NOTHING LASTS FOR-WEBBER

A requiem for the former All-American

As Ringo and Paul continue to duke it out for the last living member of the Fab Four, the fight for last remaining active player from the Michigan’s Fab Five seems to be over. With a formal announcement expected on Wednesday, C-Webb will join other former Wolverine brethren in the ranks of NBA Alumni and leave Juwan Howard as the last man standing.

Webber graciously leaves the hardwood with an impressive resume that may very well land him his own exhibit in Springfield, averaging nearly 21 points, 10 boards and 4 dimes per contest over his career, nearly identical to the numbers Charles Barkley and Patrick Ewing put up in their illustrious careers. Webber also won the NBA Rookie of the Year in 1994, garnered five All-Star selections, and appeared on five All-NBA teams.

Over an injury-plagued 14-year career, Webber impacted each of the five uniforms he pulled over his head, arguably experiencing his best and near-championship years at the turn of the millennium with the Sacramento Kings, one win away from playing on the big stage before losing to the Lakers in seven games in 2002.

Webber helped revive basketball in doormant Sacramento, and for several years was the ringleader for one of the most exciting and entertaining acts in the league. But, coupled with back-to-back second-place finishes among the collegiate ranks (including his now infamous meltdown at the 1993 Final Four), Webber has developed the reputation of being a successful impact player that somehow always finished just short of the ultimate goal.

After a less-than-triumphant second stint with Golden State in 2008 (playing in 9 games and lighting up the board with a cumulative 35 points), it seems his career has come full circle as he finally succumbs to years of chronic knee problems which reared its ugly head in 2005. While many Warrior fans were excited about the idea of the prodigal son returning, his signing hardly made the impact of a Gasol or O’Neal, but somehow still seemed fitting.

Coming back to the city he began his career, with the coach he first played under, in a system his skills could have been utilized seemed almost to good to be true. And, it was. The 20 year-old rookie Warriors fans remembered for flushing down a behind-the-back on Sir Charles, making pretty passes for a big man reminiscent of Magic, and leading fast breaks huffing and puffing his way down court returned 15 years older, slower, and long past his glory days.

So Happy Retirement, Chris. I know it may be difficult to come to terms with the end of your playing days, so just think of the next three or four months as just one of your nagging trips to the IR, or just until you can truly accept your legacy. There are so many other horizons in his world for you to explore, and if Jalen can call himself an “analyst”, then so can you. May your “golden” years be relaxing, enjoyable, filled with blunts and void of timeouts.

Here-here!

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