Basketball Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain wants to clear up a major misconception.
“There’s been a lot of conversation, since people have been trying to get my jersey number retired, that I have some dislike for the University of Kansas. That is totally ridiculous,” Chamberlain said.
Chamberlain, a 7-foot-2 center who played at Kansas from 1956-58, will return to KU to have his jersey No. 13 retired at halftime of the KU-K-State men’s basketball game on Jan. 17.
“I have never been bitter at the University of Kansas for anything. I would be a Jayhawk again tomorrow if it was possible,” said Chamberlain, who grew up in Philadelphia and now lives in the Los Angeles area.
Chamberlain, 61, was speaking on last week’s Sport2Sport radio program hosted by Roger Morningstar and Warner Lewis. The Chamberlain interview — he has otherwise been unavailable for comment — was provided to the Journal-World by KLWN-AM radio.
“I have not been able to commit myself to a specific date in the past. Now, we’ll get that jersey thing taken care of,” Chamberlain said.
“It’s a nice honor, but it’s more important for me to have people understand there’s nothing but a warm place in my heart for the University of Kansas. I have a great many people there I love and I think they love me. I’m looking forward to coming back and saying hello.”
It had previously been assumed Chamberlain had declined invitations to return because of racial prejudice he encountered as a KU student. He acknowledged there were problems, but said he holds no bitterness.
“Growing up, my parents never mentioned racial discord,” Chamberlain said. “I had many white friends. When I finally decided to attend Kansas over Indiana, Dayton, Michigan and Penn, I drove cross country to Kansas with one of my white teammates, who was one of my best friends.
“We drove 18 hours and stopped at a restaurant in Kansas City. They sort of knew who I was, but wouldn’t serve me in the front. They would serve me in the kitchen. I didn’t understand. My friend recognized what was going on and said we should just drive 35 minutes to Lawrence.
“It was my first awakening to that. I was very angry and drove right to Dr. (Phog, KU coach) Allen’s house. He called one of the football players to take me to get something to eat at a restaurant in Lawrence.
“Dr. Allen’s son was attorney general. He told me, ‘Anyone who refuses to serve me … we’ll close the restaurant.’ I think most were forewarned if they didn’t serve me they’d be in trouble. This is as negative as it got for me. There’s no other school I could have attended where I wouldn’t have had some of the same problems.”
He said the only other “sensitive area” regarding his KU days concerned coach Allen, who was forced to retire as Chamberlain became eligible to play. Allen had exceeded the mandatory retirement age.
“I think he (Allen) always thought they’d relinquish the age limit a year or two so he could coach me. They didn’t,” Chamberlain said. “It was an uneasy time for Dr. Allen and me but in no way did it reflect on how I felt about Dick Harp (successor to Allen) and his wife. They were like a second mother and father to me,” Chamberlain said.
Chamberlain played at KU two years, then turned pro because other teams “had taken the fun out of the game” for him, playing stall ball and mugging him on the court.
“Still, I would not have left had Chancellor (Franklin) Murphy not given his blessing,” Chamberlain said. “He said he understood and said I should go professional and get on with my life.”
Now he’s ready to return to KU.
“I have never meant for it to be something where people think, ‘Is he ever going to come back?’ Like it is a chore. It is not a chore,” Chamberlain said. “I have never always done everything right. I am looking forward to getting back and visiting with some people I want back in my life.”
