Dominique Wilkins facts for kids
Wilkins in 2022
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| Atlanta Hawks | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vice president of basketball operations | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||
| Born | January 12, 1960 Paris, France |
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| Nationality | American | |||||||||||||
| High school | Washington (Washington, North Carolina) | |||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) | |||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 230 lb (104 kg) | |||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||
| College | Georgia (1979–1982) | |||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 1982 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3rd overall | |||||||||||||
| Selected by the Utah Jazz | ||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 1982–1999 | |||||||||||||
| League | NBA | |||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||
| 1982–1994 | Atlanta Hawks | |||||||||||||
| 1994 | Los Angeles Clippers | |||||||||||||
| 1994–1995 | Boston Celtics | |||||||||||||
| 1995–1996 | Panathinaikos | |||||||||||||
| 1996–1997 | San Antonio Spurs | |||||||||||||
| 1997–1998 | Fortitudo Bologna | |||||||||||||
| 1999 | Orlando Magic | |||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||
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| Career NBA statistics | ||||||||||||||
| Points | 26,668 (24.8 ppg) | |||||||||||||
| Rebounds | 7,167 (6.7 rpg) | |||||||||||||
| Assists | 2,677 (2.5 apg) | |||||||||||||
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Medals
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Jacques Dominique Wilkins (born January 12, 1960) is a famous American former professional basketball player. He is best known for playing with the Atlanta Hawks in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Wilkins was an amazing player, known for his incredible slam dunks. People called him "the Human Highlight Film" because of his exciting plays.
In 2021, he was named one of the NBA's 75 greatest players of all time. Wilkins holds many records for the Hawks, including most seasons played (12) and most career points (23,292). He also led the NBA in scoring during the 1985–86 season. In 2006, Dominique Wilkins was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Besides the Hawks, Wilkins also played for other teams like the Los Angeles Clippers and Boston Celtics. He even played overseas for teams like Panathinaikos in Greece, where he won the EuroLeague championship. He also won a gold medal with the U.S. national team at the 1994 FIBA World Championship. He retired from playing in 1999.
Contents
- Early Life and High School Basketball
- College Career at Georgia
- Professional Career
- Post-Playing Career
- Personal Life
- Career Statistics
- Awards and Honors
- NBA Records
- See Also
Early Life and High School Basketball
Dominique Wilkins was born in Paris, France. His father was in the U.S. Army and was stationed there. Dominique has a younger brother, Gerald Wilkins, who also played in the NBA. His family later moved to North Carolina, where he went to Washington High School.
In high school, he was a basketball star. He won the MVP award twice when his team won state championships in 1978 and 1979. He was even featured in Sports Illustrated for scoring 48 points and grabbing 27 rebounds in one game! He played in several top high school all-star games, showing off his skills.
College Career at Georgia
In 1979, Wilkins joined the University of Georgia basketball team. He quickly became known as "the Human Highlight Film" there too. He scored an average of 21.6 points per game during his college career. In 1981, he was named to the All-Southeastern Conference First Team. He decided to leave college after his junior year to enter the NBA draft.
Professional Career
Atlanta Hawks: The Human Highlight Film (1982–1994)
The Utah Jazz picked Wilkins third overall in the 1982 NBA draft. However, Wilkins didn't want to play for Utah. The Jazz then traded him to the Atlanta Hawks for two players and $1 million. This trade is now seen as one of the most one-sided deals in NBA history.
Wilkins became a superstar with the Hawks. He scored more than 25 points per game for ten seasons in a row. In the 1985–86 season, he led the entire NBA in scoring, averaging 30.3 points per game. He helped the Hawks become a strong team in the 1980s, winning 50 games for four straight seasons.
He was chosen for the NBA All-Star team nine times. He also won two NBA slam dunk contests. Wilkins scored 26,668 points and grabbed 7,169 rebounds in his NBA career. He is known for his powerful windmill dunks. His jersey number 21 was retired by the Hawks in 2001, meaning no other player on the team can wear it.
Early Years and Scoring Title (1982–1987)
Wilkins won his first NBA Slam Dunk Contest in 1985. He finished the season averaging 27.4 points. The next year, 1985–86, he won the NBA scoring title with 30.3 points per game. He became an NBA All-Star for the first time. The Hawks improved a lot, winning 50 games that season. They made it to the playoffs but lost to the Boston Celtics.
In the 1986–87 season, Wilkins was second in the league in scoring. The Hawks had a great year, winning a franchise-record 57 games. Wilkins continued to be a top scorer in the playoffs.
Battles with Larry Bird (1987–1990)
In the 1987–88 season, Wilkins again had a career-high scoring average. He was second in the NBA scoring race. He also played in his third straight All-Star Game. The Hawks won 50 games for the third year in a row. They had an amazing playoff series against the Boston Celtics. In Game 7, Wilkins scored 47 points, and Celtics star Larry Bird scored 34 points. Wilkins called it "the greatest game I've ever played in."
