Memories of Chris Webber
Thank you for the memories
A lot of what we do here is telling the life stories of basketball players, attaching importance to every little move they make and every big game they play. But there are times when you selfishly have to ask yourself, what does this guy mean to ME and my life?
Chris Webber is set to announce that he can’t come back from his latest injury setback, and so his career as an NBA player is over. When I think about it, Webber is the first player that I can remember breaking in as a rookie, having a great (Hall of Fame?) career full of twists and turns, and now retiring. Along the way he had his ups and downs. But this isn’t totally about Chris, this is also about memories of Chris.
Fab 5 days – there was an older girl in my school who used to wear her Webber Michigan jersey all the time. No big deal. A few years later when she graduated high school, her senior page in the yearbook had a photo of her bedroom. The word “shrine” does a disservice to how much Chris Webber paraphernalia she had. I’m amazed she never stalked and kidnapped him.
Rookie year with Golden State – NBA Live 95. The Warriors had Hardaway, Sprewell, Mullin, and Webber (and Billy Owens. He wasn’t allowed to touch the ball). Unstoppable. In real life they had injuries, but I prefer to remember the virtual best team ever. I can’t even tell you how many times we did impression of the barbershop commercial where he dunks on Barkley and invents the Sir Charles quote “I don’t believe in role models, but you mine.” He also had a guest skit on the Naughty By Nature album “Poverty’s Paradise.” The skit was called “Chris Webber Skit.” He uses the n-word on the phone when talking to, I guess Treach.
Oh yeah, Webber dunked on Barkley. It was supposed to be one of those changing of the guard, passing of the torch moments. Eh… didn’t happen quite that way.
There were a few lost years with the Bullets, some injuries, and in one of the dumber P.C. things ever they became the Wizards. What’s more dangerous, a little piece of lead and grammatical checkpoint you use to make lists? Or a dark hooded sorceror in flowing robes who can throw lightning bolts at you? I fear the wizard more than the bullet.
Annnnnnyways… I remember the playoff series against Chicago, where Washington played hard but got swept. I also remember C-Webb had this whole thing about how he was going to smile and love his life no matter whether he was winning or losing games. Very Bobby Bonilla of him.
Traded to the Kings, to the proverbial “NBA Siberia”, a.k.a. Sacramento. At this point in my life, all I knew about the Sacramento Kings was they had Wayman Tisdale once and this guy Mitch Richmond was putting up huge numbers but I’d only seen him play a few times, usually just in the All-Star game.
And then came White Chocolate, the artist who would someday be known as Eboy, and there had never been a more fun team to watch. They played the heavily favored and always hated Utah Jazz. That was a fun series to watch with friends. I remember that Chris Webber had a bad back, and that meant with the series on the line in game 5, Vlade Divac took the big shot. They did not win, but the future was bright.
The next year, Sacramento was supposed to the first round sacrificial lamb to hungry Shaq and the Lakers. Once again, they pushed a favored and hated team to the limit, but couldn’t get it done. This may have closed the book on the short-lived Chris Webber as KG-type of sympathetic figure days.
The Kings became a great regular season team, who would get huge numbers from their MVP candidate Webber, then they’d get to the playoffs, run past some cupcake team, and then fall short against the Lakers. The Robert Horry pick up and fling it game-winner was symbolic of everything. Chris Webber was doomed to never be a champion. Oh well. Maybe if he wanted the ball with the game on the line… DIRK, this could be you!
I remember watching the epic game 7 to get to the Finals with some friends at a dirty, prehistorically disgusting apartment where we’d have to actually have a can of roach spray on the table at all times. When it went to OT, we looked around at each other and we were like “We are a part of history just watching this.” Most people in that room were on their way to becoming rap magazine big shots, so that kind of talk was normal.
The next year, I remember it was Sacramento-Dallas in the second round, back when every other team in the NBA was lucky to top 85 points in a game, they had a playoff game where it was like 75-72 at HALFTIME. Webber was out there too long in a blowout, and his knee… blew out. That was the end of Chris Webber explosive power forward, and he was forced to re-invent his game.
The next season, with Webber on the shelf rehabbing from the at-the-time mysterious microfracture surgery, Peja Stojakovic was – I kid you not – a for real MVP candidate! C-Webb was working his way back slowly, and I remember some thing about him boldly claiming “It’s my team! I’m the leader!” which was like, bro, that’s not the real you Chris.
I was done with Webber at this point. Had enough! People tend to hate a guy that piles up numbers in softer games and then doesn’t have the stomach for the big moment when we expect them to define themselves. Choking is a sign of weakness I suppose. We prefer our heroes to be able to run into a burning building and sacrifice, or to be completely driven with an insane need to prove they are better than YOU and everyone else. That’s just not the kind of guy Chris wanted to be. I guess. I don’t really know him like that. Daniel Plainview time: “There is a competition in me… I want no other man to succeed, etc.” You’d have more fun kicking back with C-Webb.
I was on the T-Wolves bandwagon hardcore that summer. They had Sprewell, I liked KG, and the Knicks were living La Vida Layden. So, I was pro-Wolves, anti-Kings when they met up in the second round. The series came down to a seventh game, where the MVP, KG, had some preposterous 25-20 line or something like that. The Kings had a chance to tie it with a three… the shot came from Webber, and it went in and out at the buzzer. The guy is CURSED! I felt pity, as much pity as you can for someone making a hundred mill and dating a pre-knowing too much about her Tyra.
