In the history of the National Basketball Association (NBA), no player has ever surpassed the legendary mark of 100 points in a single game, a record held by the iconic center Wilt Chamberlain for more than six decades.
The historic 100-point night
On March 2, 1962, Chamberlain delivered what remains one of the most remarkable individual performances in professional sports history. Playing for the Philadelphia Warriors – a franchise that later became the Golden State Warriors – he scored 100 points against the New York Knicks.
The game took place in Hershey, Pennsylvania, and ended with a 169-147 victory for the Warriors. Chamberlain made 36 field goals and 28 free throws, an impressive feat considering that free throws were not his strongest skill.
Although the game was not televised – which was common at the time – the performance became legendary thanks to the famous photo of Chamberlain holding a piece of paper with the number “100.”
The closest performances to the record
Since then, several NBA stars have had extraordinary scoring nights, but none have reached the 100-point milestone.
Among the most notable performances are:
- 83 points – Bam Adebayo (2026)
- 81 points – Kobe Bryant (2006)
- 73 points – David Thompson (1978)
- 71 points – Donovan Mitchell (2023)
A record that still seems untouchable
Even though today’s NBA features a faster pace and more three-point shooting, many analysts believe Chamberlain’s record is one of the most difficult marks to break in the league.
To surpass 100 points, a player would likely need the perfect storm: extremely high shot volume, elite efficiency, heavy minutes, and a high-scoring game environment.
More than 60 years later, Wilt Chamberlain’s historic night remains the ultimate benchmark for individual scoring greatness in the NBA.
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