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His first backboard-breaking dunk deserved an outrageous nickname, therefore he called it: The Chocolate-Thunder-Flying, Robinzine-Crying, Teeth-Shaking, Glass-Breaking, Rump-Roasting, Bun-Toasting, Wham-Bam, Glass-Breaker-I-Am-Jam. Dawkins was traded to the New Jersey Nets in 1982, and he helped the team make the playoffs for four-straight seasons. Darryl Dawkins, the first NBA player ever to be drafted straight out of high school and a flamboyant personality and showman dunker, died at the age of 58, according to multiple reports. Ex-NBA player Darryl Dawkins was known for thunderous dunks. It took the arena crew over an hour to clean everything up and bring out a whole new basket support. [17] For the playoffs, Dawkins averaged 18.4 points. His family, wife Janice, children Dara, Tabitha, Nicholas and Alexis, along with countless family, friends, and fans, all mourn his loss. However injuries limited him to just 39 games. Few men made basketball more fun then the 6ft 11in center for the Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets, Detroit Pistons and whatever minor league team was willing to extend his career long after it had burned out in the NBA. Dawkins spent parts of 14 seasons in the NBA with Philadelphia, New Jersey, Utah and Detroit. He said Dawkins often entertained reporters postgame. 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. 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. But on this night when he shattered the backboard for the first time, he had a special name in mind. Injuries plagued him late in his NBA career, and he went overseas for several more years to play primarily in the Italian league. Darryl Dawkins at the Sprite Slam Dunk Showdown during the 2015 NBA All-Star weekend. The names you came up with were creative and on point. Dawkins would end up playing five years for the Nets before playing just a handful of games for both the Jazz and the Pistons. Bove said athletes generally enjoy a better survival rate than the general population, but when they stop playing they become prone to weight gain. 'Chocolate Thunder,' dies at 58. For the second straight year, the Sixers earned the top seed in the Eastern Division and advanced to the conference finals, but they were defeated by the Washington Bullets in six games. ILLUSTRATION: Associated Press. He was on everybodys recruiting list. Dawkins grew up in Orlando, Florida and made history as the first player to be drafted to the NBA directly out of high school, after applying for the 1975 Draft as a financial hardship case (a 1971 Supreme Court decision allowed players to go pro without waiting the league-mandated four years after graduating high school, provided they could give evidence of hardship). Trending Collins did not want to pick glass out of his hair. So they traded Dawkins to the New Jersey Nets in order to create salary space to go after Malone, which they did. Surely, a 19-year-old is not ready to walk into a grown mans world no matter how big and athletic he is. Former National Basketball Association star Darryl Dawkins, known as "Chocolate Thunder" for his powerful dunks and flamboyant play, died at 58 on Thursday. The biggest surprise about Darryl Dawkinss death on Thursday is that it came at age 58. Currently Reading. Rest in peace OG. INTRODUCTION The Clerk has sent to the Court for review a pro se civil.20230302561 Chocolate Thunder has gone back to Lovetron. Following his retirement from the NBA, Dawkins - nicknamed Chocolate Thunder by Stevie Wonder - coached the American Basketball Association's Newark Express and the Pennsylvania ValleyDawgs, which played in the Lehigh Valley as part of the now-defunct United States Basketball League. Decent numbers but not the kind of Hall of Fame career his immense talent said he should have had. Known for shattering two glass backboards in 1979 with explosive dunks, Dawkins, who got his nickname from musical great Stevie Wonder, averaged 12 points, 6.1 assists and 1.4 blocks per game . And seriously, go to YouTube and search for Darryl Dawkins or Chocolate Thunder if you want to see some of his amazing dunks. An autopsy is scheduled for Friday. Former 76ers star Allen Iverson tweeted: Condolences to the family of Darryl Dawkins, a great man! Dawkins was known as much for his dunks as his playing career. [33], In 1999, Saturday Night Live named Dawkins the "Man of the Millennium" in a Weekend Update sketch. An autopsy concluded the cause of death was coronary artery disease. And he included the name of the man he dunked on. 