When he was traded to Philly the next year, there was all the usual “Now Iverson gets to play along with a superstar!” talk. Yeah, his numbers were good in the East, but the thing I remember most about that trade was it happened the same day Randy Moss was traded from Minnesota to Oakland. The Sixers had invested a few bucks in two guys, and well, yeah… so Webber was blessed with a humungous buyout and had a renaissance with Detroit, giving them enough of a push to dominate the East in the regular season. The past few years blend together because I actually remember them clearly and that’s not as fun.
Going back to Golden State and Don Nelson, everything was set up to come full-circle for him, but this is Chris Webber we’re talking about, so you don’t get a happy ending.
Thank for the memories though Chris. Now I feel even older than you must feel as a retiree.
197 Responses to “Memories of Chris Webber”
Mar.26 at 10:00 am
Ryan Jones says:
I feel bad for the youngsters among the slamonline readership who never got to see Webber at Michigan. Seeing that dude in person when I was a sophomore in college was the closest I’ve ever come to a rock-star moment. Dude was unreal.
Mar.26 at 10:01 am
Ryan Jones says:
Mayce also had a really nice smile. I’m just saying.
Mar.26 at 10:04 am
Russ Bengtson says:
Time out!
Mar.26 at 10:05 am
TADOne says:
The Michigan days, my favorite memories. The time out that will live in infamy. Damn Laettner!!
Mar.26 at 10:07 am
Eboy says:
Chris has to be one of the top 10 PF’s in NCAA history, even in his abbreviated career. Co-sign Ryan on his C-Webb Michigan marvelling. And Sam, great, great synopsis of a unfulfilled career with so many question marks.
Mar.26 at 10:10 am
TADOne says:
The closest I came to meeting the Fab Five was seeing Ray King and Jimmy Jackson catching a bite to eat on the UM campus. Of course, they were in their car and gone before I got to meet them. The two unheralded players from the Fab Five era.
Mar.26 at 10:15 am
TADOne says:
The man dated Tyra in her prime, so I don’t really feel too bad for him.
Mar.26 at 10:15 am
Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
Favorite Webber moment; that 3on1-TimBug-served-spread-eagle-MarkJackson(ChunkyClipperVersion)-introduced-to-Webb’s-man-area-sent-sprawling-dunk. Webber was a beast when healthy. I’ll miss him choke-artist or not.
Mar.26 at 10:19 am
Eboy says:
I don’t know if choke artist is a fair declaration of Webb, LZ. The Time Out can never be lived down, but in the NBA he never really choked, just never was able to get over the hump.
Mar.26 at 10:26 am
Joel O's says:
@Eboy: Exactly. The hump was Kobe/Shaq, which was unstoppable. To call Webber a choke artist just because he couldn’t get past the Lakers would be like calling Barkley or Karl Malone one too, since they couldn’t get past MJ.
Mar.26 at 10:27 am
Bryan says:
Karl was a choke artist actually. F*ck Karl Malone.
Mar.26 at 10:29 am
Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
Eboy, it’s probably being a little harsh on Chris. But for his talent he never really wanted to take the deciding shot, and when he did never (to my memory) hit it + of course that Time Out we all wish was never called.
Mar.26 at 10:31 am
Joel O's says:
You could make a case for him not wanting to take the big shot, but truth be told, his role in the Kings’ offense was that of playmaker. They ran so much stuff thru him and Vlade in the post / high post, so it really was up to guys like Bibby and Peja to hit the big shots. Bibby killed the Lakers, but he’s just one man. And Peja was shut down by Rick Fox every series. I think we as fans blame great big guys for not hitting big shots (KG, C-Webb), but it definitely is harder for them to get the ball and create during crunch time than it is for a little guy on the wing or the point.
Mar.26 at 10:33 am
TADOne says:
Actually LZ, if you ask the University of Michigan, the time out, or pretty much anything else from those years, never did happen.
Mar.26 at 10:33 am
Eboy says:
Well, Pippen got Malone to miss a crucial free throw in the Finals by saying “the Mailman don’t deliever on Sundays”, so Shia may be on to something.
Mar.26 at 10:33 am
Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
Barkley had plenty of game-winners and clutch performances, so he’ll never be a choker championship or not. I can’t remember a single Webber game-winner (when it comes to basketball my memory is kind of photographic) but if you guys have a list of Webber-clutch-moments please share. That being said as I mentioned earlier choke-artist was probably being to harsh.
Mar.26 at 10:34 am
Joel O's says:
@ Bryan: Haha. The last Utah play in the 98 finals where Malone was taking his time posting up, blissfully oblivious to MJ sneaking behind him for the steal before hitting The Shot was unforgettable.
Mar.26 at 10:35 am
Eboy says:
There’s that too.
Mar.26 at 10:38 am
Joel O's says:
LZ: I think Webber was a good leader in his own right, even if he wasn’t a great clutch performer.
Especially during that epic Kings-Mavs series: when his team was in trouble, I remember him pulling the team together and his entire body language during those times was that of a leader. This may be a bit harsh, but Dirk in the same situation would just put his head down and have that deer-in-the-headlights look. That’s the difference, IMHO.
Mar.26 at 10:38 am
Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
That’s true Joel, but the best player on his team should always demand the last shot. Think of Barkley (being 6′5 having to shot over 6′10 dudes) he should have at least the same trouble shooting the last shot, but nevertheless always demanded it. Agree on Malone he always needed Stock or Horny to take the biggest shots.
