Top 30 Memorable Philadelphia 76ers Moments Of All Time
By Josh Wilson
Darryl Dawkins breaks backboards
When Darryl Dawkins had a mission, he set out to complete that mission. When he had a mission to destroy the backboard, it was no different. Darryl Dawkins, who passed away this summer, was one of the first players to ever break a backboard with such a powerful dunk. He didn’t just do it once, though, he did it twice.
“Chocolate Thunder” was his nickname, and he was also another charismatic Philadelphia icon. He had awesome post-game comments when speaking to media that would have done great in today’s Twitter-focused media world. He had swagger, for sure.
Dawkins breaking the backboard–along with some other culprits–prompted the league to eventually look at how the backboards were constructed, and led the league to look into breakaway rims so that cleaning glass off of the floor didn’t become a regular activity for the arena crews.
There’s no doubt that Dawkins changed the equipment of the game, but he changed the game itself too, especially for Philly. He was involved with a lot of success as a Sixer, and in his time in Philly averaged 11.2 points per game.
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