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. His two backboard-shattering dunks came about a month apart early in the 1979-80 season, one against Kansas City, the other against San . Seventeen days later, Moses Malone, who had spent the weekend enjoying the annual Hall of Fame festivities in Springfield, Massachusetts, was found dead in a hotel room in Norfolk, Virginia. Anybody who causes a rule to change, or causes the league to install new equipment is a noteworthy player. Well, probably not the only thing. [9] Two days later, on November 5, 1983, Dawkins set the Nets' franchise record for blocks in a single game, with 13. Darryl Dawkins, seen here at the 2013 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, died Thursday at age 58. He was heavily recruited by Division I colleges across the country, and he narrowed his choices to Florida State, Kansas, and Kentucky. This page was last edited on 27 November 2022, at 01:06. But for all the laughs and outlandish dunks Dawkins did not have the dominating career many assumed for him when he came to the league straight from high school in 1975. His power and talent tested the nuts and bolts of basketball literally. He died on Thursday at age 58. "Darryl touched the hearts and . 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. 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. The following year the 76ers would celebrate their first championships since Wilt Chamberlain won it in 1967. Dawkins died Thursday in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania hospital. They exercise, they watch their nutrition, they try to limit the stress in their lives. Who was the first player to enter the NBA straight from high school? But when you are the first person to do something, like Dawkins, you have to get creative. There will never be another Chocolate Thunder. Roberts said action from the players' association on providing screening for their retired players is "imminent.''. Snubbing the King: Why Don't Big Stars Want to Perform at Charles' Coronation? 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. And when he dunked basketballs he did so with a ferociousness few had ever seen. Dawkins was traded to the Utah Jazz in a seven-player, three-team trade during the 1987 offseason. "It is with great sadness that we share the passing of our beloved husband and father, Darryl Dawkins, who succumbed today to a heart attack. The Idol: How HBOs Next Euphoria Became Twisted Torture Porn Rest easy OG. Dawkins averaged 25.8 points and 12 rebounds and led a talent-laden Evans team to a state championship in his senior year at Evans. Some of you might say that Moses Malone was drafted out of high school a year before Dawkins. Dr. Alfred Bove, physician emeritus at Temple University School of Medicine and a former Philadelphia 76ers team doctor, dismissed the notion that NBA stars are at higher risk for cardiac-related deaths than the general population. He was the head coach of the American Basketball Association's Newark Express. And that is also true, except that Malone went to the ABA, which was still a completely separate league. The team was led by Dr. J, Julius Erving. The first of Dawkins famous two dunks happened on November 13, 1979, in the Municipal Auditorium which was home to the Kansas City Kings. Dawkins died Aug. 27, 2015, at a hospital in Allentown, Pennsylvania at the age of 58. 2015 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. He was 58, and even though officials said an autopsy would be performed on Friday . The 76ers also kept a separate column on the stat sheet for Dawkins's self-created nicknames: "Sir Slam" and "Chocolate Thunder." A proper diet, routine exercise, limiting alcohol, eliminating smoking and undergoing regular screening, Bove said, are steps that should alleviate the players' fears. "Darryl touched the hearts and . He went to college first and joined the NBA four years later. The good-faith actions of current players were welcome news to retired veterans who have been rattled by the spate of cardiac-related deaths. He was 58. I just think we haven't been in the forefront of peoples' minds. A spokesperson for Lehigh . The Lehigh County coroner's office announced that an autopsy would be performed on August 27, but according to a statement released by Dawkins' family, the cause of death was a heart attack. Being a bunch of comedians, the folks at Saturday Night Live announced their selection for the Man of the Millennium as none other than Darryl Dawkins. He remained enormously popular after his playing days were done, even during his stint as a member of the Harlem Globetrotters. A cemetery posted a personal ad for a goose whose mate died. "Being tall does increase the risk for atrial fibrillation, but that is not a fatal condition and can be treated with medication," O'Keefe said. 5 in the 1975 NBA draft by the 76ers. Darryl Dawkins, one of the most colorful characters in NBA history, has died. Sa fortune s lve 5 000 000,00 euros mensuels According to his family,the cause of death was a heart attack. We want to shine a light on forgotten stories that need to be remembered again. That study, O'Keefe said, is not applicable to basketball players. We want to hear it. Darryl Dawkins was born on 11 January, 1957 in Orlando, Florida, United States, is an American basketball player-coach. Haywood attended the union meetings in Vegas and informed Paul and James that elite players of his generation made no more than $50,000 or $75,000 at the height of their careers. In 2009 he was named head coach of Lehigh Carbon Community College in Pennsylvania. "When we have this type of thing -- two former players dying back-to-back just weeks apart -- they see themselves as this select little group. "You were one of my favorite players of all time," Houston center Dwight Howard posted Thursday on Instagram under a photo of Dawkins dunking in a game for the 76ers. He signed a seven-year contract worth $1 million. "Simply put, Darryl Dawkins was beloved-by his family, friends . Telephone calls to the county medical examiner's . His family released a statement Thursday afternoon, indicating the former NBA great died of a heart attack. Once he became a regular starter the home announcer in Philadelphia was in a bit of a dilemma because when the starters are announced in the NBA, they include which university the player came from. