R.I.P. NBA Hall of Famer Dolph Schayes

Dolph Schayes, who played for the Syracuse Nationals from the 1949-50 through the 1962-63 seasons, and then with the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1963-4 season after the Nationals relocated to Pennsylvania, died of cancer December 10th, 2015. He was 87. The 6 foot 7 inch Schayes averaged 18.5 points per game, including a career high 24.9 in 1957-58 in the pre three point shot era. Schayes also averaged 12.1 rebounds per game. He was a 12 time NBA All Star and won one NBA championship with the Nats (1954-5). His style of play is considered a forerunner of today’s power forward position.

Schayes played college basketball at New York University for four years beginning in 1944-45. At that time NYU was a college basketball powerhouse (it’s a NCAA Division III school today) and Schayes helped the team reach the NCAA final against Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State) in his first year (A & M won the championship).

Schayes remained in the game as a coach after his playing days were over. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1973. His son Danny Schayes also enjoyed a long NBA career, playing 18 seasons with seven teams.