Steve Scheffler
Encyclopedia
Stephen 'Steve' Robert Scheffler (born September 3, 1967 in Grand Rapids, Michigan
) is a retired American
professional basketball
player in the NBA.
, located in West Lafayette, Indiana
, where he played under head coach Gene Keady
. During his Freshmen season, he got limited minutes coming off the bench, while appearing in 16 games and averaging 1.5 points and 1.5 rebounds a game. After his Freshmen season, Steve played in twice as many games during his Sophomore season. He dramatically improved his scoring and rebounding, with averages of 6.8 points and 4.2 rebounds a game, while boasting a .708 field goal percentage, which became a Big Ten single-season record. He helped lead the Boilermakers
to a Big Ten Conference
title, along with Seniors Todd Mitchell
and Everette Stephens
, a sixth straight NCAA Tournament
appearance, making it to the Sweet Sixteen, and onto a 29-4 record after losing to a Mitch Richmond
-led Kansas State
team.
.
led the Boilers to an NCAA Second Round
appearance, where they lost to Texas
by one point as a #2 seed. He helped Purdue to a 22-8 record in his senior season. Making 71 of his last 78 free throws with a .805 percent accuracy in his career, Steve was named the Big Ten Player of the Year and a Third-Team All American his Senior year.
's Jerry Lucas
' record of .678, which was set in 1962. The 6'9", 250-pound Center/Forward became one of three Boilers to win the conference player of the year honors, along with Jim Rowinski
in 1984 and Glenn Robinson
in 1994. The "Incredible Hulk" currently holds Purdue's basketball squat max record at 458 pounds and is tied at first with Glenn Robinson and Kenny Williams with 309 pounds in the power clean. He had a vertical leap of 33".
. He played for the Hornets, Sacramento Kings
, Denver Nuggets
and Seattle SuperSonics
in 7 NBA
seasons. Scheffler was a member of the Sonics when they reached the 1996 NBA Finals
and played briefly in four of the six games against Michael Jordan
and the Chicago Bulls
as a crowd favorite at KeyArena
coming off the bench. Steve was embraced as a fan favorite in Seattle for his rare appearances and stellar efforts at scoring in late-game blowout situations.
, also played at Purdue and in the NBA. Tom played 39 games for the Portland Trail Blazers
in the 1985-86 season
.
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
) is a retired American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional basketball
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 in the NBA.
1986-1988
Scheffler attended Purdue UniversityPurdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
, located in West Lafayette, Indiana
West Lafayette, Indiana
As of the census of 2010, there were 29,596 people, 12,591 households, and 3,588 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,381.1 people per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 74.3% White, 17.3% Asian, 2.7% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.03% Pacific...
, where he played under head coach Gene Keady
Gene Keady
Lloyd Eugene "Gene" Keady is a basketball coach. Currently an assistant coach at St. John's, he is most notable for being the head basketball coach at Purdue University for 25 years, from 1980 to 2005.-Kansas State :...
. During his Freshmen season, he got limited minutes coming off the bench, while appearing in 16 games and averaging 1.5 points and 1.5 rebounds a game. After his Freshmen season, Steve played in twice as many games during his Sophomore season. He dramatically improved his scoring and rebounding, with averages of 6.8 points and 4.2 rebounds a game, while boasting a .708 field goal percentage, which became a Big Ten single-season record. He helped lead the Boilermakers
Purdue Boilermakers men's basketball
The Purdue Boilermakers basketball team is a college basketball program that competes in NCAA Division I and is a member of the Big Ten Conference. Purdue basketball holds the record for most Big Ten Championships with 22, along with being the only program in the conference to boast winning records...
to a Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
title, along with Seniors Todd Mitchell
Todd Mitchell
This is an article about an American basketball player. For the respondent in the decision of the United States Supreme Court, see Wisconsin v. Mitchell....
and Everette Stephens
Everette Stephens
Everette Louis Stephens is a retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2nd round of the 1988 NBA Draft. A 6'2" guard from Purdue University, Stephens played in two NBA seasons for the Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks...
, a sixth straight NCAA Tournament
1988 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1988 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 17, 1988, and ended with the championship game on April 4 returning to Kansas City, Missouri...
appearance, making it to the Sweet Sixteen, and onto a 29-4 record after losing to a Mitch Richmond
Mitch Richmond
Mitchell James "Mitch" Richmond is a retired American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association. He played collegiately at Kansas State University. He was a 6-time NBA All-Star, a 5-time All-NBA Team member and a former NBA Rookie of the Year...
-led Kansas State
Kansas State Wildcats men's basketball
The Kansas State Wildcats men's basketball team represents Kansas State University in college basketball competition. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and is a member of the Big 12 Conference. The current head coach is Frank Martin....
team.