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Newly minted Hall of Famer Spencer Haywood said screening for retired players should not be limited to cardiac-related issues. He claimed to have come from a planet called Lovetron and called named himself Chocolate Thunder, claiming the nickname was given him by Stevie Wonder. His name might ring a bell because the NBAs championship trophy is called the Larry OBrien Trophy in his honor. "The cardiac issues our players have experienced are well known.". Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. "We will always remember Darryl for his incredible talent, his infectious enthusiasm and his boundless generosity. His nickname, "Chocolate Thunder", was bestowed upon him by Stevie Wonder. In 2005, Dawkins was one of several former NBA players to audition for an analyst position with ESPN, as part of the network's reality series Dream Job. Jun 12, 2020 10:30 P.M. He then went on to play a number of years in Italy where he was a very popular player. Darryl Dawkins' cause of death awaiting further tests. Rainfall up to 1". Darryl Dawkins, former NBA player and Winnipeg Cyclone Basketball Coach passes away at age 58. In the 198283 season, Dawkins averaged 12 points and shot .599 from the floor, ranking third in the league in field-goal percentage. Jim Spanarkel played with Dawkins in Philadelphia during Spanarkel's rookie season in 1979-80. Dawkins subsequently played nine seasons in the National Basketball . "A great man, entertainer, athlete and ferocious dunker," former NBA guard Kevin Johnson wrote on Twitter in tribute to Dawkins. And this is why we do this podcast and blog. In one anecdote, Bobby Jones told ESPN about the time he smelled smoke after a Dawkins dunk, when Jones played for the Denver Nuggets: " 'This is the truth I'm smelling smoke,' Jones says. On August 20, 2009 . Darryl Dawkins, a high-scoring, big-dunking center who played the bulk of his 15-year NBA career with the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Nets, has died at the age of 58 . [32] In 1988, Dawkins married a former Nets cheerleader, Robbin Thornton; they divorced after 10 years. Dawkins most recently was the former head coach of the Lehigh Carbon Community College men's basketball team. On April 7, 1986, he appeared at WrestleMania II as a guest judge for a boxing match between Mr. T (with Joe Frazier, The Haiti Kid) versus Roddy Piper (with Bob Orton and Lou Duva).[29][30]. It was during those early years that Dawkins also displayed the power that would become his claim to fame: In the span of one month during the 1979 season, he threw down a pair of monstrous dunks that shattered backboards in Kansas City and Philadelphia plays that would become highlight-reel staples for decades to come and would lead the league to implement the use of so-called breakaway rims to limit the possibility of player injury. Steeped in his Chocolate Thunder persona, the indestructible dunking force that earned cult status in the late '70s and early '80s, Dawkins toured the country in recent years to entertain league sponsors. June 4, 2021 by Sports History Network. You were the originator of the dunk. You could just see it in wind up. / CBS/AP. I would argue that Dawkins cultural impact was greater than his basketball impact. He then played a little bit of minor league basketball in some leagues that do not even exist anymore. He will be missed but not forgotten. Prayers go up for the Dawkins family. No cause of death has been determined; an . Dubs' Curry (leg) could return as soon as Sun. [citation needed], At one point, Dawkins claimed to be an alien from the planet Lovetron, where he spent the off-season practicing "interplanetary funkmanship" where his girlfriend Juicy Lucy lived. Unfortunately for Dawkins, he wasnt able to stick around with the 76ers to win a championship. And Last September, former Sixer Caldwell . [1] He was known for his powerful dunks, which led to the NBA adopting breakaway rims due to him shattering a backboard on two occasions in 1979.[2]. At 20 years old, Dawkins averaged 11.7 points and 7.9 rebounds in nearly 25 minutes per game, while ranked second in the league in field goal percentage at .575. 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. The cause of death is said to be a heart attack, according to Dawkins' family. The cause of death is said to be a heart attack, according to Dawkins' family. I think he understands what we're dealing with here,'' Haywood said. They could have selected Leonardo DaVinci, Mozart, Einstein, Galileo, or George Washington. 