Chris Webber
Encyclopedia
Mayce Edward Christopher "Chris" Webber, III (born March 1, 1973), nicknamed C-Webb, is a retired American
professional basketball
player. He is a five-time NBA All-Star, a former All-NBA First Teamer, a former NBA Rookie of the Year
, and a former #1 overall NBA Draft
ee. As a collegiate athlete, he was an NCAA Men's Basketball first team All-American and led the University of Michigan
Wolverines
' 1991 incoming freshman class known as the Fab Five
that reached the 1992
& 1993
NCAA
Men's Division I Basketball Championship
games as freshmen and sophomores. However, Webber was indicted by a federal grand jury and stripped of his All-American honors by the NCAA as a result of his direct involvement in the Ed Martin scandal
. He is also a former National High School Basketball Player of the Year who led his high school Detroit Country Day to three Michigan State High School Basketball Championships.
and at the time was the most recruited Michigan high school basketball player since Magic Johnson
. Webber led Country Day to three MHSAA State championships. As a senior in high school Webber averaged 29.4 points and 13 rebounds per game. He was named Michigan's Mr. Basketball and the 1990–1991 National High School player of the year. He was named MVP in both the McDonald's and Dapper Dan All-Star games.
, Webber attended the University of Michigan
for two years. While a Michigan Wolverine
, Webber led the group of players known as the Fab Five
, which included himself, Juwan Howard
, Jalen Rose
, Jimmy King
, and Ray Jackson
. This group, all of whom entered Michigan as freshmen in the fall of 1991, took the basketball team to the NCAA
finals twice, losing both times. The Fab Five, sporting long, baggy shorts and black socks, became immensely popular as they were seen as bringing a hip hop flavor to the game. Four of the Fab Five (Webber, Rose, Howard, and King) made it to the NBA.
On April 5, 1993, at Michigan's second consecutive NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship game, Webber called a time-out with 11 seconds left in the game when his team, down 73–71, did not have any remaining, resulting in a technical foul
that effectively clinched the game for North Carolina
. The game marked the end of Webber's acclaimed two year collegiate basketball career. In his second season, he was a first team All-American
selection and a finalist for the John R. Wooden Award
and Naismith College Player of the Year
. These awards and honors have been vacated due to University of Michigan and NCAA sanctions related to the University of Michigan basketball scandal
. In that scandal, Webber received over $200,000 from a local bookmaker while playing basketball for Michigan. Webber was convicted of perjury and banned from any affiliation with the Michigan program until 2013.
with the first pick of the 1993 NBA Draft
, becoming the first sophomore since Magic Johnson
to be a #1 overall draft pick. The Magic immediately traded him to the Golden State Warriors
in exchange for Anfernee Hardaway and three future first round draft picks. Over his 15 year NBA career, Webber made over $176,000,000.
. He was instrumental in leading the Warriors back into the playoffs
. However, he had a long-standing conflict with his coach, Don Nelson
. Nelson wanted to make Webber primarily a post player, despite Webber's superb passing ability and good ball handling skills for someone his size at 6 inch tall. Webber also disliked playing a substantial amount of time at center, given Nelson's propensity towards smaller, faster line ups. In the 1994 off-season, the Warriors acquired Rony Seikaly
so that Webber could play primarily at power forward
. However, at the time, the differences between Webber and Nelson were considered to be irreconcilable. Webber exercised a one-year escape clause in his contract, stating he had no intentions of returning to the Warriors. With few alternatives, Golden State agreed to a sign and trade deal, sending Webber to the Washington Bullets (now the Wizards) for forward Tom Gugliotta
and three first round draft picks.
, where he was reunited with his college teammate and friend, Juwan Howard
. He spent the next three years with the Bullets (later renamed the Washington Wizards), although in the 1995–96 season injuries limited him to only 15 games. Webber rebounded the following year and was named to his first All-Star team in 1997. The same season, Webber led the Bullets into the playoffs for the first time in nine years, but they were swept by the Michael Jordan
-led Chicago Bulls
. By 1998, Webber had established himself as a great power forward, but his time in Washington had also worn out.
for Mitch Richmond
and Otis Thorpe
. Webber originally did not want to go to Sacramento
, as they were a perennially losing team.
When Webber arrived, the Kings also signed small forward Peja Stojakovic
, center
Vlade Divac
and drafted point guard
Jason Williams. In his first year with the Kings (the lockout-shortened 1998–99 season), Webber won the rebounding title averaging a league high 13.0 rebounds per game. The surprising Kings team made the playoffs, almost upsetting the veteran Utah Jazz
. In years to come, Webber and the Kings became arguably the most exciting team in the league, and NBA title contenders. He was named to the All-Star team again in 2000 and 2001 while cementing his status as one of the premier power forwards in the NBA. Webber peaked in the 2000–01 season where he averaged a career-high 27.1 points. He also averaged 11.1 rebounds and was 4th in MVP voting. Webber was an All-NBA player five years in a row as a Sacramento King (1999–2003), making the 1st team in 2001 for the only time in his career.
On July 27, 2001, Webber signed a $127 million, seven-year contract with the Kings. In the 2001–02 NBA season, Webber played in 54 games and helped lead the Kings to a Pacific division title and a franchise record 61–21 season. He also made his fourth All-Star team and the All-NBA Second Team. The Kings reached the Western Conference Finals, against the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers
. The Kings led the series 3–2 but eventually lost in 7 games.
The next season, Webber put up another superb year, averaging 23 points and 11 rebounds per game. He was cited as a possible MVP candidate, and made his fifth consecutive All-Star team. In a bad sign of what was to come, Webber missed the All Star game with an injured knee. Nevertheless, he returned and the Kings were among the favorites to win the NBA Championship.
In the second game of the 2003 Western Conference Semifinals against the Dallas Mavericks
, Webber suffered a career-threatening knee injury while running down the lane untouched that forced him to miss nearly a year of action. After microfracture surgery
, he returned for the final 23 games of the 2003–04 season, but his athleticism, agility, and mobility were never the same.
