Wilt Chamberlain’s 1959-60 Philadelphia uniform from his NBA rookie MVP season brings in $1.79 million – a vintage record
- $1.79 million is the highest amount ever paid for vintage basketball memorabilia at auction
- Wilt Chamberlain won MVP and Rookie of the Year in his first NBA season
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Wilt Chamberlain set another record on Saturday when his rookie uniform sold for nearly $1.8 million at auction.
The rookie jersey and shorts from Chamberlain’s 1959-60 season with the Philadelphia Warriors (now the Golden State Warriors) were purchased for $1,792 million through SCP Auctions on Saturday.
Chamberlain played 50 games that season – including two games in which he dropped more than 45 points and 20 rebounds.
He recorded 47 points and 36 boards in a January game against the Boston Celtics and topped the feat three days later with a 52-point, 20-rebound game against the Minneapolis Lakers.
This auction set the record for the highest amount of vintage basketball memorabilia ever paid for in US history.
Wilt Chamberlain’s 1959-60 Philadelphia Warriors rookie kit sold at auction for $1.79 million
Chamberlain won the MVP and Rookie of the Year awards in his debut NBA season with Philly
The uniform is primarily made of a white fabric, but features “PHILA” in red and blue – the city’s colors – on the front and features Wilt’s iconic No. 13 on the back.
The home shirt also has a bit of blood on it and the white shorts also show off bold red, blue and gold lines.
“The Big Dipper”—Chamberlain’s nickname—also wore the jersey as Philly lost to the Celtics in six games in the Eastern Division playoff series.
It just goes to show how dominant a player the 7-foot-1 center was in what was only his first year ever in the world of professional basketball.
During his rookie season, Chamberlain won the first of his four league MVPs. He averaged an unprecedented 37.6 points and 27 rebounds per game, two current NBA records at the time.
The basketball Hall of Fame member at age 23 also won Rookie of the Year in 1959-60.
Chamberlain joined the Philadelphia Warriors after dominating college basketball at the University of Kansas for three years.
He played for the Harlem Globetrotters before joining the NBA and after his junior year at Kansas, as the league did not accept players until their graduating class was completed.
Chamberlain played 14 seasons in the NBA, nine years in Philly and five in LA
Chamberlain went on to play 14 seasons in the NBA, nine years in Philadelphia before spending five seasons with the Lakers.
He averaged over 30 points and nearly 23 rebounds throughout his career and was a 13-time All-Star, 11 rebounding and seven-time scoring champion.
In a game against the New York Knicks in 1962, Chamberlain scored 100 points, which is still a current record in the current NBA.
In all, he has 71 other records waiting to be broken.