'Whatever seed we are, we're ready': Is there room for Cleveland among the East elite? All Rights reserved. Darryl Dawkins in 1995 AP Darryl Dawkins died on August 27, 2015, in Allentown, Pennsylvania, at the age of 58. People are taking better care of themselves. Rogowski, who worked for the Houston Rockets in a similar capacity, said he understands the concerns of a population that has seen a slew of former and current players experience heart issues. Dawkins, 58, had a 14-year NBA career with four different teams. Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum top NBA quotes of the week, Shaken by deaths, union to help retired players, MacMullan: How Moses Malone mentored a young Charles Barkley, Recipient of Basketball Hall of Fame Curt Gowdy Media Award. From 2009-11, he was the head coach of the men's team at Lehigh Carbon Community College. Dawkins . The deaths of no fewer than 25 NBA players (and other famous basketball pros) in 2015 set off alarms and made it an infamous year with the most deaths of former players. "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. "[26] He named other dunks as well: the Rim Wrecker, the Go-Rilla, the Look Out Below, the In-Your-Face Disgrace, the Cover Your Head, the Yo-Mama, the Spine-Chiller Supreme, and the Greyhound Special (for the rare occasions when he went coast to coast). I. Dawkins spent parts of 14 seasons in the NBA with Philadelphia, New Jersey, Utah and Detroit. Darryl touched the hearts and spirits of so many with his big smile and personality, ferocious dunks, but more than anything, his huge, loving heart. While there still may be potentially acrimonious labor negotiations looming between Silver and Roberts over the current collective bargaining agreement, which includes an opt-out for both sides in 2017, the sudden death of two of the NBA's biggest brethren has linked Roberts and Silver in a joint effort to ease the health concerns of its retired players. R.I.P. The situation was far worse. From the start of his pro career, Dawkins was capable of soaring above other players and arriving at the rim with unstoppable force. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Sports History Network is not affiliated with, licensed, sponsored, authorized, or endorsed by any college, university, team, league, artist, athlete, venue, other brand, or any licensing entity. 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. Darryl Dawkins, a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, died Thursday of currently unknown causes, as confirmed by the Lehigh Valley County Coroner's office. After his NBA career, Dawkins played several seasons in Italy before taking several coaching positions and serving as an ambassador for the NBA. The Orlando native played 15 seasons in the NBA, spending the majority of his career with the Philadelphia 76ers and the New Jersey Nets. Richardson had just received a message that good friend and former teammate Darryl Dawkins, the first player ever drafted directly out of high school into the NBA, was . Dr. A's weekly risers and fallers: Jeremy Sochan, Christian Wood make the list, NBA Power Rankings: Kevin Durant's return could rock the West, What NBA Finals runs from LeBron, Giannis can teach Jayson Tatum, They said it! The cause of death remains unknown and investigators did not say if the mix of drugs was a factor. He saw the look in Dawkins eyes as he brought the ball behind his head with both hands and knew what was coming. The nets weren't on fire or anything, but as I looked up there, because of the friction his dunk had caused, I could see these tiny little silk strands sort of drifting through the air. He only averaged 2 points per game his rookie year coming off the bench. We went up for the dunk and Doug Collins, his point guard, was already running away before the dunk was even completed. The rim and backboard needed some beefing up. His 57.2 field goal percentage is seventh best in NBA history. On August 20, 2009, Lehigh Carbon Community College (located in Schnecksville, Pennsylvania) announced that Dawkins would be the head coach of their men's basketball team for the upcoming 20092010 season. Dawkins was as revered off the court as he was on it. List of National Basketball Association career playoff blocks leaders, List of National Basketball Association players with most blocks in a game, "Stevie Wonder gave Darryl Dawkins his 'Chocolate Thunder' nickname", "A Game Played Above the Rim, Above All Else", "Dawkins Does Not Regret Heading To Nba 25 Years Ago He Left Maynard Evans High School In 1975 To Help His Family Make It Through Financial Difficulties", "Why Pros Spent 20 Years Shunning High Schoolers", "Philadelphia 76ers at New Jersey Nets Box Score, November 5, 1983", "Nets Franchise Single Game Record Blocks", "For the 76ers, it was almost a Net loss", "To the New Jersey Nets, there's no place like", "Mavericks defeat Lakers - 2011 (Western Conference semifinals) - Greatest NBA Playoff Upsets - Photos - SI.com", "1984 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals