Dominique Wilkins Reveals Untold Stories from the First MLK Day Games 40 Years Ago—What It Truly Meant to Play That Day

Four decades back, the United States took a monumental step—dedicating a day exclusively to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., a figure whose impact resonates far beyond history books. Picture this: the inaugural Martin Luther King Jr. Day unfolding right where it all began, in Atlanta, with Dominique Wilkins and the Hawks lighting up the court in celebration. That moment wasn’t just a game; it was a powerful tribute etched forever in the memories of those who lived it—including Wilkins himself. Over time, the NBA has embraced MLK Day, weaving together sport and social progress in a tapestry that connects generations through the shared language of basketball. As the game tips off again this year across cities steeped in significance, we’re reminded of the bridge Dr. King built—not only between communities but within the very fabric of American culture and sport. If you want to dive deeper into this inspiring intersection of basketball and civil rights, don’t miss out. LEARN MORE

It was 40 years ago this week that the United States first officially paused to remember and celebrate the life and achievements of Martin Luther King Jr. with a day in his honor.

On that first Martin Luther King Jr. Day, in the city where King was born, Dominique Wilkins and the Atlanta Hawks took to court as part of the celebration — and it’s a day the Hall of Famer will never forget.

“Being in Atlanta and having that first MLK game, I don’t think people understand how big and how blessed we were to play in the first game on his birthday,” Wilkins told NBC Sports, reflecting on a game where he dropped 33 on the Bucks in a Hawks win.

Two years later on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Human Highlight Reel lived up to his nickname dropping 45 points on the Knicks in Madison Square Garden.

“It’s a huge night. Just being from the birthplace of Martin Luther King, how you just wanted to represent and have a great night, just to celebrate what he’s done for all of us,” Wilkins said. “So that was, that was out there.”

When basketball is at its best, it connects people — players on the court, fans with their team, even entire cities. Martin Luther King Jr. understood that power of connection — and he loved to play the game. He was known to get on the court with young men and play pick-up as a way connect with them on one level so he could open the door to talk about so many things bigger than basketball. (You can learn more about that in an upcoming documentary on Hulu called Hoops, Hopes & Dreams.)

The NBA also understands the power of connection, too, which is why for 40 years the league has celebrated Martin Luther King Day with a slate of its best players and teams. This year, those games are on NBC and Peacock all day Monday, starting in the birthplace of King himself — Atlanta. The four games are:

• Milwaukee at Atlanta, 1 p.m. ET (Peacock, NBCSN)
• Oklahoma City at Cleveland, 2:30 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock)
• Dallas at New York, 5 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock)
• Boston at Detroit, 8 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock)

Players will be wearing special Martin Luther King Jr. Day T-shirts during warmups. As part of the broadcast on NBC and Peacock, Donovan Mitchell will talk about the impact of Dr. King in Cleveland. Then Karl-Anthony Towns will do the same for New York and Isaiah Stewart for Detroit.

Those players understand the sacrifices Dr. King made and the impact he had. However, Wilkins is concerned we are losing some of that understanding over time. For a younger generation of players, many know that playing on MLK Day is a huge stage — one of the biggest days on the NBA calendar — but Wilkins added that those players have grown up in a United States that is better because of the changes Dr. King brought. Because of those changes, they may not fully grasp his sacrifices.

“I don’t know if they do, to be honest with you,” Wilkins said. “A lot of young people don’t know or don’t understand the significance and the sacrifice that he made for all of us. I don’t think they really realized. I think they then inherit a different type of existence, and don’t realize the struggle that people before them went through to give us a quality of life…

“The sacrifice that he made for us… man, to give his life to make sure that everybody else had a quality of life. I don’t think these young guys or young people today understand that sacrifice.”

Wilkins understood, because he grew up in a very different time and in many ways a different world. He is old enough to remember Dr. King being assassinated. And when an 18-year-old Wilkins, growing up in North Carolina, announced he was going to play his college ball at Georgia, he said he got death threats and his family had a cross burned on their lawn. Wilkins saw firsthand the changes Dr. King helped bring about.

Players who spend time with the Hawks organization in Atlanta get an understanding — not just from the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park & Preservation District, but from the way his presence is still felt throughout the city.

“I think with guys are playing Atlanta, they get a chance to see it all the time,” Wilkins said. “And so it’s right there in front of them. I won’t say you forced to understand it and see it, but it’s right there, where you’re going to be a part of it — if you want to or not — because it’s right there in your face.”

Wilkins, a Hall of Fame player for the Hawks who has been the franchise’s Vice President of Basketball as well as color analyst on broadcasts since 2004, maintains a personal connection to the King family.

“I’ve been friends of the family for a very long time,” Wilkins said. “Martin [Luther King III], his eldest son, Dexter King, before he passed. And the sisters. I’ve been around the family, and so it was just surreal to be with the family and hear the stories and what they’ve been through. Man, this is priceless.”

Is the King family filled with basketball fans?

“Oh yes,” Wilkins said. “Still, to this day, Martin King and I, we still communicate with each other to this very day.”

The King family will be at the heart of the celebrations and remembrances around the nation that day — and that will include a little basketball in Atlanta.