Pennsylvania – The pioneer basketball dunker Darryl “Chocolate Thunder” Dawkins has died at age of 58. The 6-foot-11 legend passed away due to a heart attack Thursday morning at a Pennsylvania hospital, his family said on a statement.

The sudden death of Dawkins generated massive supportive messages in the social networks. “You were very inspirational to a lot of young players. Thank you for the long talks and great memories. I can’t believe that you’re gone. But you are in a better place. You were the originator of the dunk.” Houston center Dwight posted as a caption on Instagram in a photograph of Darryl in a game playing for the 76ers.

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FILE – In this April 15, 1980, file photo, Philadelphia 76ers’ Darryl Dawkins dunks against the Atlanta Hawks in an NBA playoff game in Philadelphia. Darryl Dawkins, whose backboard-shattering dunks earned him the moniker “Chocolate Thunder” and helped pave the way for breakaway rims, has died. He was 58. The Lehigh County, Pennsylvania coroner’s office said Dawkins died Thursday morning, Aug. 27, 2015, at a hospital. Photo: AP Photo/Rusty Kennedy.

Numbers of a star player

Darryl Dawkins was born in January 7, 1957 Orlando, FL. Selected in 1975 with the fifth pick by the 76ers. He played 14 seasons in the NBA with New Jersey, Philadelphia, Denver and Utah. Moreover, he had the amazing stats of 12 points, 6.1 assists and 1.4 blocks in a regular season game. Dawkins played his last basketball years primarily in the Italian league.

The legendary dunks of ‘Chocolate Thunder” revolutionized the way the game was played in the 70’s. In 1979 he shattered two backboards, interrupting the game so officials could clean the glass of the court. This made NBA to establish penalizations, alleging that it will be considered as an offense action, but soon they implemented the breakaway rims.

His Top 20 Dunks

“Yo Mamma” and “Dunk You Very Much” were a few names that Dawkins created referring to his dunks, showing his charisma and sense of humor.

Source:  NBA