Wilt Chamberlain’s Family Cheers as Today’s NBA Stars Chase His Records

The family of legendary Philadelphia basketball player Wilt Chamberlain actively supports current NBA stars attempting to break his decades-old records. Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is trying to surpass Chamberlain's 126-game streak of scoring at least 20 points, while Miami's Bam Adebayo recently scored 83 points, coming closer to Chamberlain's famous 100-point game record.

PHILADELPHIA — When NBA players chase the legendary records of Wilt Chamberlain, his nephew Olin keeps his television tuned in and his phone close by, ready for the family group chat to explode with excitement.

Each time someone threatens to surpass one of “Uncle Dippy’s” achievements — that’s what family members called the late basketball icon — the relatives start buzzing with anticipation.

The next opportunity arrives Thursday evening as Oklahoma City’s reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander faces Boston, attempting to extend his consecutive games with 20 or more points to 127. This would eclipse Chamberlain’s record of 126 straight games set between 1961 and 1963, during which he never scored fewer than 20 points throughout the entire 1961-62 season while playing for the Philadelphia Warriors.

From his Philadelphia residence, 50-year-old Olin — whose father Oliver was Wilt’s brother — enthusiastically supports Gilgeous-Alexander’s pursuit while working to preserve Chamberlain’s memory through a memorial scholarship program. Breaking one record doesn’t concern him, Olin explains, since Chamberlain still owns approximately 60 NBA records.

“He has so many that one won’t affect it,” Olin Chamberlain said with a laugh. “He left such a legacy.”

Current NBA superstars continue generating headlines that feature Chamberlain’s name and accomplishments.

Since 1962, Chamberlain’s single-game scoring record of 100 points remains untouched.

Miami’s Bam Adebayo moved into second place Tuesday night against Washington with 83 points, while also establishing new league records for free throws made and attempted in one contest. This performance once again highlighted Chamberlain’s dominance 53 years after his final season. Kobe Bryant holds third place with 81 points.

“Wilt, me, then Kobe, which sounds crazy,” Adebayo said.

The Chamberlain family takes pride in everything Wilt accomplished both during games and in his community involvement.

Michelle Smith, another of Chamberlain’s nieces, emphasized how the former 76ers legend actively participated in community activities and always honored autograph requests. She believes her uncle would enthusiastically support Gilgeous-Alexander’s record attempt and encourage others to challenge the 100-point milestone, unlike some former players who prefer their records to stand forever.

“His name is there already. It’s a chance for somebody to come up and break a record and be known to break his records,” said Smith, whose 90-year-old mother Selena was Wilt’s sister. “They feel good about it, as well. They made him like a God in basketball, so when people break his records, they feel some kind of way. They feel great like, ‘Oh yeah, I’m up next to Wilt now.'”

Many of Chamberlain’s achievements remain virtually impossible to match in today’s NBA.

Several scoring records appear completely unreachable: highest points per game average in one season (50.4 during 1961-62); most 50-point performances in a single season (45 in 1961-62); most career regular-season games with 60 or more points (32); and most career regular-season 50-point games (118).

“When people begin to speak about Wilt, they just can’t believe all that he accomplished,” said Chamberlain’s friend and 76ers’ executive advisor to the CEO, Sonny Hill. “He never gets his just due. It’s almost like he just scored 100 points. Well, 100 points is not the greatest thing that he did. He had a season where he averaged 50.”

The 89-year-old Hill — who nicknamed his friend “Dip” — first encountered Chamberlain when both were 12 years old competing in Philadelphia’s Baptist Church league. Hill describes Chamberlain as resembling a Paul Bunyan-like figure in sports mythology, partly because limited video exists from his prime playing years. Similar to questioning the moon landing, some people have doubted Chamberlain’s 100-point game due to the era, despite existing radio coverage from that night in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

Hill appreciates performances like Adebayo’s and streaks like Gilgeous-Alexander’s because they introduce Chamberlain to younger fans.

“It’s another way of saying, well there was a Wilt Chamberlain,” Hill said.

However, some of Chamberlain’s records have been surpassed. Most recently, Joel Embiid established the 76ers’ scoring record with 70 points in January 2024, breaking Chamberlain’s franchise mark of 68 points that had lasted since December 16, 1967.

“Wilt never did this?” Embiid said in astonishment after the game.

Next comes the record Gilgeous-Alexander has pursued since scoring 30 points against Portland on November 1, 2024.

“It keeps the Big Fella’s legacy alive when people get close to a record or even break a record,” Olin Chamberlain said. “I’m not one of those people that says, hey, I don’t want to see anything broken. Don’t get me wrong, that 100-point game, that’s a legacy record. But the game is changing, these guys want to see their peers in the record books.”

Smith monitors the family chat where she says with laughter her cousins “bust it up and take it to another level.” There, they cheer for Adebayo, Gilgeous-Alexander, and all others pursuing Chamberlain’s records and his treasure trove of incredible achievements.

“We are so proud to have that legacy because everyone doesn’t,” Smith said. “To continue to just have him not being forgotten is key. His legacy and who he was is and who he was is still out there. People are still talking about him and want to still talk about him and know about him. That’s the key.”