Mar.26 at 10:42 am
Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
Agree that Webber was a great leader Joel, but dude wasn’t clutch. You can be a leader without being clutch KG could be the example. Dirk has for sure choked more than his share of times - but still have had far more clutch moments(game 7 West Finals 2006 for instance) than Webber.
Mar.26 at 10:43 am
Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
*good (not great) leader.
Mar.26 at 10:45 am
TADOne says:
To get off the choker comments for a moment, can you imagine if that Warriors team actually got along (see Spreewell,Timmy), Owens played to his potential, and Nellie and Webber never fought?
Mar.26 at 10:47 am
Joel O's says:
True, that. Barkley was a unique mix though, he was 6′5 and hella fast. Whereas Malone and C-Webb had to go to the low-block during crunch time. KG, with his size and speed and length, SHOULD kill from anywhere but the only really clutch performance I recall of his was during a meaningless All-Star game. And I think Duncan gets away with not taking the big shots since he’s always amazingly passes to the right open guy during crunch time.
Mar.26 at 10:49 am
Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
That would have been something TAD, Mullin’s veteran savy would also have helped. A Championship would still have been tough with Nellie’s system IMO but who knows?
Mar.26 at 10:55 am
Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
Joel; concerning Duncan I think it’s more a question of him being doubled and trebled during the clutch moments because everybody knows ain’t nobody stopping the Bot 1on1, thus him being unselfish (and having guys like Manu, Horry) leads to him passing. You could argue the same about Webber (Bibby,Peja) but Webber as great as he was, was never the nightmare that Duncan represents on the low block.
Mar.26 at 10:57 am
phunkykarma says:
So who’s the best 4 of all time C-Webb, Karl Malone, Sir Charles, maybe KG…?
Mar.26 at 10:58 am
Bryan says:
I like Webb but I don’t think he’s in the discussion as a top power forward ever. Maybe most talented but not best.
Mar.26 at 10:59 am
People's Princess says:
True about Webber not being the beast Duncan is on the block but with the infinitely better range that C Webb had on his J AND the fact that in his prime he was one of the best PFs at handling the rock and getting to the rim AND very good foul shooting to boot.This guy had all the tools offensively.Just a pity that he repeatedly came up short in the clutch.
Mar.26 at 11:00 am
People's Princess says:
Top PF,naah..Timbot would be tops all time IMHO…
Mar.26 at 11:02 am
bobby stew says:
The girl that used to braid my hair loved C-Webb. C-Webb will always be remembered as the symbol of the Fab Five. C-Webb also stayed loyal to Iverson and kept rocking his kicks after they split from Philly. On the court, except for the last 4 minutes of the game, C-Webb was a straight baller. Check out a funny/good interview that Jalen did with him on youtube.
Mar.26 at 11:05 am
Khalid Salaam says:
1st you are mistaken if you think Duncan never takes big shots. All he does is take big shots!!!….. As far as Webber, he was somebody i expected to simply dominate. This guy had the greatest skill set i’ve ever seen. At 6′10 he was totally able to play in the post with his back to the basket. He could handle, was able to hit jumpers, great hands gave him an advantage on boards, great and creative passer, understood floor balance and those small things about positioning the great players always know, athletic and possessed a high baskletbal IQ. He was also great with the intangibles. Remember at Michigan 1st and then in the league when he would dunk he’d come back down court with that crazy face? This guy was a supreme talent. I can’t believe he never played in a Finals.
Mar.26 at 11:07 am
Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
Best 4; Duncan (if he counts as a PF), Malone, Barkley, Garnett.
Close but not quite there; Webber, Dirk (saying this with fear of being verbally assaulted), Kemp, Rodman (different breed but still), Horace Grant? (for his durability and rings).
There’s probably a host of old-schoolers who have names to add to this list. But my basketball experience started in ‘91-92. And can’t really put players I haven’t seen play extensively on my list.
Mar.26 at 11:08 am
TADOne says:
Khalid and Shia dropping knowledge. Yes, Webber was definitely the most “talented” 4 to ever hit the league, its just a shame that, like Barkley, he never got a ring.
Mar.26 at 11:08 am
d.Y. says:
My favorite episode of Inside Stuff was when they went to Webber’s crib to check out his civil rights memorabilia. Chris said a few things that really made me respect him as a person, more so than a basketball player. I rooted for him ever since. He never got to the finals, but he entertained in the playoffs. Plus, YOU try to win ballgames when your girlfriend is Tyra Banks. That lady’s a distraction for several reasons. Too bad it ends like this, I would’ve liked to see one more run.
Mar.26 at 11:08 am
Joel O's says:
@LZ: Yeah. Duncan’s got every damn post move in the book down pat… There’s no way C-Webb is in the same league as Timmy though. I remember some Jazz-Spurs game when Timmy was a rook where he just destroyed my then-hero Karl Malone and I had no idea who that weird-looking guy with the blank stare had come from, but he was great from day one.
Mar.26 at 11:09 am
Khalid Salaam says:
Anyone questioning Duncan’s ability or place on the all time PF list needs to get their head examined. PF list? Please. Duncan is NBA all time top ten mf…
Mar.26 at 11:09 am
Eboy says:
C-Webb could be top 5 of the Nineties. I’m not sure if he’d be in the top 20 PF’s of all-time though. There’s a LOT of dudes to look over. Barkley, Malone, KG, Duncan, Moses, McHale, somebody like Rodman, who was not prototypical, so many guys. Webb could fall somewhere in between Shawn Kemp and Karl Malone.
