HoopsCorner.com Articles: King Webber

H o o p s C o r n e r . c o m

HoopsCorner

--------------------
Febuary 10, 2001

Any basketball junky asked to name their preliminary choices for MVP would be sure to cast their votes on Chris Webber or Allen Iverson this year.

In Washington D.C talk of NBA MVP candidates undoubtedly brings as much joy as an Al Gore after party.

Down in the District of Corruption, the city's pro basketball team's management offices have realized - but not so much as this year - that they've been corrupted by their frustrations, which had stemmed from the teams' subpart performances. While General Manager Wes Unseld and Owner Abe Pollin have been coming to their senses - mainly sobered by the team's current state - Webber has been busy trying o engulf the league in his web. Since he was traded following the 1997-1998 season to Sacramento for Mitch Richmond and Otis Thorpe, he became everything he wasn't, when the shared the spotlight with The White House. In fact he lead the league in rebounding at 13.0 per game after being criticized in D.C of playing to much on the perimeter and not dominating inside as he should. Compared to his behavior in DC Webber became a model citizen in Sacramento - except for the '99 playoffs incident involving the Jazz's John Stockton.

Initially after the trade the thinking was that the star would do everything to force another trade. Back on the East Coast where he presumably had everything - talented team, supporting fans, favorable ownership, as well as fellow Fab Fiver Juwan Howard - Webber was seen as not trying to maximize his potential. He was pampered and unaware of how much more he needed to learn to truly be great. After making the playoffs - in which they got swept by the Chicago Bulls - as an eighth seed the Wizards formerly known as The Bullets - or in the words of Washington Post columnists "les boulez" - were expected to be one of the top teams in their division the following year.

The 1997-98 season saw another poor start by the franchise. Webber, Howard, and point guard Rod Strickland were involved in numerous off-court incidents, billed as distractions to the team, and then head coach Bernie Bickerstaff being replaced by Gar Heard. Nearing the end of the season as the team was fighting to make the playoffs, the Fab Two had dipped themselves into yet another incident detrimental to their quests. Apparently a lady who attended a late-night party at Howard's domicile was claiming to have been raped. The team's two stars were named in the lawsuit. Although the charges were later dropped, the damage was done. The Franchise had to act on what they'd known all along: they couldn't count on 2 talented, rich buddies, who seemingly had everything, and were content just to be at their present level to be fired up to want to carry their team to new heights.

When that season was over short of the playoffs, the consensus around team officials was that something had to be done. Inevitably they also consented that someone had to go. Howard, whose paycheck ranked in the top 5 in the league, was a modest or mediocre producer on the court compared to it. Almost nobody was willing to pick up Juwan's price tag. Webber on the other hand was much less expensive, and was the team's main guy. Also to his asset, in this era of showcasing, he had the game every fan craved. A high-powered high wire act combined with a full court game and all-around presence. It reflected well in his triple doubles and significant numbers in steals and blocks. The Wizards knew he was the ticket to greater things, if they could instill a "will" in him. Despite his promises to behave from then on...well they'd been heard before.

He was traded to the Western Conference cellar dweller, the Sacramento Kings, for aging all-star guard Mitch Richmond, and former all-star forward Otis Thorpe. At first glance it seemed like a fair deal, but any good scout would have told you the Kings were on to some major business. Webber wasn't even near his peak, in Washington he often had to play center, a position he despised manning, and he was still experiencing life as a young black millionaire out of the concrete and sirens he came from. In other words he just wasn't mentally ready yet, and so far was just experiencing.

Meanwhile in Sacramento, Mitch Richmond was begging to be traded to a winner - he was once, almost traded to Miami - so Washington figured a veteran presence, desperate to win was the perfect fir for them, and he also patched up some of the weaknesses the team had. All those factors were reasons why Webber's potential were overlooked. At first he did not want to report to his new employers, but later made it clear he wasn't staying past the length of time dictated by his contract. Yet he also uttered the sweetest and most important words and athlete could; he would play his heart out night in and night out. Maybe it was the fact that he was about to loose the spotlight he so coveted that made him realize that only by meeting expectations set for him would he be able to retain it.

In that first year he lead the team to the playoffs and its first winning season in "ages". It didn't hurt that the team had gone through a major roster overhaul by bringing in center Vlade Divac, rookie point guard Jason Williams, and veteran shooting guard Nick Anderson. But Webber was the cornerstone. His game combined with the flashy antics of PG Jason Williams gave the fans something to smile about. The team quickly became the league's most entertaining show. And to this day they still are. Despite the Kings' and his success, he wants more, preferably a hard ware named Larry O'Brien in June. He's determined to have every team trying to break down his door to get through to him, when he's a free agent at the end of the year.

C-Webb was drafted by the Orlando Magic, traded on draft day to Golden State for Anfernee Hardaway. Although he was the rookie of the year there, tensions between him and then Warriors' coach Don Nelson sent him to Washington. From there he found himself back on the West Coast. As he makes his first all-star start-a long awaited scenario - the teams he previously played for don't have a single representative in the main event. What makes this midseason annual "best of the best get-together" more emotional is that it's taking place in his former backyard, in front of his former "NBA parents", the ones who exiled him. It was so bitter that it prompted a Washington Post columnist to write that General manager Wes Unseld will be outside painting down in black paint a giant mural of Webber right outside the MCI Center.

On Sunday his presence will be as larger than life as that mural, and no black paint could shed it away. With no one having seized this weekend break as his, the ex-Wizard might just feel right at home. In his quest for vindication, Chris Webber might have just been given another opportunity. Just as he made use of the chance to start over with a new team, he might use this one to make yet another King-sized impression.

Next: Notorious MVP
Previous: Family feud

Articles main