In 1990, Wilkins won his second NBA Slam Dunk Championship. He continued to be one of the league's top scorers.
Final Years in Atlanta (1990–1994)
In the 1990–91 season, Wilkins led the Hawks in rebounds for the first time. He also improved his three-point shooting. In January 1992, he suffered a serious injury, tearing his Achilles tendon. He worked hard to recover and came back strong the next season.
In the 1992–93 season, Wilkins showed he was fully recovered. He set an NBA record by making 23 free throws in a game without missing any. He also broke Bob Pettit's record to become the Hawks' all-time leading scorer. He was a great three-point shooter by this time.
Los Angeles Clippers (1994)
In February 1994, after 11 years with the Hawks, Wilkins was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers. He was still playing at a high level, averaging 24.4 points for the Hawks before the trade. Many believed the Hawks traded him due to financial reasons, as his contract was ending. Wilkins continued to play well for the Clippers, averaging 29.1 points in his games with them.
Boston Celtics (1994–1995)
After leaving the Clippers, Wilkins signed with the Boston Celtics. He also helped the U.S. national team win a gold medal at the 1994 World Championship. In his one season with the Celtics, the team made the playoffs.
Playing Overseas: Panathinaikos (1995–1996)
In 1995, Dominique Wilkins joined Panathinaikos, a team in the Greek League. This was a huge deal, as it was one of the richest contracts for a basketball player outside the NBA at the time. He was greeted by thousands of fans when he arrived in Athens.
Wilkins helped Panathinaikos win the EuroLeague championship in 1996. He played especially well in the Final Four tournament, scoring 35 points in the semifinal game. He was named the EuroLeague Final Four MVP for his outstanding performance. He also won the Greek Basketball Cup with Panathinaikos.
San Antonio Spurs (1996–1997)
Wilkins returned to the NBA in 1996, signing with the San Antonio Spurs. He led the team in scoring that season with 18.2 points per game. He was one of the first players to play for coach Gregg Popovich.
Fortitudo Bologna (1997–1998)
After one season with the Spurs, Wilkins went back overseas to play for Teamsystem Bologna in Italy. He continued to be a strong scorer for them.
Orlando Magic (1999)
Wilkins played his final NBA season in 1999 with the Orlando Magic. He even played alongside his brother, Gerald Wilkins, on the team.
Slam Dunk Contests
Dominique Wilkins was famous for his incredible dunks and competed in five NBA Slam Dunk Contests.
- In 1985, he won his first title, beating Michael Jordan in the finals.
- In 1986, he lost to his teammate, the much shorter Spud Webb.
- In 1988, he had a famous rematch with Michael Jordan. Wilkins performed amazing dunks, but Jordan won the contest in his home city of Chicago.
- In 1990, Wilkins won his second Slam Dunk Championship, defeating Kenny Smith.
Post-Playing Career
Since 2004, Dominique Wilkins has worked as the Hawks' Vice President of Basketball. He helps the team with basketball decisions and is a great ambassador for the community. He also works as a TV commentator for Hawks games.
Wilkins is involved in community work, especially raising awareness about diabetes. His father and grandfather both had health issues from diabetes. In 2014, he filmed a commercial to help educate people about diabetes, especially children's nutrition.
In 2015, the Atlanta Hawks honored Wilkins by unveiling a statue of him outside their arena, State Farm Arena.
Personal Life
Dominique Wilkins's stepson, Isaiah Wilkins, also played college basketball for the University of Virginia. He was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2018.
Career Statistics
NBA
Regular season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982–83 | Atlanta | 82* | 82* | 32.9 | .493 | .182 | .682 | 5.8 | 1.6 | 1.0 | .8 | 17.5 |
| 1983–84 | Atlanta | 81 | 81 | 36.6 | .479 | .000 | .770 | 7.2 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 21.6 |
| 1984–85 | Atlanta | 81 | 81 | 37.3 | .451 | .309 | .806 | 6.9 | 2.5 | 1.7 | .7 | 27.4 |