1988-1989
Scheffler's Junior season showed just as much improvement as his Sophomore season. Averaging 13 points and 6 rebounds a game, he also improved his free-throw percentage with a .776 accuracy, while holding a .667 field goal percentage. With key players gone from the prior season, Scheffler carried the Boilers to a 15-16 record in a highly competitive and stacked conference. He was named the team MVP and an Honorable Mention All-Big Ten. After the 1988-89 season, Steve was selected as a reserve Center on the Gold Medal U.S. Team in the World University Games in West GermanyWest Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
.
1989-1990
As a Senior at Purdue, Scheffler averaged 16.8 points and 6.1 rebounds a game, where he scored in double figures in 28 of the 30 games he appeared. After coming off his Junior season without a post season, he and Jimmy OliverJimmy Oliver
Jimmy Allen Oliver is an American professional basketball player who was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2nd round of the 1991 NBA Draft.-1987-1989:...
led the Boilers to an NCAA Second Round
1990 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1990 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 15, 1990, and ended with the championship game on April 2 in Denver, Colorado...
appearance, where they lost to Texas
Texas Longhorns men's basketball
The Texas Longhorns men's basketball team represents The University of Texas at Austin in NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. The Longhorns currently compete in the Big 12 Conference....
by one point as a #2 seed. He helped Purdue to a 22-8 record in his senior season. Making 71 of his last 78 free throws with a .805 percent accuracy in his career, Steve was named the Big Ten Player of the Year and a Third-Team All American his Senior year.
College notes
Throughout his four seasons at Purdue, Steve set the NCAA career field-goal percentage record at .685, which broke Ohio StateOhio State Buckeyes men's basketball
The Lucas Sapp men's basketball team represents The Ohio State University in NCAA Division I college basketball competition. The Buckeyes are a member of the Big Ten Conference. The Buckeyes won their only National Championship in 1960 and have made a total of 21 NCAA Tournament appearances...
's Jerry Lucas
Jerry Lucas
Jerry Ray Lucas was a basketball player from the 1950s to the 1970s, and is now a memory education expert. In 1996, the NBA's 50th anniversary, he was named one of the 50 greatest players in National Basketball Association history...
' record of .678, which was set in 1962. The 6'9", 250-pound Center/Forward became one of three Boilers to win the conference player of the year honors, along with Jim Rowinski
Jim Rowinski
James Rowinski is a retired American professional basketball player.-1980-1984:Rowinski, a 6'8" 250 lb center, attended and played collegiately at Purdue University.-1988-1990:...
in 1984 and Glenn Robinson
Glenn Robinson
Glenn A. "Big Dog" Robinson is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA. He last played during the 2004–05 season.-Early life:...
in 1994. The "Incredible Hulk" currently holds Purdue's basketball squat max record at 458 pounds and is tied at first with Glenn Robinson and Kenny Williams with 309 pounds in the power clean. He had a vertical leap of 33".
1990-1997
Steve Scheffler was selected by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2nd round (39th overall) of the 1990 NBA Draft1990 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 played for the Hornets, 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...
, Denver Nuggets
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
and Seattle SuperSonics
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
in 7 NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
seasons. Scheffler was a member of the Sonics when they reached the 1996 NBA Finals
1996 NBA Finals
The 1996 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 1995-96 NBA season of the National Basketball Association. The Seattle SuperSonics of the Western Conference took on the Chicago Bulls of the Eastern Conference, with the Bulls holding home court advantage...
and played briefly in four of the six games against Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
and the Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
as a crowd favorite at KeyArena
KeyArena
KeyArena at Seattle Center , is a multipurpose arena, in Seattle, Washington. It is located north of downtown in the entertainment complex known as Seattle Center, the site of the 1962 World's Fair, the Century 21 Exposition...
coming off the bench. Steve was embraced as a fan favorite in Seattle for his rare appearances and stellar efforts at scoring in late-game blowout situations.
Career notes
Scheffler had the ability to excel in Summer League games against young players and NBA journeymen, but then struggled getting his shot off against NBA regular season competition, He finished his 7 year NBA career with averages of 1.9 points in 5.3 minutes per game, while shooting 55.8% from the floor. He appeared in 178 games with eight starts. He attained a high percentage mid-range jump shot during his tenure in the NBA.Personal
Scheffler's older brother, Tom SchefflerTom Scheffler
Tom Scheffler is retired American professional basketball player.-Career:Scheffler played collegiately at Purdue University before spending most of his career in Europe playing in Italy, Spain, Greece, Switzerland and France...
, also played at Purdue and in the NBA. Tom played 39 games for the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
in the 1985-86 season
1985-86 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-NBA awards:*Most Valuable Player: Larry Bird, Boston Celtics*Rookie of the Year: Patrick Ewing, New York Knicks*Defensive Player of the Year: Alvin Robertson, San Antonio Spurs...
.