Duke men’s basketball legend Johnny Dawkins was formally inducted into the Washington D.C. Sports Hall of Fame on Sunday, Aug. 3, during a pregame ceremony ahead of the Washington Nationals’ contest against the Milwaukee Brewers at Nationals Park.
Dawkins was honored for his storied playing career at Mackin Catholic High School in the District, his record-setting tenure at Duke University and his nine seasons in the NBA. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in Mackin Catholic history, Dawkins earned prep All-America recognition before embarking on a standout collegiate and professional career.
At Duke, Dawkins became the program’s all-time leading scorer with 2,556 points, a mark that stood for 20 years. He was a four-time All-ACC honoree, a two-time consensus first-team All-American and the 1986 Naismith National Player of the Year. As a senior team captain, he led the Blue Devils to an NCAA-record 37 wins, including ACC regular season and tournament titles, an NCAA East Regional championship and a trip to the national championship game.
Following his collegiate career, Dawkins was selected 10th overall in the 1986 NBA Draft by the San Antonio Spurs. He went on to play nine seasons in the NBA with the Spurs, Philadelphia 76ers and Detroit Pistons.
This recognition marks the third Hall of Fame induction for Dawkins. He was inducted into the Duke Athletics Hall of Fame in 1996, and was part of the 2023 class of the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.
The 2025 Washington D.C. Sports Hall of Fame class also included WNBA All-Star Alana Beard, Georgetown broadcasting legend Rich Chvotkin, soccer icon Mia Hamm, longtime coach Jim Larrañaga, Capitals analyst Craig Laughlin, and Georgetown star Alonzo Mourning. Washington’s Super Bowl XXVI champions were recognized as this year’s Team of Distinction.
