Darryl Dawkins, the former NBA player and greatest enemy of backboards, has reportedly died today at the age of 58. Eastern Pennsylvania news station WFMZ reported Dawkins’s death, though details are scarce. For now, let’s watch Chocolate Thunder destroying rims, and sharing his beliefs that Stevie Wonder is not blind.
Update (4:35 p.m.): Dawkins’s family has released a statement through the NBA. He apparently died of a heart attack:
It is with great sadness that we share the passing of our beloved husband and father, Darryl Dawkins, who succumbed today to a heart attack. Darryl touched the hearts and spirits of so many with his big smile and personality, ferocious dunks, but more than anything, his huge, loving heart. His family, wife Janice, children Dara, Tabitha, Nicholas and Alexis, along with countless family, friends, and fans, all mourn his loss. More than anything Darryl accomplished in his basketball career as the inimitable ‘Chocolate Thunder,’ he was most proud of his role and responsibility as a husband and father. We ask that the public please respect our privacy as we grieve his loss.
[WFMZ]
Photo: AP
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