On February 6, 2009, Webber returned to Arco Arena, home of the Sacramento Kings to participate in the ceremonies surrounding the retirement of his jersey, #4.
and Matt Barnes
, were traded to the Philadelphia 76ers
for power forward Kenny Thomas, forward/center Brian Skinner
, and former King Corliss Williamson. Webber took some time to fit in with the 76ers offense, where he was the second scoring option, behind Allen Iverson
. He eventually helped catapult the Sixers to a berth in the 2005 playoffs
, where the Sixers lost to the Detroit Pistons
. However, they did not reach the playoffs in 2006, despite Webber putting up a resurgent 20 points and 10 rebounds per game. Because of the microfracture surgery
on his knee, Webber lost his lateral quickness and jumping ability. While he still possessed offensive skills, he was seen as a defensive liability and was usually benched for the 4th quarters. This caused Webber to reportedly call for a trade.
On Tuesday, April 18, 2006, Webber and Iverson were fined for not showing up at the Philadelphia 76ers
final home game of the season, which was Fan Appreciation Night, although both of them were injured and not expected to play. The following day they both apologized for being absent.
During the 2006–07 season Webber only played 18 of 35 games for the Sixers leading the media to question his motivation. On January 11, 2007 Sixers GM Billy King announced that the Sixers and Webber had agreed to a reported $25 million contract buyout on the remaining two years left on his contract, in effect paying him not to play. Later that day, the Sixers waived Webber, making him a free agent.
. He has stated throughout his career that he always wanted to play for his hometown team. His usual number 4 had been retired in honor of Joe Dumars
, so Webber donned the number 84, because his nephew had a dream of him making a buzzer beater with that number on. The Pistons were a much improved basketball team after Webber's acquisition, improving their record in the Eastern Conference and solidifying the first seed in the East. However, the Eastern Conference favorites failed to advance to the finals after losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers
in six games in the Eastern Conference Finals, leaving Webber short of an NBA Finals appearance yet again. Indeed, Webber performed well in the 2007 NBA Playoffs
despite receiving limited minutes. Webber still managed to average 10 points and 6 rebounds per game in the playoffs and shot an impressive 52.4% from the field. His efforts were highlighted by a game 5 performance in the Eastern Conference Finals in which Webber scored 20 points (including 5 points in the double overtime period) on 9 of 13 shooting and grabbed 7 boards. Nevertheless, Detroit still lost what turned out to be the key game in the series in double overtime and Webber ended up averaging a career low 11.2 PPG in his run with the Pistons. During the off season, Detroit did not resign Webber. Despite receiving lucrative proposals from teams in Europe, he was in free agency at the beginning of the regular season.
On January 29, 2008, the Golden State Warriors
signed Webber for the rest of the season. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the San Francisco Chronicle
reported that he would receive the pro-rated veteran's minimum of $1.2 million (approximately $570,000). This comes after a rejected offer by the Los Angeles Lakers
who were trying to coax Webber in with two 10-day contracts so they could decide afterwards if they wanted him the rest of the season. This has also put to rest talks of joining the Detroit Pistons
, Dallas Mavericks
, or retirement. He played in only nine games for the Warriors, averaging 3.9 points and 3.6 rebounds in 14 minutes per game.
On March 25, 2008, Webber officially retired from basketball due to persistent problems with his surgically repaired knee and was waived by the Warriors.
On March 27, 2008, Webber made his first appearance on television on Inside the NBA on TNT, alongside Charles Barkley
and host Ernie Johnson. On April 25, 2008, TNT offered Webber a job to be a commentator for the post season.
, driving under the influence of marijuana and five other traffic-related violations after being pulled over for speeding on the way to the practice center at the MCI Center in downtown Washington, D.C. Webber was eventually acquitted by a jury of the assault, resisting arrest, possession of marijuana and driving under the influence charges, and paid $560 in fines for lesser violations.
Later in 1998 during the off-season, while leaving Puerto Rico
on a promotional tour for Fila
sneakers, Webber paid a $500 fine after U.S. Customs found marijuana in his bag. Soon after Fila dropped Webber as an endorser. Webber sued Fila for wrongful dismissal, but the case was thrown out of court.
basketball program booster Ed Martin, in Ford Motor Company plants in the Detroit area. The investigation, originally focused on the numbers operation and tax evasion, soon widened to include the University of Michigan basketball program. Martin was convicted on counts of tax evasion and robbery and was scheduled to testify on the financial connections between himself and Webber at a sentencing hearing, but died of a heart attack before the hearing.
As a result of evidence admitted during the course of Martin's trial, Webber pled guilty to one count of criminal contempt
for lying about his role in a scandal in which four players, including himself, had accepted illicit loans from Martin. Martin had been giving money to Webber since the 8th grade. He admitted in the plea that in 1994 he gave Martin about $38,000 in cash as partial repayment for expenditures Martin made on his behalf. He was ordered to pay $100,000.00 and perform 330 hours of community service.
Due to concerns that Webber's amateur status had been compromised, Michigan forfeited its victory in the 1992 Final Four over Cincinnati, as well as its runner-up status in the 1992 tourney. Michigan also forfeited the entire 1992–93 season, removed the 1992 and 1993 Final Four banners from the Crisler Arena
rafters, and deleted Webber's records from its record book. The NCAA also ordered Michigan to disassociate itself from Webber until 2013. Webber later called Michigan's decision "hurtful" because he and his Fab Five teammates "gave everything to Michigan" while they played there.
After Webber's plea, the Michigan State High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) recommended that Detroit Country Day forfeit all games in which Webber appeared (including three state championships), since according to his own admission, Webber had been accepting money from Martin since junior high school. The school conducted its own investigation, and called a press conference to announce it had found "no credible evidence" that Webber had accepted "substantial" amounts of cash from Martin while in high school, and therefore refused to forfeit any games. The MHSAA claimed it had no legal authority to force the games to be forfeited.
