The family released a statement, saying Dawkins died of a heart attack.

Dawkins was the first NBA player to be drafted directly out of high school. He played in the NBA for 15 seasons, mainly with the Philadelphia 76ers and the New Jersey Nets.

Nicknamed “Chocolate Thunder” by Stevie Wonder, he is best remembered for shattering two backboards with his powerful dunks.

Dawkins coached after retiring from the NBA.

He was active on Twitter, where he was known by the handle, @Thunderdunk53. His last post was the day before he was reported dead.

Fans quickly turned to social media to express their shock and sadness.

About the Author

Keep Reading

Atlanta Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher reacts after scoring during the first half in a preseason NBA basketball game at State Farm Arena, Thursday, October 16, 2025, in Atlanta.  (Hyosub Shin/AJC)

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Featured

Jo'wan Bellamy taught in the GNETS program for 17 years and recently transferred to Atlanta’s new behavioral program at Crawford Long Middle School. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)

Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com