.JPG) Dawkins in 2009 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 11, 1957 Orlando, Florida, U.S. |
| Died | August 27, 2015 (aged 58) Allentown, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) |
| Listed weight | 251 lb (114 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Maynard Evans (Orlando, Florida) |
| NBA draft | 1975: 1st round, 5th overall pick |
| Selected by the Philadelphia 76ers | |
| Playing career | 1975–1996, 1999–2000 |
| Position | Center |
| Number | 53, 45, 50 |
| Coaching career | 1998–2006, 2009–2011 |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 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 |
| 1995 | Harlem Globetrotters |
| 1995–1996 | Sioux Falls Skyforce |
| 1999–2000 | Winnipeg Cyclone |
| 2000 | Pennsylvania ValleyDawgs |
| As coach: | |
| 1998–2000 | Winnipeg Cyclone |
| 1999–2006 | Pennsylvania ValleyDawgs |
| 2005–2006 | Newark Express |
| 2009–2011 | Lehigh Carbon CC |
| Career highlights and awards | |
As player:
As coach:
| |
| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 8,733 (12.0 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 4,432 (6.1 rpg) |
| Blocks | 1,023 (1.4 bpg) |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball Reference | |
Darryl R. Dawkins (January 11, 1957 – August 27, 2015) was an American professional basketball player and coach. He was particularly known for his tenure with the National Basketball Association's Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Nets, although he also played briefly for the Detroit Pistons and Utah Jazz late in his career. His nickname, "Chocolate Thunder", was bestowed upon him by Stevie Wonder.[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]
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. He also played in the NBA Finals three times as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He also won an NBA Championship in 1989 with the Detroit Pistons even though he only played 14 games for the team that season. Dawkins set an NBA record for fouls in a season (386 in 1983–84).
- ^ Freeman, Eric (August 05, 2011). "Stevie Wonder gave Darryl Dawkins his 'Chocolate Thunder' nickname" Archived March 1, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved February 18, 2016.
- ^ Broussard, Chris (February 15, 2004). "A Game Played Above the Rim, Above All Else". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 22, 2022. Retrieved February 7, 2017.