Darryl Dawkins - Mr. Chocolate Thunder

Darryl Dawkins (born January 11, 1957 in Orlando, Florida) is a former professional basketball player, most noted for his days with the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Nets, although he also played briefly for the Detroit Pistons and Utah Jazz late in his career.

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. On the flip side, Dawkins set an NBA record for fouls in a season (386 in 1983-84), and he never quite lived up to the expectations that had been heaped upon him when he was drafted out of high school.

A raw talent who needed time to develop, Dawkins languished on the Sixers' bench for his first two seasons. As a rookie in 1975-76 he played in only 37 games, averaging 2.4 points in 4.5 minutes per game. The next year he played a limited role during the regular season but began to emerge during the playoffs. The Sixers advanced all the way to the NBA Finals that year, and Dawkins was called upon to help battle Portland's Bill Walton. The Trail Blazers won the series in six games, but Dawkins earned respect among the Philadelphia coaching staff with 7.3 points and 5.4 rebounds per contest in the postseason.

In the 1977-78 season Dawkins finally found a regular role, coming off the bench for nearly 25 minutes per game. Now a robust 20 years old, he averaged 11.7 points and 7.9 rebounds and ranked second in the league in field-goal percentage at .575. With a club that included Julius Erving, George McGinnis, Lloyd Free, and Doug Collins, the Sixers made another solid postseason run, advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals before losing to the Washington Bullets in six games.

Prior to the 1978--79 season Philadelphia traded McGinnis to the Denver Nuggets for Bobby Jones and Ralph Simpson. The move was made in part to clear space for Dawkins on the Sixers' front line, which also included 6-foot-11 Caldwell Jones. Over the next three seasons Dawkins and Caldwell Jones split time at the center and power forward positions, and Dawkins had the most productive stretch of his career. In 1979--80 he averaged 14.7 points and a career-high 8.7 rebounds, helping the Sixers back to the NBA Finals, which they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in six games.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• basketball

[ochocinco852307]

ahh summer tyme in da background set dat old skool scene for da video nice man

[VeoShock]

Thanks bro. Yea, I had to take it back to the old skool. LOL. Chocolate Thunder was one of the best POWER dunkers ever.

[ethurst2]

What are you talking about? Dawkins had 10 to 15ft jump shot from the baseline ad around the circle. He was pre-Shaq with a jump shot. The refs weren't ready for that kind of ball in the late 70's early 80's. Dawk was a casualty of the Moses Malone trade that sent him to Jersey. I feel like the Sixers should have only let Caldwell Jones walk and kept Dawk under the tutuledge of Moses Malone. 76ers could have won two more championships.

[judahsong]

He was very inconsistent, never an allstar and never truly applied himself.....I did enjoy him. Good collegiate coaching would have benefited him in those day.

[RAV52]

Chocolate Thunder = A Genetic Freak. Dude was waaaaaay ahead of his time!

[johnnycage435]

dawkins and jordan look alike

[sk8ramirez2000]

240 We Meet Again

[Ariamaluum]

@judahsong. Well the guy he dunked on Bill Robizine played all 4 years for Ray Meyer. Ray taught George Mikan, Em Bryant, Mark Aguirre, Terry Cummunings, Dave Corzine, and others.  Bill's father played for Ray. But Bill got hurt in 1980 and no offers came from other NBA teams, he got despondent when others thought he had so many options because he was a great academic. But unfortunately for him, basketball was his identity. Darryl was flexible. He could market himself and do things off court.

[MrSlikdik]

"The Chocolate-Thunder-Flying, Robinzine-Crying, Teeth-Shaking, Glass-Breaking, Rump-Roasting, Bun-Toasting, Wham-Bam, Glass-Breaker-I-Am-Jam."

[Ariamaluum]

@judahsong. He knew the fundamentals of the game but back then the NBA was an enforcer game. You really had to be tough and strong. Tommy LaGarde, Mitch Kupchak, Wally Walker, and those forwards from ACC didn't really last long only Bobby Jones did. What Darryl didn't know was the fundamentals of jumping and knowing when to jump. Many times, he jumped out of position and got called for ticky-tack fouls.

[judahsong]

@Ariamaluum

He needed time to mature before all the accolades. At that time, a guy like Dean Smith or John Wooden would have helped him discipline himself more. It isn't the talent as much as the fundamentals and accountability.

[Ariamaluum]

@judahsong. How is a college coach going to teach him how to play 82 games a season and bring it every night? He knew the game and smart as hell. But he needed a fitness trainer and go to California for offseason workouts. But back then, you play street ball to get in shape.

[richamoe1]

i remember this being the first guy i knew of to Shatter backboards wit dunks....as a kid that was like the most amazing thing in the world to me

[MrBennetzen]

Larry O'Brian was not too pleased with Dawkins after he shattered two backboards especially in Philadelphia. Billy Cunningham was bitching about the delays involved with the broken backboards