Former NBA star Darryl Dawkins dies at 58
Former NBA power forward Darryl Dawkins has died at the age of 58. The Lehigh County, Pa. coroner's office said Dawkins died Thursday morning at a hospital. No cause of death was immediately announced and an autopsy is scheduled for Friday.
Dawkins' family released the following statement:
Statement from the family of Darryl Dawkins pic.twitter.com/dLyT5GSRmX
— Marc J. Spears (@SpearsNBAYahoo) August 27, 2015
Dawkins made history as the the first player to make the leap straight from high school to the NBA after he was selected fifth by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1975 draft.
Nicknamed "Chocolate Thunder" by Stevie Wonder for his powerful dunks, Dawkins smashed two NBA backboards with in-game slams over a three-week span in November 1979. This led to the league's adoption of bendable breakaway rims.
A noted character, Dawkins used to name his dunks and joke that he came from the planet "Lovetron." He later played for the New Jersey Nets, Detroit Pistons, and Utah Jazz.
While he lasted 14 seasons in the NBA, injuries limited Dawkins' effectiveness - he only played more than 75 games five times. In 726 career contests, he averaged 12 points and 6.1 rebounds.
Dawkins also served as a mentor to younger players, including Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard, who passed along his condolences on Instagram.
- With files from the Associated Press