After he retired, he worked with kids at a local gym in Old Bridge NJ with very little fanfare... Always said "What's Up??" with a big smile... Great guy! RIP.
He dunked with his back to the basket against FREAKING BILL WALTON. It's kinda of terrifying, even. What a player and character, so sad he passed away too soon.
He had a great deal of success in his life, both as a professional athlete and as a family man. Glad to see people still giving him recognition so long after his playing career ended.
Man how I loved watching those games. Dr J , Moses Malone, Bobby Jones, Moe Cheeks. And the man started naming his dunks, Chocolate Thunder Darryl Dawkins my favorite 6er's. R. I. P. DD.
If there was a Slam Dunk Hall of Fame, "Chocolate Thunder" would be on the first ballot. I am saddened that he has left this world through a relatively early death.
Unlike O Neal who hanged with all his weight on the board in order to break it on purpore , Darryl Dawkins used pure strength and explosion to do it. Such an impressive player
Yeah ok I love Darryl but Shaq would treat him like a ragdoll in his prime, we probably won't ever see a player that large move with such speed (in his prime in Orlando before he got lazy in LA)
Dawkins was incredible. One of the greatest dunkers of all time. Unbelievable power and strength and athleticism. If only he put more effort into rebounding and scoring, who knows he could've been a hall of famer. He had all the talent and ability. Pretty amazing he went straight into the NBA outta high school. Still it always seemed as if he never played to his ability. Regardless of all that, he was a beautiful person and always seemed to be having' fun playing. You can't beat that. Thanks for all the memories RIP Daryl, Mr. Chocolate Thunder from the Planet Lovetron! In Yo Face Disgrace!
rip. so sad to see you go bro. I was fortunate enough to meet you at the basketball hall of fame a few years back, I'll never forget that day you were so amazing and nice
The most electrifying, power dunker there ever was or will be. You showed 20, he had 2000. I had the privilege of watching him almost every nite with the NJ Nets. Dunked on everyone & anyone at anytime.
Number 4 should be Number 1!!! "Chocolate Thunder flyin', Robinzine cryin', teeth shakin', glass breakin', rump roastin', bun toastin', wham, ham, glass breaker I am jam!!!"--Darryl Dawkins
do you know which one was the Go-rilla dunk? just curious We had him play here in my town for 2 years. Guy was 38 and used to dunk over anyone at any time. He set several all time record seasons in Italian league for 2pt shooting %. If memory is not failing he had a 78% 2pt shot season. At 18ppg. Simply unstoppable - edit - memory failed. Just checked: 1992-93 season 82,2% 2pt shooting @ 17,8 ppg; 1993-94 season 85,5% @ 19,5 ppg. Insane.
We imitated Daryl Dawkins a.k.a. "Chocolate Thunder & Julius Erving a.k.a. "Dr J" in the playgrounds everyday.. great memories on the asphault court at Carver Park on Cook St in Tullahoma, TN!
He was the best, and most exiting dunker ever in traffic! I don't think People can'really appreciate when you are young, way back before we hadn't seen thousands of incredible dunks in games and on youtube, in the late seventies... how much it meant.
It was clear, when Dawkins made up his mind to score... NO one could stop him. Very few players can decide when they're going to score, and how they want to do it. Rarity!
Saw him in high school when his team came over to St. Petersburg. The entire arena was just buzzing, his reputation was already so great.To this day, I still don't think I've seen a big man (6'11" or above) this athletic combined with such explosive strength. Shaq was just not as quick and mobile as Darryl. He was like Shaq and Shawn Kemp in one body. At times, he seemed like he was absolutely trying to murder the hoop, like it was payback for some grievance.
Squawkin Dawkins! Saw him play twice, a man among boys. Greatest physical talent i've ever seen. If only he could have lived up to his potential. Still could put on a show when he was interested. Now he's up in heaven "tuning people up" as he use to say. :-)
I was a hugh fan of the 76er's before I became a Lakers fan. DAWKINS would post that big body down low and damn near drag the ball across the floor and then come up with a power dunk. Man he was strong. RIP Big Daddy D.
