Chocolate Thunder Darryl Dawkins & 2011 NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contest
It has been many years since Planet Lovetron sent to Philly a man-child by the name of Darryl Dawkins.
Tonight Double D will lend his dunking skills and flare for the spotlight to a young Double D protégée; DeMar DeRozen.
Number 53, actually from Evans High School in Orlando Florida, was the first player ever to go straight from High School to the NBA, when the 76ers drafted him with the 5th pick in the 1975 NBA Draft.
Before he would finish his 14 year NBA career, he would take dunking to a whole new level inspiring Saturday Night Live to name him Man of the Millennium.
The 18-year-old drew immediate comparisons to Wilt Chamberlain with his size and strength. The freight train in the lane earned more fouls than any player in the history of the NBA.
Dawkins’ sheer strength and power also enabled him to rip down a basketball rim and shatter a backboard at will. It’s because of Dawkins, that breakaway rims were invented.
“During practices Doc (Dr. J) and the guys (teammates) would ask me to rip down the rim so coach would have to cancel practice. I’d wait until the pot of money was sweet enough and then tear it down. Coach would get so mad at me,” Dawkins recalled.
During the 1979 season Dawkins shattered two backboards in a game. Photographer Larry Berman sat courtside snapping pictures during one of these occasions. In a phone interview five years ago he told me, “It is hard to describe the intensity during and after Darryl shattered the backboard. It was so powerful, it was just daunting; stunning. We were in dis-belief.” I still have a piece of glass from the backboard. “
“I was feeling pretty good about myself at the time,” Darryl said with his trademark smile. “I got a robe made with the inscription glass-breaker on it. One day I was sitting there in my robe and the phone rang so I answered it hello you got the glass-breaker here? On the other end the voice said, Glass-breaker this is the balls-breaker, you shatter another backboard I’ll fine you $5,000!” It was the commissioner of the NBA. I said, “Ye ye ye yes sir!”
Nobody has brought more creative naming to basketball than Double D. The self-proclaimed Chocolate Thunder from Planet Lovetron named his dunks the Chocolate-Thunder-Flying, Robinzine-Crying, Teeth-Shaking, Glass-Breaking, Rump Roasting, Bun-Toasting, Wham-Bam-I-Am Jam, In Your Face Disgrace, The Go-rilla, Earthquaker Shaker, Candyslam, Dunk You Very Much, Look Out Below, Yo Mama, Turbo Sexophonic Delight, Rim Wrecker, Greyhound Bus (went coast-to-coast), Cover Your Head, and Spine Chiller Supreme.
Tonight’s NBA All-Star Sprite Slam Dunk Contest will match former NBA players, as Coaches, to the 4 dunk contestants. Blake Griffin will pair up with NBA Champion and two-time Slam Dunk participant (1990, 1991) Kenny Smith; JaValee McGee will work with five-time NBA All-Star Chris Webber; and Serge Ibaka will pair with Oklahoma teammate and 2009-10 NBA scoring champion Kevin Durant. And Demar DeRozan will be coached by NBA Legend Darryl Dawkins.
Tonight’s Dunk Contest is the perfect stage for Dawkins, who always believed his first responsibility as a player, was to entertain the crowd. That doesn’t diminish his passion to win. His competitive spirit is seen in his coaching stints in the USBL where he won the 2001 USBL Championship and Coach of the Year award with the PA Valley Dawgs and at Lehigh Carbon Community College where he currently coaching for the second year.
More than winning and entertaining, Dawkins, who is a wonderful husband and father, has a passion for giving back and serving others with his time and compassion. This is never more evident than when he is with kids; especially special needs children and adults.
I carry with me a mental picture of Dawkins gently embracing a little boy in a wheel-chair who was drooling and unable to speak, at a school for special needs children a few years ago. Darryl hugged and loved on every special needs child in attendance.
His 7 foot 350 pound frame meandered gently within the group of wheel-chairs, walkers, and special needs children. “I love you too,” his deep voice repeated as he embraced one after another. He wouldn’t leave until each of the 125 kids received a hug, an autograph, and were made to feel special.
When he learned that there were more kids in classrooms that couldn’t make it to the gymnasium because of their disabilities, he went to them. Most of the children he meets never saw him dunk a basketball and yet they are thrilled when he enters the room and greets them. Perhaps it’s his large presence. More than that, I believe he possesses the unique intrinsic ability to engage with people, and make them feel special.
