Dwayne Schintzius
Encyclopedia
Dwayne Kenneth Schintzius (born October 14, 1968) is a former American college and professional basketball
player. He played college basketball
for the University of Florida
, and was selected by the San Antonio Spurs
in the first round of the 1990 NBA Draft
. Off the court, he is known for his performance as a Russian basketball player in the 1996 Whoopi Goldberg
-starred comedy film Eddie
and for his distinctive mullet haircut
, also known as "The Lobster".
. He attended Brandon High School, where the seven-foot center
was a finalist for Florida's Mr. Basketball award and was recognized a high school All-American by McDonald's and Parade
magazine in 1986.
to attend the University of Florida
in Gainesville, Florida
, where he played for coach Norm Sloan
's Florida Gators men's basketball
team from 1987 to 1989. Schintzius started at center for the Gators beginning early in his freshman season. By the end of his junior season (1988–89), he had led the Gators in scoring, rebounding, and free-throw percentage over at least one full season. He also owned the school record for career blocked shots, with his season totals ranked 1-2-3 in school history at the time.
Florida had never been invited to the NCAA basketball tournament
, but they made the field during each of Schintztius' three full seasons with the team, advancing to the Sweet Sixteen in 1987. During his junior year, the Gators won its first ever regular season SEC championship. Schintzius was recognized as a first team All-SEC player after that season and was included on multiple All-American lists.
However, Schintzius' college career was marred by disciplinary problems. He occasionally clashed with coach Norm Sloan
, including one instance in which he refused to re-enter a contest late in a Gators loss during his sophomore season. He also had minor incidents with opposing players, fans and mascots, and with others off the court.
During his junior season, he allegedly assaulted a person and a car with a tennis racket outside of a Gainesville
nightclub. Schintzius was not formally charged with a crime, but was nonetheless suspended for four games by Coach Sloan. In the first game after he returned from that suspension, Florida traveled to Memorial Gymnasium
to face Vanderbilt
in a crucial Southeastern Conference
matchup. With two seconds left and down by two points, Florida turned the ball over, seemingly sealing a loss. At that point, someone in the stands threw a tennis ball onto the court resulting in a technical foul
on the home team. Schintzius, who led the Gators in free throw percentage that season, hit both free throws to send the game into overtime. Florida won and eventually captured their first SEC title by one game over Vanderbilt.
Sloan was fired just before Schintzius's senior season of 1989–90 and was replaced on an interim basis by Don DeVoe
. Schintzius was not happy with this turn of events and skipped DeVoe's first practice with the team along with fellow star Livingston Chatman. Soon after, he was suspended for alleged involvement in a fraternity house fight. He would never play for the Gators again.
DeVoe told Schintzius that in order to rejoin the basketball team, he would have to maintain his playing weight, go to class consistently, and get a haircut. In a statement released January 25, 1990, Schintzius claimed that he had done all these things, but was nonetheless quitting the team due to conflicts with his new coach. The statement read, in part:
in the 1990 NBA Draft
. He injured his back during his rookie season and was traded to the Sacramento Kings
for Antoine Carr
on September 23, 1991. He later revealed then Spurs GM
Bob Bass
disliked his distinct haircut and told him to shave it, which he did. Schintzius then sent him the shavings in an envelope. The Kings waived Schintzius during the 1991–92 season, and the New Jersey Nets
signed him on October 1, 1992.
Schintzius had several injuries and several surgeries over the next several years as he went from team to team. He spent three seasons with the Nets
, a year with the Indiana Pacers
, and then a year with the Clippers
. After missing the entire 1997–98 season due to injury, he played with the Celtics
in 1998–99 before retiring from the NBA. He later came out of retirement to play in the minor leagues, last appearing for the USBL
's Brevard Blue Ducks in 2003.
, in the 1996 movie Eddie
. Several other actual NBA players were also featured as members of the Knicks and other real NBA teams in the film. He has since appeared in local commercials.
Schintzius testified in the trial of his former New Jersey Nets
teammate Jayson Williams
that he witnessed Williams killing his own dog with a shotgun.
In November 2009, Schintzius was diagnosed with leukemia
. With a bone marrow donation from his brother Travis, he had bone marrow transplant surgery at the Moffit Cancer Center
in Tampa on January 12, 2010. The surgery was considered a success, but Schintzius struggled through several difficult rounds of chemotherapy
until being declared cancer free in July 2010
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player. He played college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
for the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
, and was selected by the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
in the first round of the 1990 NBA Draft
1990 NBA Draft
The 1990 NBA Draft took place on June 27, 1990, in New York City, New York. This draft produced only one perennial All-Star,Gary Payton. Among the 54 picks, Payton is considered by far the best pick of the draft. Payton went on to be considered one of the greatest point guards of all time...
