Nets Are Scorching

If the NBA gave out an annual award for putting fear into backboards, Darryl Dawkins would be the all-time trophy leader. If he played today, I have no doubt he’d have an intense rivalry with Dwight Howard as they both tried to destroy as many of the new breakaway rims as possible. And Dawkins would win.

While he made his mark with the Philadelphia 76ers, Chocolate Thunder also enjoyed moderate success in New Jersey after joining the franchise by trade in 1982. Dawkins only played two full seasons in New Jersey, and his second was arguably his best – Dawkins averaged a career-high 16.8 points per game, shooting a shade under seven rebounds and 60% from the floor.

Dawkins may have been the world’s greatest backboard shatterer, but he was also notorious for his foul trouble: in his two full seasons with the Nets, Dawkins committed an astonishing 765 fouls – nearly five per game. Dawkins averaged these numbers playing under 30 minutes per game in both seasons – his playing time undoubtedly hampered by his, um, foul trouble. His 1983 and ’84 foul totals rank as the two highest single-season numbers in NBA history, and Dawkins’s 5.8 fouls per 36 minutes rank fifth all-time for players with at least 700 games.

The expectations for Chocolate Thunder outstripped his actual ability, but that doesn’t detract from what he actually was: a reliable 7-footer with a little range, the ability to finish around the rim consistently, and an enormous wingspan. He possessed a good vertical leap before the injuries, but truthfully Dawkins barely had to jump off the ground to reach the rim and throw down one of his trademark powerful jams.

There are a ton of highlights in this below video — one I have to show, as per the “put any player’s highlights to Will Smith’s ‘Summertime’ and I have to promote it” law — but watch carefully at around 3 minutes for #5 highlight: the dunk over Bill Walton (who Dawkins apparently has a little beef with). After receiving an entry pass, Dawkins stands under the hoop for a second, gets his bearings, then rises up and throws down a reverse jam in Walton’s face. Walton was just completely powerless.

That’s what resonates most with me when it comes to Dawkins – he was containable if you kept him outside of that eight-foot space around the basket. But once he’d claimed that area, there’s just nothing you can do.

Unfortunately, as is often the case with big men, Dawkins succumbed to injuries to his massive body, limiting him to just 39 games in 1985 and 51 in 1986. It’s a shame; Dawkins’s production skyrocketed as he worked within a limited role in that 1986 season — shooting .644 from the field, scoring 23.2 points per 36 minutes, and a 19.5 PER, all career highs — before a back injury ended that 1986 season, and essentially his career.

Source

First of all, I’d like to just say that blogging allows us our silly and satirical moments, but we also cover serious topics and striking that balance is always a tough thing to do. As I’m about to profile the late Armen Gilliam, his sudden passing this past July is still somewhat fresh in our minds and I feel like I can speak for most of Nets nation when I say how saddened we were to hear that news.

Now, let’s talk about the career of the man known as “The Hammer”.

I don’t remember much from the first few trips to what was then known as the Meadowlands to see Nets games, but one of my only memories were those of Gilliam scoring a basket and the PA announcer screaming “Hammertime!” This usually thrilled me because at that stage of my life there wasn’t anything more important to me than Darkwing Duck and indeed M.C. Hammer, so finding out there was a player associated with Hammertime gave Gilliam instant credibility.

I didn’t know anything about basketball and don’t remember much about the actual games, but I do remember that “Hammertime” was said often; Gilliam scored a lot. From that, I surmised that he must be in fact a very important player for New Jersey and maybe even the best.

It wasn’t until Al Gore invented the Internet — more specifically, until Al Gore invented Basketball-Reference — that I was able to go back and actually confirm the fact that yes, through 1993 to 1996, The Hammer was the Nets heart and soul.

Gilliam was a 6’9″, athletic forward at UNLV, and his combination of size and strength let him dominate most nights in college, leading the Phoenix Suns to select him with the #2 pick in the 1987 NBA draft. When the Nets eventually signed him as a free agent, he first played behind Derrick Coleman at power forward, but when Coleman moved on after the 1994-95 season, Gilliam slotted into the starting role.

The result was simple yet staggering: at 31 years old, Gilliam enjoyed his finest season as an NBA player. Playing in 78 games, he scored 18.3 ppg and pulled in 9.1 rebounds per game, and while the Nets as a team were not playing great basketball that season (30-52), Gilliam was putting up the type of numbers most expected he would when he left UNLV.

