Bill Russell-Wilt Chamberlain Fight Video Causes Fans To Question 100-Point Game

Shandel Richardson | Sep 25, 2024

Unknown date; Los Angeles, CA, USA; FILE PHOTO; Los Angeles Lakers center Wilt Chamberlain (13) battles for a rebound in front of Boston Celtics center Bill Russell (6) at the Forum. Mandatory Credit: Darryl Norenberg-Imagn Images / Darryl Norenberg-Imagn Images

Footage recently surfaced of NBA greats Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell nearly coming to blows.

It is unknown what year the video is from but it was posted on the Facebook page of Open Court. It shows several Philadelphia Warriors and Boston Celtics getting into scuffles. The highlight was Chamberlain and Russell coming face to face. A shoving match occurred before the players were separated.

RARE FOOTAGE 📽 Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain squaring up. 👀😳

Posted by Open Court on Tuesday, September 24, 2024

The clips captures how emotions were so high during these rivalry games but fans used it to question the validity of Chamberlain's 100-point game against the New York Knicks in Hershey, Pa., in 1962

There are conspiracy theorists who believe the performance never happened because the lack of camera footage. Yet this near brawl was somehow recorded?

Commenters on the post quickly referenced the game.

One poster wrote, "They got footage of everything but them 100 points...." The same poster later wrote, "I completely understand. We're talking about basketball brother not quantum mechanics. There's no footage of the 100 points. I've never even heard an interview from a fam who claims to have attended the game."

In Chamberlain's defense, every NBA game wasn't televised back then. As one commenter wrote, it was more difficult getting a camera crew to the game.

The post read: "I laughed at this comment. But I don't think it's the conspiracy people make it out to be. The NBA was as niche as arena football in 1962. Yall really think they sent a crew to film a random game in Hershey, PA that was played in a high school auditorium down the road from a chocolate factory?"

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Back In The Day Hoops On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

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