I saw him playing in Tracer Phillips Milan against Estudiantes Madrid in European championship during his last years playing... FANTASTIC DARRYL DAWKINS!!!!!! 💕💕😢😢
Great raw talent, but I always maintained, and still do, that he should have played at least two years in college. if he did, he could have vastly developed his skills and would have become an NBA all-pro and a HOF player.
@@sundromos9456 True. IDK. He said himself once when asked if he ever regretted not going to college, "Not at all. I could have went to college, turned sour, and would have wound up with nothing at all," and he was right. And as he said before he died, "I may not ever make to the hall of fame, but I played 15 seasons in the NBA and five years of pro ball in Italy, so I must have done something right."
*Biggest Personalities Ever*...maybe a lil Immature (but he was straight out of High School) to Fame and Fortune! With a Boatload of Talent, *Force*, Sweet Jumper, *Power Dunker* and a *Legend*!...as I kid, I copied: The *One Hand Rebound* (On the Trampoline) the 2-Handed (take it behind your head) *RIM-ROCKA* *RIP DARRYL DAWKINS*...*I LOVE YOU, MAN*
The very first man to dunk and shatter the backboard in the NBA called his jam "The Chocolate-Thunder-Flying, Robinzine-Crying, Teeth-Shaking, Glass-Breaking, Rump-Roasting, Bun-Toasting, Wham-Bam, Glass-Breaker-I-Am-Jam"... R.I.P Darrell. You will be missed.
I was talking 2 my family, a few days ago. About Darryl Dawkins aka Chocalate Thunder. And 2 hear him passing. Is heart felt. His familly is in my prayers. And he will not be 4 gotting!!!!!
Mr. Dawkins changed the game of basketball. Collapsible rims were invented because of him. There was nothing better than watching a Celtics/Sixers game back in the day. RIP Mr. Dawkins.
The NBA lost a great one today... he brought such a unique blend of talent, size, athleticism and RAW POWER to the fame, not to mention his truly one of a kind personality. He had over 30 names for his dunk- like the spine chilla- thrilla, the thank you ma'am wham bam I am jam, the funk from yo mommas trunk... awesome dunk highlights way ahead of his time... Def going to play as him in NBA 2k tonite
JEEZ!!! I remember him coming out of high school around Orlando in the mid 70's to the pros. He was the talk of our high school in Bradenton, Florida long before the 76er's got him. The guy exceeded physical expectations and was ferocious on the offensive court. Nobody could stop him, would have liked to see him paired up with a much more offensive play-making guard like John Stockton or Magic!!
Wow! I didn't know that this guy was such a beast! I have recently read the article about him, because i remember him from Europe - back in 1992 Euroleague semi-finals he played for Philips Milan against my team - Partizan Belgrade and commentator during the whole game talked about Dawkins and that is the essential to stop him in the paint. And we did it, and later we won the title :) It's a pity that a man who played with the legendary Dr. Irving didn't know when it's enough :(
Rip to one of the greatest dunkers and big men in history mr Darryl Dawkins the original backboard breaker I remember when shaq first came in the league he was compared to chocolate thunder Dawkins and Magic Johnson are probably the most beloved personalities in basketball history
Most people won’t believe this story, but for those who can. I met Daryl Dawkins. When I was about 5 years old, my mom had to put me in after school day care because of my her and my step fathers work schedule. One day when the other kids and I were waiting for our parents to show and take us home, my step dad came to get me that day and when he got there, I told him how one of the kids dads was even taller than him (My step dad was 6’5) and how he was even “browner than I am” (lol) My step dad walked in to the next room with me to see what I was so excited about and suddenly he was more excited than I was, he said “That’s Daryl dawkins” and brought me over and he gave my step father his autograph and my step dad explained why they called him “chocolate thunder” To this day he was the biggest man I’ve ever stood next to in person. (if anyone doesn’t believe this story, the day care was in a place called Allentown in Pennsylvania, today I live about 45 mins away in Reading, PA now look up where his kids were raised)
THE NEXT TIME YOU HEAR THUNDER, IT'LL BE DAWKINS DUNKING AND SHATTERING ANOTHER BACKBOARD IN HEAVEN !!!
