It was like running into Michael Jordan sitting in a gym. That’s how much respect Dwayne Polee commands when spotted in a Los Angeles gym. People want to shake his hand and reminisce. He was a legendary high school basketball player at Manual Arts, pulling off perhaps the greatest performance in a City Section championship game in 1981 when he scored 43 points before 14,123 at the Sports Arena during an 82-69 win over Crenshaw.
He’d go on to star at Pepperdine after playing one season at UNLV. He was later a high school basketball coach at his alma mater and helped out at USC in an administrative role. His son, Dwayne Jr., was the City player of the year at Westchester and a star at San Diego State.
Polee is 61 and as people who know him like to say, “One of the nicest human beings you’ll ever meet.” Oldtimers who spot him immediately want to discuss the days when Crenshaw, Manual Arts, Fremont and Dorsey made the City Section a powerful influence in California high school basketball.
Dwayne Polee II, left, Dwayne Polee III, center, and Dwayne Polee at a City Section Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
He was at Inglewood High on Friday watching teams play in the Real Run tournament. He’s got a 9-year-old grandson, Dwayne Polee III, who he thinks will be a very good player in the future.
If you don’t know much about Polee, trust those who saw him play and swear he was one of the best high school players they’ve seen from Los Angeles.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
