Dwayne Washington (basketball)

For other basketball players, see Duane Washington and Duane Washington Jr.

Dwayne Alonzo "Pearl" Washington (January 6, 1964 – April 20, 2016) was an American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA). A 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m), 190 pounds (86 kg) point guard, he was best known for his college career for Syracuse University, where he was an All-American.

Dwayne Washington

Personal information
Born	(1964-01-06)January 6, 1964 Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Died	April 20, 2016(2016-04-20) (aged 52) The Bronx, New York, U.S.
Listed height	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Listed weight	190 lb (86 kg)
Career information
High school	Boys and Girls (Brooklyn, New York)
College	Syracuse (1983–1986)
NBA draft	1986: 1st round, 13th overall
Drafted by	New Jersey Nets
Playing career	1986–1991
Position	Point guard
Number	1, 31
Career history
1986–1988	New Jersey Nets
1988–1989	Miami Heat
1989–1990	Rapid City Thrillers
1990–1991	San Jose Jammers
Career highlights
Consensus second-team All-American (1985) Second-team All-American – UPI (1986) Third-team All-American – AP, NABC (1986) 3× First-team All-Big East (1984–1986) No. 31 retired by Syracuse Orange McDonald's All-American Co-MVP (1983) First-team Parade All-American (1983) Second-team Parade All-American (1982)
Stats at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball Reference
Medals Men's basketball Representing  United States FIBA U19 World Championship 1983 Palma de Mallorca National team

Early life

Washington grew up in the Brownsville section of the New York City borough of Brooklyn, where he acquired his nickname as an eight-year-old in a taunting comparison to Earl "the Pearl" Monroe.^[1] He was a playground phenomenon from Boys and Girls High School in Brooklyn, and was rated as the number one overall high school player in the United States in 1983.^[2]

College career

Washington brought his flashy play to the Syracuse Orange and the Carrier Dome. "The Pearl" was the master of the "shake and bake", in which he would leave his defensive opposition standing still while he drove by them for a layup. Utah Jazz point guard and NBA Hall of Famer John Stockton named Washington as the toughest player he guarded at the 1984 U.S. Olympic Trials training camp.^[3]

Professional career

Washington was drafted by the New Jersey Nets in the first round (13th pick) of the 1986 NBA draft. In two seasons with the Nets he averaged 9 points per game.^[4]

In 1988 the Miami Heat selected Washington in their expansion draft. He played 54 games for the Heat before being released.^[5]

Following Washington's release from Miami, Washington played for the Rapid City Thrillers and San Jose Jammers in the Continental Basketball Association.^[6]

Personal life

Washington had surgery on August 27, 2015, at Crouse Hospital in Syracuse to address a malignant brain tumor.^[7] He died on April 20, 2016, at the age of 52.^[8]