In memoriam: ex-NBA players lost in 2015

2015 was an unfortunate year in the basketball community as many great ex-players were lost. Each and every one of these players made a lasting impact on the game. We at The Samohi would like to highlight some of those players, whose profound impact on the NBA can still be felt today.  Moses Malone(played for: Buffalo Braves, Houston Rockets, Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, Washington Bullets, Milwaukee Bucks)1955-2015Moses Malone began his stepping stones in the American Basketball Association (ABA)--an alternative league to the NBA prior to 1976 merger--this power forward was dominate. Once he came into the NBA, he bounced around from team to team but he was most memorable with the Philadelphia 76ers. During his time in Philadelphia, he was able to win a championship in 1981. One of his most important roles in his career was mentoring the great Charles Barkley. Malone was a superstar, a hall of famer and an amazing teammate. Moses sadly passed away in September from atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.“I remember when I was younger my dad would show me tape of Moses,” basketball fan Matthew Brand (’16) said. “I’ve always been mesmerized by his footwork in the post.”Darryl Dawkins(played for: Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets, Detroit Pistons, Utah Jazz)1957-2015The late great “Chocolate Thunder” was one of the funkiest basketball players of all time. This was the first guy to break the backboard ever, and that’s who he was; he would throw down the most ferocious dunks and was way ahead of his time. You know you are doing something right when a great artist like Stevie Wonder gives you your nickname. The NBA had to change to break-away rims because of this guy. Watch the footage of him breaking the backboard at https://youtu.be/TtJawsitMsA.To this day, it’s still breathtaking and one of the most iconic NBA moments of all time. “Chocolate Thunder” will be missed but his legacy will live on, even though no one will ever throw it down like the man himself. Dawkins died in Pennsylvania this last August from a heart attack.“I think everyone wants to be like Daryl Dawkins,” varsity basketball forward Noah Wright (’16) said. “What he did on on the court would leave you speechless. I've never seen someone just shatter a backboard like that and he did it again and again. And when he wanted to score no one could get in his way. He went through them.”Earl Lloyd(played for: Syracuse Nationals, Detroit Pistons, Washington Capitals)1928-2015Lloyd is a huge historical figure as he was the first African-American to play in the NBA. He entered the league on Oct. 31, 1950, breaking the color barrier only three years after the great Jackie Robinson entered the MLB. In the middle of his playing career, he also fought in the Korean War with the Army after being drafted. Lloyd stayed close to basketball even after retirement, acting as an ambassador. He died this past February at the age of 86, but his legacy still lives on.Anthony Mason(played for: New York Knicks, Charlotte Hornets, Milwaukee Bucks, Miami Heat, New Jersey Nets, Denver Nuggets)  1966-2015Anthony Mason had a very interesting career. He started out by attending Tennessee State University and from there he bounced around. Professionally he started out in Turkey, then played in Venezuela, before making his way to the NBA. In the NBA he played for a lot of teams, but his prime was spent with the Knicks. With the Knicks under legendary coach Pat Riley and Hall of Fame center Patrick Ewing, Mason was a part of the first Knicks team to make the Finals since 1973 in 1994. The very next year he won Sixth Man of the Year. He was an All-Star in 2001. Mason died in February, suffering from a heart attack.Dolph Schayes(played for: Syracuse Nationals, Philadelphia 76ers)1928-2015Schayes played for the Syracuse Nationals, which then later became the Philadelphia 76ers (in a strange coincidence, most of these guys played for the 76ers, which is currently the NBA’s worst team) and was the organization's first superstar. He could score and grab boards like crazy, catapulting him to 12 All-Star teams and 12 All-NBA teams. He’s a Hall of Famer, but over the years has been sadly forgotten. Still, his impact on the game still can be felt. Schayes died this past December at the age of 87 from cancer.