Former NBA standout Darryl Dawkins was a man whose mere presence on the court struck fear in the hearts of his opponents. Nicknamed “Chocolate Thunder,” he was known for his powerful dunks, which led to the NBA to adopt breakaway rims due to the fact that he shattered backboards on two occasions in 1979. Standing 6’ 11” tall and weighing in at 250 pounds, Dawkins, who died this past August of a heart attack at the age of 58, was a massive force who tallied 8,733 points, 4,432 rebounds and blocked 1,023 shots during his impressive 15-year career in the NBA.
This lot features Dawkins’ 1976-77 Philadelphia 76ers game-worn road uniform, his second season in the NBA in which he played in 59 games, scored 310 points and pulled down 230 rebounds. On the front left tail of the blue mesh jersey is the “Wilson” manufacturer’s tag with size “50” in red and a faded flag tag beneath it. Across the front reads “SIXERS” in white tackle twill outlined in red. Adjacent below and on back is the player number “53” in white on red tackle twill. Across the back is his last name “DAWKINS” in white tackle twill on a blue, sewn-on nameplate. The jersey shows considerable use with some fraying and noticeable puckering throughout on the jersey letters and numbers. There’s even what appears to be a large blood stain on the number “3” on the back of the jersey.
The matching blue mesh shorts include a bold white stripe around the waist and the proper Wilson manufacturer’s tag (size 34) on the rear interior waistband. Immediately below that is a sewn-on blue tag reading “76” to indicate the start of the new season. Either side of the shorts boast white-and-red stripes and stars with the number “76” in alternating blue and red. The shorts show considerable wear with the original draw string intact. Dawkins has yet to be enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Memorial Hall of Fame, although his impact on the league will never be forgotten. A true workhorse in every respect, Dawkins played in 109 NBA playoff games as well as three NBA Finals.
Regarding the provenance, the consignor received a good citizenship award as a kid in 1978 from the city of Philadelphia after being nominated by the Big Brother Association. At the Union League of Philadelphia banquet, a raffle was held and one of the items featured was a game-worn Darryl Dawkins uniform donated by the 76ers. The consignor was fortunate enough to win the uniform in the raffle and it has remained in his possession, stored in his mother's basement, ever since. So this vintage uniform is available to the hobby for the first time.