Former Sixer Darryl Dawkins, 58, dies

Darryl Dawkins, 58, the flamboyant center with a first-rate sense of humor who went from high school directly to the 76ers in 1975, died Thursday. He was pronounced dead at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest in Allentown.

Mr. Dawkins played the first seven of his 14 NBA seasons with the Sixers.

During his NBA career Mr. Dawkins was known for his engaging personality and his array of powerful dunks, and he earned the nickname "Chocolate Thunder." Always quick with a quip, he would tell people he was from the planet Lovetron.

A statement by Mr. Dawkins' family was released by the NBA.

"It is with great sadness that we share the passing of our beloved husband and father, Darryl Dawkins, who succumbed today to a heart attack. Darryl touched the hearts and spirits of so many with his big smile and personality, ferocious dunks, but more than anything, his huge, loving heart.  His family, wife Janice, children Dara, Tabitha, Nicholas and Alexis, along with countless family, friends, and fans, all mourn his loss. More than anything Darryl accomplished in his basketball career as the inimitable 'Chocolate Thunder,' he was most proud of his role and responsibility as a husband and father.  We ask that the public please respect our privacy as we grieve his loss."

Mr. Dawkins was the fifth overall selection of the 1975 NBA draft from Orlando's Maynard Evans High, the first player drafted from high school to the NBA. During his tenure with the Sixers, he averaged 11.2 points and 6.7 rebounds. For his 14-year career he averaged 12.0 points and 6.1 rebounds, while also playing with New Jersey, Utah, and Detroit.

"He was a raw 18-year-old, 6-foot-10, 240-pound man-child, full grown, and we scouted him thoroughly as a high school senior and knew exactly what we were getting," the man who drafted him, former Sixers general manager Pat Williams, said in a phone interview. "What we didn't know was that he was the poet laureate of sports."

Mr. Dawkins gained national attention by shattering backboards on two occasions with his massive dunks in 1979.

"We never heard of Lovetron and didn't know he would name his dunks and shatter backboards and revolutionize the game," Williams said. ". . . He was the first guy to tear down backboards, and the collapsible rim is because of him."

Williams said that Mr. Dawkins always left an impression with his effervescent personality.

"He never became an all-star center but was good enough to play on three teams that got to the [NBA] Finals, and wherever he went he was a drawing card, a very popular figure and great fun to be around," Williams said.

Billy Cunningham, the former Sixers star who coached the team to the 1983 NBA championship, said that Mr. Dawkins was a person you couldn't stay angry at for very long, and then provided an example.

"One day at practice I had my finger in his face and was really yelling at him, and when I turned away he tripped me," Cunningham said in a phone interview. "Everybody was laughing hysterically, including me."

An outpouring of emotion for Mr. Dawkins was shown by the NBA and Sixers community.

"Condolences to the family of Darryl Dawkins, a great man! Your smile personality and energy will truly be missed!!!," former Sixers great Allen Iverson tweeted.

In a statement, Sixers chief executive officer Scott O'Neil, said, "The Sixers family is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of an absolute legend, Darryl Dawkins. We've lost a dear friend and an iconic figure, both on and off the court . . ."

The NBA also expressed sympathy.

"The NBA family is heartbroken by the sudden and tragic passing of Darryl Dawkins," NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. "We will always remember Darryl for his incredible talent, his infectious enthusiasm, and his boundless generosity."

While he was known for his good nature, Mr. Dawkins also was part of a memorable playoff moment when he squared off in a fight with Maurice Lucas of the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 2 of the 1977 NBA Finals. Both players were ejected from the game, but neither was suspended from a series that Portland went on to win in six games.

Cunningham said there was much more to Mr. Dawkins than his humor, his strength, and his athletic ability.

"He had a heart of gold," Cunningham said.

After his NBA playing days, Mr. Dawkins had several basketball-related jobs, including a stint with the Harlem Globetrotters.

He was also a head coach of the American Basketball Association's Newark Express and the now-defunct United States Basketball League's Pennsylvania Valley Dawgs and at Lehigh Carbon Community College.

Mr. Dawkins had attended recent 76ers functions, including the Sixers Beach Bash in Avalon, N.J., on Aug. 1. That day, as in any appearance, he drew a large crowd of admirers.

Among those in attendance was Sixers rookie center Jahlil Okafor, who tweeted Thursday, "Darryl Dawkins was an icon, as a Sixer legend but more as a person. He will be truly missed by all. RIP."

Funeral arrangements were not immediately known.

@sjnard