The 75 greatest players in NBA history, ranked by Player Efficiency Rating (PER)
By Cal Durrett
7. Wilt Chamberlain-26.16
It may surprise many that Wilt Chamberlain isn't number one, but Chamberlain was still the most dominant offensive player in league history, scoring more than 31,000 points in just 14 seasons. He even averaged 50 points per game during the 1961–62 season, the same year he scored 100 points in a game. Not only that but he is also the NBA's all-time leading rebounder.
Being one of the most prolific scorers on great efficiency and the greatest rebounder ever definitely helps his all-time PER ranking, as does his passing. Towards the end of his career, Chamberlain led the NBA in assists. Factor in that he is largely remembered as one of the best defensive players ever and seventh is too low for him. However, he would be higher if the NBA had kept track of certain stats earlier on.
Even without them, Chamberlain's superior numbers in all categories—save for free throw percentage—are more than enough to put Wilt in the top 10 in all-time PER. That's impressive, to be sure, but he would undoubtedly be number one if we knew his complete stat totals.