Webber was suspended by the NBA for a total of eight games—five for an unnamed violation of the league substance abuse policies and three for lying to the grand jury. Webber received the suspensions once he recovered from an injury that kept him out for half of the 2003–04 season.
The scandal was explored in a documentary by ESPN films which aired in March 2011, which Webber refused to participate in.
in 1985.
Webber was ranked #64 in SLAM Magazine
's Top 75 NBA Players of all time in 2003. He was ranked #11 in an ESPN.com experts poll of the top power forwards of all time in 2008 and ranked #72 on a list of the Top 96 NBA Players of all time in Bill Simmons
' bestseller The Book of Basketball: The NBA According to the Sports Guy
published in 2009.
The Sacramento Kings retired Webber's number 4 jersey on February 6, 2009 when the Kings hosted the Utah Jazz.
's NBA Gametime Live
. He does the Tuesday Fan Night alongside Ernie Johnson and Kevin McHale
. He also served as an occasional guest analyst on TNT's Inside the NBA during the 2008–09 season. During Charles Barkley's leave of absence, Webber substituted for him along with other guests such as Gary Payton
and Mike Fratello. Webber has also expressed interests in eventually becoming a GM and owner.
Webber has also stated he is working on a book. Outside of basketball, Webber has been active in his investment company representing basketball and football players, real estate, and film projects. In 2011, it was reported that that company had lined up investors to build the Kings a new arena.
Webber was the owner of Center Court With C-Webb, a restaurant in Sacramento
, California
. The restaurant closed on November 17, 2009. Earlier that year, Webber married his longtime girlfriend Erika Dates during a private ceremony at his Atlanta home. In attendance were 200 guests including family and close friends.
, various documents, letters, and postcards signed by Frederick Douglass
, Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X
. When not on public exhibit, the artifacts are stored at the Sacramento Public Library's Archival Vault. In previous years the Chris Webber Collection has previously been featured in Crocker Art Museum and Wayne State University.
On June 28, 2007, Webber unveiled his collection of African American artifacts during the Celebrating Heritage Exhibition at Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit. During a news conference, Webber said he believed that children can learn from these artifacts, "Hopefully, when children see them they will see there is no excuse for us not to be successful. There's no excuse not to find something that you love to do. There's no excuse to not work hard at it."
In 1999, Webber created C-Webb's Crew where a group of tickets at every Kings regular home season game would be donated to at-risk youth and their families. To date, over 3,000 youths and their families have attended a game through C-Webb's Crew.
Community awards Webber has won include the inaugural Sacramento Kings/Oscar Robertson Triple Double Award, which is annually awarded to a Kings player who exemplifies: team leadership, all-around game, and sportsmanship; the NBA Community Assist Award for his contributions in February 2003, and the Wish Maker of the Year in 2003 awarded by the Sacramento Chapter of the Make a Wish Foundation.
More recently, Webber held a celebrity weekend, Bada Bling!, at the Caesars Palace Hotel
in Las Vegas
. The event was held from July 28–30, 2006 and included a live auction and celebrity poker tournament. Many renowned NBA players participated including then-current and former teammates: Mike Bibby, Brad Miller, Andre Iguodala, Bobby Jackson, Kyle Korver, and his then-current coach, Maurice Cheeks. Other notable participants included Charles Barkley, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Gary Payton, Kenny Smith, Moses Malone, and Stephon Marbury. Numerous entertainers attended as well such as Nas and Common. All of the proceeds were donated to The Timeout Foundation.
Webber hosted his second annual Bada Bling charity weekend from July 20–22, 2007 at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas.
records, including two songs for rapper Nas
: "Blunt Ashes
" and "Surviving the Times
".
| align="left" | 1993–94
| align="left" | Golden State
| 76 || 76 || 32.1 || .552 || .000 || .532 || 9.1 || 3.6 || 1.2 || 2.2 || 17.5
|-
| align="left" | 1994–95
| align="left" | Washington
| 54 || 52 || 38.3 || .495 || .276 || .502 || 9.6 || 4.7 || 1.5 || 1.6 || 20.1
|-
| align="left" | 1995–96
| align="left" | Washington
| 15 || 15 || 37.2 || .543 || .441 || .594 || 7.6 || 5.0 || 1.8 || .6 || 23.7
|-
| align="left" | 1996–97
| align="left" | Washington
| 72 || 72 || 39.0 || .518 || .397 || .565 || 10.3 || 4.6 || 1.7 || 1.9 || 20.1
|-
| align="left" | 1997–98
| align="left" | Washington
| 71 || 71 || 39.6 || .482 || .317 || .589 || 9.5 || 3.8 || 1.6 || 1.6 || 21.9
|-
| align="left" | 1998–99
| align="left" | Sacramento
| 42 || 42 || 40.9 || .486 || .118 || .454 || 13.0 || 4.1 || 1.4 || 2.1 || 20.0
|-
| align="left" | 1999–00
| align="left" | Sacramento
| 75 || 75 || 38.4 || .483 || .284 || .751 || 10.5 || 4.6 || 1.6 || 1.7 || 24.5
|-
| align="left" | 2000–01
| align="left" | Sacramento
| 70 || 70 || 40.5 || .481 || .071 || .703 || 11.1 || 4.2 || 1.3 || 1.7 || 27.1
|-
| align="left" | 2001–02
| align="left" | Sacramento
| 54 || 54 || 38.4 || .495 || .263 || .749 || 10.1 || 4.8 || 1.7 || 1.4 || 24.5
|-
| align="left" | 2002–03
