WiltStats

Rules the NBA had to change specifically because of Wilt Chamberlain’s dominance:

1. Offensive goaltending:

"He used to jump up, catch his teammates shots and dunk them."

2. In-bounds plays:

"Players are no longer allowed to throw a pass on the baseline over the backboard. Wilt used to jump up and dunk those, too."

3. Free throws:

"When fouled, players no longer are allowed to take a running start from behind the foul line. Wilt used to dunk his free throws in that fashion as if it were a long-jump competition."

4. Rebounding positions:

"In free-throw situations, the two inside rebounding positions were divided one to the offense, one to the defense. That was changed to both defensive positions because Wilt's coaches ordered his teammates to miss so Wilt could get the rebound and score two points instead of one."

5. Widened key:

"The key area was widened to 16 feet to keep Chamberlain away from the basket."

While averaging 46.3 points a game in the 1965 playoffs, a totally exhausted Jerry West turned to Lakers coach Fred Schaus during a timeout:

"Tell them to quit giving me the ball all the time. It's embarrassing."

Celtics coach Red Auerbach on West:

"You hold West to 25 points and you figure you deserve a medal."

Jerry West in 1966 on the pressure he put on himself to carry the Lakers:

"Now, I average 44 minutes a game and I feel a responsibility to get a certain number of points in those 44 minutes. Say about a point a minute.

It's not fun to go back to the dressing room, after you get beat by 10 points, and KNOW those 10 points were YOUR responsibility."

Royals coach Tom Marshall was studying the stat sheet, shaking his head in disbelief after Wilt's 55 points against Cincinnati:

"How do you stop the guy? You just don't. How can you? He's terrific. He's one of the best. He had one of his better nights and there's no stopping him."

Marshall had tried to give his big men every kind of help — sagging his guards and forwards into the middle every time the ball went in — and Wilt still brought it out of the scramble and tossed it in.

The Enquirer called it one of the Garden's more memorable shows. Most of Wilt's points came on a turn-jump shot, mixed with his patented dunk, the one where it appeared his waist was about level with the rim.

Afterward, one of the first well-wishers in the Warriors' dressing room was Oscar Robertson, still at the University of Cincinnati, a year away from the NBA himself.

67 years ago today, Wilt Chamberlain made his first-ever NBA appearance in Cincinnati, putting up 55 points and 29 rebounds.

A crowd of roughly 3,500 walked away with a clear verdict:

"Wilt 'The Stilt' Chamberlain made his first National Basketball Association appearance in Cincinnati last night, and a crowd of approximately 3500 walked away convinced he's the greatest thing ever on a basketball court."