Wichita father of four, a ‘respected and loved’ basketball player, dies in home accident

Shavis Brione Tindall got his grit playing basketball in the driveway of his childhood home near Meridian and Pawnee in south Wichita.

The Tindall family and neighborhood kids called it the “battle of the driveway.” As the third of four boys, Shavis naturally had to fight harder for rebounds and points than his bigger brothers and the older neighborhood children who came to play.

Games there drew some future big names in Wichita basketball, including Korleone Young, an East High School star and future NBA player.

Then there were the Tindalls, who are well known for their prowess in the Wichita basketball scene.

Shavis Tindall died in an accident Jan. 15 outside of his home in north Wichita.

The former West High School point guard, who went on to play at Labette Community College, was working on his vehicle and trying to get to work when the vehicle popped into gear and rolled on top of him.

He was 37. He would have turned 38 on Jan. 23.

“He was like a little, big brother to me,” said the oldest brother, Tyson Tindall. “I looked up to him and admired him like a big brother. (He was) hard working, very strong mentally, physically and … he always wanted to do the right thing.”

Other friends, family and his boss described Tindall as a hardworking, loving father and a positive person, despite recent hardships.

In addition to his parents and brothers, he is survived by four girls ranging in age from 17-year-old Malaya Tindall to infant Shialyn Tindall.

Tindall’s three oldest daughters say he helped lift them up after their mother, Brandy Knox, died of cancer in August.

“He did anything to make sure we were happy,” 16-year-old Lamya Tindall said as she fought back tears.

A’nyla Tindall said she liked helping her father install things in the new home they recently moved to. It was bigger and allowed his three oldest girls to have their own room. Three of his daughters are now staying with their grandparents at the home.

“Dad loved my mom with everything in his heart and I’m glad they are together peacefully,” the 13-year-old said.

Growing up

Shavis was the third of four boys born to Marvin and Janos Tindall.

Marvin Tindall taught the boys early to fish and play basketball, and both ended up being lifelong passions for Shavis Tindall.

With his mother, Shavis Tindall shared a love of watching boxing after his grandfather boxed. They attended multiple live fights out-of-state together.

All the boys excelled at basketball, with most going on to play in college and one playing pro overseas.

One person wrote on Facebook how Shyland Tindall, the youngest of the Tindall boys, and Shavis Tindall “showed me the ropes of hoopin at Mayberry (Cultural and Fine Arts Magnet Middle School) back in 1999 ... (they were) the first two true hoopers I met.”

A lot of the success started right there in their driveway, where Marvin Tindall often played alongside his sons.

Shavis Tindall learned to play with bigger and stronger opponents in games that led neighbors to complain about bouncing balls and noise well after dark. Those matchups included one-on-ones and team games. He even got to square up with Tyson Tindall’s teammate at Butler Community College, Lee Nailon, who went on to play in the NBA.

Also in the mix was Cortland Carney, a South High School standout who played collegiate ball and now coaches at Kapaun Mount Carmel.

DJ Fisher grew up playing in leagues with the Tindalls.

“They are Wichita legends; all the Tindall brothers,” said Fisher, who now runs a sports marketing agency where he’s brokered contracts for people playing and coaching in the NBA. “They’re extremely humble, exactly like Steph Curry.”

“Shavis (Tindall) is probably 5’7”, 5’8” and 5’9” on a good day. But the guys can handle the ball and shoot and of course,” he said while starting to laugh, “they were literally Steph Curry and could create their own shot, pass the ball and handle the rock like no other.”

Fisher said he wished he could be more like Shavis.

“He was that type of guy, “Fisher said. “If I could shoot like Shavis. I would love to have his handles and vision on the court and shooting ability. Everything that he was on the court transferred to who he was off-the-court as well. A great teammate, a great person and someone who was unselfish.”

Playing with the older crowd — Tyson is eight years older — helped prepare Shavis Tindall for facing adversity head on and pushing through, which aided him in his basketball career and work.

In 2004, during his senior year at West High School, he helped lead the struggling Pioneers to sub-state finals with an upset win over Kapaun Mount Carmel.

He scored 26 points in the 80-64 win.

“Shavis was just fearless tonight,” then West coach Ben Mitchell told The Eagle. “He made them come out and guard us.”

Raising a family

He played a year at Labette Community College before coming back to Wichita to support his young family.

Since high school, he was always known to wear a gold chain with a charm of a basketball falling into a hoop. He continued to play in pickup games and leagues, including on teams with his family, even just recently before his death.

Family said he was certified in HVAC and had long worked in maintenance.

Tindall had been working maintenance at Cedar Mills Property Management. He was always on time so when he didn’t show up for a morning meeting and didn’t answer his phone, a coworker/friend went to check on him and found him in the driveway.

“He was just a very positive person, a very loyal person,” said owner Nela Bayouth. “He was a very good team player and if anyone ever needed help with anything he was always the first to volunteer. Very selfless person.”

Bayouth set up a GoFundMe to help the family. It can be found at shorturl.at/iltA0

Fisher wrote on his camp’s Facebook page that they were sending prayers to the Tindall family after the passing of “one respected and loved hooper.”

A service is planned for 11 a.m. Saturday at Brick and Mortar Venue, 230 South Topeka.