He was taken fifth overall by the Philadelphia 76ers, and with his speed and imposing physical presence, Dawkins was expected to make an immediate impact and though started slow during his first few seasons, he eventually became a key contributor to Sixers squads that battled for Eastern Conference superiority in the late Seventies and early Eighties. [14] Despite Dawkins averaging 22.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game in the following series against the Milwaukee Bucks,[15] including leading all scorers with a career playoff high 32 points in a 106-100 Game 1 win,[16] the Nets would lose the series in six games after losing Game 6, during which Dawkins scored 29 points and grabbed 8 rebounds, by one point, at a score of 9897. The name Chuck Taylor should ring a bell for any Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 5 in the 1975 NBA draft by the 76ers. 'Chocolate Thunder' will always have a special place in our hearts.". He said a construction worker recently came to his home to remove some debris and asked him, "Is this your play house?". Then the team had an opportunity to upgrade at the center position. The Sixers won both playoff series and advanced to the NBA Finals. Aug 27, 2015 at 5:58 pm. Some of you might say that Wilt Chamberlain was the first player drafted from high school. "But simply being an NBA player is not one of them.". Discover what happened on this day. Inside Jim Jordan's Disastrous Search for a 'Deep State' Whistleblower The NBA had completely switched to the new rims by the Fall of 1981 and now they are standard across the world at the professional and collegiate levels. And that is also true, except that Malone went to the ABA, which was still a completely separate league. Dawkins played 13 seasons in the NBA after being drafted out of high school by the Philadelphia 76ers. Date of death: August 27, 2015, Died Place: Allentown, Pennsylvania, United States: Nationality: . "It's the topic nobody wants to address. As promised Dawkins was fined and suspended. The Associated Press, ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk and ESPN Stats & Information contributed to this report. Hawkins, 50, died at a hotel in Bogota, with the band due to play at a music festival this weekend. But you are in a better place. Dawkins . Darryl Dawkins, known for his thunderous dunks and flamboyant nickname, has died. The Lehigh County Coroner's Office confirmed that Dawkins died Thursday. An autopsy was performed Friday and the cause as well as the manner of death are pending further forensic studies. Thank u for the long talks and great memories. The team had been to the NBA Finals three times while Dawkins played on the team. The man known as 'Chocolate Thunder' threw it down like few before him, and his impact on above-the-rim play can be felt to this day. Dawkins died Thursday in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania hospital. His two ferocious dunks in 1979 caused the league to switch over. It needed to become Dawkins proof. And you would be right, except that he did not go straight to the NBA. The name stuck, and the rim-wrecking, glass-shattering dunks remain unforgettable -- as will the giant of a man who changed the game with them. His name might ring a bell because the NBAs championship trophy is called the Larry OBrien Trophy in his honor. The Orlando native played 15 seasons in the NBA, spending the majority of his career with the Philadelphia 76ers and the New Jersey Nets. You could just see it in wind up. He averaged 32 points per game and 21 rebounds as a senior. Dawkins averaged double figures in scoring nine times in his 14 years in the NBA, often ranking among the league leaders in field-goal percentage. but according to a statement released by Dawkins' family, the cause of death was a heart attack. Dawkins was traded to the New Jersey Nets in 1982, and he helped the team make the playoffs for four-straight seasons. [13] The Nets playoff series win over the defending NBA champions was ranked as the seventh greatest playoff upset by Sports Illustrated. the cause of death was a heart attack. He was 58, and even though officials said an autopsy would be performed on Friday his family released a statement saying the cause of death was a heart attack. . I can't tell you why that is. At the time of his death, he was 58 years old. We don't want to lose another player before [taking action].". Darryl Dawkins, the 14-year NBA vet whose powerful dunks and off-court flash earned him the nickname Chocolate Thunder, died Thursday at the age of 58. I can't believe that you're gone. Dawkins was as revered off the court as he was on it. You may not think about it much today but the breakaway rim exists because of guys like Darryl Dawkins. From 2009-11, he was the head coach of the men's team at Lehigh Carbon Community College. There were also two rookies tearing up the league at the same time by the names of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. He then played a little bit of minor league basketball in some leagues that do not even exist anymore. Darryl Dawkins at the Sprite Slam Dunk Showdown during the 2015 NBA All-Star weekend. [3], In a surprise move, Dawkins opted to directly enter the NBA draft out of high school instead of attending college. Silver wanted to know how close the union was to rolling out its initiative and how the league could help expedite the process. Darryl Dawkins in 1995 AP Pieces of glass rained down on the court. Kelly Barnes Dawkins, 28, died between midnight Saturday and 11:45 a.m. Sunday, police said. You were one of my favorite players of all time. Darryl Dawkins was once summoned in the Philadelphia 76ers' locker room to come meet a celebrity who wanted to meet the man known for dunking with backboard-breaking force. Darryl Dawkins was once summoned in the Philadelphia 76ers' locker room to meet a celebrity who wanted to meet the man known for dunking with backboard-breaking force. The names you came up with were creative and on point. 