Dolph Schayes is one of the most prominent figures in NBA history. He was a 12-time All-Star and played for the Syracuse Nationals and Philadelphia 76ers for 16 years. Schayes was also an important part of the formation of the NBA, which was founded in 1946 with just 11 teams. Since then, he has been widely recognized as one of the greatest players in NBA history.
Schayes’ career began when he joined the Syracuse Nationals of the National Basketball League (NBL) in 1948. He became an instant star at center position and showed great leadership qualities on and off the court. In his first season with the team, Schayes led them to their first championship. During his tenure with the team, Schayes went on to become one of only four players to win MVP award three times.
In 1954, the NBL merged with another basketball league to form the NBA and Schayes stayed with Syracuse who eventually changed their name to Philadelphia 76ers. He continued to show tremendous talent and outstanding leadership abilities during this period, leading Philadelphia 76ers to four more NBA championships throughout his career. He was also named as a member of both All-NBA First Team and All-Defensive First Team five times during his sixteen seasons in the league.
In addition to being an incredible player and leader, Schayes also contributed greatly off the court by coaching several teams after retiring from playing professional basketball in 1964. His legacy is firmly embedded into basketball culture today–from his impressive career accomplishments to his ongoing impact on the game through coaching and mentorship roles.
Dolph Schayes – Early Life
Dolph Schayes was born in the heart of New York City’s The Bronx, to Romanian-Jewish immigrants Tina (née Michel), a housewife and Carl Schayes, a driver for Consolidated Laundries. He spent his childhood on Davidson Avenue and 183rd Street near Jerome Avenue in University Heights, Bronx.
Dolph Schayes – High School and College
Dolph Schayes attended Creston Junior High School 79 and DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx, New York. While at DeWitt, he played for the basketball team and led it to a borough championship. He then went on to New York University (NYU) where he was an All-American basketball player, earned an aeronautical engineering degree, and won the Haggerty Award in his final year. In 1945, as a 16-year-old freshman, Schayes helped NYU reach the NCAA final. His coach at NYU, Howard Cann said of him: “He was in the gym practicing every spare minute. We had to chase him out.”
Dolph Schayes – Syracuse Nationals / Philadelphia 76ers
In 1948, Danny Schayes was drafted by both the New York Knicks in the BAA draft (1st round; 4th pick overall), and by the Tri-Cities Blackhawks in the NBL draft. But it was the Syracuse Nationals who offered him a lucrative contract worth $7,500 ($84,600 today), 50% more than the Knicks’ offer. This influenced his decision to go to Syracuse and in his debut season he was named the NBL’s Rookie of the Year. The following season (1949-50) saw the Nationals move to the newly formed National Basketball Association as part of a merger between the BAA and NBL.
At 6′ 7″ (201 cm), Schayes was tall for his era and was known for his deadly, high-arcing outside set shot, which became known affectionately as “The Sputnik”. His powerful drives to the basket were also often unstoppable and formed two formidable weapons during this period when basketball had already begun transitioning from traditional set shots into what would become an era of jump shooters.
Early in his career, Dolph Schayes sustained a serious arm injury, leading him to develop the ability to shoot with his non-dominant hand. He was one of the last players to rely on a two-handed set shot while standing on the floor and his tenacity paid off; he was able to lead the NBA in rebounding for the 1950–51 season and came 6th in assists for 1949–50. In 1954–55, Schayes helped lead his team to an NBA championship victory.
His remarkable career continued as he achieved multiple milestones – including setting an NBA record for consecutive free throws made in a single game and becoming the first player to accumulate 30,000 total PRA (Points + Rebounds + Assists). He also led the league in minutes per game three times and free throw percentage three times, scoring a career high of 50 points against the Celtics. Additionally, he had an astounding 12-year streak of never missing any games from 1952 to 1961.
The first man to ever surpass 15,000 points in the NBA? That was 12-time All-Star, Dolph Schayes. Not only was he six times a member of the All-NBA First Team, but also selected to the All-NBA Second Team on six occasions. In 1958, he finished second in MVP voting and 5th place in 1956 and 1957. When his career came to an end in 1964, Schayes held a plethora of NBA records: games played (996), foul shots made (6,712), attempted (7,904), personal fouls (3,432). He also placed second to Bob Pettit in scoring (18,438) and third in rebounds (11,256).
Dolph Schayes – Coach and Referee Supervisor Career
In 1963, the Philadelphia 76ers were born when the Nationals moved to Philadelphia, and Schayes was appointed as player-coach. Although his playing career had essentially come to an end, he still played in 24 games – a far cry from the 50+ games he had done so before. Despite not seeing any action during the playoffs, Schayes stayed on with the team for three more seasons following his retirement.
In 1966, he was named NBA Coach of the Year and his Sixers dethroned the Celtics to win the Eastern Division title. However, they were eventually defeated by Boston in a five-game series. Following this, he took on the role of supervisor of NBA referees until 1970. He then became the first coach of the Buffalo Braves but only lasted one game into his second season.
Dolph Schayes – Maccabiah Games Coaching Career
Dolph Schayes was instrumental in the success of the United States Maccabiah Games basketball team, leading them to an unexpected victory and gold medal at the 1977 event. He also took up coaching duties for the U.S. Masters basketball squad during the 1993 Maccabiah Games. Additionally, Schayes devoted his time to fundraising efforts for the Maccabiah Games.
Dolph Schayes – NBA Legacy
In 1970, Schayes was honored as one of the top 12 retired players by being elected to the NBA 25th Anniversary Team. His career achievements earned him a place in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame two years later in 1972. He was also inducted into several other prestigious institutions such as the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, US National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, and National Jewish American Sports Hall of Fame.
Schayes’ lasting impression on basketball history was further solidified when he was picked as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996. In May 2015, he received a street bearing his name “Dolph Schayes Street” when he was inducted into the Bronx Walk of Fame. Later, his jersey number was retired by both the 76ers on March 12, 2016 and Syracuse Crunch on March 26, 2016. Lastly, Schayes recently made it to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021.
Dolph Schayes – Personal Life and Death
In 1948, Schayes relocated to Syracuse, New York and joined the NBA for the first time. After his retirement from basketball, he made a living as a real estate developer in the same area. His son Danny Schayes is a retired NBA center who attended Jamesville-DeWitt High School in DeWitt, New York, before playing for Syracuse University and the NBA for 18 seasons.
Additionally, three of his granddaughters Abi, Carla, and Rachel Goettsch won silver medals for the USA volleyball team at the 2001 Maccabiah Games. Moreover, his grandson Mickey Ferri clinched a gold medal in the 4×100 meters relay at the 2005 Maccabiah Games.
On December 10th 2015, Schayes sadly passed away due to cancer aged 87. He was laid to rest in Woodlawn Cemetery located in Syracuse.
Dolph Schayes – Net Worth
NBA star Dolph Schaye has an estimated net worth of $5 million. He has earned his wealth through his lucrative basketball career and a successful coaching career.
Is Dolph Schayes a Hall of Famer?
Yes. Dolph Schayes, a member of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History and one of the 76 players named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021, was awarded an NBA championship with the Syracuse Nationals in 1955. His successes were so great that he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1973.
What team did Dolph Schayes play in?
Dolph Schayes spent his entire 16-year NBA career with the Nationals and their successor, the Philadelphia 76ers. During this time, he led his team to the playoffs 15 times and was eventually appointed player-coach of the newly established 76ers. An impressive achievement for such a long career!
