Sprewell's Triumph

By JG21

As the 24th overall pick in the '92 NBA draft, no one expected Latrell Sprewell to have any sought of major impact on the league -why would he anyway? Entering the NBA as the 24th pick is not exactly a way of making a name for yourself. However, Sprewell let his game be the judge of that.

In his debut season, Sprewell proved why he was more than just a late pick in the draft. By averaging 15.4ppg 3.8apg 3.5rpg 1.6spg, plus a team-leading 2,741 minutes, he became the first Warriors' rookie in club history to gather up 1000 points, 250 rebounds, 250 assists and 100 steals in a single season. Sprewell then went on to lead the Warriors in almost every single statistical category; from points and rebounds, to steals and minutes. In the 93/94 season, by earning invitations to several all-star games, and being honoured with an an All-defensive second team selection and an All-NBA first team selection (replacing Jordan who had occupied the guard spot on the team for the previous 8 years), he established himself as one of the best shooting guards in the league. In the 96/97 season, Sprewell elevated his game to greater heights; averaging a career-high 24.2ppg (5th in the NBA), 6.3apg, 4.6rpg & 41.9mpg (3rd in the NBA); further solidifying his status as a legit superstar. 

...Until December, 1997 

Disputes between a superstar and his coach are nothing new to the league. However, the incident that took place less than 2 months into the 97/98 season, was no ordinary dispute. It was an altercation that had stemmed from a series of confrontations, fueled by growing anger, and filled with hatred and disrespect. On December 3rd, 1997, Sprewell stunned the NBA when he nearly choked the life from his career. He physically confronted Warriors' head coach PJ Carlesimo, at a Warriors' practice session. Even though i don't condone what Sprewell did, Carlesimo deserved what he got, in my opinion (note - this is the opinion of this contributor and does not represent the feelings of InsideHoops.com). A coach should know which players you can push around and which one's you can't; which one's you can mouth off to endlessly and which one's you can't. As a coach Carlesimo should have known how far he could push Sprewell around; for how long he could go on disrespecting him. However, he either ignored this or just honestly didn't have a clue, either way he faced the consequences. On the other hand, Sprewell could have let Carlesimo's comments run down his back like the sweat from his practice jersey. But he didn't, and it cost him. The NBA suspended him for 1 year and consequently ended his play in that season. And in a flash, Sprewell's impressive career came to a halt. 

The young gun from the University of Alabama all of a sudden became the bad seed; he went from a superstar to a villain. No one was thrilled by what he did to Carlesimo. The public turned on him. The very same fans that were cheering him on when he was throwing down his patented breakaway two-handed jams in the open court, were the same one's who couldn't care less what happened to him. The cheers turned to boos; the love turned to hate. But as much as people disliked him (or at least decided to) there was no denying Spree's credentials: an explosive, cat-quick, tireless, athletic 6-5 guard with more than enough speed to leave opponents in his dust, and plenty of hops to dunk over taller players; a guard who not only scores well but has the ability to also drive & dish; a versatile guard with enough skill and ball-handling to play the small forward and guard positions effectively; a guard with impressive court-vision and anticipation that enables him to get steals easier than most; a guard who excels in the open court; a guard who sprints like a racehorse and attacks the rim with red in his eyes; a guard who takes pride on the defensive end, providing stifling, tenacious, suffocating defense (making him one of the best backcourt defenders in the league); a guard full of energy and intensity, and one who can heat up at the blink of an eye. 

When Sprewell made his comeback to the NBA in the 98/99 season, after serving his 1-year multi-million dollar penalty, there were doubts as to whether the 3-time all-star could pick up where he left off on the court, whether he could ball like he used to, whether he could dominate the open court like he once did. On top of that, the critics and his ex-fans still hated him for his history a year back. Sprewell didn't respond to all the doubts and criticism by going on national television and declaring himself a "changed" man or anything to that effect; instead, he kept his comments to a minimum and allowed the critics to demolish his personality. He let his game do the talking for him. 