5 in the 1975 draft by the 76ers. The Lehigh County, Pennsylvania coroner's office said Dawkins died Thursday morning at a hospital. Johnny Earl Dawkins Jr. (born September 28, 1963) is an American basketball coach and former player who is the head coach for the UCF men's basketball team.From 2008 to 2016, he was the head coach of Stanford.He was a two-time All-American and national player of the year as a senior in 1986 while at Duke from 1982 to 1986. Chocolate Thunder has gone back to Lovetron. He then went on to play a number of years in Italy where he was a very popular player. You have permission to edit this article. But they lost the Finals in 1977 to the TrailBlazers. In a completely separate story, a guy named Arthur Ehrat and his nephew, who was an assistant coach at St. Louis University had an idea for a breakaway rim that could handle all of the hard dunking that you saw in the ABA and NBA. "We will always remember Darryl for his incredible talent, his infectious enthusiasm and his boundless generosity. He was the first player to enter the NBA immediately after high school.[4][5]. His nickname, "Chocolate Thunder", was bestowed upon him by Stevie Wonder. "We haven't done enough for our past players, who have a rich history of promoting our game. "Darryl touched the hearts and . Longtime NBA center Darryl Dawkins, perhaps best known for his emphatic slam dunks, died Thursday at the age of 58.. After WFMZ-TV initially reported the former Philadelphia 76ers star's death, a . Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. More tributes poured in quickly from across the league, including from the 76ers. A Lehigh . His two backboard-shattering dunks came about a month apart early in the 1979-80 season, one against Kansas City, the other against San . In a game against the Kansas City Kings at Municipal Auditorium on November 13, 1979, Dawkins broke the backboard, sending the Kings' Bill Robinzine ducking. In 1982 they lost to the Lakers again. Three weeks later he did it again, this time at home against the San Antonio Spurs at the Spectrum. I would argue that Dawkins cultural impact was greater than his basketball impact. "I know things are evolving. Who was the first player to enter the NBA straight from high school? Sources: Bucks favored to sign veteran Dragic. Others were comparatively subtle even if they seemed just as ridiculous. This is decades before Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady, or LeBron James would make coming out of high school seem like a normal thing. Dawkins, still playing for Philadelphia, went up for a ferocious dunk against Bill Robenzine and shattered the glass backboard. You were the originator of the dunk. Dawkins also played in Italy, the Continental Basketball Association and even had a brief stint with the Harlem Globetrotters. He was also known as Dr. Dunkenstein, Double D, or Sir Slam. 1:45 PM PT -- Darryl's family says he died from a heart attack today. Anybody who causes a rule to change, or causes the league to install new equipment is a noteworthy player. Injuries plagued Dawkins late in his NBA career, and he went overseas for several years to play in the Italian league. "I wish I could give you an exact timetable, but we have to make sure all the components are in place," Roberts said. Jim Spanarkel played with Dawkins in Philadelphia during Spanarkel's rookie season in 1979-80. For his NBA career he averaged 12.0 points and 6.1 rebounds a game. "We need to do some additional research on these guys," Rogowski said. I would argue that Dawkin's cultural impact was greater . This guy was a monster on the court. But the fans could not get enough. [32] In 1988, Dawkins married a former Nets cheerleader, Robbin Thornton; they divorced after 10 years. Lanier said many retired players recognize the formula for healthy living, but the pounding of a long NBA career has left many of them hobbled and, in some cases, incapacitated, thus unable to exercise at all. Love you so much and going to miss you so much.. He was selected No. Something needed to be done with the actual equipment. "If you are a big dog, you don't live as long as a little dog, but I'm not convinced that's how it works with humans. We want to shine a light on forgotten stories that need to be remembered again. He had recently worked as an NBA Nation Ambassador, andtraveled the country in a promotional role for the league. In 197980, he averaged 14.7 points and a career-high 8.7 rebounds, helping the Sixers back to the NBA Finals, which they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in six games. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. Prior to the 197879 season, Philadelphia traded McGinnis to the Denver Nuggets, clearing the way for Dawkins to be a permanent frontcourt starter. The news came weeks after the late-August death of former Sixer Darryl Dawkins, 58. Matched up against Portland's Bill Walton, Dawkins helped the Sixers take the first two games before the Trail Blazers won the next four to win the series in six games. Haywood said his prostate cancer was detected as part of routine blood work done during his yearly physical exam. In the book, Dawkins chronicled some of the racism he encountered during his NBA career, playing alongside 76ers superstar Julius Erving, and his off-the-court experiences with drugs, partying, and women.