RIP, Chocolate Thunder

Former NBA star Darryl Dawkins passes away at 58

 

Crap. Sorry to hear this. I really liked Dawkins.

 

Wow. I would have guessed he was much older than 58.

 

Damn. He was a new era in fun.

Best nickname ever?

 

Doesn't seem all that long ago that he was making his debut with the Sixers at age 18. He wasn't the first to turn pro at such as early age, but certainly one of the most memorable from that era.

 

RIP Darryl Dawkins. You entertained and kept people smiling. You were Shaq before there was a Shaq.

 

He was the first to go directly to the NBA from high school. Moses Malone did it a year earlier, but with the ABA.

There was another guy before them, but I believe he had to wait a few years after his high school graduation to join the team that drafted him.

 

That's funny because I was surprised he wasn't younger.

 

Except not nearly as good a player.

 

Bill Willoughby came out the same years as Dawkins. I think the Hawks drafted him in the second round.

 

Yes, he was with the Hawks. I remember his introduction at the Omni -- "From Dwight Morrow High School in Englewood, New Jersey...". He had quite the undistinguished career.

 

In fairness, there might be 20 guys (and maybe 5 big men) who were as good as Shaq in his prime.