Dominique Wilkins turns 56 years old today. The 9-time All-Star and 2006 Basketball Hall of Famer is one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history.
**His 24.8 points per game scoring average ranks 14th all-time. Wilkins led the NBA in scoring once (1985-86) and was in the top-5 in 5 other seasons.
He had 9 seasons in which he averaged at least 25 points per game and qualified for the scoring title. The only other players in NBA history to do that are Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Karl Malone, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Allen Iverson and Shaquille O’Neal.
**The main reason for his scoring success? Volume.
Excluding active players, Wilkins ranks 4th all-time in usage percentage. He finished in the top-5 in 9 of his 16 seasons.
He never ranked in the top-50 in effective field goal percentage. His highest rank was 71st in any individual season.
Wilkins had the green light to shoot at will. In the last 40 years, the only players to shoot the ball at a higher rate are Michael Jordan and Freeman Williams.
Peter Newmann is an analyst and writer who spent 10 years at ESPN, 8 as the NBA senior researcher working 24/7 on the league. He wrote game notes for crews, articles for ESPN.com, analysis for studio shows, and regularly assisted reporters and writers. Follow him on Twitter, and check out his Web site, www.allball365.com.