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Dominique Wilkins gets the ‘ultimate’ call
By KEVIN TRAVIS, Sports Editor
Dominique Wilkins should have been a slam dunk choice to make the Hall of Fame.
Wilkins was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in his second year of eligibility. The former Washington Pam Pack star, who helped guide the Pack to consecutive state basketball titles in the late 1970s, will be officially inducted into the Hall of Fame during the enshrinement weekend, Sept. 7-9, in Springfield, Mass.
“It was long overdue, but it was worth the wait,” Wilkins said in a recent phone interview. “It’s hard to describe in words what it really means. It’s the ultimate tribute to a player on this level.”
Wilkins first shared the good news with his wife, Robin, and mother, Geraldine.
“After I told them, I made about 100 phone calls after that,” Wilkins said.
Current Hall of Fame member Julius “Dr. J” Erving will present Wilkins.
“It’s a great honor for me because I patterned my life after Dr. J,” Wilkins said. “I patterned my life after his during basketball and after basketball.
“He’s bringing me into an elite group of basketball players and this only comes around once in a lifetime.”
Wilkins is expecting several family members, friends and former teammates to attend the induction ceremonies.
“I’m sure there will be quite a few who will be there, like teammates from the Hawks,” Wilkins said. “I’m hoping maybe some high school teammates I played with will go as well. I’m looking forward to having a lot of people there.
“I think it will be an emotional day. It’s emotional now, but it will get even more emotional once I’m there.”
Wilkins, a 6-8 high-flying forward who played for 15 seasons, is the ninth all-time leading scorer in NBA history, finishing his career with 26,668 points. He averaged 24.8 points per game throughout his career, which ranks 11th all time.
The bulk of his career was spent with the Atlanta Hawks, where he played for 12 seasons. He is among the team’s all-time leaders in several categories, including first in points (23,292), games played (882), minutes played (32,542), field goals made (8,752) and field goals attempted (18,743).
Wilkins also played with the Los Angeles Clippers, Boston Celtics, San Antonio Spurs and Orlando Magic.
The honors Wilkins has achieved throughout his NBA career are endless. A nine-time NBA All-Star, Wilkins was also the Slam Dunk champion in 1985 and 1990.
He’s had his jersey number, 21, retired by the Hawks. Wilkins has been inducted into the Georgia Hall of Fame and Atlanta Sports Hall of Fame.
What is Wilkins most proud of among his many achievements?
“The thing I’m most proud of among the personal goals I achieved is, after hurting my Achilles heel, most people thought my career was over,” he said. “But I came back to have the best season of my career.”
Wilkins suffered the injury midway through the 1991-92 season. He came back the next season to average 29.9 points per game, second only to Michael Jordan.
How did Wilkins stay so good for so long?
“I had a love for the game and a respect for the game,” he said. “I wanted to improve every year I played the game. It was all about developing your personal skills. I was willing to do that. Having a love for the game made that easy.”
Wilkins was known as the “Human Highlight Film” because of his spectacular dunks. So can the “Human Highlight Film” still dunk with the best of them today?
“Oh yeah, no doubt,” Wilkins said with a laugh. “Yeah, right. I’m not sure I could dunk with the best of them.”
Wilkins would command top dollar these days. As the third overall pick by the Utah Jazz in 1982, before being traded to the Hawks, Wilkins made $300,000 a year.
Times sure have changed. Wilkins’ nephew, Damien Wilkins, a Washington native who is a member of the Seattle SuperSonics, recently signed a $15 million deal.
“I told Damien a while ago to count his blessings,” Wilkins said. “I was the third overall pick and I made $300,000 a year. Today, an undrafted player makes more than that.”
What would the “Human Highlight Film” be worth to a team these days?
“They don’t have a Brinks truck big enough,” Wilkins said. “If you look at me, Magic (Johnson), (Larry) Bird and Dr. J, what would they be worth in today’s game?”
Wilkins will never forget his start, where he led the Pam Pack to state basketball titles in the 1977-78 and 1978-79 seasons. He scored 1,805 points in his three-year career, all coming under the guidance of head coach Dave Smith.
That point total was the greatest by any Pam Pack player until Calvin Daniels eclipsed the mark last season. Daniels finished his career with 1,940 points.
Daniels played for four seasons, one more than Wilkins, and was helped out by the 3-point line, which didn’t exist when Wilkins played.
“Records are meant to be broken,” Wilkins said. “You have to look that it took him four years to do it and we didn’t have the 3-point shooting line then. That makes it a little easier, but I’m excited for him. He has something to brag about.
“I wish kids like him the best of luck. Points are great, but education comes first. Coach Smith was a stickler about that. He would stay on all of us about that.”
Wilkins tied with Alvis Rogers for top scoring honors his sophomore season, averaging 14.1 points as the Pam Pack went 19-3.
