Wilt Chamberlain’s family rooting for today’s stars to challenge his records

Every time an NBA player gets close to one of Wilt Chamberlain’s records, the Chamberlain family knows what happens next.

The group chat lights up.

Olin Chamberlain — Wilt’s nephew — says the family keeps a close eye whenever someone threatens one of the late Hall of Famer’s many marks. That includes Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who tied Chamberlain’s streak of 126 straight games with at least 20 points. (SGA can break the record on Thursday.)

Wilt, known as “Uncle Dippy” to family members, still holds dozens of NBA records.

“He has so many that one won’t affect it,” Olin told The Associated Press. “He left such a legacy.”

And Chamberlain’s name keeps popping up whenever someone does something historic. That was the case again when the Heat’s Bam Adebayo scored 83 points against the Wizards earlier this week, the second-highest total in NBA history.

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

For the Chamberlain family, though, seeing players chase those numbers is not something to fear. In fact, they welcome it.

Michelle Smith, another of Wilt’s nieces, said her uncle would likely be cheering for players to break his records.

“His name is there already,” she said. “It’s a chance for somebody to come up and break a record and be known to break his records.”

Of course, many of Wilt’s numbers still look untouchable. The 100-point game. The 50.4 points-per-game season. The endless 50-point nights.

Still, every time someone gets close, the family notices.

“It keeps the Big Fella’s legacy alive,” Olin said.