Mar.26 at 11:10 am
phunkykarma says:
oops i forgot Timmy Duncan.
Mar.26 at 11:10 am
Joel O's says:
@Khalid: Well at least C-Webb did a lot more than Antoine Walker did, with pretty much the same ridiculous skill set.
Mar.26 at 11:11 am
TADOne says:
A CWebb and Antione Walker comparison?! Uhh, no.
Mar.26 at 11:13 am
Joel O's says:
I just loveddd seeing Webber on the Kings pass out of the high post… he seemed to know where everyone on the court was, and it was amazing how he always hit some slasher with one of his crazy playground passes. No one has done it better since.
Mar.26 at 11:13 am
People's Princess says:
Toine’s got the shimmy though.Best.Dance.Ever
Mar.26 at 11:14 am
Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
Forgot about McHale. Comparing Webber and Antoine Whopper is just wrong.
Mar.26 at 11:15 am
TADOne says:
I hate that damn shimmy.
Mar.26 at 11:16 am
People's Princess says:
Some love for the “Big E” Elvin Hayes.dude was a monster back in the day.
Mar.26 at 11:17 am
Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
Joel; Karl Malone was your hero? You must be either the only black man in Utah or someone really fond of 18-wheelers, Texas ties and horseback riding.
Mar.26 at 11:18 am
Bryan says:
Toine is good and all but vastly different from Webber.Webber was an athletic freak on top of his plethora of skills.
Mar.26 at 11:18 am
Eboy says:
I’ll give you a great C-Webb memory. Watching a meaningless Heat/Bullets game in 96, I think, Webb came across the lane, tomahawked on Kevin Willis, and sent Heat crowd into a frenzy. He got a tech for staring at Kevin and Kevin looked to have murder in his eyes. The Heat’s announcers made Webb out to be a gangster by showing up a respected veteran and I laughed my ass off when I saw Howard trying to hold back Webb from getting his ass kicked.
Mar.26 at 11:18 am
TADOne says:
I haven’t heard anyone mention Worthy yet.
Mar.26 at 11:18 am
Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
PP; best dance ever is Cassells “Santa’s sack got nothing on me-dance” period.
Mar.26 at 11:20 am
Eboy says:
Chris was amazing when healthy, just imagine if he had the “murder fire” that KG has?
Mar.26 at 11:20 am
Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
Forgot about Worthy too.. But Worthy was kind of a tweener right?
Mar.26 at 11:21 am
d.Y. says:
duncan-mchhale-malone-barkley(slight philly bias)-hayes
Mar.26 at 11:21 am
Eboy says:
I always looked at James as a SF, but he’d be on the list for sure.
Mar.26 at 11:21 am
Eboy says:
We got Wes Unseld ya’ll.
Mar.26 at 11:22 am
Russ Bengtson says:
Y’all straight-up hating on Rasheed motherf*cking Wallace.
Mar.26 at 11:22 am
People's Princess says:
Um wasn’t Worthy an SF,Tad? Rambis/Thomspon/Green took over most of the PF duties,if I remember correctly.
Mar.26 at 11:23 am
TADOne says:
Hmmm, maybe James did play the “3″. My bad. Rambis was the “4″ on those Laker teams.
Mar.26 at 11:23 am
Bryan says:
Sheed another ridiculous talent who was content to just let it flow instead of dominating.
Mar.26 at 11:24 am
Eboy says:
Sheed would be somewhere in the top 30.
Mar.26 at 11:24 am
TADOne says:
Sheed is my man, but not sure about top 10.
Mar.26 at 11:25 am
Eboy says:
Sheed’s talent level wasn’t quite as strong as C-Webb’s.
Mar.26 at 11:25 am
Eboy says:
Sheed can be on the tep ton of the Nineties list.
Mar.26 at 11:25 am
Russ Bengtson says:
Yet Sheed helped get the Jail Blazers within less than 10 minutes of the Finals (a Finals they would have won), and has been a key piece of one of the best teams in the L for the past five years. Plus he’s got a ring.
Mar.26 at 11:25 am
TADOne says:
Top 30 Eboy? Sheed is certainly in the top 20, if not top 15.
Mar.26 at 11:25 am
Eboy says:
Or top ten.
Mar.26 at 11:26 am
People's Princess says:
15 ppg career average with all of Sheed’s talent.Geez,talk about underutilization of talent.
Mar.26 at 11:26 am
Eboy says:
Of all time, TAD? All-Time? Uhm…..that’s gangsta and all, but not accurate.
Mar.26 at 11:27 am
Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
Yeah, Worthy was a “3″. Don’t know about Sheed - he really wasn’t making that much of a difference before he hit Detroit. Plus as much as I love his behaviour, all the Techs should count against him.
Mar.26 at 11:27 am
d.Y. says:
Russ, I love Sheed. He’s had great effect on games, but his numbers and consistency just can’t hang with the rest of these guys. Besides, he’s a center now, right?
Mar.26 at 11:28 am
Bryan says:
Not hating Russ, just saying.I can name a whole lot of PFs I’d take over Sheed, including Webber.
Mar.26 at 11:29 am
Eboy says:
It’s scary to think that for a time, Chris and Juwan had the league by the balls and could have been the two most dominant players at their postions. Juwan’s fall off was much more dramatic and quicker to criticize, though.