God may have made Darryl Dawkins extra-large to shatter a few backboards, but He also knew this man would have a huge heart. Darryl Dawkins is the official Ambassador of the NBA Nation touring the globe every summer. He gives generously of his time to charities for special needs children, and kids of all ages, and has enjoyed coaching AAU, semi-pro, and college basketball in recent years. He is one of the nicest celebrities you will ever meet. He still signs his autograph with the inscription "Choc Thunder #53."
Before he would finish his 14 year NBA career, he would take dunking to a whole new level inspiring Saturday Night Live to name him Man of the Millennium.
The 18-year-old drew immediate comparisons to Wilt Chamberlain with his size and strength. The freight train in the lane earned more fouls than any player in the history of the NBA.
Dawkins’ sheer strength and power also enabled him to rip down a basketball rim and shatter a backboard at will. It’s because of Dawkins, that breakaway rims were invented.
“During practices Doc (Dr. J) and the guys (teammates) would ask me to rip down the rim so coach would have to cancel practice. I’d wait until the pot of money was sweet enough and then tear it down. Coach would get so mad at me,” Dawkins recalled.
During the 1979 season Dawkins shattered two backboards in a game. Photographer Larry Berman sat courtside snapping pictures during one of these occasions. In a phone interview five years ago he told me, “It is hard to describe the intensity during and after Darryl shattered the backboard. It was so powerful, it was just daunting; stunning. We were in dis-belief.” I still have a piece of glass from the backboard. “
“I was feeling pretty good about myself at the time,” Darryl said with his trademark smile. “I got a robe made with the inscription glass-breaker on it. One day I was sitting there in my robe and the phone rang so I answered it hello you got the glass-breaker here? On the other end the voice said, Glass-breaker this is the balls-breaker, you shatter another backboard I’ll fine you $5,000!” It was the commissioner of the NBA. I said, “Ye ye ye yes sir!”
Nobody has brought more creative naming to basketball than Double D. The self-proclaimed Chocolate Thunder from Planet Lovetron named his dunks the Chocolate-Thunder-Flying, Robinzine-Crying, Teeth-Shaking, Glass-Breaking, Rump Roasting, Bun-Toasting, Wham-Bam-I-Am Jam, In Your Face Disgrace, The Go-rilla, Earthquaker Shaker, Candyslam, Dunk You Very Much, Look Out Below, Yo Mama, Turbo Sexophonic Delight, Rim Wrecker, Greyhound Bus (went coast-to-coast), Cover Your Head, and Spine Chiller Supreme.
Tonight’s NBA All-Star Sprite Slam Dunk Contest will match former NBA players, as Coaches, to the 4 dunk contestants. Blake Griffin will pair up with NBA Champion and two-time Slam Dunk participant (1990, 1991) Kenny Smith; JaValee McGee will work with five-time NBA All-Star Chris Webber; and Serge Ibaka will pair with Oklahoma teammate and 2009-10 NBA scoring champion Kevin Durant. And Demar DeRozan will be coached by NBA Legend Darryl Dawkins.
Tonight’s Dunk Contest is the perfect stage for Dawkins, who always believed his first responsibility as a player, was to entertain the crowd. That doesn’t diminish his passion to win. His competitive spirit is seen in his coaching stints in the USBL where he won the 2001 USBL Championship and Coach of the Year award with the PA Valley Dawgs and at Lehigh Carbon Community College where he currently coaching for the second year.
More than winning and entertaining, Dawkins, who is a wonderful husband and father, has a passion for giving back and serving others with his time and compassion. This is never more evident than when he is with kids; especially special needs children and adults.
I carry with me a mental picture of Dawkins gently embracing a little boy in a wheel-chair who was drooling and unable to speak, at a school for special needs children a few years ago. Darryl hugged and loved on every special needs child in attendance.
His 7 foot 350 pound frame meandered gently within the group of wheel-chairs, walkers, and special needs children. “I love you too,” his deep voice repeated as he embraced one after another. He wouldn’t leave until each of the 125 kids received a hug, an autograph, and were made to feel special.
When he learned that there were more kids in classrooms that couldn’t make it to the gymnasium because of their disabilities, he went to them. Most of the children he meets never saw him dunk a basketball and yet they are thrilled when he enters the room and greets them. Perhaps it’s his large presence. More than that, I believe he possesses the unique intrinsic ability to engage with people, and make them feel special.
God may have made Darryl Dawkins extra-large to shatter a few backboards, but He also knew this man would have a huge heart. Darryl Dawkins is the official Ambassador of the NBA Nation touring the globe every summer. He gives generously of his time to charities for special needs children, and kids of all ages, and has enjoyed coaching AAU, semi-pro, and college basketball in recent years. He is one of the nicest celebrities you will ever meet. He still signs his autograph with the inscription "Choc Thunder #53."
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