“Get out of here and take that off” - When Wilt Chamberlain rebelled against his high school coach

While players like Larry Bird and Michael Jordan developed an uncompromising flamboyance about themselves after taking over the NBA, determined to do things their way, Wilt Chamberlain had that unapologetic swagger about him when he was the star of his high school team, Overbrook. This was evident when he reacted after his coach, Cecil Mosenson, benched him for having an uptight attitude. However, ‘The Big Dipper’ deployed his own way of seeking revenge until everyone realized his importance.

Monsenson had enough of Chamberlain

Being just 22 years old when he became the coach of Overbrook, Mosenson struggled to cope with the flare and fame of Wilt. Moreover, given that the future Hall of Famer averaged more than 45 points per game as a senior and had already become the ‘talk of barbershops in Philadelphia,’ he believed he could do everything in his own way, which included pre-game warmups wearing a scarf, a sunglass, and a beret. However, Cecil was never going to tolerate such casual behavior, be it from Wilt or any other player.

"Get out of here," Mosenson shouted . "And take that off."

The mighty center was so insinuated by the coach’s scolding that he refused to shoot after the game began. Consequently, Mosenson benched him, telling him that if he didn’t shoot and continued his rebellion, his rightful place was on the team bench.

Even after a while, when Cecil believed Wilt would’ve learned his lesson, the latter just sat on the bench, being unresponsive to the coach’s questions.

Chamberlain returned to take over the game

As the game got close and fans grew desperate to see the dominant center on the court, Cecil was compelled to put ‘Wilt The Stilt’ into the game. Unsurprisingly, Chamberlain took over immediately, scoring and rebounding at will, leading Overbrook to victory.

However, back in the locker room, Cecil realized the flamboyant seven-footer still hadn't learned his lesson and decided to send him a message.

"You're not going to pull that crap on me ever again, " Mosenson told Wilt.

That being said, while Chamberlain’s actions might come across as a young hotshot with an excessive attitude, perhaps even disrespectful towards his coach, they also highlight the kind of dominance and fame he had attained from an early age. His self-confidence stemmed from the belief that he could take over any game at any point. Nevertheless, perhaps a young Wilt didn’t realize where to draw the line.

Related: Rasheed Wallace explains why Wilt Chamberlain was better than Shaquille O'Neal: "He was more offensively sound"