Everyone that walked by the basketball court on Wednesday had to do a double take.  It’s not very often that you see a former professional athlete leading drills, especially one that is 6ft 11 inches tall!  That is exactly what happened all day Wednesday with a visit from former NBA player Darryl Dawkins, aka “Chocolate Thunder.”

Most known for his thunderous dunks and aggressive play on the court, the camp soon became familiar with another side of Dawkins, one that is warm, friendly, funny and almost like a big teddy bear. Dawkins lead several basketball activity periods, scrimmaged with some campers, signed a ton of autographs, told funny and moving stories about his life in and out of basketball, and even held a “Cooking with Chocolate Thunder” session for the entire camp, promoting healthy snacks with his famous “Chocolate Thunder” sauce. All in all, one word to sum up the day was “Awesome!”