Darryl Dawkins Essay

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The Life of “Chocolate Thunder” Darryl Dawkins born in Orlando, Florida is a retired American professional basketball player, most noted for his days with the NBA’s 76ers and Nets. He was nicknamed “Chocolate Thunder” for his powerful dunks, which notably led to the NBA adopting breakaway rims due to him shattering the backboard on two occasions in 1979. Before his career in the NBA, Darryl attended Maynard Evans High School in Orlando. His nickname prior to NBA was “Goofy.” This, despite the fact that Dawkins towered over most of the people calling him names and trying to embarrass him on the outdoor basketball courts in Orlando. He lacked coordination, charisma, and toughness. His mother used to whip him every time he did something she disapproved of. “Goofy” was replaced by “Chocolate Thunder” when he was in ninth grade at Maynard Evans High School in Orlando. By then, Dawkins was 6-10, 245 pounds and all the girls who wouldn’t talk to him before were chasing him. College scouts were chasing him, too, offereing him $3,000 just to commit, and more money kept coming. But Dawkins, the second of eight children, grew up in a cramped house with poverty all around him. He wasn’t about to turn down money, and later, the opportunity to become the first high school player to be drafter into the NBA. Dawkins was “probably the best high school basketball player ever and one of the best people” his prep coach, Fred Pennington, told Inside Sports. The team won the state championship in 1975. Eighteen year old Dawkins renounced his college eligibility and applied for the 1975 NBA draft as a hardship candidate. The Philadelphia 76ers made him the fifth overall pick. According to the New York Times, when Dawkins made his debut with the 76ers, New York Knicks guard Walt Frazier took one look and said, “I bet his teachers called him ‘Mr. Darryl.’” As a rookie in 1975-76 he

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