| align="left" | Sacramento
| 67 || 67 || 39.1 || .461 || .238 || .607 || 10.5 || 5.4 || 1.6 || 1.3 || 23.0
|-
| align="left" | 2003–04
| align="left" | Sacramento
| 23 || 23 || 36.1 || .413 || .200 || .711 || 8.7 || 4.6 || 1.3 || .9 || 18.7
|-
| align="left" | 2004–05
| align="left" | Sacramento
| 46 || 46 || 36.3 || .449 || .379 || .799 || 9.7 || 5.5 || 1.5 || .7 || 21.3
|-
| align="left" | 2004–05
| align="left" | Philadelphia
| 21 || 21 || 33.4 || .391 || .267 || .776 || 7.9 || 3.1 || 1.2 || .9 || 15.6
|-
| align="left" | 2005–06
| align="left" | Philadelphia
| 75 || 75 || 38.6 || .434 || .273 || .756 || 9.9 || 3.4 || 1.4 || .8 || 20.2
|-
| align="left" | 2006–07
| align="left" | Philadelphia
| 18 || 18 || 30.2 || .387 || .400 || .643 || 8.3 || 3.4 || 1.0 || .8 || 11.0
|-
| align="left" | 2006–07
| align="left" | Detroit
| 43 || 42 || 29.7 || .489 || .333 || .636 || 6.7 || 3.0 || 1.0 || .6 || 11.3
|-
| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | Golden State
| 9 || 8 || 14.0 || .484 || .000 || .417 || 3.6 || 2.0 || .4 || .7 || 3.9
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 831 || 827 || 37.1 || .479 || .299 || .649 || 9.8 || 4.2 || 1.4 || 1.4 || 20.7
|-
| align="left" | All-Star
| align="left" |
| 4 || 4 || 19.0 || .371 || .333 || .375 || 6.0 || 3.3 || 1.0 || - || 7.5
| align="left" | 1993–94
| align="left" | Golden State
| 3 || 3 || 36.3 || .550 || .000 || .300 || 8.7 || 9.0 || 1.0 || 3.0 || 15.7
|-
| align="left" | 1996–97
| align="left" | Washington
| 3 || 3 || 35.3 || .633 || .455 || .500 || 8.0 || 3.3 || .7 || 2.3 || 15.7
|-
| align="left" | 1998–99
| align="left" | Sacramento
| 5 || 5 || 38.4 || .388 || .286 || .400 || 9.4 || 4.0 || 1.8 || 1.0 || 14.8
|-
| align="left" | 1999–00
| align="left" | Sacramento
| 5 || 5 || 39.2 || .427 || .200 || .794 || 9.6 || 5.4 || 1.6 || 2.0 || 24.4
|-
| align="left" | 2000–01
| align="left" | Sacramento
| 8 || 8 || 43.5 || .388 || .000 || .694 || 11.5 || 3.1 || 1.1 || 1.0 || 23.3
|-
| align="left" | 2001–02
| align="left" | Sacramento
| 16 || 16 || 41.7 || .502 || .000 || .596 || 10.8 || 4.7 || .9 || 1.6 || 23.7
|-
| align="left" | 2002–03
| align="left" | Sacramento
| 7 || 7 || 35.1 || .496 || .000 || .653 || 8.3 || 3.6 || 1.4 || 1.1 || 23.7
|-
| align="left" | 2003–04
| align="left" | Sacramento
| 12 || 12 || 37.2 || .452 || .250 || .615 || 8.3 || 3.7 || 1.3 || .8 || 18.4
|-
| align="left" | 2004–05
| align="left" | Philadelphia
| 5 || 5 || 37.2 || .411 || .357 || .750 || 5.8 || 2.8 || 1.2 || .2 || 19.0
|-
| align="left" | 2006–07
| align="left" | Detroit
| 16 || 16 || 25.2 || .524 || .000 || .531 || 6.3 || 1.5 || .9 || .6 || 9.9
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 80 || 80 || 36.2 || .464 || .269 || .611 || 8.7 || 3.6 || 1.1 || 1.1 || 18.7
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player. He is a five-time NBA All-Star, a former All-NBA First Teamer, a former NBA Rookie of the Year
NBA Rookie of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Rookie of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1952–53 NBA season, to the top rookie of the regular season. The winner receives the Eddie Gottlieb Trophy, which is named in honor of the Philadelphia Warriors head...
, and a former #1 overall NBA Draft
NBA Draft
The NBA Draft is an annual event in which the thirty teams from the National Basketball Association can draft players who are eligible and wish to join the league. These players are usually amateur U.S. college basketball players, but international players are also eligible to be drafted...
ee. As a collegiate athlete, he was an NCAA Men's Basketball first team All-American and led the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
Wolverines
Michigan Wolverines
The Michigan Wolverines comprise 27 varsity sports teams at the University of Michigan. These teams compete in the NCAA's Division I and in the Big Ten Conference in all sports except men's ice hockey which competes in the NCAA D1 Central Collegiate Hockey Association, and women's water polo, which...
' 1991 incoming freshman class known as the Fab Five
Fab Five
Fab Five may refer to:* Fab Five , the 1991 University of Michigan men's basketball freshman recruiting class* The Fab Five, a 2011 documentary on the above group.* Fab Five: The Texas Cheerleader Scandal, a 2008 movie...
that reached the 1992
1992 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1992 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 19, 1992, and ended with the championship game on April 6 in Minneapolis, Minnesota...
& 1993
1993 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1993 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 18, 1993, and ended with the championship game on April 5 in New Orleans, Louisiana...
NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Men's Division I Basketball Championship
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
games as freshmen and sophomores. However, Webber was indicted by a federal grand jury and stripped of his All-American honors by the NCAA as a result of his direct involvement in the Ed Martin scandal
University of Michigan basketball scandal
The University of Michigan basketball scandal or Ed Martin scandal was a six-year investigation of the relationship between the University of Michigan, its men's basketball teams and basketball team booster Ed Martin...
. He is also a former National High School Basketball Player of the Year who led his high school Detroit Country Day to three Michigan State High School Basketball Championships.