I absolutely love how he tried to murder the rim each time he dunked. R.I.P. Chocolate Thunder
I always felt embarrassed for the guys that got stuck underneath and just leaned out-of-the-way and covered their heads. Damn shameful. 😊
After he retired, he worked with kids at a local gym in Old Bridge NJ with very little fanfare... Always said "What's Up??" with a big smile... Great guy! RIP.
He dunked with his back to the basket against FREAKING BILL WALTON. It's kinda of terrifying, even. What a player and character, so sad he passed away too soon.
He died?? When why???!!! :O
@@airkuna Heart attack in 2015, He was only 58. So sad.
He had a great deal of success in his life, both as a professional athlete and as a family man. Glad to see people still giving him recognition so long after his playing career ended.
I've never seen that one before... nasty...
My dad told me about this guy. He would make Draymond Green cry
Man how I loved watching those games. Dr J , Moses Malone, Bobby Jones, Moe Cheeks. And the man started naming his dunks,
Chocolate Thunder Darryl Dawkins my favorite 6er's. R. I. P. DD.
Rest in Peace big fella..
Before there was Shaq, there was Darryl Dawkins.
Daddy Dawk...
Before Dawkins, there was the Big Dipper
Before Blake Griffin, you mean
Darral dunklin nice postup moves around the basket
Shaq was never a crazy dunker just a dominant one. Dawkins would do windmills while dunking on people Shaq would just back you down and two hand dunk
If there was a Slam Dunk Hall of Fame, "Chocolate Thunder" would be on the first ballot. I am saddened that he has left this world through a relatively early death.
+Chauntel Bland God Bless Darryl. R.I.P.. I bet him and Maurice Lucas are hanging out, having a ball.
Unlike O Neal who hanged with all his weight on the board in order to break it on purpore , Darryl Dawkins used pure strength and explosion to do it. Such an impressive player
Yeah ok I love Darryl but Shaq would treat him like a ragdoll in his prime, we probably won't ever see a player that large move with such speed (in his prime in Orlando before he got lazy in LA)
@@dbboykid10 Yeah,BS.Shaq was an unskilled oaf on the court.
You didn’t see Chocolate Thunder. He would be around 270 and dunk on Shaq
RIP from Turin, Italy. We all loved him during his years in Italy.
Ce lo ricordiamo pure a Trieste ✌
I hope they have strong backboards up there in heaven.
Well said, brother, well said. Can you imagine this one-on-one match up in Heaven...Samson vs "Chocolate Thunder".
He's shooting hoops in hell.
Stay classy.
+Rd S Fuck off
If you here that loud thunder, that would be Darryl Dawkins breaking another backboard.
Dawkins was incredible. One of the greatest dunkers of all time. Unbelievable power and strength and athleticism. If only he put more effort into rebounding and scoring, who knows he could've been a hall of famer. He had all the talent and ability. Pretty amazing he went straight into the NBA outta high school. Still it always seemed as if he never played to his ability. Regardless of all that, he was a beautiful person and always seemed to be having' fun playing. You can't beat that. Thanks for all the memories RIP Daryl, Mr. Chocolate Thunder from the Planet Lovetron! In Yo Face Disgrace!
One of the most underrated players on history.
True legend! One of the best Dunkers in NBA history. The man was ridiculous, he straight up changed how NBA hoops are made. Rip chocolate thunder.
GREAT ATHLETE AND EVEN BETTER PERSONALITY...WHAT A CHARACTER
Darryl Dawkins gave ALL basketball fans incredible memories that will last for generations. R.I.P. " CHOCOLATE THUNDER! "
rip. so sad to see you go bro. I was fortunate enough to meet you at the basketball hall of fame a few years back, I'll never forget that day you were so amazing and nice
The most electrifying, power dunker there ever was or will be. You showed 20, he had 2000. I had the privilege of watching him almost every nite with the NJ Nets. Dunked on everyone & anyone at anytime.
