Hoops Habit
Fansided

Best Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee from each NBA franchise

By Daniel Lubofsky

INGLEWOOD, CA- JUNE 7: Magic Johnson #32 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles against Michael Jordan #23 of the Chicago Bulls during Game Three of the 1991 NBA Finals on June 7, 1991 at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1991 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
INGLEWOOD, CA- JUNE 7: Magic Johnson #32 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles against Michael Jordan #23 of the Chicago Bulls during Game Three of the 1991 NBA Finals on June 7, 1991 at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1991 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 31
Next
Dominique Wilkins, Atlanta Hawks
Dominique Wilkins, Atlanta Hawks (Photo by Brian Drake/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Best Atlanta Hawks Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee: Dominique Wilkins

Nicknames aren’t simply given out on a whim. They have to be earned and usually represent a key aspect of a player’s unique style of play. It is for this very reason Dominique Wilkin’s alter-ego of The Human Highlight Film ranks among the best as one of the greatest dunkers the league has ever seen.

Some players dunk with grace, remaining airborne for an unnatural amount of time, but others slam it down with a level of force that shakes the stanchion. Wilkins was a combination of the two, blessed with a well-above-average vertical leap and the strength to power through even the sturdiest of defenders.

It was the unique blend of grace and fury that made Dominique a terror driving to the bucket and an even bigger problem in transition. There simply weren’t many players capable of keeping him out of the paint and even fewer — possibly none — who could hope to stop him once he reached the restricted area.

For as great a reputation as he’s garnered for his efforts near the bucket, Wilkins complemented his nightly highlights with a lethal mid-range game as well. The threat of a jumper made him nearly unguardable inside the 3-point line and helped him rack up over 26,000 points over his legendary career.

Wilkins never was able to lead the Atlanta Hawks to a championship or even a conference finals for that matter, always falling short to legends in higher standing. A nine-time All-Star and the league’s 13th highest scorer of all time, it’s hard to place those failures squarely on one of the most dynamic scoring threats the NBA has ever seen.