Still, for the larger-than-life figure who left us too soon - Wilt was only 63 when he died of congestive heart failure in 1999 - it just feels like his legend has diminished a little.
But all of that may be about to change, if Donald Hunt's proposal for a Wilt Chamberlain commemorative stamp gets approved by the U.S. Postal Service.
Stamp campaign
For two years, Hunt, a longtime sportswriter for the Philadelphia Tribune, has collected petition signatures, written columns, and overseen a flourishing letter-writing campaign that has garnered support from thousands, including Golden State Warriors executive Al Attles, who was Wilt's teammate when the Warriors were in Philadelphia; Earl Lloyd, the first African American to play in the NBA; NBA Commissioner David Stern; and the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus.
For Selina Gross, Wilt's sister, a stamp would not only honor her younger brother but also would inspire a younger generation.
"It's good for the kids coming up to see someone like themselves who grew up in their same neighborhood," says Gross, 75, who lives in Philadelphia. "One way to learn history is to see it on a stamp. It would spur conversation."
"Who better than Wilt?" Hunt asks as he rattles off other athletes who have received the honor: Arthur Ashe, Jesse Owens, Jackie Robinson, Babe Ruth, Joe Louis, Jim Thorpe, Wilma Rudolph, Mickey Mantle.
"A stamp symbolizes greatness."
Few could argue that Wilt doesn't belong in that auspicious group. Sure, basketball aficionados know that he still holds NBA records in scoring and rebounding, but his longevity was just as impressive.