Number 4 should be Number 1!!! "Chocolate Thunder flyin', Robinzine cryin', teeth shakin', glass breakin', rump roastin', bun toastin', wham, ham, glass breaker I am jam!!!"--Darryl Dawkins
do you know which one was the Go-rilla dunk?
just curious
We had him play here in my town for 2 years. Guy was 38 and used to dunk over anyone at any time. He set several all time record seasons in Italian league for 2pt shooting %. If memory is not failing he had a 78% 2pt shot season. At 18ppg. Simply unstoppable
- edit -
memory failed. Just checked: 1992-93 season 82,2% 2pt shooting @ 17,8 ppg; 1993-94 season 85,5% @ 19,5 ppg. Insane.
he will be missed.
Wdym
@@RIKKO.CASEMO he’s dead
@@babatunde8463 i met him 2 years before his passing, he was incredibly kind.
@@RIKKO.CASEMO . TX
He returned to lovetron!!
One of my all time favorites. What a show he could put on.
Greatest dunking center in NBA history.
What about Shawn Kemp?
luka vujosevic
Power Forward
Kemp is up there but Dawkins was before Kemps time so there both in top 10
BasketballJones48021 today's players don't even dunk like that anymore they throw it in and I call it a dunk or they just drop it in
@Zach Altif
Shaq is close but I’d put Dawkins a bit above, in terms of overall dunking.
Celtics fan here. Sorry to see him go. Always liked him. RIP.
That left dunk over Bill Walton was insane! Great stuff he is top 10 greatest dunker of all time.
I remember the Get out of my waying, game delayin, backboard swayin, dunk!
So much fun to watch growing up in the early 80's. He seemed like a really nice guy as well. Always laughing and joking around.
Gone too soon thx for all the great memories. RIP big fella!!!
still the best dunker Ive ever seen. #7 is insane. RIP Choco Thunder
R.I.P. and thank you for bringing great Basketball to Forli', Italy! Legend!
We imitated Daryl Dawkins a.k.a. "Chocolate Thunder & Julius Erving a.k.a. "Dr J" in the playgrounds everyday.. great memories on the asphault court at Carver Park on Cook St in Tullahoma, TN!
same here..they even called me "baby dawkins" lol
Chocolate Thunder was a man before his time. Pure Entertainment!
He was the best, and most exiting dunker ever in traffic! I don't think People can'really appreciate when you are young, way back before we hadn't seen thousands of incredible dunks in games and on youtube, in the late seventies... how much it meant.
Chocolate Thunder. Gone but never forgotten.
RIP. A legendary player a very nice guy and great character as well. Btw, He got really big hands like Dr. J. MJ and Wilt.
RIP big brother thanks for all the memories. The best game dunker of all times.
wow. the last 3 drunks. my jaw dropped
It was clear, when Dawkins made up his mind to score... NO one could stop him. Very few players can decide when they're going to score, and how they want to do it. Rarity!
+king Messiah #7 for me, especially.
*dunks foo
what a beast, one of the best dunkers i have ever seen
Saw him in high school when his team came over to St. Petersburg. The entire arena was just buzzing, his reputation was already so great.To this day, I still don't think I've seen a big man (6'11" or above) this athletic combined with such explosive strength. Shaq was just not as quick and mobile as Darryl. He was like Shaq and Shawn Kemp in one body. At times, he seemed like he was absolutely trying to murder the hoop, like it was payback for some grievance.
Unbelieveable talent. Greatest i've ever seen. Must have been something in high school. I saw him play twice with Philly.
His left handed dunks were SWEET!
What if he had played 2 yrs of college ball? Totally unstoppable
Best in game dunking center ever, R.I.P. To Chocolate Thunder!
