If there’s one saying that could sum up everything Wilt Chamberlain represented, it would be “the man, the myth, the legend.” And that’s not an exaggeration. He was an absolute freak of nature, one of the most gifted athletes not only in basketball history, but in sports history as a whole.
However, even though he shattered – better yet, set – records season after season, Wilt The Stilt still enjoyed the simple parts of his life off the court. And while he made more money than almost anyone in the league at the time, he made it clear that cash was never the center of his universe.
“My life is such, that I’ve been fortunate I’ve made a great deal of money, some people may consider me a millionaire… But I have found that, honestly, really it’s easy for me to say, some people will say that you say this because you have money… but the simple things in life are the things that really turn me on the most,” Wilt said in a vintage interview.
Wilt was earning… a lot!
From the moment he entered the league with the Philadelphia and San Francisco Warriors, to his days with the Philadelphia 76ers and finally the Los Angeles Lakers, Wilt Chamberlain was larger than life. He was the first player in NBA history to receive $100,000 in the 1965–66 season, a number that was unheard of at the time. And as the sport’s first true superstar, Wilt continued to push the limits of earning power.
Between 1968 and 1973, Chamberlain broke the financial structure of professional basketball with a five-year, $250,000-per-year contract, a number that put him into his own category of earners. For comparison, in today’s context, it would be “only” $1.7 million per season. And for a guy that averaged video game numbers like Wilt, it still seemed low.
And yet, as ridiculous as Wilt’s on-court dominance and off-court earning power were, he repeatedly emphasized that money didn’t dictate his happiness. Of course, he enjoyed every single bit of it, but he never let it dictate what he did in his free time.
Wilt was enjoying all the simple things
Even though Wilt earned more money than almost anyone in his era, Chamberlain found genuine joy in places that didn’t require him to be a millionaire. Living in Southern California, he relaxed by playing volleyball on the beach, eating hot dogs, sipping lemonade, and hanging out with regular folks as if he wasn’t the most unstoppable force basketball had ever seen. He went hiking, spent time outdoors, and embraced a lifestyle that had nothing to do with the fame and fortune attached to his name.
“I really dig things that don’t take very much money to do, and I just kind of think that money can definitely be used for very wonderful things, but life can be happy without a great deal of it,” Chamberlain pointed out.
The Big Dipper is the player whose records won’t be touched anytime soon — from the 100-point game to averaging over 50 points per season, the man was a giant among men. His limited footage still feels unreal, and on top of all the dominance, he spent his free time just like the “rest” of us.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Dec 2, 2025, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.