In his junior season, Wilkins averaged 23.5 points while leading the Pack to a 27-1 record and the school’s first state championship. He followed that up by averaging 28.8 points his senior year, helping Washington to go undefeated (29-0) and win its second consecutive state championship.
“My favorite memory was the first year we won the state championship,” Wilkins said. “I’ll always remember the guys like Tony Boston, Eric Harris and Alvis Rogers. It was special to be accepted by those group of guys.
“We lost in the semifinals my sophomore year and we swore we’d never lose again. That’s what did it for us.”
The Pack lost its first game in Wilkins’ junior year, then rattled off 56 consecutive wins. While the winning was fun, Wilkins said it was made all the more enjoyable thanks to his teammates and coach.
“That was a great time for me,” Wilkins said. “That city was basketball. It was a boring time then without basketball. It was a major enjoyment for me.
“More importantly, I had a great coach. Dave Smith was the greatest coach I ever had on any level.”
Wilkins said he grew as a player because of Smith. The former Pam Pack coaching great won 753 games in his career, including a 533-233 record at Washington.
“You look at his basketball record and look as his wins and losses,” Wilkins said. “Look at the losses and it’s very low.
“Basketball-wise, I learned how to compete on a very high level. The most important thing was how to become a team player. You had to help out your teammates and believe in yourself. If you believe in yourself, you can achieve any goal.”
Wilkins still recalls Smith’s words of wisdom from over 27 years ago.
“He said that if we chose to, we could win two or three championships,” Wilkins said. “He was right. We had a great team, but it came down to us executing as a unit. He was the toughest coach I ever had. I think my teammates feared him because he had this intimidating factor about him.
“He taught you how to be a man. He taught you how to use basketball as a stepping stool to bigger things. He was a great guy who was a gentle man for being such a big guy. He was a sensitive guy who cared about everybody. That’s the way it should be.”
Wilkins is still involved with basketball,. He’s currently the Vice President of Basketball with the Hawks.
“Things are going great,” he said. “We’re trying to put together the best group of guys we can. It’s a process. I think we’re a year or two away from being really good.”
Basketball is in his blood. Wilkins plans to stick around the game for as long as he can.
“I’m doing some different things now,” Wilkins said. “I’m into a lot businesses now, like a mortgage company. But I’m going to stay in basketball. I’ll stay in basketball forever. That’s an automatic.”
That only seems fitting for the “Human Highlight Film” and a Hall of a Fame member.
Wilkins was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in his second year of eligibility. The former Washington Pam Pack star, who helped guide the Pack to consecutive state basketball titles in the late 1970s, will be officially inducted into the Hall of Fame during the enshrinement weekend, Sept. 7-9, in Springfield, Mass.
“It was long overdue, but it was worth the wait,” Wilkins said in a recent phone interview. “It’s hard to describe in words what it really means. It’s the ultimate tribute to a player on this level.”
Wilkins first shared the good news with his wife, Robin, and mother, Geraldine.
“After I told them, I made about 100 phone calls after that,” Wilkins said.
Current Hall of Fame member Julius “Dr. J” Erving will present Wilkins.
“It’s a great honor for me because I patterned my life after Dr. J,” Wilkins said. “I patterned my life after his during basketball and after basketball.
“He’s bringing me into an elite group of basketball players and this only comes around once in a lifetime.”
Wilkins is expecting several family members, friends and former teammates to attend the induction ceremonies.
“I’m sure there will be quite a few who will be there, like teammates from the Hawks,” Wilkins said. “I’m hoping maybe some high school teammates I played with will go as well. I’m looking forward to having a lot of people there.
“I think it will be an emotional day. It’s emotional now, but it will get even more emotional once I’m there.”
Wilkins, a 6-8 high-flying forward who played for 15 seasons, is the ninth all-time leading scorer in NBA history, finishing his career with 26,668 points. He averaged 24.8 points per game throughout his career, which ranks 11th all time.
The bulk of his career was spent with the Atlanta Hawks, where he played for 12 seasons. He is among the team’s all-time leaders in several categories, including first in points (23,292), games played (882), minutes played (32,542), field goals made (8,752) and field goals attempted (18,743).
Wilkins also played with the Los Angeles Clippers, Boston Celtics, San Antonio Spurs and Orlando Magic.
The honors Wilkins has achieved throughout his NBA career are endless. A nine-time NBA All-Star, Wilkins was also the Slam Dunk champion in 1985 and 1990.
He’s had his jersey number, 21, retired by the Hawks. Wilkins has been inducted into the Georgia Hall of Fame and Atlanta Sports Hall of Fame.
What is Wilkins most proud of among his many achievements?
