Back in the 70s, you could listen and feel the tremendous backboard-breaking force that Darryl Dawkins showed on the court. Before Shaquille O’Neal, the legend behind rim-breaking dunks was Dawkins. In the Los Angeles Lakers legend’s words, “Dawkins (was) the father of power dunking.” O’Neal once said that he was just “one of his sons.” NBA legend Isiah Thomas also acknowledged it in one of his tweets recently.

Famed musician Stevie Wonder, who was blind, could feel Dawkins’ energy and rightly nicknamed him Chocolate Thunder. Even after all these years, the Philadelphia 76ers‘ legend’s rim-breaking performances still live in people’s minds and hearts. 

Isiah Thomas praises the Dunk King 

“Darryl Dawkins is the reason we have breakaway rims today. Let it be known,” Thomas wrote on X on July 26. Along with his message, he also shared a clip showing the 6’11” Dawkins using one hand to forcefully slam dunk, shattering the backboard. Do fans still have doubts about his claims? 

Thomas’ first comment came in response to a debate comparing LeBron James and Julius Erving. “Dr. J played with a 6’11”, 270-pound center named Darryl Dawkins. He is the reason why we have breakaway rims in the NBA. He had a 40-inch vertical and ran a 4.5 flat,” Thomas initially commented. 

Later, a basketball enthusiast agreed with how dominant Dawkins was but appeared doubtful of Thomas’ claims regarding the breakaway rims urging the basketball legend to double down on his thoughts. “Darryl Dawkins was absolutely the reason why we have break away rims today!” the 2x NBA champion wrote.

Zeke spent a couple of years playing alongside Dawkins and understands his former teammate’s playing style well.

Dunk King Darryl Dawkins had a legendary legacy

The late legend was such a fan of his own dunks that he even named them. Some of his awe-inspiring dunks included Glass-Breaking, Wham-Bam, Robinzine-Crying, Rump-Roasting, Bun-Toasting, Teeth-Shaking, Glass-Breaker-I-Am-Jam, and Spine-Chiller-Supreme. While his career couldn’t mirror the same groundbreaking power as his dunks, it was notable.

We have Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, and numerous other basketball stars who had legendary careers after jumping into the NBA right after high school. But who was the first to do so? It was Dawkins. After being selected as the fifth overall pick by the 76ers in 1975, he spent 14 years playing in the NBA. He was a major part of the Philadelphia 76ers team that made three NBA Finals appearances. Following this, he played for the New Jersey Nets and the Utah Jazz. 

It was with Isiah Thomas’ Detroit Pistons in 1989 that he won his first NBA Championship. Dawkins’s power dunk move might have lasted in the NBA for a few more years, but he was stopped because of his injuries. Music icon Stevie Wonder was so impressed by his dunks that he personally called Dawkins for a meeting in the locker room to give him a new nickname. 

Later, Dawkins also played in international leagues and was selected for the Italian All-Star Game twice. Across his 726 career regular-season games, the 76ers legend averaged 12 points and 6.1 rebounds. Following his playing career, Darryl began a new career as a coach for the Winnipeg Cyclone. As a coach for the Pennsylvania Valley Dawgs, he won two championships.

Sadly, the NBA legend passed away in 2015 due to a heart attack. Sharing a photo of Dawkins making a spectacular dunk for the Philadelphia 76ers, 3x Slam Dunk champion Dwight Howard wrote, “You were one of my favorite players of all time. You were very inspirational to a lot of young players. Thank u for the long talks and great memories. I can’t believe that you’re gone. But you are in a better place. You were the originator of the dunk.”

The stats might not have qualified him for a Hall of Fame career, but there’s no denying that he left his mark on the game. And Dawkins won’t be forgotten.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting pilot episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and SEC All-Freshman Team Selection, Silas Demary Jr.