Squawkin Dawkins! Saw him play twice, a man among boys. Greatest physical talent i've ever seen. If only he could have lived up to his potential. Still could put on a show when he was interested. Now he's up in heaven "tuning people up" as he use to say. :-)
I was a hugh fan of the 76er's before I became a Lakers fan. DAWKINS would post that big body down low and damn near drag the ball across the floor and then come up with a power dunk. Man he was strong. RIP Big Daddy D.
#2 has got to be one of the greatest dunks I ever seen.. Right when I saw it i was like O.O
Number 10 is definitely underrated dunk,better than number 6,Darryl Dawkins was great center,remember him playing in Europe.
the # 4 and #3 dunk were insane😮. One of the best dunkers of all time 💪.
I saw him playing in Tracer Phillips Milan against Estudiantes Madrid in European championship during his last years playing... FANTASTIC DARRYL DAWKINS!!!!!! 💕💕😢😢
Darryl Dawkins, Dominique Willkins, Shawn Kemp e o melhor de todos em todos os tempos, Michael Jordan: Show, espetáculo. Amazing!
...and Vince
@@knoxharrington666 . Yés! Vince Carter; Darryl Dawkins; Dominique Wilkins; Shawn Kemp e Michael "Air" Jordan 23!
Great raw talent, but I always maintained, and still do, that he should have played at least two years in college. if he did, he could have vastly developed his skills and would have become an NBA all-pro and a HOF player.
Agreed. But the financial difficulties of his family removed that option from the equation.
@@sundromos9456 True. IDK. He said himself once when asked if he ever regretted not going to college, "Not at all. I could have went to college, turned sour, and would have wound up with nothing at all," and he was right. And as he said before he died, "I may not ever make to the hall of fame, but I played 15 seasons in the NBA and five years of pro ball in Italy, so I must have done something right."
Can you imagine a few years at UCLA being coached up? He would have been a monster.
chocolate thunder rest in peace! a truly great funkadelic player we never forget you!
R.I.P.
"Chocolate Thunder" has gone back to planet "LoveTron".
One of the best danker in basketball history. Also one of the most memorable player. And rimbraker of course. RIP
Darryl we miss these day's!, you where one of a kind brother!!!
D. D. from Love Tron...R.I.P Double D. I'll wear his Jersey and treasure the time we spent at the vfw hall in vineland..you had to be there.
RIP one of my favorites old schoolllllll
A Sixers fast break with the Doc on one wing, Bobby Jones on the other and Choc Thunder trailing was a sight to behold.
*Biggest Personalities Ever*...maybe a lil Immature (but he was straight out of High School) to Fame and Fortune!
With a Boatload of Talent, *Force*, Sweet Jumper, *Power Dunker* and a *Legend*!...as I kid, I copied:
The *One Hand Rebound*
(On the Trampoline) the 2-Handed (take it behind your head) *RIM-ROCKA*
*RIP DARRYL DAWKINS*...*I LOVE YOU, MAN*
The very first man to dunk and shatter the backboard in the NBA called his jam "The Chocolate-Thunder-Flying, Robinzine-Crying, Teeth-Shaking, Glass-Breaking, Rump-Roasting, Bun-Toasting, Wham-Bam, Glass-Breaker-I-Am-Jam"... R.I.P Darrell. You will be missed.
I was talking 2 my family, a few days ago. About Darryl Dawkins aka Chocalate Thunder. And 2 hear him passing. Is heart felt. His familly is in my prayers. And he will not be 4 gotting!!!!!
The Original SHAQ!!! Double D......Darryl Dawkins....."Chocolate Thunder"! You will really be missed big man! RIP!
