Frank Thomas

Webber Notable Sports Figures
Career Statistics
spectable record of 50-32, Webber let it be known that
he was unhappy at Golden State. In the media frenzy
that ensued to discover the source of Webber’s discontentment,
the young Warrior found himself in the midst
of an ugly and well-publicized feud with Coach Don
Nelson. The controversy tarnished Webber’s image,
causing him to be labeled as an overpaid prima donna.
One month into his second NBA season Webber was
traded to the Washington Bullets (now known as the
Wizards), signing a one-year contract for $2.08 million.
Reunited with former Wolverine teammate Juwan
Howard, Webber worked to regroup personally and professionally
after arriving in Washington, D.C. An injured
shoulder that eventually required surgery
shortened Webber’s 1994-95 to fifty-four games and the
1995-96 season to just fifteen games. Returning healthy
in 1996, Webber posted excellent numbers, leading the
Bullets in scoring (20.1 points per game), rebounding
(9.6 per game), steals (1.5 per game), and minutes
played (38.3 per game), earning his first invitation to the
NBA All-Star Game.
Off the court, Webber once again ran into problems.
In January of 1998 he was stopped for speeding on the
way to practice. He was charged with numerous traffic
violations as well as possession of marijuana. Assault
and resisting arrest were also added after he became involved
in an altercation with the arresting officer. Webber
failed to clear his image and lost his contract with
Fila after custom officials found marijuana in his gym
bag while he was on a promotional tour for the footwear
company.
Sacramento: A New Beginning
Despite his basketball abilities, the Wizards decided
to rid themselves of the headaches caused by Webber’s
off-court antics and traded him to the Sacramento Kings
in 1998. Webber, who responded bitterly to the trade,
felt that the Wizards’ organization was acting punitively
and unfairly. Yet unexpectedly Sacramento became
1730
Yr Team GP Pts P/G FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO
1994 GS 76 1333 17.5 .552 .000 .532 9.1 3.6 1.2 2.2 206
1995 WASH 54 1085 20.1 .495 .276 .502 9.6 4.7 1.5 1.6 167
1996 WASH 15 356 23.7 .543 .441 .594 7.6 5.0 1.8 .06 49
1997 WASH 72 1445 20.1 .518 .397 .565 10.3 4.6 1.7 1.9 230
1998 WASH 71 1555 21.9 .482 .317 .589 9.5 3.8 1.6 1.7 185
1999 SAC 42 839 20.0 .486 .118 .454 13.0 4.1 1.4 2.1 148
2000 SAC 75 1834 24.5 .483 .284 .751 10.5 4.6 1.6 1.7 218
2001 SAC 70 1898 27.1 .481 .071 .703 11.1 4.2 1.3 1.7 195
2002 SAC 54 1322 24.5 .495 .263 .749 10.1 4.8 1.7 1.4 158
TOTAL 529 11667 22.1 .498 .301 .627 10.2 4.3 1.5 1.8 1556
GS: Golden State Warriors; SAC: Sacramento Kings; WASH: Washington Wizards.
Webber’s chance to begin afresh. He later told Sport, “I
thought it was the end of the world coming here, but it
was a new beginning.”
As a member of the Kings, Webber has cleaned up his
image and consistently proves himself on the court. After
a rough first five years in the NBA, he once again enjoys
the game of basketball. Despite an opportunity to exercise
his rights as a free agent in 2001, Webber chose to remain
in Sacramento, a place he once considered the Siberia of
professional basketball. In 2001 the Kings won its first
postseason series in twenty years. During his tenure with
the Kings, Webber has averaged over twenty-four points
and eleven rebounds per game. With ongoing success on
the floor and a new maturity, he continues to push himself
to become an NBA superstar of the highest degree.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Address: Sacramento Kings, One Sports Parkway,
Sacramento, California 95834. Phone: (916) 928-6900.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Books
Henderson, Ashyia, ed. Contemporary Black Biography,
Volume 30. Detroit: Gale Group, 2001.
Newsmakers 1994, Issue 4. Detroit: Gale Research,
1994.
Sports Stars. Series 1-4. Detroit: U•X•L, 1994-98.
Who’s Who Among African Americans, 14th ed. Detroit:
Gale Group, 2001.
Periodicals
Adande, J. A. “The Quick Turn Around.” Sporting News
(November 22, 1999): 50.
Ballantini, Brett. “King for (Just) a Day?” Basketball
Digest (April 2001): 24.