Legendary dunker Darryl Dawkins dies at 58

Former NBA player Darryl 'Chocolotate Thunder' Dawkins died Thursday at a hospital in Allentown, Pennsylvania, according to the Lehigh County coroner's office. He was 58, and even though officials said an autopsy would be performed on Friday his family released a statement saying the cause of death was a heart attack.

Dawkins, the first player to go from high school into the first round of the NBA draft, spent parts of 14 seasons in the NBA with Philadelphia, New Jersey, Utah and Detroit. He averaged 12 points and 6.1 rebounds in 726 career regular-season games.

His 6’11” frame and elite athleticism made him one of the most physically imposing big men of his era; he was known for his rim-rattling dunks and his propensity for the flamboyant.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Dawkins was ''beloved around the league.''