9/1/2023 0 Comments Chris webber jersey coa![]() ![]() The current Kings, including former Webber teammates Brad Miller and Bobby Jackson, sneaked onto the court to watch the ceremony during the 23-minute halftime, with Kevin Martin lounging across the scorers’ table. Webber got a two-minute standing ovation and raucous chants of “C-Webb! C-Webb!" when he stepped to center court under a spotlight at halftime. “Those memories of mine, the best moments that I’ve had in my life, they were here," said Webber, who made four All-Star teams and led the Kings to within an overtime Game 7 loss of the NBA finals in 2002. ![]() Gary Payton, Webber’s partner in the former stars’ promising new careers as television analysts, and Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson also were in attendance. “This was a really unexpected honor, one that I never expected to receive." Vlade Divac, Doug Christie, Scot Pollard and Mateen Cleaves were among the former teammates who returned to Sacramento for Webber’s ceremony. “I’m just happy, humbled, excited - having every emotion you can think of, including a stomach that’s tied up in knots," said Webber, who didn’t betray any of those nerves in his gray three-button suit and bright-red tie with matching pocket square. Yet that’s exactly where Webber ended up Friday night when the Kings retired their former power forward’s number in recognition of his pivotal role in this long-struggling franchise’s greatest years. 4 jersey in Arco’s rafters some day would have been the most improbable thought of all. The ex-NBA rookie of the year certainly never imagined the best times of his life would occur in drafty old Arco Arena with a patchwork collection of teammates who somehow played sublime basketball together. 1 draft pick initially had no intention of ever playing for that scruffy franchise out in some remote part of California. When Chris Webber was traded to the Sacramento Kings nearly 11 years ago, the former No. We're running a new-subscriber special.SACRAMENTO, Calif. "Please continue to love," said Webber, who was disassociated from Michigan for 10 years because of the Ed Martin scandal. ![]() Webber was the last honoree to arrive for Saturday night's ceremony - in attendance were such dignitaries as Pistons general manager Troy Weaver, Pistons coach Dwane Casey, retired Michigan softball coach Carol Hutchins, retired Michigan football broadcaster Jim Brandstatter and boxing legend Thomas "Hitman" Hearns - and he was more than worth the wait. Both Billups and Gates sent pre-recorded messages accepting their honors. Chargers front office, also couldn't attend. They couldn't make last year's ceremony, and Billups, now head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, couldn't attend Saturday, either. ![]() Others in the class included Battier, Red Wings broadcaster Mickey Redmond, NFL legend Antonio Gates, former Pistons great Chauncey Billups and former Western Michigan athletic director Kathy Beauregard.īillups and Battier were being inducted as part of the Class of 2020. Webber headlined a very Wolverine-heavy Michigan Sports Hall of Fame class, which included former basketball coach John Beilein, softball legend Jennie Ritter and ice dancers Charlie White and Meryl Davis. "So many of these guys that I admire," Webber continued, "I'm glad that when all is said and done, those that I admire, I'm with them in a conversation about Michigan, and it's pretty cool." "I went to school through you," Webber said of George Blaha, the long-time voice of the Pistons and Michigan State football, and now a fellow MSHOF member. He played briefly for the Pistons in 2007, retired in 2008 and became a broadcaster. Webber played for five NBA teams, most notably Washington and Sacramento. 1 overall pick in the 1993 NBA Draft, by the Orlando Magic. Webber left Michigan after two seasons and was the No. (Dad, bringing levity to the situation, apparently had a license plate that read: TIMEOUT). Webber touched on that in his speech, too, and credited father Mayce with helping him get through all the fallout - and there was a whole lot of it - from that moment. Michigan lost both, the second marred by the infamous timeout that Webber called - and that Michigan didn't have. He was Big Ten freshman of the year in 1992 and a consensus All-American in 1993, leading the Wolverines to back-to-back championship games. He headlined a star-studded recruiting class at Michigan, which came to be known as the "Fab Five." Webber went on to star at Detroit Country Day, and was Mr. He told of the sob stories coaches would tell him if he didn't sign with them. Even then, college coaches were after him hard. Webber told stories about the pressures he faced growing up in Detroit, as a 12-year-basketball prodigy. View Gallery: Michigan Sports Hall of Fame 2022 inductees ![]()
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