Mr. Dawkins changed the game of basketball. Collapsible rims were invented because of him. There was nothing better than watching a Celtics/Sixers game back in the day. RIP Mr. Dawkins.
his nickname came from stevie wonder
Rest In Peace, Big Man.You were awesome&will be very missed-God Bless!
definitely facinating
One of the best dunkers of all time!
one of the best dunker ever
#5 coulda been #1 - nice stuff...rip chocolate thunder
Still to this day I remember
The NBA lost a great one today... he brought such a unique blend of talent, size, athleticism and RAW POWER to the fame, not to mention his truly one of a kind personality. He had over 30 names for his dunk- like the spine chilla- thrilla, the thank you ma'am wham bam I am jam, the funk from yo mommas trunk... awesome dunk highlights way ahead of his time... Def going to play as him in NBA 2k tonite
Chocolate Thunder was in a class by himself. Rest eternally.
R.I.P.
take your rest 'Chocolate Thunder' you will be miss
A true legend; the first to pass directly from hi-school to NBA; he has been really a 'natural' thunder!
Had a really nice style with his Monster dunks.
JEEZ!!! I remember him coming out of high school around Orlando in the mid 70's to the pros. He was the talk of our high school in Bradenton, Florida long before the 76er's got him. The guy exceeded physical expectations and was ferocious on the offensive court. Nobody could stop him, would have liked to see him paired up with a much more offensive play-making guard like John Stockton or Magic!!
Cheeks was as good as either of those guys.
Wish I could have watched you play!! One of the original power players!
Damn Darryl. I don't think folks realize just how funky you were!! You definitely got yours Big Fella'! Madd respect RIP C.T.
Wow! I didn't know that this guy was such a beast! I have recently read the article about him, because i remember him from Europe - back in 1992 Euroleague semi-finals he played for Philips Milan against my team - Partizan Belgrade and commentator during the whole game talked about Dawkins and that is the essential to stop him in the paint. And we did it, and later we won the title :)
It's a pity that a man who played with the legendary Dr. Irving didn't know when it's enough :(
Squawkin Dawkins! What a talent. Never lived up to his potential but it just wasn't meant to be. R.I.P.
One of my fave power dunkers
greatest dunker ever r.I.p
R.I.P. Chocolate Thunder
Darryl was a good friend of mine. He was in high school and I was in junior high. His nickname for me was "Little Buddy". 😁
Rip to one of the greatest dunkers and big men in history mr Darryl Dawkins the original backboard breaker I remember when shaq first came in the league he was compared to chocolate thunder Dawkins and Magic Johnson are probably the most beloved personalities in basketball history
RIP
He was a baaaad man ! Those left handed jams were filthy
A big man with both ground clearance and hang time, plus he profiled when he dunked which made them look so pretty.
RIP Darryl "Chocolate Thunder" Dawkins (1957-2015 ) He will be Missed
R.I.P., Big D !!!
Most powerful dunking power slam man I've ever seen
R.I.P
3:35
The Thunder is the only guy that probably could have legitimately dunked on Shaq.
Most people won’t believe this story, but for those who can. I met Daryl Dawkins. When I was about 5 years old, my mom had to put me in after school day care because of my her and my step fathers work schedule. One day when the other kids and I were waiting for our parents to show and take us home, my step dad came to get me that day and when he got there, I told him how one of the kids dads was even taller than him (My step dad was 6’5) and how he was even “browner than I am” (lol) My step dad walked in to the next room with me to see what I was so excited about and suddenly he was more excited than I was, he said “That’s Daryl dawkins” and brought me over and he gave my step father his autograph and my step dad explained why they called him “chocolate thunder”
To this day he was the biggest man I’ve ever stood next to in person. (if anyone doesn’t believe this story, the day care was in a place called Allentown in Pennsylvania, today I live about 45 mins away in Reading, PA now look up where his kids were raised)
4:05 is amazing! Sheer power. RIP Darryl.
Whadda heck?? When was this??? 80's 70's ???? Maaaan some of these dunks were so tough and strong like dunks nowadays!!!!
I felt #2 was badass, he grips the ball and dunks it like it's dunking a frickin baseball for us hahah
#RIPDarrylDawkins Thanks for the memories.
Awesome player.
R.I.P to a great legend Darryl Dawkins :(
just heard :(. rip to one of my favs