A New York University All-America in l948,
Schayes starred for the National Basketball Association’s Syracuse
Nationals (later Philadelphia 76ers) from l948 to 1964. His 1955 Nats
won the NBA Championship. Named to twelve consecutive NBA All Star
Games, 1951-1962, Dolph was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in
1972.
NBA Rookie of the Year in l949, Schayes owned five
League records by the time he retired as an active player: most
consecutive games played--764 games (2/17/52-12/27/61); most minutes
played--29,800; most field goals--6,135; most free throws
made--6,979; most points--19,249.
He finished his career fourth in rebounding
(all-time), winning the rebound title in l951 with 1,080 boards. On
January 11, l958, Dolph became the highest scorer in NBA history,
surpassing the great George Mikan. It was Wilt Chamberlain who
eventually topped Dolph’s scoring record. Regarded as the first
true "power forward", Schayes had a career scoring average
of 18.2 points per game.
He was 76ers player-coach in l964, confining
himself to coaching after that season. The Sixers won the l965-66 NBA
Championship, and Dolph was named the League's Coach of the Year.
Schayes coached the NBA Buffalo Braves franchise l970-l972. From l966
to 1970, he also served as supervisor of NBA referees.
In 1977, Schayes was head coach of the U.S. Maccabiah
Games basketball team.
Schayes lost a long battle with cancer and died in Syracuse, New York, on December 10, 2015, at the age of 87.