. Off the court, he is known for his performance as a Russian basketball player in the 1996 Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg is an American comedian, actress, singer-songwriter, political activist, author and talk show host.Goldberg made her film debut in The Color Purple playing Celie, a mistreated black woman in the Deep South. She received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress and won...
-starred comedy film Eddie
Eddie (film)
Eddie is a 1996 comedy film starring Whoopi Goldberg and Frank Langella. It was a moderate success, grossing $31,387,164 in the US.The film was directed by Steve Rash.- Plot summary :...
and for his distinctive mullet haircut
Mullet (haircut)
The mullet is a hairstyle that is short at the front and sides, and long in the back. . The mullet began to appear in popular media in the 1960s and 1970s but did not become generally well-known until the early 1980s...
, also known as "The Lobster".
Early years
Schintzius was born in Brandon, FloridaBrandon, Florida
Brandon is a census-designated place in Hillsborough County, Florida, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the CDP had a total population of 103,483.-Founding:...
. He attended Brandon High School, where the seven-foot center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
was a finalist for Florida's Mr. Basketball award and was recognized a high school All-American by McDonald's and Parade
Parade (magazine)
Parade is an American nationwide Sunday newspaper magazine, distributed in more than 500 newspapers in the United States. It was founded in 1941 and is owned by Advance Publications. The most widely read magazine in the U.S., Parade has a circulation of 32.2 million and a readership of nearly 70...
magazine in 1986.
College career
Schintzius received an athletic scholarshipAthletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
to attend the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
in Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
, where he played for coach Norm Sloan
Norm Sloan
Norman Sloan , nicknamed "Stormin' Norman," was an American college basketball player and coach. Sloan played college basketball for North Carolina State University, and thereafter, he was the men's basketball head coach for Presbyterian College, The Citadel, the University of Florida and North...
's Florida Gators men's basketball
Florida Gators men's basketball
The Florida Gators men's basketball team represents the University of Florida in the sport of basketball. The Gators compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Southeastern Conference...
team from 1987 to 1989. Schintzius started at center for the Gators beginning early in his freshman season. By the end of his junior season (1988–89), he had led the Gators in scoring, rebounding, and free-throw percentage over at least one full season. He also owned the school record for career blocked shots, with his season totals ranked 1-2-3 in school history at the time.
Florida had never been invited to the NCAA basketball tournament
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
, but they made the field during each of Schintztius' three full seasons with the team, advancing to the Sweet Sixteen in 1987. During his junior year, the Gators won its first ever regular season SEC championship. Schintzius was recognized as a first team All-SEC player after that season and was included on multiple All-American lists.
However, Schintzius' college career was marred by disciplinary problems. He occasionally clashed with coach Norm Sloan
Norm Sloan
Norman Sloan , nicknamed "Stormin' Norman," was an American college basketball player and coach. Sloan played college basketball for North Carolina State University, and thereafter, he was the men's basketball head coach for Presbyterian College, The Citadel, the University of Florida and North...
, including one instance in which he refused to re-enter a contest late in a Gators loss during his sophomore season. He also had minor incidents with opposing players, fans and mascots, and with others off the court.
During his junior season, he allegedly assaulted a person and a car with a tennis racket outside of a Gainesville
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
nightclub. Schintzius was not formally charged with a crime, but was nonetheless suspended for four games by Coach Sloan. In the first game after he returned from that suspension, Florida traveled to Memorial Gymnasium
Memorial Gymnasium (Vanderbilt University)
Memorial Gymnasium is a multi-purpose facility located in Nashville, Tennessee. Usually called Memorial Gym or simply Memorial, the building is located on the western end of the Vanderbilt University campus. It was built in 1952 and currently has a seating capacity of 14,316...
to face Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt Commodores men's basketball
The Vanderbilt Commodores men's basketball team represents Vanderbilt University in the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference . The Commodores have won three SEC regular season titles . They have competed in ten NCAA Tournaments, making it to the Elite Eight once and the Sweet 16 six times...
in a crucial Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
matchup. With two seconds left and down by two points, Florida turned the ball over, seemingly sealing a loss. At that point, someone in the stands threw a tennis ball onto the court resulting in a technical foul
Technical foul
In basketball, a technical foul is any infraction of the rules penalized as a foul which does not involve physical contact during the course of play between players on the court, or is a foul by a non-player. The most common technical foul is for unsportsmanlike conduct...
on the home team. Schintzius, who led the Gators in free throw percentage that season, hit both free throws to send the game into overtime. Florida won and eventually captured their first SEC title by one game over Vanderbilt.