Here is a clip of “The Hammer” (at the time with the 76ers) that shows his mix of ferocity, power, and a little of how earned his nickname.

Just two days after joining Italian club Fabi Shoes Montenegro, Nets point guard Ben Uzoh is leaving Italy for a better offer with Russian team Lokomotiv Kuban, according to Sportando Basket. Uzoh’s deal with Italy did not have an NBA lockout “out clause,” and no word yet on whether or not this deal has a similar structure.

Now that Mikhail Prokhorov isn’t the leader of a political party and has tons more time on his hands, maybe he’ll take some time out to check out Uzoh in Russia. Or, maybe Uzoh is just on a world tour and has planned to leave for an Australian team by the weekend.

In totally unrelated news…

I remember when Sam came to New Jersey back in the middle of the 1996-1997 season. I was a jersey enthusiast, and I really enjoyed that flat, matte, open-hole, heavyweight true-blue mesh Nets jersey from that era. I was also antsy to see Sam I Am play with my favorite player, Jimmy Jackson. Honestly, as happy as I was for him to get out of those stupid navy and thick-pinstriped Houston Rockets uniforms, I was sad to know that he would get virtually no love on cable playing for a cellar dweller like the Nets.

What I loved most about Sam Cassell was that he was a true guard, just as effective playing the point as he was playing as an off-guard. That was his greatest strength. He could go into any situation and be both what he wanted and what the Nets needed. He didn’t back down, and that’s probably why he pretended to carry an imaginary set of dinosauric testicles after he made big shots. More power to him in my book.

I was excited by the SLAM Magazine cover that he was on in the late 1990s. Of course, the prediction was that he would be part of a dynasty with New Jersey, but in my heart, I knew that wasn’t going to happen. Jayson Williams wasn’t focused enough, Kerry Kittles wasn’t skilled enough, Keith Van Horn wasn’t quite good enough, Kendall Gill wasn’t sharp enough, and before any of these things would manifest themselves, Sam would surely have enough.

Was I happy to see him go? No. Was I sad to see him go? Also, no. He got more time elsewhere on TV, and selfishly, I saw as much as I wanted of good ol’ Sam I Am.

Man-child. If this is not the definition of Brooklyn’s sons, then a meaning doesn’t exist for the borough’s young warriors. New Jersey Nets fans that happen upon Barclays Center next season will feel this in the air if they explore further than the professional court. Born from Brooklyn are numerous urban hoops tales and legends that remain forever young to those that have experienced it first-hand. However, in today’s digital world, concrete proof can be had at the click of a button.

Man-child. If you ever stepped on a court in Brooklyn, you know that the court isn’t the only thing hard and able to put a hurting on you. Get juked and sprain your ankles on a crossover while defending someone with crazy handle and your ego will hurt for days. For both young and old, pride and respect are the main things fought for on Brooklyn’s net-less courts.

Man-child. The fight for respect starts early for ballers and in today’s internet-crazed age, it’s no longer held prisoner to several pairs of eyes and few exclamations of “Daaaaamn.” YouTube is full of dunks launched from the top of the key, dribbling that makes you swear there’s a string on the ball, and millions upon millions of views all to sate a thirst to watch greatness with a basketball.

Man-child is one of those instances of greatness.

Brooklyn filmmaker, Ryan Koo, a Webby Award winner and noted up-and-coming filmmaker is looking to put this tale of a young basketball player that feels the pressure on and off the court to the screen. Check the plot:

An amateur video of 13 year-old Terran “TJ” Jackson playing basketball hits the internet and turns his life upside down. TJ is soon nationally ranked among other 7th graders and declared to be “the next Dwayne Wade” despite being in middle school.

As a result of this exposure, free athletic gear and various hangers-on find their way to the doorstep of his small, predominantly-black Christian school. While TJ navigates the religious curriculum — and simultaneously a sexually active relationship with his girlfriend — he learns about the youth basketball world and the recruiting machine that powers it. With his newfound fame, he must choose between educational institutes, father figures, and belief systems.

A few years from now TJ could be a millionaire, but right now all he has is basketball. It’s a lot for anyone to handle — much less a 13 year-old.

It’s been too long since we’ve seen a basketball film that has the potential to touch us beyond our fandom for basketball. Not since Jesus Shuttlesworth have we seen a glimpse of someone like TJ onscreen. As fans of basketball, and hopefully the various human elements, we need to help Man-child get done. Here’s a Lookbook if you need to see more:

The movie will be funded through Kickstarter, which is a revolutionary website that helps creatives like Koo get their projects done and put forth to and for the masses. Man-child… forgoing the established studio route and doing it on your own. With your help, this celluloid crossover will make you “ooh” and “aah” like anything else you’ve seen on the hardwood.