“The thing I’m most proud of among the personal goals I achieved is, after hurting my Achilles heel, most people thought my career was over,” he said. “But I came back to have the best season of my career.”
Wilkins suffered the injury midway through the 1991-92 season. He came back the next season to average 29.9 points per game, second only to Michael Jordan.
How did Wilkins stay so good for so long?
“I had a love for the game and a respect for the game,” he said. “I wanted to improve every year I played the game. It was all about developing your personal skills. I was willing to do that. Having a love for the game made that easy.”
Wilkins was known as the “Human Highlight Film” because of his spectacular dunks. So can the “Human Highlight Film” still dunk with the best of them today?
“Oh yeah, no doubt,” Wilkins said with a laugh. “Yeah, right. I’m not sure I could dunk with the best of them.”
Wilkins would command top dollar these days. As the third overall pick by the Utah Jazz in 1982, before being traded to the Hawks, Wilkins made $300,000 a year.
Times sure have changed. Wilkins’ nephew, Damien Wilkins, a Washington native who is a member of the Seattle SuperSonics, recently signed a $15 million deal.
“I told Damien a while ago to count his blessings,” Wilkins said. “I was the third overall pick and I made $300,000 a year. Today, an undrafted player makes more than that.”
What would the “Human Highlight Film” be worth to a team these days?
“They don’t have a Brinks truck big enough,” Wilkins said. “If you look at me, Magic (Johnson), (Larry) Bird and Dr. J, what would they be worth in today’s game?”
Wilkins will never forget his start, where he led the Pam Pack to state basketball titles in the 1977-78 and 1978-79 seasons. He scored 1,805 points in his three-year career, all coming under the guidance of head coach Dave Smith.
That point total was the greatest by any Pam Pack player until Calvin Daniels eclipsed the mark last season. Daniels finished his career with 1,940 points.
Daniels played for four seasons, one more than Wilkins, and was helped out by the 3-point line, which didn’t exist when Wilkins played.
“Records are meant to be broken,” Wilkins said. “You have to look that it took him four years to do it and we didn’t have the 3-point shooting line then. That makes it a little easier, but I’m excited for him. He has something to brag about.
“I wish kids like him the best of luck. Points are great, but education comes first. Coach Smith was a stickler about that. He would stay on all of us about that.”
Wilkins tied with Alvis Rogers for top scoring honors his sophomore season, averaging 14.1 points as the Pam Pack went 19-3.
In his junior season, Wilkins averaged 23.5 points while leading the Pack to a 27-1 record and the school’s first state championship. He followed that up by averaging 28.8 points his senior year, helping Washington to go undefeated (29-0) and win its second consecutive state championship.
“My favorite memory was the first year we won the state championship,” Wilkins said. “I’ll always remember the guys like Tony Boston, Eric Harris and Alvis Rogers. It was special to be accepted by those group of guys.
“We lost in the semifinals my sophomore year and we swore we’d never lose again. That’s what did it for us.”
The Pack lost its first game in Wilkins’ junior year, then rattled off 56 consecutive wins. While the winning was fun, Wilkins said it was made all the more enjoyable thanks to his teammates and coach.
“That was a great time for me,” Wilkins said. “That city was basketball. It was a boring time then without basketball. It was a major enjoyment for me.
“More importantly, I had a great coach. Dave Smith was the greatest coach I ever had on any level.”
Wilkins said he grew as a player because of Smith. The former Pam Pack coaching great won 753 games in his career, including a 533-233 record at Washington.
“You look at his basketball record and look as his wins and losses,” Wilkins said. “Look at the losses and it’s very low.
“Basketball-wise, I learned how to compete on a very high level. The most important thing was how to become a team player. You had to help out your teammates and believe in yourself. If you believe in yourself, you can achieve any goal.”
Wilkins still recalls Smith’s words of wisdom from over 27 years ago.
“He said that if we chose to, we could win two or three championships,” Wilkins said. “He was right. We had a great team, but it came down to us executing as a unit. He was the toughest coach I ever had. I think my teammates feared him because he had this intimidating factor about him.
“He taught you how to be a man. He taught you how to use basketball as a stepping stool to bigger things. He was a great guy who was a gentle man for being such a big guy. He was a sensitive guy who cared about everybody. That’s the way it should be.”
Wilkins is still involved with basketball,. He’s currently the Vice President of Basketball with the Hawks.
“Things are going great,” he said. “We’re trying to put together the best group of guys we can. It’s a process. I think we’re a year or two away from being really good.”
Basketball is in his blood. Wilkins plans to stick around the game for as long as he can.
“I’m doing some different things now,” Wilkins said. “I’m into a lot businesses now, like a mortgage company. But I’m going to stay in basketball. I’ll stay in basketball forever. That’s an automatic.”
That only seems fitting for the “Human Highlight Film” and a Hall of a Fame member.
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