Darryl Dawkins facts for kids
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Dawkins in 2009
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 11, 1957 Orlando, Florida, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Died | August 27, 2015 (aged 58) Allentown, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| High school | Maynard Evans (Orlando, Florida) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) |
| Listed weight | 251 lb (114 kg) |
| Career information | |
| NBA Draft | 1975 / Round: 1 / Pick: 5th overall |
| Selected by the Philadelphia 76ers | |
| Pro career | 1975–1995 |
| Career history | |
| 1975–1982 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1982–1987 | New Jersey Nets |
| 1987 | Utah Jazz |
| 1987–1989 | Detroit Pistons |
| 1989–1991 | Auxilium Torino |
| 1991–1992 | Philips Milano |
| 1992–1994 | Libertas Forlì |
| 1994–1995 | Sioux Falls Skyforce |
| 1995 | Harlem Globetrotters |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 8,733 (12.0 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 4,432 (6.1 rpg) |
| Blocks | 1,023 (1.4 bpg) |
Darryl R. Dawkins (born January 11, 1957 – died August 27, 2015) was a famous American basketball player. He was known for his amazing dunks. He played for the National Basketball Association (NBA) teams like the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Nets.
His awesome dunks were so powerful that he broke the glass backboard twice! This led the NBA to create new, stronger breakaway rims. Music legend Stevie Wonder gave him the cool nickname "Chocolate Thunder". Dawkins scored double-digit points in nine of his 14 NBA seasons. He also played in the NBA Finals three times with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Contents
NBA Career Highlights
Darryl Dawkins was a tall player, standing 6 feet 10 inches. He played basketball at Maynard Evans High School in Orlando, Florida. In his senior year, he averaged 32 points and 21 rebounds per game. He helped his team win the state championship.
Instead of going to college, Dawkins decided to go straight to the NBA. He wanted to earn money to help his family. He was the first player ever to enter the NBA right after high school.
Playing for the Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers picked Dawkins as the fifth overall player in the 1975 NBA draft. He signed a big contract for $1 million. In his first two seasons, he didn't play much. But in his second year, he helped the 76ers in the playoffs.
The 76ers made it to the 1977 NBA Finals. They played against the Portland Trail Blazers. Dawkins helped the team win the first two games. During one game, he got into a disagreement with another player. He showed his frustration by tearing a toilet from the wall in the locker room!
Dawkins became a key player for the 76ers. He played alongside superstar Julius Erving. At just 20 years old, Dawkins averaged 11.7 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. He was also very good at shooting, making 57.5% of his shots.
In the 1980 NBA Finals, Dawkins helped the 76ers reach the championship again. But they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers. The 76ers made it to the Finals one more time in 1982, but lost to the Lakers again. After this, Dawkins was traded to the New Jersey Nets.
Time with the New Jersey Nets
Dawkins joined the New Jersey Nets in 1982. He was 25 years old and played very well for the team. In the 1982–83 NBA season, he averaged 12 points per game. The Nets had their best season ever at that time.
The next season, Dawkins scored a career-high 16.8 points per game. He also set a Nets record with 13 blocks in a single game! In the playoffs, the Nets played against Dawkins' old team, the Philadelphia 76ers. The Nets won the series, which was a big upset! Dawkins played great defense against Moses Malone, helping his team win.
Injuries limited Dawkins' playing time in later seasons with the Nets. He had two back surgeries.
Later Career and Championship
In 1987, Dawkins was traded to the Utah Jazz. He played only a few games there before moving to the Detroit Pistons. He fit right in with the Pistons, who were known as the "Bad Boys." Even though he was injured, he was seen as a leader on the team.
In his final NBA season, the Pistons won the NBA championship. Dawkins finally earned a championship ring! After the NBA, he played in Italy for several years.
Dawkins holds an NBA record for committing the most personal fouls in a season. He had 386 fouls during the 1983–1984 season.
Signature Dunks and Nicknames
Darryl Dawkins was famous for his powerful dunks. On November 13, 1979, he broke a backboard during a game! Three weeks later, he did it again. Because of this, the NBA made a new rule. Breaking a backboard would now result in a fine and a suspension.
Dawkins gave his dunks amazing names. He called the first backboard-breaking dunk "The Chocolate-Thunder-Flying, Robinzine-Crying, Teeth-Shaking, Glass-Breaking, Rump-Roasting, Bun-Toasting, Wham-Bam, Glass-Breaker-I-Am-Jam." Other dunk names included the Rim Wrecker, the Go-Rilla, and the Yo-Mama.
He also had fun nicknames for himself, like "Sir Slam" and "Dr. Dunk." He sometimes wore gold chain necklaces during games. Dawkins even claimed to be an alien from a planet called Lovetron!
Stevie Wonder, a famous musician, gave Dawkins his most famous nickname, "Chocolate Thunder."
Life After the NBA
After his NBA career, Dawkins played for the famous Harlem Globetrotters. He also coached basketball teams. He was the head coach for the Newark Express and the Pennsylvania ValleyDawgs. In 2009, he became the head coach for the men's basketball team at Lehigh Carbon Community College.
Other Media Appearances
Darryl Dawkins appears in several video games. You can find him in NBA Ballers and the NBA 2K series. He is also in NBA Live Mobile.
Personal Life
Darryl Dawkins wrote a book about his life called Chocolate Thunder: The Uncensored Life and Times of Darryl Dawkins. In the book, he shared stories about his time as an NBA star.
He was married to Janice and they had three children.
Death
Darryl Dawkins passed away on August 27, 2015, in Allentown, Pennsylvania. He was 58 years old. His family announced that he died from a heart attack.
Many people came to his public viewing. These included former boxing champion Larry Holmes and former 76ers coach Billy Cunningham.
See also
In Spanish: Darryl Dawkins para niños
- List of National Basketball Association career playoff blocks leaders
- List of National Basketball Association players with most blocks in a game
