We all know “Wilt the Stilt” for two numbers: 100 and 20,000. The former represents the record number of points the Lakers legend scored in a single game, and the latter, well, let’s just say if you know, you know. But for as incredible a feat as scoring triple digits in a single game and averaging over 50 points in a season is, one could argue Chamberlain’s most impressive stat came on the defensive end—blocks. 

The NBA didn’t officially start tracking blocked shots until the 1973-1974 season, shortly after Wilt’s retirement. As such, officially, the all-time leader in blocks is Hakeem Olajuwon with an impressive 3,830 total career blocks. The single-game record is held by Elmore Smith during his stint with the Lakers in 1973 (the season Wilt retired, interestingly enough), with a total of 17 blocked shots against the Portland Trail Blazers. However, those are official stats. When digging into some unofficial accounts of blocked shots before 1973, two players may have had far more impressive single-game feats and potentially could have topped the leaderboards if the stat was counted throughout their respective careers. These two players are, of course, Wilt Chamberlain and his career rival, the great Bill Russell. 

In a nationally televised game in 1969, the Lakers were losing quite embarrassingly to the Phoenix Suns. At halftime, ABC reporter Jack Twyman asked Wilt why he wasn’t doing what his coach wanted, which was to play the high-post. It was well-known at the time that Chamberlain didn’t get along with then-Laker coach Breda Kolff. So getting asked this question on live TV reportedly “pissed off” the Big Dipper, and what transpired, as a (supposed) article from Sports Illustrated states, “…was the kind of shot-blocking and defence that would make even Bill Russell cringe,” going on to state that, “Unofficially, Chamberlain was credited with blocking 23 shots.” 

Now, it should be noted that there isn’t footage of this game and finding official reports of it is very difficult. Even the image of the Sports Illustrated article linked earlier isn’t from their official vault, but rather an image that’s been shared around different basketball forums. That being said, SI do have an official issue of their magazine from around this time where the writer mentioned both Chamberlain’s issues with coach Kolff and a “…recent game on national television [where] he blocked 23 shots against Phoenix.” So, it seems there is some validity to this incredible game. 

Though Russell was known more for his defense, it’s clear that Chamberlain’s sheer physical prowess allowed him to be a dominant force on the other end of the court as well. Unofficial statistics have both of these legends averaging anywhere from six to eight blocks per game during their prime; numbers that, if accurately documented, would undoubtedly place both of them in the all-time rankings for blocked shots.