High school career
Webber attended Detroit Country Day SchoolDetroit Country Day School
Detroit Country Day School is a private, secular school located in four campuses in Oakland County, Michigan, north of Detroit. The administrative offices, facility services, safety and security services, and the upper school are located in a campus in Beverly Hills, along with the middle school...
and at the time was the most recruited Michigan high school basketball player since Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers...
. Webber led Country Day to three MHSAA State championships. As a senior in high school Webber averaged 29.4 points and 13 rebounds per game. He was named Michigan's Mr. Basketball and the 1990–1991 National High School player of the year. He was named MVP in both the McDonald's and Dapper Dan All-Star games.
College career
After graduating from Detroit Country Day SchoolDetroit Country Day School
Detroit Country Day School is a private, secular school located in four campuses in Oakland County, Michigan, north of Detroit. The administrative offices, facility services, safety and security services, and the upper school are located in a campus in Beverly Hills, along with the middle school...
, Webber attended the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
for two years. While a Michigan Wolverine
Michigan Wolverines
The Michigan Wolverines comprise 27 varsity sports teams at the University of Michigan. These teams compete in the NCAA's Division I and in the Big Ten Conference in all sports except men's ice hockey which competes in the NCAA D1 Central Collegiate Hockey Association, and women's water polo, which...
, Webber led the group of players known as the Fab Five
Fab Five (University of Michigan)
The Fab Five was the nickname for a 1991 University of Michigan men's basketball team recruitment class that is considered by some to be "the greatest class ever recruited." The class consisted of Detroit natives Chris Webber and Jalen Rose, Chicago native Juwan Howard, and Texas high school...
, which included himself, Juwan Howard
Juwan Howard
Juwan Antonio Howard is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . The Heat were his eighth different NBA team. He was drafted fifth overall in the 1994 NBA Draft by the Washington Bullets...
, Jalen Rose
Jalen Rose
Jalen Anthony Rose is a retired American professional basketball player, who currently works as a sports analyst for the sports television network ESPN...
, Jimmy King
Jimmy King
Jimmy Hal King is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA.-College career:He was part of the famed University of Michigan Wolverines Fab Five along with Ray Jackson, current NBA player Juwan Howard, and former NBA players Chris Webber and Jalen Rose, that reached the 1992 and...
, and Ray Jackson
Ray Jackson
Ray Jackson is a retired American college and professional basketball player. He was part of the famed University of Michigan Wolverines Fab Five along with former NBA players Chris Webber, Jimmy King, Jalen Rose and current NBA player Juwan Howard that reached the 1992 & 1993 NCAA Men's Division...
. This group, all of whom entered Michigan as freshmen in the fall of 1991, took the basketball team to the NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
finals twice, losing both times. The Fab Five, sporting long, baggy shorts and black socks, became immensely popular as they were seen as bringing a hip hop flavor to the game. Four of the Fab Five (Webber, Rose, Howard, and King) made it to the NBA.
On April 5, 1993, at Michigan's second consecutive NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship game, Webber called a time-out with 11 seconds left in the game when his team, down 73–71, did not have any remaining, resulting in a technical foul
Technical foul
In basketball, a technical foul is any infraction of the rules penalized as a foul which does not involve physical contact during the course of play between players on the court, or is a foul by a non-player. The most common technical foul is for unsportsmanlike conduct...
that effectively clinched the game for North Carolina
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
. The game marked the end of Webber's acclaimed two year collegiate basketball career. In his second season, he was a first team All-American
NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans
The NCAA Men's Basketball All-American teams are honorary teams made up of those NCAA basketball players voted the best in the country by a variety of organizations.-History:...
selection and a finalist for the John R. Wooden Award
John R. Wooden Award
The John R. Wooden Award is an award given annually to the most outstanding men's and women's college basketball players. The program consists of the men's and women's Player of the Year awards, the Legends of Coaching award and recognizes the All–America Teams.The awards, given by the Los...
and Naismith College Player of the Year
Naismith College Player of the Year
The Naismith College Player of the Year is an annual basketball award given by the Atlanta Tipoff Club to the top men's and women's collegiate basketball players. It is named in honor of the inventor of basketball , Dr. James Naismith....
. These awards and honors have been vacated due to University of Michigan and NCAA sanctions related to the University of Michigan basketball scandal
University of Michigan basketball scandal
The University of Michigan basketball scandal or Ed Martin scandal was a six-year investigation of the relationship between the University of Michigan, its men's basketball teams and basketball team booster Ed Martin...
. In that scandal, Webber received over $200,000 from a local bookmaker while playing basketball for Michigan. Webber was convicted of perjury and banned from any affiliation with the Michigan program until 2013.
NBA career
Webber was selected by the Orlando MagicOrlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
with the first pick of the 1993 NBA Draft
1993 NBA Draft
The 1993 NBA Draft took place on June 30, 1993 in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The draft had some talented players at the top, but injuries and personal problems hurt many of them. Anfernee Hardaway, Allan Houston, and Jamal Mashburn all looked like possible Hall of Famers until their careers were cut...
, becoming the first sophomore since Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers...
to be a #1 overall draft pick. The Magic immediately traded him to the Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
in exchange for Anfernee Hardaway and three future first round draft picks. Over his 15 year NBA career, Webber made over $176,000,000.
Golden State Warriors
Webber had an outstanding first year, averaging 17.5 points and 9.1 rebounds per game and winning the NBA Rookie of the Year AwardNBA Rookie of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Rookie of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1952–53 NBA season, to the top rookie of the regular season. The winner receives the Eddie Gottlieb Trophy, which is named in honor of the Philadelphia Warriors head...
. He was instrumental in leading the Warriors back into the playoffs
NBA Playoffs
The National Basketball Association Playoffs is a best-of-seven elimination tournament among sixteen teams in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference , ultimately deciding the final four teams who will play in the NBA Conference Finals.-Format:Following the NBA regular season, eight teams in...
