When Lily Lou expressed doubt about Wilt Chamberlain’s legendary 100-point game, Kobe Bryant didn’t hesitate to respond with the conviction and respect that only someone deeply embedded in the culture of basketball could offer. “You never knew Wilt,” Kobe said firmly, “that was something only he could do.”
To Kobe, Wilt Chamberlain wasn’t just a name in the record books or a face in the black-and-white footage. He was a mythical figure—larger than life, yet real enough to inspire generations of players. Kobe had studied the game, its history, and the men who shaped it. He knew how dominant Wilt was in his era, how he redefined what it meant to be unstoppable on the court. In Kobe’s mind, doubting Wilt’s 100-point performance was like questioning a piece of sacred basketball scripture.
Kobe understood the magnitude of such a feat because he had come close himself—dropping 81 points in a single game against the Toronto Raptors. That night, he touched greatness, but even he knew the 100-point summit belonged solely to Wilt. “What I did was special,” he might admit, “but Wilt’s 100? That’s beyond special. That’s mythical.”
Kobe admired Wilt’s mental and physical dominance. He saw the game not just through modern eyes but with the reverence of a student of the past. Wilt wasn’t just tall and strong; he was skilled, driven, and relentless. The kind of player who would average over 48 minutes a game in a season, or lead the league in assists just to prove a point. He was competitive to the core, and that 100-point game was just the purest manifestation of that will.
So when Kobe responded to Lily Lou, it wasn’t just about defending a statistic. It was about defending legacy, excellence, and the unique greatness that defined Wilt Chamberlain. “You never knew Wilt,” he said—not as a criticism, but as a reminder. A reminder that some feats can’t be easily explained or replicated. They belong to a rare few who come once in a lifetime.
To Kobe, Wilt’s 100-point game was a truth, not a myth. And more than anything, it was proof of what’s possible when greatness meets opportunity. Only Wilt could have done it—and Kobe never doubted it for a second.
