In 2001, The Atlanta Hawks retired Dominique Wilkins’ jersey number (21) in a packed ceremony at Philips Arena. At the time Wilkins joined Bob Pettit and Lou Hudson as the only Hawks to have their numbers retired. Wilkins’ was the third pick in the 1982 NBA draft and played 17 seasons in the NBA. He spent eleven seasons with the Atlanta Hawks, where he displayed his incredible dunking abilities, spin moves, and a strong mid-range game. Although Wilkins never led his team to an NBA championship, he was still one of the most dominant players of his era. Wilkins’ averaged more than 25 points per game for ten consecutive seasons, and captured a scoring title in 1985–86 with an average of 30.3 points per game. Wilkins ranks 13th on the NBA scoring list with 26,668 career points. Wilkins other accolades include 7x All-NBA Team selections, 2x NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion, and 9x NBA All-Star. Wilkins was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.
Today in Sports History: January 13