. However, he had a long-standing conflict with his coach, Don Nelson
Don Nelson
Donald Arvid "Don" Nelson is a former NBA player and head coach. He coached the Milwaukee Bucks, the New York Knicks, the Dallas Mavericks, and the Golden State Warriors....
. Nelson wanted to make Webber primarily a post player, despite Webber's superb passing ability and good ball handling skills for someone his size at 6 inch tall. Webber also disliked playing a substantial amount of time at center, given Nelson's propensity towards smaller, faster line ups. In the 1994 off-season, the Warriors acquired Rony Seikaly
Rony Seikaly
Ronald Fred "Rony" Seikaly is a retired Lebanese-born American professional basketball player.-Early life:Seikaly was born in Beirut, Lebanon. At the age of 9, Rony moved from Beirut where he'd been attending elementary school at the Athenee de Beirut to Greece, where he spent the rest of his youth...
so that Webber could play primarily at power forward
Power forward (basketball)
Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low...
. However, at the time, the differences between Webber and Nelson were considered to be irreconcilable. Webber exercised a one-year escape clause in his contract, stating he had no intentions of returning to the Warriors. With few alternatives, Golden State agreed to a sign and trade deal, sending Webber to the Washington Bullets (now the Wizards) for forward Tom Gugliotta
Tom Gugliotta
Thomas James Gugliotta is a former American professional basketball player....
and three first round draft picks.
Washington Bullets/Wizards
Webber was traded in his second year to the Washington BulletsWashington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
, where he was reunited with his college teammate and friend, Juwan Howard
Juwan Howard
Juwan Antonio Howard is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . The Heat were his eighth different NBA team. He was drafted fifth overall in the 1994 NBA Draft by the Washington Bullets...
. He spent the next three years with the Bullets (later renamed the Washington Wizards), although in the 1995–96 season injuries limited him to only 15 games. Webber rebounded the following year and was named to his first All-Star team in 1997. The same season, Webber led the Bullets into the playoffs for the first time in nine years, but they were swept by the Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
-led Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
. By 1998, Webber had established himself as a great power forward, but his time in Washington had also worn out.
Sacramento Kings
On May 14, 1998, Webber was traded to the Sacramento KingsSacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
for Mitch Richmond
Mitch Richmond
Mitchell James "Mitch" Richmond is a retired American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association. He played collegiately at Kansas State University. He was a 6-time NBA All-Star, a 5-time All-NBA Team member and a former NBA Rookie of the Year...
and Otis Thorpe
Otis Thorpe
Otis Henry Thorpe is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA.-Early years:...
. Webber originally did not want to go to Sacramento
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
, as they were a perennially losing team.
When Webber arrived, the Kings also signed small forward Peja Stojakovic
Peja Stojaković
Predrag Stojaković , also known by his nickname Peja , is a Serbian professional basketball player who last played for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association . Standing at 6 ft 10 , Stojaković plays the small forward position...
, center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
Vlade Divac
Vlade Divac
Vlade Divac is a retired Yugoslav and Serbian professional basketball player who spent most of his career in the NBA. At , he played center and was known for his passing skills...
and drafted point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
Jason Williams. In his first year with the Kings (the lockout-shortened 1998–99 season), Webber won the rebounding title averaging a league high 13.0 rebounds per game. The surprising Kings team made the playoffs, almost upsetting the veteran Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
. In years to come, Webber and the Kings became arguably the most exciting team in the league, and NBA title contenders. He was named to the All-Star team again in 2000 and 2001 while cementing his status as one of the premier power forwards in the NBA. Webber peaked in the 2000–01 season where he averaged a career-high 27.1 points. He also averaged 11.1 rebounds and was 4th in MVP voting. Webber was an All-NBA player five years in a row as a Sacramento King (1999–2003), making the 1st team in 2001 for the only time in his career.
On July 27, 2001, Webber signed a $127 million, seven-year contract with the Kings. In the 2001–02 NBA season, Webber played in 54 games and helped lead the Kings to a Pacific division title and a franchise record 61–21 season. He also made his fourth All-Star team and the All-NBA Second Team. The Kings reached the Western Conference Finals, against the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
. The Kings led the series 3–2 but eventually lost in 7 games.
The next season, Webber put up another superb year, averaging 23 points and 11 rebounds per game. He was cited as a possible MVP candidate, and made his fifth consecutive All-Star team. In a bad sign of what was to come, Webber missed the All Star game with an injured knee. Nevertheless, he returned and the Kings were among the favorites to win the NBA Championship.
In the second game of the 2003 Western Conference Semifinals against the Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
, Webber suffered a career-threatening knee injury while running down the lane untouched that forced him to miss nearly a year of action. After microfracture surgery
Microfracture surgery
Microfracture surgery is one of the articular cartilage repair surgical techniques that works by creating tiny fractures in the underlying bone. This causes new cartilage to develop from a so-called super-clot...
, he returned for the final 23 games of the 2003–04 season, but his athleticism, agility, and mobility were never the same.
On February 6, 2009, Webber returned to Arco Arena, home of the Sacramento Kings to participate in the ceremonies surrounding the retirement of his jersey, #4.
Philadelphia 76ers
In February 2005, Webber, along with Michael BradleyMichael Bradley (basketball)
Michael Thomas Bradley is an American professional basketball player and businessman. He is a 6 ft 10 in , 235 lb , power forward/center....
and Matt Barnes
Matt Barnes
Matt Kelly Barnes is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association.-High school years:...
, were traded to the Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
for power forward Kenny Thomas, forward/center Brian Skinner
Brian Skinner
Brian Skinner is an American professional basketball player. A 6'9", 265 lb forward-center from Baylor University, Skinner was selected by the Clippers in the first round of the 1998 NBA Draft...
, and former King Corliss Williamson. Webber took some time to fit in with the 76ers offense, where he was the second scoring option, behind Allen Iverson
Allen Iverson
Allen Ezail Iverson is an American professional basketball point guard and shooting guard. He was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the number one pick in the 1996 NBA Draft. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in the 1996–97 season...