Go to Man-child’s Kickstarter page and become a part of history… just like Phil Jackson.

NOTE: I am not affiliated with the movie in any way, other than being a Kickstarter “backer.”

Well, I didn’t expect to hear this today. Apparently Kris Humphries – recently named on #NBARank as the 145th best player in the NBA – was a total jerkface in high school.

The Incredible Hump has always seemed like a decent guy to me, except for the fact that he regularly steals Brook Lopez’s rebounds. And probably his lunch money. But he definitely rubbed some guys at KU the wrong way; here’s the direct quote from former KU player Keith Langford on Humphries’ jerkiness:

(N)o one on the team liked Kris Humphries. He was arrogant. He told everyone he was going to come in and be the leading scorer as a freshman and that we’d all have to take a backseat to him. We were trying to be respectful and not say anything. But he was an absolute jerk. It was tough, because (coach) Roy (Williams) was really excited about him. Kris Humphries was a big deal. He was a one-and-done or two-and-done kind of player. Roy wanted him to commit on his visit. But we told him, ‘Coach, you can’t bring this guy in. You can’t do it.’ You’d figure Roy would say something like, ‘Let’s work on him,’ or ‘Let’s give him another chance.’ Instead he told Humphries, ‘Sorry, but you can’t come.’”

Firstly, if this is true: it’s nice to hear that Roy Williams to listen to his players first. No matter who the guy is, if he really clashes with an entire team, it’s good that a coach understands his program and is willing to listen to the players.

With that said, I don’t know if Kris Humphries is a nice guy or not, but even if this is true: is anyone really surprised? Aren’t all of these guys wackily overconfident to some degree, especially when they’re on the up-and-up? Isn’t that why they’re NBA players – because they believe in their ability beyond all else? Do you think Kris Humphries is Kim Kardashian’s husband because of his passive nature?

You don’t call a guy “The Incredible Hump” unless you think he’ll… well, I’ll leave that alone. Just watch the video.

In unrelated news, today is day 81 of the NBA lockout.

In-TEN-sity!

Mookie Blaylock was non-stop intensity. For proof of this, see the above picture during a stretching session. And even if the above was Mookie just having gas, if you’ve seen his speed, well, it’s all relative isn’t it? In all seriousness, Blaylock was a lean speedster with quick hands and court presence. Unfortunately, like a lot of Nets, his time with the club didn’t see his best years.

As a rookie, Blaylock was perhaps best known for his name and being the second “Mookie” in the city that never sleeps, with the New York Mets’ Mookie Wilson being the first (and most-loved). He averaged 10.1 points on 37.1% shooting from the field and 77.8% from the free-throw line, 4.2 assists and 1.6 steals in 25.3 minutes per game that first year (1989-90) with the Nets. His next season saw improvement as Mookie gained experience and was getting more burn – 14.1 points on 41.6% shooting from the floor and 79.0% from the charity stripe, 6.1 dimes and 2.3 thefts in 35.9 minutes per game. Things were looking good for the “other Mookie.”

Alas, Blaylock would only play one more season with the Nets (a pretty good one too – 13.8 points, 6.8 assists, 2.4 steals) before being traded to the Atlanta Hawks for, umm, Rumeal Robinson. Robinson, who didn’t put a smile on anyone’s face after leaving Michigan, only played 97 games over two seasons for New Jersey. What did Mookie do? Set career-highs across the board (17.4 points in 1996-97 and 9.7 assists in 1993-94 as examples), led the NBA in steals twice (2.7 in 1996-97 and 2.6 in 1997-98; finished with a 2.3 career average), made one NBA All-Star game (1994) and was All-Defensive First Team twice (1993-94 and 1994-95) and All-Defensive Team four times (1995-96 season through 1998-99).

3… 2… 1… OUCH!

Oh, and perhaps what Mookie Blaylock is more known for to America, he was the original band name for Pearl Jam. Yes, that Pearl Jam. The one with the lead singer that didn’t want to be famous, but invariably became famous because of his proclamations of not wanting to be. It was the formula to become famous that evolved into today’s becoming famous for doing nothing. In any case, Bethlehem Shoals wrote an excellent article about Pearl Jam and Mookie on Deadspin that is a must-read.

So, far what we are learning with these Nets rankings is this – it’s a painful exercise.