NBA Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain is best known for his otherworldly box scores (including his 100-point effort against the New York Knicks on March 2, 1962, which is a record that still stands to this day) and for being a next level cocksman. What many people don’t know about Wilt The Stilt is that he was also a brilliant prankster.
For example – According to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, he and Wilt were in an elevator years ago when another man entered and commented on their height. “How’s the weather up there?” the (definitely white) guy says. That dude may have thought a weather joke was a perfect line to deliver in the presence of a pair of 7-footers, but it was the wrong fucking move in front of Wilt Johnny Knoxville Chamberlain.
Do you know how many times Wilt has heard a line like that in his life? I do not have those numbers, but you better believe Chamberlain was more than prepared to respond. And when I say “prepared to respond,” I mean he spit right in the dude’s face and said, “It’s raining.” Hilarious!
And if Wilt had just eaten a mucus-triggering meal like a rare New York Strip with a tall glass of whole milk? I imagine it like that scene in “The Shining” when all the blood comes rushing out of the elevator bank, except it’s not blood it’s Wilt’s saliva. Woof. Either way, I can assure you that buddy in the elevator was absolutely marinating in Chamberlain’s dribble by the time he made it to the lobby. Again, just a really great, harmless prank.
While we’re here, did you know spit consists of about 99% water? It’s true. The other 1% is made up of electrolytes and organic substances, such as digestive enzymes and small quantities of uric acid, cholesterol, and mucins. Let’s have a great week.
P.S. Kareem told this story years ago as part of his HBO documentary but the quote recently resurfaced and as a Wilt Chamberlain superfan I felt it my duty to pass it along.