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Darryl Dawkins Destroying Backboards Led To NBA Adopting Breakaway Rims

Today, NBA legend Darryl Dawkins would have celebrated his 66th birthday. Unfortunately, he died of a heart attack on August 27, 2015, at the age of 58. 

Dawkins had one of the coolest nicknames in the NBA – Chocolate Thunder, a name that was given to him by Stevie Wonder. Thunder was known for his powerful dunks, which led to the NBA adopting breakaway rims due to him shattering a backboard on two occasions in 1979.

And to honor him on his heavenly birthday, we’ll have a look at exactly these two incidents.