{"id":145216,"date":"2025-08-14T13:51:14","date_gmt":"2025-08-14T13:51:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/145216\/"},"modified":"2025-08-14T13:51:14","modified_gmt":"2025-08-14T13:51:14","slug":"soaring-above-the-2025-nscc-with-nba-legend-dominique-wilkins","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/145216\/","title":{"rendered":"Soaring above the 2025 NSCC with NBA Legend Dominique Wilkins"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

ROSEMONT, Illinois \u2013 There was just something different about Dominique Wilkins, and in all the right ways. There were guys before Wilkins like \u201cChocolate Thunder\u201d Darryl Dawkins and Julius Erving (\u201cDr. J\u201d) that attacked the rim with intense aggression and players of his era like Michael Jordan and Clyde Drexler that soared through the air in an acrobatic style with grace, but none of them combined all of it into one like \u201cthe Human Highlight Film\u201d.<\/p>\n

From 1982 to 1999, Wilkins elevated the game building a Hall of Fame career. Beckett got to celebrate the Atlanta Hawks\u2019 great at the 2025 National Sports Collectors Convention.<\/p>\n

Building an Everlasting Legacy in the Peach State<\/p>\n

After being a 1979 McDonald\u2019s All-American out of Washington High School (Washington, N.C.), Wilkins took his talents to the University of Georgia becoming a two-time All-SEC performer (1981-82). Opting to go pro after his junior year, the Utah Jazz took Wilkins third overall in 1982 eventually trading him to the Atlanta Hawks.<\/p>\n

A star had already been born; in Atlanta, a legend was created.<\/p>\n

The rookie run for the small forward was solid, posting 17.5 and 5.8 rebounds per game. Adjustments were made going into Year 2, scoring 21.6 per with 7.2 rebounds. Scoring 20 or more per game started during the 1983-84 season with a consecutive streak of 13 years. In the middle of that run, Wilkins twice averaged 30 or more earning the 1985-86 NBA scoring title by posting 30.3 per.<\/p>\n

\"\"1986-87 Fleer #121 Dominique Wilkins<\/p>\n

The 30.3 ppg bested Adrian Dantley (29.8 ppg), Alex English (29.8), and season MVP Larry Bird (25.8).<\/p>\n

As Wilkins was laying the groundwork to his legacy in the \u201880s, this was during the dynasty runs of the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, and Detroit Pistons, which would later give way to the Chicago Bulls and Houston Rockets in the \u201890s.<\/p>\n

Wilkins was a significant part of changing the NBA forever. His talent, athleticism, and ability to light up a scoreboard drew in more viewers expanding the game\u2019s reach. Everyone wanted to see the Human Highlight Film poster dunk his next victim. And the dunk contests\u2026 awe inspiring performances even well beyond his NBA peer group.<\/p>\n

Asked about being part of that group that changed the game, Wilkins replied, \u201cMan, you know, sometimes people forget what we did. I always say that the only way you can measure your greatness, you gotta play against your greatest.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, that was my motivation. That was my thought every time I played, and that was my ring because I didn\u2019t win one. That was my ring because I had the chance to play against the greatest.\u201d<\/p>\n

You did play against the greatest, and you were in a very tough East bracket.<\/p>\n

\u201cOooo,\u201d Wilkins replied.<\/p>\n

This may have changed over the years, but was there one team that you loved playing against the most?<\/p>\n

\u201cMan, there were so many good teams, especially in that Eastern Conference,\u201d Wilkins stated. \u201cYou know, the West was loaded as well. But, before the Chicago Bulls really got started, I mean, you had Philadelphia, Boston, you had Milwaukee, and Cleveland, and Chicago was coming. Then the East became this loaded conference.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople don\u2019t talk about how good the Indiana Pacers were in those days. Everybody was good. Even the teams that were on the lower end were good. There were no easy nights.<\/p>\n

\"\"1985-86 Star #42 Dominique Wilkins<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you look at the small forward position that I played, I had no nights off. One night I could go against Dr. J, one night against Bernard King, one night against (Alex) English, another night against (James) Worthy. I mean, all those guys were having 20-plus a game, and we had to guard each other.\u201d<\/p>\n

You had so many amazing in-game dunks. Is there one that is your favorite that you will forever remember?<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, I think my favorite dunk was just on big guys,\u201d Wilkins shared. \u201cGuys like Robert Parish, the Bob Laniers, and all of those shot blockers back in that era. Probably one of my favorites was against Bob Lanier, God bless him; he\u2019s gone now. It took him nine years to speak to me after that dunk; I didn\u2019t realize why. Nine years after he retired, he said, \u2018Now I\u2019ve started liking you again.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cI couldn\u2019t believe it, but that is the way it was back in those days.\u201d<\/p>\n

What are your thoughts on today\u2019s game? Do you enjoy watching it?<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, I watch it on every level from the guys that I know to watching your kids play,\u201d Wilkins said. \u201cBut you know, the thing I don\u2019t like is this, I hate when they try to discredit us. Today\u2019s game, discrediting us just to prove their point.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have to do that because great is great, I don\u2019t care what era you\u2019re playing in. You don\u2019t have to diminish what we did to make yourself look good. Great is great because at the end of the day, that ain\u2019t it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Players at all levels and in all sports trade jerseys and sign stuff for each other nowadays. Do you have any memorabilia of other players, even if it were from the guys that played before you?<\/p>\n

\u201cI got a lot of guys\u2019 jerseys, but I was doing it when I was in college or coming out of college,\u201d Wilkins shared. \u201cOnce you become a competitor in the NBA, we didn\u2019t want other great players to get that close to us, and vice versa, because that\u2019s the only way you measure your greatness is playing against your greatest. So, no, we didn\u2019t do that type of fraternizing\u2026 After a game, giving somebody a jersey, no, we didn\u2019t do that.\u201d<\/p>\n

The GOAT debate continues. How should fans and players try to measure the best of all time?<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t get involved in that because it\u2019s not realistic,\u201d Wilkins stated. \u201cIt\u2019s not fair because there are too many different eras. And I think a lot of times they disrespect Wilt (Chamberlain), they disrespect (Bill) Russell, they disrespect Oscar Robertson. Michael Jordan will tell you himself, and he said it many times, \u2018I can\u2019t say I\u2019m the greatest; I never played against those guys.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, when you say you\u2019re the greatest, are you really? If you\u2019re the greatest, you don\u2019t have to say it. Let other people tell you how great you are.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"1986-87 Fleer #11 Dominique Wilkins<\/p>\n

In the Hobby<\/p>\n

For collectors, the 1986-87 Fleer set is one of the iconic releases. The #121 Dominique Wilkins RC is one of the more highly valued cards in the line with a raw value of around $40 and a 10 bringing in $8,700. From the same set, the Fleer Sticker #11 of Wilkins is also a prized find with a 10 valued above $5,600. Worth noting, a 10 Fleer Sticker is hard to get because of off-center prints and wax stains from the packs.<\/p>\n

Another rookie card of Wilkins that is in the chase for fans of the era, the 1985-86 Star #42. The raw pricing is around $17 with a 10 set around $5,600.<\/p>\n

Wilkins\u2019 Career at a Glance<\/p>\n