Dontonio Wingfield
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 23, 1974 Albany, Georgia, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
| Listed weight | 256 lb (116 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Westover (Albany, Georgia) |
| College | Cincinnati (1993–1994) |
| NBA draft | 1994: 2nd round, 37th overall pick |
| Drafted by | Seattle SuperSonics |
| Playing career | 1994–1998 |
| Position | Small forward / power forward |
| Number | 34, 10 |
| Career history | |
| 1994–1995 | Seattle SuperSonics |
| 1995–1998 | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 1998 | León |
| Career highlights | |
| |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball Reference | |
Dontonio B. Wingfield (born June 23, 1974) is an American former professional basketball player, mainly in the power forward position.
Born in Albany, Georgia, Wingfield was raised by a single mother. His mother Gloria worked evenings to support the family after Wingfield's parents separation when Dontonio was in the third grade.[1] He grew up near the Willow Wood apartments on Albany's south side and played in the Henderson Community Center.[2] Among the first to stand out in Willow Wood, Wingfield's older brother, Banastreus, played at Auburn-Montgomery.[1]
A 6-foot-8 forward with a 3-point shot, Wingfield had a stellar high school career at Westover, where he led his team to 4 straight state championships, earning him McDonald's All American team honors in a class considered to be one of the best national high school classes ever; the class included Randy Livingston, Jerry Stackhouse, Rasheed Wallace, Rashard Griffith, Darnell Robinson and others. He started on the four state-championship teams, even as a freshman.[1] Wingfield fathered three children while in high school.[1]
College and Professional career
Wingfield arrived at University of Cincinnati in 1993 as Bob Huggins’ best recruit to date, arriving there precisely after the departure of point guard Nick Van Exel. Wingfield had a solid freshman season with the Bearcats, he broke a first-game school record held by Oscar Robertson by scoring 30 points and 12 rebounds[3] in his debut against Butler. He was named Great Midwest Conference newcomer of the year.[1] Called “Baby Shaq” by those around the Bearcat program, Wingfield went on to average 16 points and 9 rebounds for the season, culminating in a 20-point 10-rebound effort in the NCAA Tournament opening round loss to Wisconsin.[3] He hired an agent the day after the Bearcats' first-round loss in the NCAA tournament, the first college freshman in nearly twenty years to go pro.[2]
Subsequently, he was selected by the Seattle SuperSonics in the second round (37th pick overall) of the 1994 NBA draft, but appeared sparingly throughout his short National Basketball Association career; after his debut with the Sonics (20 games, 81 minutes), he was selected by the Toronto Raptors in the 1995 expansion draft, but was waived before the season began.
From 1995 to 1998, Wingfield collected a further 94 regular season appearances, for the Portland Trail Blazers. On March 10, 1996, against the Indiana Pacers, he scored a career-high 17 points, adding seven rebounds and five assists (career-high tie) in a 113–108 win. His best month as a pro came in January 1997 (his third season) when he scored in double digits five times, including a 14-point 12-rebound 2-assist 2-block game at Boston on January 31.[3]
In early 1998, Wingfield was cut by the Oregon franchise, finishing the season with Spain's Baloncesto León. In his NBA career, he played in 114 games and scored a total of 423 points. He lasted four years in the NBA, averaging 10 minutes, four points and two rebounds a game.[2]
