Although Wilt Chamberlain “came off as an egotistical, womanizing, superhuman,” he spent a whole year quietly helping a dying girl.

Although Wilt Chamberlain “came off as an egotistical, womanizing, superhuman,” he spent a whole year quietly helping a dying girl.

Over the years, sports fans have had the opportunity to witness many gifted NBA players, but few figures have stood out more than Wilt Chamberlain. Not only was the man physically enormous, but he also spoke with great confidence. He used every opportunity to flaunt his abilities, from his romantic adventures to his athletic skills. However, Wilt the Stilt might be a different person behind the scenes.

Consider a connection the big man made in the latter part of the 1990s. Following up on a letter he received from the dying granddaughter of an NBA icon, Chamberlain quietly gave her his companionship for a full year.

A famous athlete generating headlines these days for their exaggerated personality is nothing out of the ordinary. But Chamberlain raised the ante significantly.

At 7 feet 1 inch, Wilt was taller than the competitors—literally, “larger than life.” By today’s NBA standards, that may not seem like a crazy move, but it gave the center the advantage over the opposition. Over the course of 14 professional seasons, he averaged 22.9 rebounds and 30.1 points per game. He most likely stopped a lot of shots as well, but those weren’t officially documented at the time.

Even if it seems sense, such stats gave Chamberlain a lot of confidence on the court, but he wasn’t only about basketball. He could run, play football, and play volleyball with equal ease. He was an amazing athlete. If you accept the myths, it’s also likely that he accomplished numerous feats of strength, such as repelling a mountain lion with just his bare hands.

Even more notoriously, Wilt boasted of his sexiness. The center claimed, based on extensive documentation, that he had slept with over 20,000 women over his lifetime.

Overall, though, Chamberlain was seen as a decent man who was just skilled at playing a part.