Danny Schayes: Syracuse Basketball All-Century Team and 18-year NBA veteran - AIR097

NBA History Conversations: Basketball Record

Episode • Jan 3, 2020 • 1h 31m

Syracuse University great and 18-year NBA veteran, Danny Schayes.

The longest-tenured Syracuse University player in NBA history, Danny Schayes, reminisces about his unique life in basketball. His father, Dolph Schayes (RIP), was one of the NBA's pioneering stars. Dolph, a 12-time All-Star and 1955 NBA Champion (Syracuse Nationals), was the NBA's all-time leading scorer (19,249 points) when he retired in 1964. Dolph was the first coach of the Buffalo Braves (now the L.A. Clippers). A pre-teen Danny was a Braves ball-boy. Dolph was enshrined into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1973.

In 1975, Danny led his high school, the Jamesville-DeWitt Red Rams, to the Seneca Division crown and OHSL Northern Conference title (scoring 29 points in the final). Countless universities coveted Danny's signature. We talk about the recruiting process and why he ultimately chose to play for the Syracuse Orangemen. As a senior, Danny led Syracuse in scoring, rebounding and blocks (14.6 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game). The team went 22-12 and were 1981 Big East Tournament Champions, following a triple-overtime win (83-80) versus Villanova.

As a rookie, Danny played all 82 games. He scored in double figures 30 times (twice netting a season-high 22 points). After starting the opening 50 games of the 1983 season with Utah, Danny was traded to the Denver Nuggets. He shares funny stories about how the trade went down and his not-so-perfect adjustment to living in the Mile High City. Joining the Nuggets in 1983, Danny played seven-full seasons in Denver, averaging almost 10 points and six rebounds per game.

Among the many topics we cover, Danny recounts his memories of the classic, three-overtime game against the Detroit Pistons (Dec, 1983) and his unusual encounter / fracas with the L.A. Lakers' Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1985 Western Conference Finals).

Danny was traded to Milwaukee in August, 1990. He played three-full seasons with the Bucks. Their best season - as a team - was 1991. They went 48-34, before losing to Philadelphia in round one of the 1991 NBA Playoffs.

We discuss plenty more about Danny's life in basketball. A great conversation.

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