‘Ursa Major,’ the mansion owned by late NBA icon Wilt Chamberlain, sells in California
A remarkable, custom-built mansion owned by basketball legend Wilt Chamberlain has sold for $9.675 million in Los Angeles, California, according to a Coldwell Banker Realty news release.
“Hidden behind massive gates and offering the utmost in privacy, this major Bel Air estate, also known as ‘Ursa Major,’ is perched atop a secluded nearly 2.5-acre promontory on a cul-de-sac,” the release describes. “A soaring five-story living room harmoniously blends a cathedral ceiling, walls of windows, tree-like columns and Bouquet Canyon stone.”
The estate, which was designed by architect David Rich, was built on a former missile silo site that Chamberlain spied from a helicopter and “decided then that he wanted to built a house on the site,” Mansion Global said.
Of course, when the basketball Hall of Famer had Ursa Major built, it was designed specifically for the 7-foot-1 star.
“The bathroom sinks, the kitchen counters—all of those were super high,” listing agent Bobby Syed told Mansion Global. “The countertops would come down to a normal person’s chest.”
The famous center won two NBA championships and had a slew of career highlights and awards during his 14 seasons in the pros. Famously, Chamberlain scored 100 points for the Philadelphia Warriors against the New York Knicks, setting the single-game scoring record in the league in 1962. He died in 1999 at 63.
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