Could Wilt Chamberlain’s 100 Point Record Finally Be Broken After 61 Years?

Records are meant to be beaten, as the saying goes, and yet over half a century has passed since Wilt Chamberlain set what was considered an unbeatable score.

Chamberlain is so well known for setting “unbeatable” records that there is actually a Wikipedia article dedicated to his frankly inhuman feats. The one we’re discussing is the whopping 100 points he brought down on the New York Knicks for the Philadelphia Warriors. The game itself, played on March 2nd, 1962, was record breaking in of itself when both teams worked towards an end score of 169-147 and breaking the record for most combined points in a game (316). While the latter record has been broken (the current is 370, broken by the Detroit Pistons and Denver Nuggets in a close 186-184 game), the 100 point record still stands and there is doubt it will be broken anytime in the near future.

Some disagree, however, for as time goes on, the frequency of amazing feats of skill are increasing. Some, in fact, have begun taking bets on which of the talented young men of this new generation are most likely to be able to take up Chamberlain’s place as champion. It’s no longer a question of “if”, but of “when”? To honor the 61st anniversary of the record, we’re going to take a look at some of the young men most likely to break it.

Damian Lillard

This first one should come as no surprise at all for anyone familiar with basketball. He’s tied with Donovan Mitchell at a season high of 71 points, but Lillard who has five 60 point games in his list of achievements, something that no NBA player alive can say that have done. He knows what he’s doing on the court and, in our opinion, is one of the only players out there who has a chance of destroying Chamberlain’s record. He not only has the skill to achieve it, but also the consistency to get him close to it multiple times. Asking a player to perform another 30 points on an already taxing game may sound absurd, but Lillard seems just as determined as we are to see him make history, if not more.

Stephen Curry

This Golden State Warrior popping up on here might come as some surprise to readers, given his speed leaves something to be desired. We’re still betting on his success for the 3-pointers alone. The man is an excellent shot, and sometimes it’s quality over quantity that matters. 34 3-pointers seems a lot more reasonable than 100 layups, if you as is. He has a career high of 62 points, and while that high was from only one game just over two years ago, just remember it only takes one game for him to win it all.

Luka Dončić

During the writing of this article, Luka Dončić, who was playing for the Dallas Mavericks, was injured during a game against the Pelicans. His condition is rather frightening career-wise, and he will be undergoing an MRI soon. However, we are still including him in this list because he was going to appear here originally for the raw potential he holds, and in the hopes that this will work as some sort of good luck charm to help his recovery.

Luka is a damn good 3-point shooter and has already dropped an impressive 60 points in one game. Just this season, he leads in the most 50-point games, and if he recovers to full health, we know he’ll go on to do greater things.

Get well, Luka, because you deserve far more than to have all that skill tripped up by a freak accident.

Conclusion

Wilt Chamberlain will always be one of the all time greats in basketball history; a man who really comes once in a lifetime. Most of us were not alive around Wilt’s hayday, so the older generation might be content with The record as it is. Many, however, long to see the day when they can tell their kids that they saw such an amazing feat live and to have their own “I was there” moment in sports history. That yearning is what keeps basketball in the amazing shape it’s in, never letting our standards drop so that those who aspire to be like Chamberlain can work hard and claim the record in a moment of pure glory.

Wilt’s record is astonishing and one of the greatest achievements in all of sports history. The best way we can honor it is by striving to beat it.