Nets vs. An autopsy is scheduled for Friday. That's per diem money.' This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. This one was called the Chocolate Thunder Flying, Robenzine Crying, Teeth Shaking, Glass Breaking, Rump Roasting, Bun Toasting, Wham Bam, Glass Breaker, I am Jam.. "It's the topic nobody wants to address. Dawkins grew up in Orlando, Florida and made history as the first player to be drafted to the NBA directly out of . She was pronounced dead on arrival at Mercer Medical Center. He was also 611 and had really filled out at around 230 lbs. The 76ers suffered another postseason disappointment in 1982 when they reached the Finals but lost again to the Los Angeles Lakers in six games. With the Nets looking to be a team on the rise led by Dawkins, they entered the 198485 with high expectations. "It's too soon.". In his second season, after playing limited minutes during the regular season, Dawkins was called upon to help the Sixers in their playoff run, to battle Dave Cowens of the Celtics and Moses Malone of the Rockets. Rest in peace OG. Join to be notified of new content from Sports History Network, given to him by Stevie Wonder, and that nickname is Chocolate Thunder. By Comfort Omovre. [35], Dawkins died on August 27, 2015, in Allentown, Pennsylvania, at the age of 58. Dawkins died Thursday at a hospital in Allentown, Pennsylvania, according to the Lehigh County coroner's office. "I know things are evolving. For weeks it was the only thing that basketball writers could talk about. . The names you came up with were creative and on point. "I feel badly these guys feel they are at risk for a shorter life span, but there are other factors that are leading to that.". He would coach there for five years before dying of a heart attack in 2015 at the age of just 58. Roberts and her staff presented their vision of comprehensive screening for retirees to current players at their annual Las Vegas meeting in July. We will remember him forever. We have black men from our league walking around with prostate cancer, and they don't even know it. He also appears in NBA Live Mobile as a Legend based on his 19791980 season with the Sixers. Darryl R. Dawkins (January 11, 1957 - August 27, 2015) was an American professional basketball player. He seemed a player who should have gone to college, maybe maturing before coming to the NBA. "You could use the model they have for dogs," Bove said. "One night, first time he broke a backboard, and I remember going back to the locker room because there was a delay," Spanarkel said. But the fans in Philadelphia were begging to see the backboard shattered in a home game. Darryl Dawkins Death: and Cause of Death. The players' association was working on a program that would fund cardiac screening and supplemental health insurance for its retired players. One gold chain had a cross while the other featured one of his nicknames "Sir Slam" in gold script. His family is in our thoughts and prayers," Philadelphia 76ers CEO, Scott O'Neil said in a statement. hide caption. That's because people [my size] don't live that long. Darryl Dawkinss ferocious dunks became his calling card. But first, let me give you some history on Chocolate Thunder. But, the real Larry OBrien was not happy with Dawkins. Over the next three seasons, Dawkins and Caldwell Jones split time at the center and power forward positions. See, for that joke to work, people have to know who Darryl Dawkins, or Chocolate Thunder, is. Or the Spine-Chiller-Supreme? Darryl Dawkins, a.k.a. He was 58. He was drafted behind David Thompson, David Meyers, Marvin Webster, and Alvan Adams. An autopsy was performed Friday and the cause as well as the manner of death are pending further forensic . When Dawkins died suddenly from a heart attack in August at age 58, the news literally took Silver's breath away. the cause of death was a heart attack. Darryl Dawkins was selected with the 5th overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1975 NBA draft. After Philadelphia won the next two games, the Nets won a decisive game 5 when Dawkins' defense on reigning MVP Moses Malone helped New Jersey overcome a late deficit to win their first playoff series. 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. There were also two rookies tearing up the league at the same time by the names of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. "Darryl Dawkins is the father of power dunking . Discover what happened on this day. Following his professional playing career, Dawkins made his home in the Lehigh Valley. I do all of those things. Dr. James H. O'Keefe, a sports cardiologist at Mid America Heart Institute in Kansas City, has lectured on a study that measured marathoners who engaged in vigorous exercise over a prolonged period. There you will see several highlight clips. In 2006, following the sudden death of 26-year-old Jason Collier of an enlarged heart, the NBA implemented a mandatory screening program for its players that includes three cardiac tests: an electrocardiogram, a resting echocardiogram and a stress echocardiogram. 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