Mar.26 at 11:29 am
People's Princess says:
Extra points for “Ball Don’t Lie”,”GuaranSheed” and “Both teams played hard”..dude’s a crazy mofo
Mar.26 at 11:30 am
Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
Never really saw him play, but have a teammate always telling me that Larry Nance was good. Thoughts from the Gray-beards will be appreciated (Eboy & co.)?
Mar.26 at 11:30 am
People's Princess says:
Wasn’t C Webb averaging 20-10 just a coupla seasons back?
Mar.26 at 11:31 am
Russ Bengtson says:
I’m not even arguing historical ranking or anything, I just couldn’t believe Sheed didn’t even get a mention in 50-plus posts.
Mar.26 at 11:31 am
Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
Co-sign d.Y.
Mar.26 at 11:31 am
People's Princess says:
Yo Tad,Adrian Dantley??? Biggest HOF snub,IMO..
Mar.26 at 11:34 am
FLUXLAND says:
Now Chris can focus on the things he really enjoys: making fantastic rap albums (he perfected the N word in 2 Much Drama), smoking herb and collecting tribal artifacts.
–
You forgot to mention how all his records have been stripped at U of M and his good buddy Ed Martin.
Mar.26 at 11:34 am
Bryan says:
The working man is a sucker. I’m out.
Mar.26 at 11:34 am
Eboy says:
Larry Nance was nice. Kind of a precursor to guys like Josh Smith. Athletic, could run the floor, not a prototypical back to the basket player but was explosive and a godd defensive presence especially off the ball. Plus he fit well on the Cleveland squads that we’re rough to deal with back then.
Mar.26 at 11:34 am
Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
Also Nique PP.
Mar.26 at 11:36 am
Eboy says:
Nigue was more of a SF.
Mar.26 at 11:36 am
phunkykarma says:
Rasheed Wallace is a 5, isn’t he ? He played the fourth spot alongside Arvidas Sabonis when he was a Blazer, but currently, he’s a center, uh ?
Mar.26 at 11:36 am
TADOne says:
Flux: I did mention the Michigan snub earlier. That’s a sore subject for me. PDub: Dantley is a sore subject for me too. The man could only get about 5 inches off the floor, but his post moves and footwork were as good as McHales.
Mar.26 at 11:37 am
Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
Thank you, E-boy only saw him in the some of the Bulls-Cavs series. And my youthfull joy of watching Mike pretty much keeps me from remembering anything else from those series, besides Mark Price being a heck of a shooter.
Mar.26 at 11:37 am
Eboy says:
Sheed’s a center by title only.
Mar.26 at 11:37 am
Joel O's says:
@LZ: Don’t hate on the Mailman! I don’t think he deserved one of his MVP’s though. And Rasheed turned a good Pistons team great. Even though his numbers aren’t as good as the other PFs, I think that’s cuz he almost always played on really really stacked teams.
Mar.26 at 11:37 am
d.Y. says:
Dantley was dope, but he wasn’t a 4 either. PP, bigger HOF snub than Bernard King?
Mar.26 at 11:37 am
TADOne says:
Sheed is a center because he plays in the East and Ben is no longer on the team. He is a 4, thru and thru.
Mar.26 at 11:38 am
Eboy says:
CHARLES OAKLEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mar.26 at 11:38 am
Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
I know Nique was a “3″ Eboy, I was referring to biggest Hall of Fame snub. Regardless of position.
Mar.26 at 11:38 am
Sam Rubenstein says:
I did skip over some of the negative stuff, true. The NCAA wants to say that none of the fab 5 or the next year counted. But it happened, so there. Also an amazing Webber moment was when he announced he was re-signing with the Kings for the megadeal that ended up being bought out in Philly… they had pretty much a parade for him and he shook everyone’s hand. Sacramento is a small town.
Webber set a clutch screen on Derek Fisher (who flopped) for Mike Bibby to hit a game-winner against the Lakers in one of those series.
Mar.26 at 11:39 am
Eboy says:
Bernard King trumps Adrian Dantley every time.
Mar.26 at 11:39 am
People's Princess says:
Plus AD was punishingly strong..6′5 and he’s back you down all day..
Mar.26 at 11:40 am
FLUXLAND says:
Sorry, TAD.. missed that! Sore issue here as well.. but I never wonder why he’s been cursed as Sam said. He’s done something and he’s paying for it. Karma.
Mar.26 at 11:40 am
Eboy says:
Sorry, LZ.
Mar.26 at 11:41 am
Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
Joel; I’m not hating one the Mailmans game, just never meet anybody who idolized him (thankfully I’ve never been to Utah). His lifestyle and the Utah Jazz factor seemed to be to much for people to overcome.
Mar.26 at 11:41 am
TADOne says:
I have equal love for Bernard, Adrian, and Nique. The fact that none of these men are on the HOF is a complete joke.
Mar.26 at 11:41 am
People's Princess says:
The Original King.My bad,d.Y.Fu{k me,the three biggest HOF snubs are all SFs..
Mar.26 at 11:41 am
illydiva says:
Can I take this to the really cerebral for a moment… CWebb for the better part of 15 yrs was the phoinest man in the league. That smile? Please! The line formed behind him. I daresay that even with the crop of dimes in the league currently, no one immediately comes to mind to carry that torch. Holly? Ladies?? A moment of silence please.
Mar.26 at 11:42 am
Eboy says:
Co-sign, co-sign.
Mar.26 at 11:42 am
TADOne says:
* or IN the HOF
Mar.26 at 11:43 am
Eboy says:
What is phoiniest?
