Sports
Darryl Dawkins
1957–2015 · basketball player, center
Powerful dunker famous for shattering backboards who joined the Pistons late in his career and earned a championship ring with the 1989 "Bad Boys."
- Born
Orlando, Florida- Died
Allentown, Pennsylvania
aged 58- Birth name
- Darryl R. Dawkins
- Also known as
- Chocolate Thunder
- Detroit years
- 1987–1989
- Field
- Sports
01 / The Detroit story
The Detroit story
By the time Utah traded Dawkins to Detroit for a pair of draft picks and cash, his best seasons as one of the NBA's most spectacular dunkers were behind him; his backboard-shattering slams for Philadelphia in 1979 had already pushed the league to adopt breakaway rims. Limited to just 14 games over two seasons by injuries, he nonetheless fit naturally into the loud, colorful personality of the "Bad Boys" Pistons and was considered one of the team's leaders in the locker room. In his final NBA season, 1988–89, Detroit won the franchise's first championship, finally giving Dawkins, known as "Chocolate Thunder," a title after 14 seasons without one.
Highlights
- Joined the Pistons in the late 1980s after a trade from Utah
- Won an NBA championship with Detroit's "Bad Boys" in 1989
- His career backboard-shattering dunks led the NBA to adopt breakaway rims
02 / Their Detroit places
Their Detroit places 1
Where they lived, worked, performed and liked to hang out. Closed and demolished places stay here too, because they are part of the city's history.
Played here · 1988–1989
The Palace of Auburn Hills
Demolished · 1988–2020
Where he won his only NBA championship in his final pro season; demolished in 2020.