Sloan was fired just before Schintzius's senior season of 1989–90 and was replaced on an interim basis by Don DeVoe
Don DeVoe
Donald E. "Don" DeVoe is a former American college basketball coach and former player. DeVoe played college basketball for Ohio State University, and later served as the head coach for Virginia Tech, the University of Wyoming, the University of Tennessee, the University of Florida and the U.S...
. Schintzius was not happy with this turn of events and skipped DeVoe's first practice with the team along with fellow star Livingston Chatman. Soon after, he was suspended for alleged involvement in a fraternity house fight. He would never play for the Gators again.
DeVoe told Schintzius that in order to rejoin the basketball team, he would have to maintain his playing weight, go to class consistently, and get a haircut. In a statement released January 25, 1990, Schintzius claimed that he had done all these things, but was nonetheless quitting the team due to conflicts with his new coach. The statement read, in part:
No one can argue that Coach Sloan and Coach Towe (Monte ToweMonte ToweMonte Corwin Towe is an American basketball coach and retired player.Towe attended Oak Hill High School in Converse, Indiana...
, Sloan's assistant) were easy to play for, and to them you had to accept the coach as the absolute authority and their word as final; but that does not mean I must sail under the authority of Captain Ahab. If you can play for Coach Sloan, you can play for almost anyone, almost anyone.
Professional career
Despite his personal issues, Schintzius was regarded as a good NBA prospect due to his performance on the court. He was chosen as the 24th pick of the first round by the San Antonio SpursSan Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
in the 1990 NBA Draft
1990 NBA Draft
The 1990 NBA Draft took place on June 27, 1990, in New York City, New York. This draft produced only one perennial All-Star,Gary Payton. Among the 54 picks, Payton is considered by far the best pick of the draft. Payton went on to be considered one of the greatest point guards of all time...
. He injured his back during his rookie season and was traded to the Sacramento Kings
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
for Antoine Carr
Antoine Carr
Antoine Labotte Carr is a retired American basketball player. A 16-year NBA journeyman, he was known for the goggles he wore onto the court.-Early life:Antoine Carr was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma...
on September 23, 1991. He later revealed then Spurs GM
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
Bob Bass
Bob Bass
Bob Bass is a former basketball coach and executive who worked in the NCAA, American Basketball Association, and the National Basketball Association....
disliked his distinct haircut and told him to shave it, which he did. Schintzius then sent him the shavings in an envelope. The Kings waived Schintzius during the 1991–92 season, and the New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
signed him on October 1, 1992.
Schintzius had several injuries and several surgeries over the next several years as he went from team to team. He spent three seasons with the Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, a year with the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
, and then a year with the Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
. After missing the entire 1997–98 season due to injury, he played with the Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
in 1998–99 before retiring from the NBA. He later came out of retirement to play in the minor leagues, last appearing for the USBL
United States Basketball League
The United States Basketball League , often abbreviated to the USBL, was a professional men's spring basketball league. The league was formed in 1985. The final champions are the Kansas Cagerz, who won the title game on July 1, 2007.-History:...
's Brevard Blue Ducks in 2003.
Off the court
Schintzius played Ivan Radovadovitch, a fictional Russian player for the New York KnicksNew York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, in the 1996 movie Eddie
Eddie (film)
Eddie is a 1996 comedy film starring Whoopi Goldberg and Frank Langella. It was a moderate success, grossing $31,387,164 in the US.The film was directed by Steve Rash.- Plot summary :...
. Several other actual NBA players were also featured as members of the Knicks and other real NBA teams in the film. He has since appeared in local commercials.
Schintzius testified in the trial of his former New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
teammate Jayson Williams
Jayson Williams
Jayson Williams is an American former professional basketball player. Standing 6 feet, 10 inches tall, he played for the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Nets of the National Basketball Association. In 2010, he pled guilty to assault in the shooting death of a limousine driver...
that he witnessed Williams killing his own dog with a shotgun.
In November 2009, Schintzius was diagnosed with leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
. With a bone marrow donation from his brother Travis, he had bone marrow transplant surgery at the Moffit Cancer Center
H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute
H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute opened on October 26, 1986, on the Tampa campus of the University of South Florida. The current President/CEO is Dr. William S...
in Tampa on January 12, 2010. The surgery was considered a success, but Schintzius struggled through several difficult rounds of chemotherapy
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer with an antineoplastic drug or with a combination of such drugs into a standardized treatment regimen....
until being declared cancer free in July 2010