Mar.26 at 11:43 am
People's Princess says:
And the fact that Malone was the biggest pu**y on the floor with that million dollar body of his don’t help either.Stock was the toughest guy on those ageless Jazz teams.
Mar.26 at 11:43 am
TADOne says:
Illy: Webber was or is hardly phony.
Mar.26 at 11:44 am
TADOne says:
I remember Karl wrestling and lost all respect for him after that.
Mar.26 at 11:45 am
Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
No problems Eboy. Agree on Oakley but shouldn’t Horace be in front of him beacuse of the rings. The production was pretty similar, with Oak winning in rebounds, elbows thrown, intimidation and badboyness and Grant edging him in rings, scoring, blocks, and funky eyewear.
Mar.26 at 11:45 am
Eboy says:
Did you fell the same way about Dennis, TAD?
Mar.26 at 11:45 am
d.Y. says:
Dennis Johnson should be in the hall too…
Mar.26 at 11:46 am
phunkykarma says:
Yes, Eboy, Charles Oakley. I think he earnt the “slap-in-the-face-award” once.
Mar.26 at 11:46 am
Eboy says:
I would put Anthony Mason on the list for gangstaness.
Mar.26 at 11:46 am
Russ Bengtson says:
Dominique Wilkins was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006. Some of you need to familiarize yourselves with these things called “facts”.
Mar.26 at 11:46 am
People's Princess says:
Chances of the Reignman getting into the HOF? Just curious to see where he ranks in the alltime list.
Mar.26 at 11:48 am
Eboy says:
PP, slim to none re: the Reignman.
Mar.26 at 11:48 am
TADOne says:
He was Russ. Sometimes I type before I think. My bad….
Mar.26 at 11:48 am
Eboy says:
Top Ten of the Nineties though.
Mar.26 at 11:48 am
TADOne says:
Dennis was a complete character, so nothing surprised me with him Eboy.
Mar.26 at 11:49 am
Joel O's says:
The Mailman wrestling was ridiculous. But he did come out of that horrible year with the Lakers, as well as the stupid “hitting on Kobe’s wife” thing, looking like the bigger man though.
Mar.26 at 11:49 am
d.Y. says:
Horace said he won’t accept a hall invite unless he can bring Harvey too…
Mar.26 at 11:49 am
Eboy says:
Exactly, TAD. And the more I think of it, the Top Ten PF’s of the Nineties list is uber gangsta.
Mar.26 at 11:50 am
Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
Stock was tough as nails he would have been the toughest player on around 99% of NBA teams ever. Kobe is winning the All-time phony title blindfolded (with this statement we’re gonna hit 500+ comments easily).
Mar.26 at 11:51 am
People's Princess says:
Yeah i know Eboy.Jus asked cuz was going thru George Karl’s autobio from his days with the Sonics.Sad that Kemp’s career was derailed cos of Jim McIlvaine.Fu{k you,Mac.
Mar.26 at 11:52 am
Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
Sorry Russ, I started the Nique confusion. MY bad. Mason is easily starting SF on the all-time gangsta team. Danny Manning was a pretty good PF btw.
Mar.26 at 11:52 am
TADOne says:
I’m still trying to figure out where anyone would have the gall to call Webber phony?
Mar.26 at 11:53 am
Eboy says:
Phony would have been a good title for my namesake.
Mar.26 at 11:54 am
Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
Best NBA haircut ever; Mason’s “Bite the Lemon” doo.
Mar.26 at 11:55 am
People's Princess says:
Wosrt one would be Artest’s “Tru Warier” carving.that thing was fugly.
Mar.26 at 11:55 am
H to the izzo says:
Cherokee Parks has to be at least on the bench for this “All Gangsta” for looking like he would stab you.
Mar.26 at 11:57 am
Eboy says:
I always admired Mase for sticking his toungue out after aking great plays to mock Michael when playing the Bulls. Never worked out fully, but between him, the X-man and Oak, that was the MOST Gangsta front line ever.
Mar.26 at 11:58 am
Eboy says:
*making
Mar.26 at 11:58 am
Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
Jim McIlvaine is eating lobster and reminising about the good old times with Matt Geiger, Bryant Reeves, Frank Brickowsky, Bill Wennington, and that redhaired center from AI’s Sixers team (forgot his name) as we speak.
Mar.26 at 11:58 am
illydiva says:
Phoine meaning better than fine, delicious, yummy, hot, etc. I love some CWebb. My husband would give me a pass.
Mar.26 at 11:59 am
d.Y. says:
Karl got to beat up Hulk Hogan AND Rodman. Like you wouldn’t do that for free.
Mar.26 at 11:59 am
TADOne says:
LZ: That would be Todd McCulloch.
Mar.26 at 12:00 pm
TADOne says:
Ohhhhh, sorry for the confusion illy.
Mar.26 at 12:01 pm
Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
I loved those Knicks-teams and frontline because of their grittyness (and I’m a Bulls-fan), they always took turns beating up Pippen. Starks was not out to play either.
Mar.26 at 12:01 pm
People's Princess says:
Damn that AI team had like the least offensive talent of any NBA Finalist.George Lynch,for cryin out loud!
Mar.26 at 12:01 pm
H to the izzo says:
TAD was ready to go Oakley on someone’s ass there.
Mar.26 at 12:02 pm
TADOne says:
And Xavier McDaniel definitely looked crazy with those eyes that would stare daggers thru you. He was the original “Crazy Eyes” before Kurt Thomas. Oddly enough, they were/are two of the nicest players you could meet.