. He eventually helped catapult the Sixers to a berth in the 2005 playoffs
2005 NBA Playoffs
The 2005 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2004–05 season.The San Antonio Spurs, the number two ranked team in the Western Conference, won the 2005 NBA Playoffs by defeating the defending champions, the Detroit Pistons, 4-3 in the NBA Finals...
, where the Sixers lost to the Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
. However, they did not reach the playoffs in 2006, despite Webber putting up a resurgent 20 points and 10 rebounds per game. Because of the microfracture surgery
Microfracture surgery
Microfracture surgery is one of the articular cartilage repair surgical techniques that works by creating tiny fractures in the underlying bone. This causes new cartilage to develop from a so-called super-clot...
on his knee, Webber lost his lateral quickness and jumping ability. While he still possessed offensive skills, he was seen as a defensive liability and was usually benched for the 4th quarters. This caused Webber to reportedly call for a trade.
On Tuesday, April 18, 2006, Webber and Iverson were fined for not showing up at the Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
final home game of the season, which was Fan Appreciation Night, although both of them were injured and not expected to play. The following day they both apologized for being absent.
During the 2006–07 season Webber only played 18 of 35 games for the Sixers leading the media to question his motivation. On January 11, 2007 Sixers GM Billy King announced that the Sixers and Webber had agreed to a reported $25 million contract buyout on the remaining two years left on his contract, in effect paying him not to play. Later that day, the Sixers waived Webber, making him a free agent.
Detroit Pistons
On January 16, 2007, Webber signed with the Detroit PistonsDetroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
. He has stated throughout his career that he always wanted to play for his hometown team. His usual number 4 had been retired in honor of Joe Dumars
Joe Dumars
Joe Dumars III , nicknamed Joe D, is a retired American basketball player in the NBA, and currently the Detroit Pistons' President of Basketball Operations....
, so Webber donned the number 84, because his nephew had a dream of him making a buzzer beater with that number on. The Pistons were a much improved basketball team after Webber's acquisition, improving their record in the Eastern Conference and solidifying the first seed in the East. However, the Eastern Conference favorites failed to advance to the finals after losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
in six games in the Eastern Conference Finals, leaving Webber short of an NBA Finals appearance yet again. Indeed, Webber performed well in the 2007 NBA Playoffs
2007 NBA Playoffs
The 2007 NBA Playoffs was the postseason to the National Basketball Association's 2006–2007 season.There were four rounds of postseason action, all of them in a best-of-seven format, with teams seeded on a bracket. The team with the better record wasn't necessarily the basis of seeding teams in...
despite receiving limited minutes. Webber still managed to average 10 points and 6 rebounds per game in the playoffs and shot an impressive 52.4% from the field. His efforts were highlighted by a game 5 performance in the Eastern Conference Finals in which Webber scored 20 points (including 5 points in the double overtime period) on 9 of 13 shooting and grabbed 7 boards. Nevertheless, Detroit still lost what turned out to be the key game in the series in double overtime and Webber ended up averaging a career low 11.2 PPG in his run with the Pistons. During the off season, Detroit did not resign Webber. Despite receiving lucrative proposals from teams in Europe, he was in free agency at the beginning of the regular season.
Second run with Warriors and subsequent retirement
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
signed Webber for the rest of the season. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
reported that he would receive the pro-rated veteran's minimum of $1.2 million (approximately $570,000). This comes after a rejected offer by the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
who were trying to coax Webber in with two 10-day contracts so they could decide afterwards if they wanted him the rest of the season. This has also put to rest talks of joining the Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
, Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
, or retirement. He played in only nine games for the Warriors, averaging 3.9 points and 3.6 rebounds in 14 minutes per game.
On March 25, 2008, Webber officially retired from basketball due to persistent problems with his surgically repaired knee and was waived by the Warriors.
On March 27, 2008, Webber made his first appearance on television on Inside the NBA on TNT, alongside Charles Barkley
Charles Barkley
Charles Wade Barkley is a former American professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Sir Charles" and "The Round Mound of Rebound", Barkley established himself as one of the National Basketball Association's most dominating power forwards...
and host Ernie Johnson. On April 25, 2008, TNT offered Webber a job to be a commentator for the post season.
Legal trouble
In 1998, Webber was arrested and charged with second-degree assault, resisting arrest, possession of marijuanaCannabis (drug)
Cannabis, also known as marijuana among many other names, refers to any number of preparations of the Cannabis plant intended for use as a psychoactive drug or for medicinal purposes. The English term marijuana comes from the Mexican Spanish word marihuana...
, driving under the influence of marijuana and five other traffic-related violations after being pulled over for speeding on the way to the practice center at the MCI Center in downtown Washington, D.C. Webber was eventually acquitted by a jury of the assault, resisting arrest, possession of marijuana and driving under the influence charges, and paid $560 in fines for lesser violations.
Later in 1998 during the off-season, while leaving Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
on a promotional tour for Fila
Fila (company)
Fila is one of the world's largest sportswear manufacturing companies. Founded in 1911 in Italy, Fila has been owned and operated from South Korea since a takeover in 2007. Headed by chairman and CEO Yoon-Soo Yoon, Fila now has offices in 11 countries worldwide....
sneakers, Webber paid a $500 fine after U.S. Customs found marijuana in his bag. Soon after Fila dropped Webber as an endorser. Webber sued Fila for wrongful dismissal, but the case was thrown out of court.
University of Michigan basketball scandal
In 2002, Webber was charged for lying to a grand jury as part of a larger investigation of a numbers gambling operation, run by University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
basketball program booster Ed Martin, in Ford Motor Company plants in the Detroit area. The investigation, originally focused on the numbers operation and tax evasion, soon widened to include the University of Michigan basketball program. Martin was convicted on counts of tax evasion and robbery and was scheduled to testify on the financial connections between himself and Webber at a sentencing hearing, but died of a heart attack before the hearing.