When the Warriors traded him to the Knicks (upon his return to the league), he quickly provided instant offense for the team, as it was struggling to make the 1999 playoffs. His 24.3ppg in the last 8 games paced the Knicks into the 8th and final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference. He then led the Knicks with 20.4ppg in the playoffs, as they upset the top-seeded Heat, the Hawks, and the Pacers, en route to the NBA finals against the Spurs. One thing was becoming clear, Sprewell had changed the Knicks' image. He'd added a whole new dimension to the team by providing it with qualities it surely lacked: athleticism & versatility. No longer were the Knicks fully dependent on their half-court-dominated offense; a key portion of their points now came in transition, where Sprewell was the leading man on the break. And not so coincidentally, the Knicks enjoyed their greatest success in years. 

By this time, Sprewell was already wowing crowds (like he did back in Golden State) with his high-flying, run-n-gun style of play, and had become an instant crowd-favourite. He was more popular than ever; the name and number that drove the Knicks' merchandising machine. 

With the Sprewell-led Knicks having ousted their first 3 opponents in the playoffs, Spree saved the best for last. In game 5 of the NBA finals, at Madison Square Garden, Spree put on a spectacular display. He showcased his entire repertoire. Before the eyes of millions of viewers, Spree laced-up his And 1's and lit up the Spurs from all angles. He showed hs ability to score and defend; he proved why he is, without a doubt, the most dominant open court player of the last decade (stopping Spree in the open court is like trying to catch a speeding car on the highway -impossible and extremely dangerous). He showed his energy, his ability to take over games and dominate, and his will to win. 

He hit turnarounds, fadeaways, off-balance jumpers, and open shots. He drove to the hoop fearlessly on a few occasions, punishing the Spurs with various layups. He hit big shots for the Knicks in the most crucial times of the game -every time the Knicks needed him, he was there. He even dominated the boards more than Tim Duncan did. That night, as far as Spree was concerned, it was HIS court and everyone else was just playing there. Then the defining moment came: on a 3-on-1 break for the Knicks, Ward dished the ball ahead to Sprewell, who was already in full speed on the left wing. Jaren Jackson was the only Spur who was fully back on the defensive end. Unintimidated by Jackson's presence at the basket, Spree turned on the jets and headed straight to the 6-6 225-pound Jackson. He elevated high into the air; and as Jackson was in the process of trying to block, Spree flushed the 'rock' emphatically with both hands, right down Jackson's throat -drawing a foul for a 3-point play, sending the fans into a frenzy, resulting in a thunderous roar of cheers and applause from the home crowd, and basically lighting up Madison Square Garden like never before. At that point it was clear Spree was unstoppable (as he always is when energized). For a period of the game, Sprewell and Duncan exchanged baskets back and forth, as the two shouldered the scoring load for their respective teams. After every Duncan basket, Spree responded for his Knicks; and every time Sprewell fired, Duncan answered back for his Spurs. The two dueled endlessly, as a classic battle developed. In that period, Duncan scored 14 of the Spurs' 15 points, and Spree netted 14 in a row for the Knicks. 

By the time it was all over, Spree had gathered up 36 points to go along with 10 rebounds. Despite his monster performance, the Knicks lost by 1. Spree however, was a definite hero that night. He silenced his critics and all the doubts faded. That night, Spewell was the undisputed "king" of New York. 

Last season, the Knicks faced the Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals. Due to nagging injuries, the Knicks found themselves down 3-2, facing elimination, with game 6 headed to NY. Once again Sprewell literally carried the Knicks, netting 32 points, and grabbing 5 rebounds. However, he received very little help from his teammates, and so the Knicks fell to the Pacers despite Spree's strong effort. 

The NBA gave Sprewell a chance to redeem himself and he has, by all means, done so admirably. He returned to the league in possibly his best form, and literally carried the Knicks on his back when it counted. Simultaneously re-establishing himself as one of the best guards in the league; and not only proving himself the Knicks' leader, but also the Knicks' heart and soul. By letting his game do the talking, Spree has defied the critics who were convinced he would self-destruct by now. By scoring, rebounding, and D'ing up, Spree has gone from a villain to a superstar faster than anyone has, and perhaps ever will. At the same time, entertaining basketball fans with his high-wire act of a game.

9/24/2000

InsideHoops.com
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