Mar.26 at 12:02 pm
Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
Thx TAD, good old Todd.
Mar.26 at 12:03 pm
TADOne says:
I’ve got a lot of love for Webber and his Michigan counterparts.
Mar.26 at 12:04 pm
Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
PP, Also Eric Snow couldn’t hit a 12-footer to save Kemp’s children.
Mar.26 at 12:05 pm
Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
I loved Jalen (Michigan-version).
Mar.26 at 12:06 pm
illydiva says:
Why aren’t there any pictures with these CWebb posts for crying out loud?!! @ People’s Princess, George Lynch served his purpose. CTFU! I loved that squad at the time. Tyrone Hill anyone? Everybody lock down your man and watch the AI show. I see a bit of that going on in Denver…minus the locking down on D.
Mar.26 at 12:07 pm
Eboy says:
Which NCAA team was most gangsta, LJ’s UNLV team or the Fab Five? Discuss.
Mar.26 at 12:08 pm
Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
Tyrone Hill was once an All-Star hahahahahaha.. Another reason why Strickland should have grudges towards the NBA.
Mar.26 at 12:11 pm
TADOne says:
I loved both squads, but Michigan was revolutionary.
Mar.26 at 12:12 pm
Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
Lunch-time. See you around peoples!
Mar.26 at 12:12 pm
d.Y. says:
From CWebb to Tyrone Hill. You got a wide range there illy. That squad might’ve been ok if we didn’t let Raja leave and Speedy stayed and didn’t break down.
Mar.26 at 12:13 pm
TADOne says:
Tyrone Hill always looked like he had just took a laxative.
Mar.26 at 12:14 pm
H to the izzo says:
UNLV for the mere fact that they actually won something……….and they had someone with the nickname “Grandmama”
Mar.26 at 12:16 pm
Eboy says:
Skill wise, I think the Fab Five got it, but “gangstaist” had to be UNLV. They would have had that sh*t on lock if they beat Duke, but you can’t have everything.
Mar.26 at 12:16 pm
Eboy says:
And as Izzo points out, they did win something.
Mar.26 at 12:18 pm
Andy says:
If we’re talking power forwards who had careers lessened by injury, then how about Larry Johnson? His first two seasons were phenomenal for an expansion team.
Mar.26 at 12:18 pm
TADOne says:
F*ck winning! The Fab Five introduced the long shorts and black socks and shoes. Also, just the fact all five freshman were starting.
Mar.26 at 12:19 pm
Eboy says:
They were trendsetters.
Mar.26 at 12:25 pm
d.Y. says:
My favorite SLAM article ever was the one that started with the Fab Five’s first scrimmage against the Michigan upperclassmen.
Mar.26 at 12:26 pm
TADOne says:
Now UNLV, they were “gangsta” in a different way. The way they would run you off the court and talk sh*t while doing it was amazing. Also, Jerry “The Shark” Tarkanian.
Mar.26 at 12:27 pm
illydiva says:
@ d.Y. I always tried not to look directly at Tyrone Hill, but you’re right about Raja and Speedy. Damn Larry Brown!!
Mar.26 at 12:33 pm
riggs says:
link it!—http://youtube.com/watch?v=I3qpJTE7vy8
Mar.26 at 12:37 pm
d.Y. says:
Damn Larry Brown indeed. I’m worried we’re following the same pattern since that era. Good enough to be middle of the pack, never past the second round, until vets get old and/or fall off (in a couple years:miller) and we drop just low enough to get a draft pick that helps us to the middle of the pack again…
Mar.26 at 12:50 pm
illydiva says:
@d.Y, that seems to be the way with Philly sports teams. Sigh. Remember Rodney Buford? Whatever happened to him?
Mar.26 at 12:56 pm
d.Y. says:
He only played a year right? I’m still not over Mark Macon, and us losing “The Full Philadelphian” Aaron McKie. (whatever happened to Arrakis Records?)
Mar.26 at 1:28 pm
Sam Rubenstein says:
VERY IMPORTANT! here’s the commercial about dunking on Barkley:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=virOzqPxUHk
Mar.26 at 1:33 pm
TADOne says:
Thanks for that flash back Sam. Nike has made some dope commercials over the years.
Mar.26 at 1:36 pm
illydiva says:
@Sam: Classic! Even though you could not see the full loveliness that is CWebb. Was that Spree pre braids? Wow!
Mar.26 at 1:38 pm
Khalid Salaam says:
That’s my concern with this Sixers team. Yes i appreciate the effort and i’m happily surprised that they are in the playoff hunt but whats the real upside? I want to contend/win a championship. Nothing else for me, after all these years, will be good enough. We need a big time player and we don’t have one. Although the Thad Young has really impressed me
Mar.26 at 1:41 pm
TADOne says:
Damn Khalid, give the young guys a chance to develop. Thad, Lou, Iggy, and Andre is a good core. It’s a team made to run, which they are doing now. If one of the young guys can take the next step, you could be a contender sooner rather than later.
Mar.26 at 1:47 pm
Khalid Salaam says:
I am giving them a chance. I’ve been meaning to dicuss this further but i’ve been busy lately and unable to write in detail. The celtics game on monday was great and really made me do a double take. I’ve never seen dre dala play better. Carney was hitting shots and andre miller was doing as he pleased. We’ll still get swept in the playoffs but we are in a upswing and we haven’t been in several years
Mar.26 at 1:49 pm
Khalid Salaam says:
Speaking of Chris Webber i just got back an hour ago from a shoe company showcase in central park and nearby a movie was being shot. In this movie and walking around for all to see was..wait for it…..Tyra Banks. Really.
