page_title: Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball
section_title: Dick Harp era (1956–1964)
hierarchical_section_title: Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball / History / Dick Harp era (1956–1964)
caption_attribution_description: edited (colour) picture Image:Wilt Chamberlain.jpg Wilt Chamberlain, American basketball player wearing uniform of Harlem Globetrotters.
context_page_description: The Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball program of the University of Kansas. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference. Kansas is considered one of the most prestigious college basketball programs in the country with 5 overall National Championships, as well being a National Runner-Up six times and having the most conference titles in the nation. Kansas is the all-time consecutive conference titles record holder with 14 consecutive titles, a streak that ran from 2005 through 2018. The Jayhawks also own the NCAA record for most consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances with an active streak of 30 consecutive appearances. The Jayhawks have been ranked in the AP poll for 220 consecutive polls, a streak that has stretched from the poll released on February 2, 2009 poll through the poll released on March 18, 2020, which is the longest active streak in the nation. That streak is 1 behind UCLA's record run of 221 straight from 1966-1980. Of the 24 seasons the Big 12 conference has been in existence, Kansas has won at least a share of 19 Regular Season Conference titles.
context_section_description: Following Allen's retirement, the Jayhawks hired former KU player and assistant, Dick Harp. Under Harp the Jayhawks went 121–82 with two conference titles and two NCAA tournament berths.
  Wilt Chamberlain played his varsity years under Harp, making his job a rather easy one for the first two seasons. In his first varsity game, Chamberlain scored 52 points and grabbed 31 rebounds, breaking both all-time college records in an 87–69 win against Northwestern. In 1957, he led the Jayhawks to the championship game against North Carolina, coached by Frank McGuire, whom they had defeated in the 1952 title game when McGuire was at St. John's. McGuire triple-teamed Chamberlain and, as a result, KU was defeated 54–53 in triple overtime. The game is considered one of the greatest in NCAA history. Chamberlain continued to average 30+ points per game until leaving KU early to play professionally with the Harlem Globetrotters.
caption: Wilt Chamberlain was one of the top centers to ever play for the Jayhawks.
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