Defying All Odds, 63 YO NBA Veteran Reflects on Making It Into Basketball?s Highest Honor Despite His Restrictive Reality

Not everyone can say that they have gone toe to toe with the great Michael Jordan. But for this former Atlanta Hawks player, it was an everyday thing back in his time. He has gone up against the Chicago Bulls legend quite a few times in the NBA, especially during the All-Star weekends.

The display of athleticism and skill the two put on every time they faced each other in the ‘Slam Dunk Contest’ is still viewed by the players as inspiration. Being dubbed The Human Highlight Film, Dominique Wilkins is one of the best players in NBA history to have never won a championship.

Dominique Wilkins path to NBA immortality

In a recent interview with VladTV, this nine-time All-Star shared his life after retiring from playing and making it to the Hall of Fame. Wilkins said that he was told by the Hawks that he always had a place with them if he ever wanted to return to basketball after his retirement. He has always been around the team. Currently, he is the Vice President and special advisor to the CEO.

He said that he is happy about the impact that he has had on the team. Wilkins is happy giving advice and being around the people in Atlanta.

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Dominique Wilkins is one of the few greats in NBA history who has not won a championship during his time in the league. But he still made it to the Hall of Fame. When asked about making it to the Hall of Fame, Wilkins said “It shows how far you’ve come from that little kid in the projects to now being a Hall of Famer, one of the greatest players to ever play”.

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Later in the interview, he was asked about getting voted into the Mount Rushmore of Atlanta athletes. The group included Hank Aaron, Tom Glavine, Chipper Jones, and Dominique Wilkins. He said, “That’s a great group to be a part of”.

Iconic 1988 Slam Dunk contest

Dominique Wilkins is one of the best players to ever put on an Atlanta Hawks jersey. During his 12 seasons with the Hawks, he averaged 26 PPG. He led the team to eight playoff appearances but was never able to win a championship with them. But this didn’t keep Wilkins from being selected as an All-Star nine times in his career.

The two people who often went to the finals in the ‘Slam Dunk Contest’ in the late 1980s were Wilkins and MJ. They both took turns winning against each other and showcasing the range of their creativity. But this doesn’t come close to the 1988 slam dunk contest. This is where Michael Jordan did his iconic dunk from the free throw line, which gave him a full score of 50 from the judges.

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Wilkins’s final attempt was only able to get a 45 from the judges. It seemed like the judges were still amazed by Jordan, and this made them feel like Wilkins got to that level. But looking back at it, Wilkins could’ve taken it to another round.