| 1985–86 | Atlanta | 78 | 78 | 39.1 | .468 | .186 | .818 | 7.8 | 2.6 | 1.8 | .6 | 30.3* |
| 1986–87 | Atlanta | 79 | 79 | 37.6 | .463 | .292 | .818 | 6.3 | 3.3 | 1.5 | .6 | 29.0 |
| 1987–88 | Atlanta | 78 | 76 | 37.8 | .464 | .295 | .826 | 6.4 | 2.9 | 1.3 | .6 | 30.7 |
| 1988–89 | Atlanta | 80 | 80 | 37.5 | .464 | .276 | .844 | 6.9 | 2.6 | 1.5 | .7 | 26.2 |
| 1989–90 | Atlanta | 80 | 79 | 36.1 | .484 | .322 | .807 | 6.5 | 2.5 | 1.6 | .6 | 26.7 |
| 1990–91 | Atlanta | 81 | 81 | 38.0 | .470 | .341 | .829 | 9.0 | 3.3 | 1.5 | .8 | 25.9 |
| 1991–92 | Atlanta | 42 | 42 | 38.1 | .464 | .289 | .835 | 7.0 | 3.8 | 1.2 | .6 | 28.1 |
| 1992–93 | Atlanta | 71 | 70 | 37.3 | .468 | .380 | .828 | 6.8 | 3.2 | 1.0 | .4 | 29.9 |
| 1993–94 | Atlanta | 49 | 49 | 34.4 | .432 | .308 | .854 | 6.2 | 2.3 | 1.3 | .4 | 24.4 |
| 1993–94 | L.A. Clippers | 25 | 25 | 37.9 | .453 | .247 | .835 | 7.0 | 2.2 | 1.2 | .3 | 29.1 |
| 1994–95 | Boston | 77 | 64 | 31.5 | .424 | .388 | .782 | 5.2 | 2.2 | .8 | .2 | 17.8 |
| 1996–97 | San Antonio | 63 | 26 | 30.9 | .417 | .293 | .803 | 6.4 | 1.9 | .6 | .5 | 18.2 |
| 1998–99 | Orlando | 27 | 2 | 9.3 | .379 | .263 | .690 | 2.6 | .6 | .1 | .0 | 5.1 |
| Career | 1,074 | 995 | 35.5 | .461 | .319 | .811 | 6.7 | 2.5 | 1.3 | .6 | 24.8 | |
| All-Star | 8 | 3 | 22.7 | .400 | .250 | .737 | 3.8 | 2.1 | .8 | .5 | 15.1 | |
Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Atlanta | 3 | 3 | 36.3 | .405 | 1.000 | .857 | 5.0 | .3 | .7 | .3 | 15.7 |
| 1984 | Atlanta | 5 | 5 | 34.4 | .417 | .000 | .839 | 8.2 | 2.2 | 2.4 | .2 | 19.2 |
| 1986 | Atlanta | 9 | 9 | 40.0 | .433 | .439 | .861 | 6.0 | 2.8 | 1.0 | .2 | 28.6 |
| 1987 | Atlanta | 9 | 9 | 40.0 | .410 | .415 | .892 | 7.8 | 2.8 | 1.8 | .9 | 26.8 |
| 1988 | 12 | 12 | 39.4 | .457 | .222 | .768 | 6.4 | 2.8 | 1.3 | .5 | 31.2 | |
| 1989 | Atlanta | 5 | 5 | 42.4 | .448 | .294 | .711 | 5.4 | 3.4 | .8 | 1.6 | 27.2 |
| 1991 | Atlanta | 5 | 5 | 39.0 | .372 | .133 | .914 | 6.4 | 2.6 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 20.8 |
| 1993 | Atlanta | 3 | 3 | 37.7 | .427 | .250 | .767 | 5.3 | 3.0 | 1.0 | .3 | 30.0 |
| 1995 | Boston | 4 | 4 | 37.5 | .426 | .471 | .889 | 10.8 | 2.0 | .5 | .8 | 19.0 |
| 1999 | Orlando | 1 | 0 | 3.0 | .500 | .000 | .000 | .0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | 2.0 |
| Career | 56 | 55 | 39.6 | .429 | .281 | .824 | 6.7 | 2.6 | 1.3 | .6 | 25.4 | |
EuroLeague
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | PIR | Performance Index Rating |
| Bold | Career high | † | Won a EuroLeague championship |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG | PIR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995–96† | Panathinaikos | 17 | 17 | 33.2 | .446 | .322 | .825 | 7.4 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 20.1 | — |
| 1997–98 | Fortitudo Bologna | 20 | 20 | 33.8 | .455 | .293 | .725 | 7.0 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 17.9 | — |
Awards and Honors
- 1985–86 NBA scoring champion
- NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Champion: 1985, 1990
- NBA All-Rookie Team: 1983
- All-NBA First Team: 1986
- All-NBA Second Team: 1987–88, 1991, 1993
- All-NBA Third Team: 1989, 1994
- Nine-time NBA All Star: 1986–94
- Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (2006)
- FIBA World Championship gold medalist: 1994
- FIBA EuroLeague Champion: 1996
- Greek Cup Winner: 1996
- Italian Cup Winner: 1998
- NBA Shooting Stars champion: 2013–2015
- NBA 75th Anniversary Team: 2021
- Greek Basket League Hall of Fame: 2022
NBA Records
Regular Season
- Most free throws made in a game without missing: 23–23, against the Chicago Bulls on December 8, 1992.
- One of only 8 players in NBA history to average at least 25 points per game for 10 seasons in a row.
Playoffs
- Most points scored in a Game 7 of a playoff series: 47, against the Boston Celtics on May 22, 1988. (This record was later broken in 2021).
See Also
- List of NBA career scoring leaders
- List of NBA career turnovers leaders
- List of NBA career free throw scoring leaders
- List of NBA annual scoring leaders
- List of NBA single-game playoff scoring leaders
- List of NBA franchise career scoring leaders
