For Wilkins, working hard entailed getting in the gym with his father. In this case, Wilkins wasn't battling just any aging ex-athlete. Wilkins' father, Gerald, played 13 seasons in the NBA with New York, Cleveland, Vancouver and Orlando. During the last of those 13 seasons, Wilkins was joined with the Magic by his brother, Dominique, a nine-time NBA All-Star who led the league in scoring during the 1985-86 season at better than 30 points per game.
"I was working with my dad all summer long and he and I were in the gym so much, sometimes twice a day," Wilkins said. "I pretty much devoted my whole summer to this because I knew I had a lot to prove and I knew I had people doubting me. I knew I wanted to come in, wherever it would be, and make a statement. I wanted to play well every time I came out, so I knew how hard I had to work."
Few ever doubted that Wilkins had the skills to join the family business of the NBA. As a junior in high school, Wilkins led his St. John's Prospect Hall (Md.) squad to the USA Today prep championship. Wilkins was hailed as a top recruit before settling on North Carolina State, where he made the All-ACC Freshman team.
