Larger-than-life Darryl Dawkins dies at 58

AS TOUGH as things have been on the basketball court in the past couple of years for the 76ers, there has been absolute heartbreak away from the floor for the organization.

Just over two months ago, legendary stat man Harvey Pollack succumbed to injuries he suffered in a New Year's Day car crash at the age of 93. Pollack had worked with the organization since the beginning of the NBA, in 1946.

Last September, center Caldwell Jones died of a heart attack while taking practice golf swings near his suburban Atlanta home at the age of 64. So well-liked was Jones that, when the Sixers were going to trade him in order to bring in dominating Moses Malone from Houston in the summer of 1982, Malone threatened to not come to Philly unless Jones stayed.

And in November 2013, one of the most beloved people to ever work for the organization, Jeff Millman, passed away after a battle with cancer. Millman was a jack-of-all-trades worker behind the scenes whose title as equipment manager didn't nearly describe his total contributions.

Now, at the way-too-young age of 58, former center Darryl Dawkins is gone. Dawkins passed away yesterday at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest, in Allentown. Although an autopsy will be performed today, his family released a statement saying the cause of death was a heart attack.

Dawkins, who had settled in the Lehigh Valley, leaves behind his wife, Janice, four children and numerous fans who were attracted to his larger-than-life personality. That included his own planet (Lovetron) and fabulous dunk names ("In Your Face Disgrace," "The Go-Rilla" and "Dunk You Very Much,'' to name a few).

He was truly a player before his time, entering the NBA as a boy from Maynard Evans High School in Orlando, Fla., with a man's body that carried 260 pounds on his 6-11 frame.

When Dawkins was selected fifth overall in the 1975 draft, after applying as a hardship case, he became the first high school player to enter the NBA as a first-round pick.

Billy Cunningham, who later became Dawkins' coach, was entering his final year as a player in 1975.

"I remember the first time I saw him at training camp," Cunningham said. "I was trying to come back from a torn Achilles' and there is this kid from high school and I thought, 'Are you kidding me?' He was shooting jumpers. He was running faster than anyone else on the floor. He was jumping higher than anyone and he was stronger than anyone."

As much as Dawkins stood out on the floor, he had plenty of competition. Doug Collins and Steve Mix already were established. George McGinnis had just jumped to the Sixers from the ABA. World B. Free and Joe Bryant were rookies. Eventually, the likes of Julius Erving, Maurice Cheeks and Andrew Toney arrived.

In seven seasons with the Sixers, Dawkins averaged 11.2 points and 6.7 rebounds. While some felt Dawkins never reached his full potential here, many others thought the combination of talent surrounding him and the unreachable expectations were the hindrance.

"Expectations were so high for him, he simply couldn't match it," Mix said. "He was so big, but only 18. He was supposed to be [Wilt] Chamberlain. And there's nothing wrong with the numbers he had. With the Sixers, we had five guys coming off the bench that could get you 20 on any given night. I thought he maximized his talent throughout his career."

Dawkins, who helped the Sixers reach the NBA Finals three times, was traded to the New Jersey Nets in the summer of 1982 to clear the way for Malone. During a 14-year career that also included stops in Utah and Detroit, he averaged 12 points and 6.1 rebounds.

After his NBA career ended, Dawkins played briefly with the Harlem Globetrotters and also overseas, and then made several coaching stops, including the Allentown-based Pennsylvania ValleyDawgs, of the United States Basketball League.

Numbers didn't seem to drive Dawkins as much as the style of his game and his flamboyance off the court. As a guest speaker in the 1970s, he bragged to kid campers that he could jump so high he could not only grab a quarter off the top of the backboard, he could stay airborne long enough to replace it with two dimes and a nickel.

He was responsible for the breakaway rim being invented after he shattered two backboards with devastating dunks during the 1979-80 season, the first in Kansas City against the Kings, the second against San Antonio at the Spectrum.

But those weren't the only examples of brute strength shown by Dawkins during his career. In Game 2 of the 1977 Finals, Dawkins and Portland's Bob Gross got into a tussle and Dawkins threw a punch. It connected, but with Collins, who required "seven or eight stitches." Dawkins and Maurice Lucas then squared off before Dawkins got ejected.

So enraged was Dawkins that he went into the locker room and literally tore it apart, some saying he ripped urinals off the walls, others remembering lockers thrown across the door so as to not let teammates enter. Though the Sixers won the game to take a 2-0 lead in the series, Portland went on to win the next four.

"He was a player who was way before his time," Collins said. "Not just because of his playing skills for a big man, but his personality. Imagine him in the league today with social media, his names for dunks, Lovetron and the way he played. He would be on SportsCenter every night.

"More than that, though, he was a great person. He loved his family, loved his teammates and always, always was in a good mood. When we were young players he would come over for dinner, eat two whole chickens and then tell my wife that he couldn't eat any pie for dessert because he was on a diet. He would dress my son, Chris, like a pimp and put him in the back of his big Cadillac and drive him around, acting like he was his chauffeur. He was just such a loved and loving person, especially with children."

Dawkins formed a bond with Karl-Anthony Towns, this year's top pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Towns tweeted yesterday: "In a loss for words. I'm going to miss you so much Uncle Darryl. There will never be another Chocolate Thunder."

Legendary players such as Allen Iverson, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neil, Reggie Miller and Vince Carter also took to Twitter to send condolences.

Though choked up at times while talking about Dawkins yesterday, Cunningham roared when he thought of his favorite "Chocolate Thunder" story.

"We were at practice and I was his coach and he wasn't trying very hard," Cunningham said. "So I sat next to him and really got in his face. I went off on him, pointing my finger in his face, trying to light a fire under him. He took it all in, said all the right things. I truly believed I got through to him. And when I got up to walk away, he put his foot out and tripped me.

"We both roared. That was Darryl."