The irony of all the questioning of Pippen’s character was he had hurdled so much just to get to the NBA.
Tag Archives: 1990s NBA
It Takes Two: Johnny Dawkins and Hersey Hawkins, 1990
Watching the two players interact, one gets the sense that they are as advertised: good guys with good attitudes who don’t indulge in petty jealousies or self-promotion. They know Barkley and Mahorn are the stars of the team, yet they’re willing to accept their roles and abide by them.
Meet the NBA’s Sultans of Swing, 1994
Not all players who defy classification by position, however, are destined for success as NBA swingmen. NBA coaches and general managers know all too well that a fine line exists between the swingman and the “tweener.”
Power Forward: Tracking the NBA Power Surge, 2000
Many all-time greats believe the term “power forward” was invented by New York sportswriters looking for a way to describe Dave DeBusschere, who played every minute on the court with reckless abandon.
Jeff Hornacek: Not Just Another Face in the Crowd, 1992
“My whole career, all I’ve done is try to work harder than anyone else,” Hornacek says. “Maybe other players don’t have the drive that I have to work.” Maybe that’s why Jeff Hornacek is standing out from the crowd in the NBA these days instead of sitting in the crowd and watching.
Clifford Robinson: Super Swingman, 1994
Even if Robinson becomes a “permanent” starter—and that seems inevitable—his adaptability will continue to magnify his importance.
Tim Duncan: The Can’t-Miss Kid, 1997
Duncan, a psychology major, estimates that perhaps 80 percent of his game is mental. Much as pitcher Greg Maddux likes to keep a low profile on his knowledge of baseball, Duncan is equally low key.
Otis Thorpe: Pure Power, 1995
You watch him on the court, and it can be like watching a machine. He doesn’t do everything. He never tries to do everything. But what Thorpe does, he does well. Filling the lanes on the break. Shooting the baby hook close to the basket. Rebounding and playing defense. No wasted motion.
Dominique Wilkins: Being the Human Highlight Film, 1992
Now Wilkins is no longer only an artist putting on a one-man show. He can be part of a different kind of masterpiece—a team.
Robert Parish: Hail to the Chief, 1994
He’s all over the NBA record book, of course, even if he doesn’t either know or care about such things. Going into the season, he was second in games played, fifth in blocks, seventh in minutes played, and ninth in field goals made and rebounds.
From Way Downtown 