jordan, and Kobe Bryant. Chamberlain, however, has played in fewer games than all of them.
Chamberlain will forever be one of the greatest players in the history of the NBA and the 1972 season was one of the finest of his career. He became the league’s all-time greatest rebounder, and he won his final NBA Championship, being named NBA Finals MVP in the process.
But on February 16, he entered into a class of his own, that very few have joined since. This week, we remember Wilt Chamberlain for becoming the first player to score 30,000 points in a career.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
STEVE NASH: Has His Latest Setback Made Him Rethink His Thoughts On Retirement?