Being the son of a Hall of Famer isn’t all glitz—it’s pressure, comparisons, and a whole lot of noise. Just ask Jacob Wilkins. Before he even chose Georgia—yep, the same school his dad, Dominique “Human Highlight Reel” Wilkins, once tore up—Jacob already had a nickname of his own: “Baby Highlight.” And sure, his insane bounce helps. But Dominique is clear on one thing: his son’s path isn’t a rerun of his own.

Back in 1979, a 6-foot-8 forward named Dominique Wilkins showed up in Athens and changed Georgia basketball overnight. He led the Bulldogs in scoring as a freshman and never looked back, dropping 23.6 points per game by his sophomore year, the best in the SEC. “Those were the fun days, man,” Dominique laughed. Drafted third overall in 1982 and traded to Atlanta, he became one of the NBA’s flashiest scorers, winning a scoring title in ’86 and going toe-to-toe with Michael Jordan in the 1988 Slam Dunk Contest. That wasn’t just basketball. That was a show.

While chatting with his son on SLAM, Dominique Wilkins kept it real and advised his son about what it takes to stand out beyond the highlight reels. “I was in high school. I averaged 13 and 16 in the state of North Carolina,” he said. But it wasn’t just about flashy dunks. “If you think, on an average, there is only 2 dunks a game in my career. Most people when they watch my career, they like, oh, he’s a great dunker—it’s hard to score over 26,000 points on dunks,” Dominique explained. Then came the advice every young hooper should hear: “I was a great scorer. And that’s the thing you have to do as you develop your game—have all-around game, so they don’t label you as just a dunker.”

Dominique Wilkins didn’t just play—he lit up the league for 15 seasons with teams like the Hawks and Magic. He put up 24.8 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.5 assists over 1,074 regular-season games, earned 9 All-Star nods, and in 2006, officially became a Hall of Famer.

Jacob Wilkins, 18, just wrapped up a standout senior year at Grayson High School, graduating this May after leading his team to a dominant 25-2 season and the #1 spot in Georgia. At 6’9”, he’s already taller than his father, Dominique Wilkins, and is turning heads with serious talent. He finished high school ranked #43 by On3 and #53 by ESPN, and in 2024, he was #5 in Georgia (On3) and #27 nationally (247 Sports). Now committed to Georgia, Jacob’s ready to step onto the college stage and carry the Wilkins name forward—right where his dad’s legendary journey began.

Dominique Wilkins reveals how dunking helped him dominate, not just entertain

Back in the day, Dominique Wilkins didn’t just dunk — he attacked the rim like it owed him something. For the Human Highlight Film, it was never about showboating. “Dunking was a tool for intimidation for me; it wasn’t who I really was, but it gave me leverage,” Wilkins said in an interview with Hennessy. To him, dunking wasn’t a highlight — it was strategy. “I played the game at one speed, and that was all out. The harder I attacked the rim, the more I blocked out the guys who were trying to attack me.” That level of intensity? It wasn’t just flair — it was how he survived and thrived in a league full of bruisers.

But here’s the thing, Wilkins always wanted people to understand: dunking was just one chapter in the book. “The problem is people think that’s all I did,” he told The Athletic. “I’ve had games where I had 40 or more points and only had like one or two dunks in the entire game.” The man could score. He could shoot from deep, break ankles in the midrange, and finish with finesse. “I could shoot the 3. I could play inside and outside. I was a nightmare for guys in the midrange.” In fact, in a game against the Bulls, he dropped 57 points — mostly off midrange, free throws, and floaters. It wasn’t flashy, but it was lethal.

Still, for all the slams that got the crowd on their feet, there’s one that Dominique Wilkins genuinely regrets. “I made a major mistake one time,” he said, laughing. “I dunked on Darryl Dawkins. I went, ‘Yeah.’ I’m pointing. He looked at me, like, ‘OK.’ I came down the next play, almost an identical play, and he put his elbow in my chest, slammed me to the floor, and dared me to get up. I’m pissed but I laid right there, until he got tired. He blew his elbow and said, ‘Get your a–– up. Don’t ever try that s–– again.’ I dust my a– off, shot my free throws.” Lesson learned — some dunks cost more than two points.

Dominique Wilkins knows the spotlight well, but his advice to Jacob goes deeper than fame. It’s about building a complete game, not just chasing highlight moments. And now, with college ahead, Jacob gets to write his own chapter—on his own terms.