Russ Schoene

Who is Russ Schoene?

Russ Schoene is a retired American professional basketball player and former assistant men's basketball coach at the University of Washington.

Schoene starred at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where the 6-10 forward led the team to two straight Southern Conference Championships and an NCAA tournament appearance in 1982. As a senior, he averaged 13.6 points and 7 rebounds a game, and earned league tournament MVP honors.

The Philadelphia 76ers selected Schoene in the second round of the 1982 NBA Draft. The 76ers traded him to the Indiana Pacers during his rookie campaign; he stayed in Indianapolis until the end of the 1983-84 season. Though invited to the Pacers' training camp the next year, he was told he was a long shot to make the club, and should consider honing his skills in Europe.

During the 1984-85 and 1985-86 seasons, Schoene played for Olimpia Simac Milano of the Italian league, where his teammates included current Los Angeles Lakers head coach Mike D'Antoni and former NBA All-Star Joe Barry Carroll. The team won the Korać Cup in 1985, and Schoene was named the Italian League MVP in 1986. He earned legendary status during this two-year Italian stint that would prove financially lucrative later in his career.