Dwayne Washington (basketball)
Dwayne Alonzo "Pearl" Washington was an American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association. A, point guard, he was best known for his college career for Syracuse University, where he was an NCAA [Men's Basketball All-Americans|All-American].
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. 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.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.Professional career
Washington was drafted by the New Jersey Nets in the first round of the 1986 NBA draft. In two seasons with the Nets he averaged 9 points per game.In 1988 the Miami Heat selected Washington in their 1988 [NBA expansion draft|expansion draft]. He played 54 games for the Heat before being released.
Following Washington's release from Miami, Washington played for the Rapid City Thrillers and San Jose Jammers in the Continental Basketball Association.