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Darryl Dawkins: Dead at 58 (1 Viewer)

L

larch

Footballguy
http://deathbeeper.com/0701942.html

NBA legend Darryl Dawkins -- nicknamed "Chocolate Thunder" for his monster dunks -- has died at the age of 58, according to WFMZ.

Dawkins was the first basketball player to be drafted to the NBA straight outta high school when he was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1975.

Dawkins played in the NBA until 1989 ... and also spent time playing with the Harlem Globetrotters.

The guy was a pioneer of the monster dunk -- and threw down with such force that he shattered TWO backboards in 1979.

Dawkins was always cool with us ... and just last year explained how Stevie Wonder gave him his famous nickname.

R.I.P.
Click to expand...
 
He picked up a round for me and my friends once when he bumped into our table. His bumping into us did not even spill one drop and we told him no harm no foul, but he bought us a round anyhow.

 
One of my favorite players as a kid. :(

The wars between the 76ers, Lakers, and Celtics of the early 80s were incredible. All 3 of those teams were loaded with stars and colorful players exciting to watch.

 
Starting Five Darryl Dawkins Dunk Names

C: Chocolate-Thunder-Flying, Robinzine-Crying, Teeth-Shaking, Glass-Breaking, Rump-Roasting, Bun-Toasting, Wham-Bam, Glass-Breaker-I-Am-Jam
F: Turbo Sexophonic Delight
F: If It Ain't Groovin You Best Get Movin
G: Coast-To-Coast Greyhound Special
G: Dunk You Very Much

Second Team

C: In-Your-Face Disgrace
F: Yo-Mama
F: Walk Away From Love
G: Earthquaker Shaker
G: Spine Chiller Supreme

Third Team
C: Look Out Below
F: Slam Bam Thank You Ma'am
F: Candyslam
G: Go-Rilla
G: Rim-Wrecker

 
Double D, you were the ####### greatest.

May you forever reign on Planet Lovetron, eternally practicing Interplanetary Funksmanship with Juicy Lucy and all your other Lovetron companions.

 
Early 80s Sixer fan here. Only pro team I ever followed that won a championship in '83.

58 is pretty young. I wonder the cause?

 
Remember as a kid attending Magic Johnson's bball camp (probably '79-80) and he was there one day. Did a dunk for all of us during an all-star pickup game and busted the glass backboard in the Everett HS gym.. Was awesome.

RIP 53

 
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He lived near where I grew up and would often either volunteer or just simply show up at youth camps/activities. Awesome guy.

 
Whether you were watching with friends on TV or were in the building, when he got the ball everyone stopped what they were doing.

 
Met him at a Nets practice around 1986. Met a few others too, I know Gminski and I think Buck Williams came over to talk to some of us kids. Most of them were friendly enough and signed some autographs, but DD went to another level. He was running around putting kids on his shoulders and doing fake dunks in our faces. Just an awesome dude and looked about 20 feet tall to 7-year-old me, and a memory I've always kept. RIP

 
Ha, email I literally just got from a buddy...

He was still a big enough celebrity that anytime the American Heart Association was doing an auction, they would hit him up for an autographed ball or some other bit of memorabilia.

My soon to be baby mama worked for the Heart Association, knows I love basketball, asked him to sign one for her boyfriend Joe. Darryl, ever the gentleman, obliges.

"Joe,

Your girl's hot!

-Choc"
 
Was amazing when he was drafted out of high school and he brought unbelievable creativity to the dunk. But didn't Dr.J. start the monster dunk a few years earlier, flying from the free-throw line?

 
Phil Elliott said:
Was amazing when he was drafted out of high school and he brought unbelievable creativity to the dunk. But didn't Dr.J. start the monster dunk a few years earlier, flying from the free-throw line?
Click to expand...
Different styles. Dawkins had amazing finesse for a guy his size, but he was an avatar of power. Erving could throw them down almost as hard as anyone, but his seemed more poetic.

 
I met him and his whole family during a tour they did when I was in Italy in the 90s. Super nice guy, and he actually had some outside skills as demonstrated in a game he played with all of us troops.

Sad news, RIP.

 
I can still remember him squaring up and getting ready to throw down with Maurice Lucas during the NBA finals with Portland.

 
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Michael Brown said:
Ha, email I literally just got from a buddy...

He was still a big enough celebrity that anytime the American Heart Association was doing an auction, they would hit him up for an autographed ball or some other bit of memorabilia.

My soon to be baby mama worked for the Heart Association, knows I love basketball, asked him to sign one for her boyfriend Joe. Darryl, ever the gentleman, obliges."Joe,



Your girl's hot!

-Choc"
Click to expand...
I love the "Choc" sig. Classic

 
RIP.

The NBA widened the key because of Wilt.

The NCAA banned dunks due to Lew Alcindor (Kareem).

Darryl Dawkins prompted breakaway rims.

He was always a Chocololate Cyborg Galactic Overlord just on loan from Planet Lovetron, who needed to be called back to duty to put down and snuff out some breakouts of universal mutant dunking insurrections and rebellions in the home quadrant.

Not the first to turn pro right out of high school, but a pioneer and one of the first, after Moses Malone, with Bill Willoughby.

His rim rattling, backboard shattering dunks had a stronger impact than slamming a 40 of malt liquor.

 
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Uruk-Hai said:
Phil Elliott said:
Was amazing when he was drafted out of high school and he brought unbelievable creativity to the dunk. But didn't Dr.J. start the monster dunk a few years earlier, flying from the free-throw line?
Click to expand...
Different styles. Dawkins had amazing finesse for a guy his size, but he was an avatar of power. Erving could throw them down almost as hard as anyone, but his seemed more poetic.
Click to expand...
Yeah, it's kind of like comparing Vince Carter and Shaq dunking in their prime. The guys flying through the air will be shown over and over, but it's a completely different feeling when you brace yourself when you can tell the big man is going to dunk. You would have such a feeling of anticipation the seconds before you knew Dawkins was coiling to unleash his brand of devestation on the rim, the backboard, and perhaps the entire stadium for all you knew. For a moment you were hoping nobody was dumb enough to get in his way because they might get hurt. He approached the rim with such ferocity you thought Dawkins himself might get hurt. It was the antipation of bracing yourself for an explosion you knew was coming. Destruction. Mayhem. And you were desperately hoping for that moment to come at some point in the game, no matter which team you were rooting for. RIP DD, and thanks for the memories.

 
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