Courtesy: ScoopNest.com
NBA Legend, Darryl Dawkins, passed away on Thursday August 27, 2015. His family reported that the cause of death was a heart attack. Ultimately, this is a sad passing for the NBA family.
Darryl Dawkins, also known as ‘Chocolate Thunder’, made huge contributions to the game of basketball and the NBA as a whole. He was mostly known for his unbelievable dunks, which literally would shatter the backboard. More importantly, he was a dominant center, a true leader and teammate, with a great personality and a big heart.
Dawkins’ game was way ahead of his time. He played 14 seasons in the NBA with the Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets, Utah Jazz and Detroit Pistons. During his career, he averaged 12.0PTs, 6.1REBs, 1.3ASTs and 1.4BLKs per game. He also averaged a strong 57.2 for an effective field goal percentage, which is currently seventh in NBA history.
NBA commissioner, Adam Silver, said in a statement, “ the NBA family is heartbroken by the sudden and tragic passing of Darryl Dawkins. We will always remember Darryl for his incredible talent, his infectious enthusiasm and his boundless generosity. He played the game with passion, integrity and joy, never forgetting how great an influence he had on his legions of fans, young and old.”
Dawkins made his mark in history plenty of times during his career. He was also the first NBA player to be drafted in the first round straight out of high school. He was selected with the fifth overall pick by Philadelphia. He led the way for a lot of big men, which is why he was so loved on and off the court.
His game was so fun to watch. He even played for a short period of time with the Harlem Globetrotters. Shaquille O’Neal was called him self “one of his sons” because Dawkins was the father of power dunking. He was known for naming his dunks and showing off moves that made fans believe he could be from another planet.
Darryl Dawkins will be remembered for his showmanship, his on-court swag, his intoxicating dunks and his huge heart. Without a doubt, he was one of the most iconic players in the NBA and will be missed greatly by all basketball fans.
