Back when backboard crashing was still relatively rare, this was the guy who could put on a show with his fantastic dunks any time he found room near the basket. What fun he was to watch.
Not just watch, but to listen to, the alien from the planet Lovetron named his dunks; the first backboard breaker was “The Chocolate-Thunder-Flying, Robinzine-Crying, Teeth-Shaking, Glass-Breaking, Rump-Roasting, Bun-Toasting, Wham-Bam, Glass-Breaker-I-Am-Jam”
Saw him gladhanding the crowd at some charity events the past few years. He looked like he was genuinely enjoying it. Tried to get him to come to one event I was involved with; his v-mail message is on par with his dunk names - absolutely nuts!
Awwwwww man… 
You took the words right out of my mouth. Not just great at dunking and breaking backboards either, great shooter all around.
Have a good afterlife on Lovetron, Darryl…
I’d forgotten he was the first player drafted straight out of high school!
Only 58. RIP Darryl. I didn’t know the Chocolate Thunder nickname came from Stevie Wonder.
By the NBA. The then rival ABA drafted and signed Moses Malone out of high school a year earlier.
Another high player, Bill Willoughby, was drafted later in the same year as Dawkins
I actually met him a few times. He seemed nice, he did hit on me, but he was nice about it.