Mar.26 at 1:54 pm
Eboy says:
How’d she look, King K?
Mar.26 at 1:59 pm
TADOne says:
Tyra isn’t what she used to be.
Mar.26 at 2:00 pm
Eboy says:
To quote the immortal Omar, “she’d still get it, with a wooden leg or a machine gun leg, she’d still get it.”
Mar.26 at 2:19 pm
overtime says:
The first NBA game shown where i am was the Kings-Spurs in 2002, the commentators were talking about how Chris was basically a lock for M.V.P if he could just learn how to shoot free-throws, he was an amzing player,but your right he is also cursed, i remember how my Kings were so badly knocked from the 2nd round with that missed buzzer-beater,after that, the great-passing Kings of the first half of the 00’s were gone
Mar.26 at 2:22 pm
Khalid Salaam says:
Eboy and Tad: She looked amazing
Mar.26 at 2:23 pm
The Last Kings Fan says:
It was pretty nice of you Sam to not mention that the Kings were playing great basketball when Webber was still out and Brad Miller was (the All Star) starting in his place…As much great as Webb did for the Kings while he was here, pushing Brad to the bench and going 2-21 in like his third game back on all jump shots didn’t do a lot for me…
Mar.26 at 2:27 pm
Eboy says:
I tried to tell you TAD. Thanks, Khalid.
Mar.26 at 2:31 pm
illydiva says:
@Kahlid, do you think Stepanski is the man to bring in a big time player??
Mar.26 at 2:36 pm
Khalid Salaam says:
Stefanski did some good things in Jersey so i have confidence but who could we bring in? Gilbert? Elton? I don’t know.
Mar.26 at 2:38 pm
TADOne says:
Hmmmm, her face just seemed to start looking, oh, I don’t know, fixed over the years? Botox maybe? Anyway, maybe it’s just me.
Mar.26 at 2:39 pm
TADOne says:
Stefanski is good. He is the type of hire the Knicks need to make, but won’t.
Mar.26 at 2:47 pm
albie1kenobi says:
my girl says Tyra looks too manly, to which i say nothing. Tyra’s been my #1 too long for me to care about what my girl thinks of her. she was on the only poster i have during college.
Mar.26 at 2:49 pm
illydiva says:
I would prefer a healthy Elton over Gilbert for a number of reasons. I think his skills are more of what the Sixers need at this point.
Mar.26 at 2:56 pm
TADOne says:
I can think of a whole slew of teams that could use Elton over Arenas.
Mar.26 at 2:59 pm
cheekyricegirl says:
this is a great article! as a kings fan back from the days of wayman tisdale, reggie theus, then mitch richmond, and spud webb, you capture a snippet of what it was like for us die-hard kings fans living through those days of chris webber. seriously, those were the best years for us as a team, having him here, alongside peja and vlade and others, but also the most frustrating because all those playoff games we ended up losing didn’t have to end that way had c-webb stepped it up just a bit. he really was dependable and fantastic through the regular season — when healthy. but like the rest of us kings fans, come playoff time, when it was time to take those big shots and seal the game, he wanted to win so much — but just couldn’t pull it off. still, we’ve got nothing but love for c-webb over here. i wish him well. even though we have many aspirations for what could have been, he still brought us further and closer to the championships than any other kings player.
Mar.26 at 4:26 pm
ED LEEDSKALNIN says:
Don-a-gie and others hindered chris and the Kings in 2002.
Mar.26 at 5:04 pm
phunkykarma says:
Ok, ED, except I’m pretty sure everyone bet on the Lakers.
Mar.26 at 5:48 pm
andrew says:
I remember fab5 and also his Air Maestro..
Mar.27 at 2:03 am
Maurice Garland says:
i know two guys who got robbed at gunpoint for their $135 Chris Webber’s back in 95-96…oh yeah, Sam…i remember those Live 95 Warriors, pretty nice, but not nicer than the Magic…great post tho…the Webber/Spreewell/Barkley commercial is classic…”he’s too high, he’s too high”
Mar.27 at 2:24 am
aska says:
Absolutely true that the Warriors team in Live ‘95 was the best ever. I could run everybody in that starting five up to 40 points each (Owens included) in an 8 minute quarter game with that thing.
Mar.27 at 9:35 am
Reggie Rainey says:
The best time was when Webber and Spreewell played together at Golden State. I loved the commercial they had in the Barber Shop about Webb dunking on Charles Barkley. They both were on they way to becoming in that elite class of NBA players. But look what happen, when they thought they were bigger then the game .
Mar.27 at 5:36 pm
Eddie M. says:
Webber, Juwan Howard, and Rod Strickland at Washington. Them boys was gangsta. “You being gangsta at breakfast?” -Ed. www.EdTheSportsFan.blogspot.com
Apr.3 at 1:31 am
Victor says:
When Webber was here playing in Sacramento, he was always better than the entire team on one leg……he could never get over the hump because he didn’t have enough push from behind.
Apr.3 at 1:36 am
Victor says:
I still remember Grant Napier the local loudmount say we gotta ge Peja going we gotta get Peja going, never happened in the playoffs, take a look at the past video. You’ll see
Apr.3 at 1:36 am
Victor says:
I still remember Grant Napier the local loudmounth say we gotta ge Peja going we gotta get Peja going, never happened in the playoffs, take a look at the past video. You’ll see