Darryl Dawkins was born on the 11th January 1957, in Orlando, Florida, USA, and passed away on the 27th August 2015 in Allentown, Pennsylvania, USA. He was best known for being one of the best centers in the NBA, who played for the Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets, Utah Jazz, among many others. Darryl was also recognized by his nickname “Chocolate Thunder”, because of his game style, breaking rims and boards on several occasions. He also worked as a basketball coach for several teams. His career was active from 1975 to 2015.
Have you ever wondered how rich was Darryl Dawkins? According to sources, it is estimated that the overall size of Dawkins’ net worth was over $5 million. He accumulated his fortune not only as a professional basketball player, but also as a coach of several teams. Another source came from his involvement in other projects in the entertainment industry such as video games, and from the autobiographical book, “Chocolate Thunder: The Uncensored Life and Times of Darryl Dawkins” (2003).
Darryl Dawkins Net Worth $5 Million
Darryl Dawkins spent his childhood in Orlando, where he attended Maynard Evans High School. He first showed his talents in basketball skills during high school, playing for the school’s team. He was one of the best players there, and with him the team won the state championship in 1975, thus he decided to forgo further education, and instead entered the NBA Draft the same year, which marked the beginning of his professional basketball career.
In the NBA Draft, Darryl was selected as the 5th overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers, increasing his net worth by signing a rookie contract. He stayed with the team until 1982, when he was traded to the New Jersey Nets, in a trade which included the Houston Rockets’ Moses Malone who joined Philadelphia 76ers. During his time at Philadelphia, in his rookie season Darryl only played 37 games for an average of 4.5 minutes. However, in the playoffs of his second season, Darryl improved his numbers, and helped his team reach the finals, where they lost to the Portland Trailblazers. However, Darryl earned a name for himself in the starting line-up, and in the next season brought his game to a higher level. The 76ers reached the finals again, but this time they lost to Los Angeles Lakers. Until 1982, Darryl became an important factor of the 76ers offense, however, the team just couldn’t win a title, and he was traded to the New Jersey Nets.
His net worth increased further, as he signed a new contract with his new team, and played for them until 1987. The second year with the Nets was the best in his career, averaging 16.8 points, and 6.7 rebounds. After that, injuries came his way, and he was limited to no more than 30 games per season, which resulted in a trade to the Utah Jazz in 1987, but the same year he was sent to the Detroit Pistons, with which he spent two seasons, however, through those three years he played only 26 games in total. When his contract expired he decided to leave NBA, but not basketball, and he went on to play for clubs such as Auxilium Torino in Italy, and also Olimpia Philips Milano. Further, he had a short tenure with the Harlem Globetrotters, and finished his playing career in the Winnipeg Cyclone in 2000.
After he ended his playing career, he became a coach, and was involved with teams such as the Newark Express in the ABA, and in 2009-2010 he was the coach of the men`s basketball team of the Lehigh Carbon Community College.
When it comes to his personal life, Darryl Dawkins was married three times, firstly to Kelly in 1986 who sadly took her own life the next year. In 1988 he married Robbin Thornton, but they divorced in 1998, after which he married Janice Hoderman in 2001, with whom he had two children, plus a daughter from her previous marriage. He died from a heart attack at the age of 58.
