Dominique Wilkins
A high-flying NBA superstar known as 'The Human Highlight Film' for his thunderous, gravity-defying dunks that defined an era.
Born 1960 (age 66)·American basketball player·Birthday: January 12·Baby Boomers
Biography
Before viral clips, Dominique Wilkins put on a nightly dunking exhibition that left arenas gasping. Drafted by the Utah Jazz and quickly traded to the Atlanta Hawks in 1982, 'Nique became the franchise's fiery heart for a decade. His athleticism was otherworldly—a combination of raw power, hang time, and creative fury that culminated in legendary Slam Dunk Contest battles, most famously his 1988 duel with Michael Jordan. But to label him just a dunker undersells a complete scorer who averaged over 25 points per game for his career, carrying Hawks teams with a relentless offensive arsenal. Though his Hawks never reached the NBA Finals, his individual battles with Larry Bird's Celtics in the playoffs are part of league lore. After a serious Achilles injury, he made a remarkable comeback, proving his scoring prowess was built on skill as much as leap. Wilkins remains the embodiment of basketball's explosive, theatrical potential.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Dominique was born in 1960, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Dominique Was Born
The biggest hits of 1960
#1 Movie
Swiss Family Robinson
Best Picture
The Apartment
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Dominique's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1960Born
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1965Started school
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1973Became a teenager
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1976Could drive
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1978Could vote
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1981Turned 21
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1990Turned 30
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 40
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 50
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 60
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 66 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the NBA scoring title in 1986 with an average of 30.3 points per game.
- Captured two NBA Slam Dunk Contest championships (1985, 1990) and famously finished second to Michael Jordan in the iconic 1988 contest.
- Named to nine NBA All-Star teams and seven All-NBA teams over his career.
- Averaged over 25 points per game for his career, finishing with more than 26,000 total points.
Did You Know?
His nickname, 'The Human Highlight Film,' was coined by Atlanta Hawks announcer Steve Holman.
He played professionally in Europe after his NBA career, winning the EuroLeague title with Panathinaikos in 1996.
He is the older brother of former NBA player Gerald Wilkins.
He owns a minority stake in the Atlanta Hawks, the franchise where he made his greatest impact.
“I didn't just want to be a dunker. I worked on every aspect of my game.”