As a result of evidence admitted during the course of Martin's trial, Webber pled guilty to one count of criminal contempt
Contempt of court
Contempt of court is a court order which, in the context of a court trial or hearing, declares a person or organization to have disobeyed or been disrespectful of the court's authority...
for lying about his role in a scandal in which four players, including himself, had accepted illicit loans from Martin. Martin had been giving money to Webber since the 8th grade. He admitted in the plea that in 1994 he gave Martin about $38,000 in cash as partial repayment for expenditures Martin made on his behalf. He was ordered to pay $100,000.00 and perform 330 hours of community service.
Due to concerns that Webber's amateur status had been compromised, Michigan forfeited its victory in the 1992 Final Four over Cincinnati, as well as its runner-up status in the 1992 tourney. Michigan also forfeited the entire 1992–93 season, removed the 1992 and 1993 Final Four banners from the Crisler Arena
Crisler Arena
Crisler Arena, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA, is the home arena for the University of Michigan men's and women's basketball teams. Constructed in 1967, the arena seats 13,751 spectators. It is named for Herbert O...
rafters, and deleted Webber's records from its record book. The NCAA also ordered Michigan to disassociate itself from Webber until 2013. Webber later called Michigan's decision "hurtful" because he and his Fab Five teammates "gave everything to Michigan" while they played there.
After Webber's plea, the Michigan State High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) recommended that Detroit Country Day forfeit all games in which Webber appeared (including three state championships), since according to his own admission, Webber had been accepting money from Martin since junior high school. The school conducted its own investigation, and called a press conference to announce it had found "no credible evidence" that Webber had accepted "substantial" amounts of cash from Martin while in high school, and therefore refused to forfeit any games. The MHSAA claimed it had no legal authority to force the games to be forfeited.
Webber was suspended by the NBA for a total of eight games—five for an unnamed violation of the league substance abuse policies and three for lying to the grand jury. Webber received the suspensions once he recovered from an injury that kept him out for half of the 2003–04 season.
The scandal was explored in a documentary by ESPN films which aired in March 2011, which Webber refused to participate in.
Legacy
Webber averaged 20.7 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 4.2 assists for his career (one of only six players to do so). The Golden State Warriors did not make the playoffs during the first 12 years after they traded Webber. In 1997, he led Washington to their first playoff appearance since 1989. They would not reach the playoffs again until 2005, seven years after trading Webber. Prior to Webber's arrival in 1998, the Kings made the playoffs only twice (1985 and 1996) since they moved to Sacramento from Kansas CityKansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
in 1985.
Webber was ranked #64 in SLAM Magazine
SLAM Magazine
SLAM Magazine is an American basketball magazine in circulation since 1994, published by Source Interlink. SLAM publishes nine issues a year to its circulation of over 500,000 readers worldwide.-History:...
's Top 75 NBA Players of all time in 2003. He was ranked #11 in an ESPN.com experts poll of the top power forwards of all time in 2008 and ranked #72 on a list of the Top 96 NBA Players of all time in Bill Simmons
Bill Simmons
William J. "Bill" Simmons III is a sports columnist, author, and podcaster. He currently writes columns and hosts podcasts for Grantland.com, which is affiliated with ESPN.com. He is a former writer for ESPN The Magazine and Jimmy Kimmel Live!...
' bestseller The Book of Basketball: The NBA According to the Sports Guy
The Book of Basketball: The NBA According to the Sports Guy
The Book of Basketball: The NBA According to the Sports Guy is the second book by ESPN columnist Bill Simmons.-Background:Simmons has written under the name “The Sports Guy” for 12 years, 9 of them with ESPN, and currently receives 1.4 million page views per month...
published in 2009.
The Sacramento Kings retired Webber's number 4 jersey on February 6, 2009 when the Kings hosted the Utah Jazz.
Post-basketball life
Since retiring from the NBA, Webber has become an analyst on NBA TVNBA TV
NBA TV is a television specialty channel that is dedicated to showcasing the sport of basketball in the United States. The network is financially backed by the National Basketball Association , which also uses NBA TV as a way of advertising their out of market package NBA League Pass, and partner...
's NBA Gametime Live
NBA Gametime Live
NBA Gametime Live is a television program, that is the flagship program of NBA TV. The show began airing on October 30th, 2008.-Background:...
. He does the Tuesday Fan Night alongside Ernie Johnson and Kevin McHale
Kevin McHale
Kevin Edward McHale is a retired American professional basketball player and current head coach of the Houston Rockets. After his playing career, he worked for the Minnesota Timberwolves as the team's general manager and later its coach. He was fired as coach in June 2009...
. He also served as an occasional guest analyst on TNT's Inside the NBA during the 2008–09 season. During Charles Barkley's leave of absence, Webber substituted for him along with other guests such as Gary Payton
Gary Payton
Gary Dwayne Payton is a former American professional basketball point guard. He is best known for his 13-year tenure with the Seattle SuperSonics, and holds Seattle franchise records in points, assists, and steals...
and Mike Fratello. Webber has also expressed interests in eventually becoming a GM and owner.
Webber has also stated he is working on a book. Outside of basketball, Webber has been active in his investment company representing basketball and football players, real estate, and film projects. In 2011, it was reported that that company had lined up investors to build the Kings a new arena.
Webber was the owner of Center Court With C-Webb, a restaurant in Sacramento
Sacramento
Sacramento is the capital of the state of California, in the United States of America.Sacramento may also refer to:- United States :*Sacramento County, California*Sacramento, Kentucky*Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. The restaurant closed on November 17, 2009. Earlier that year, Webber married his longtime girlfriend Erika Dates during a private ceremony at his Atlanta home. In attendance were 200 guests including family and close friends.
African American artifacts
Webber has a personal collection of African American artifacts which he began collecting in 1994. Upon entering the NBA, he began collecting artifacts, starting with the purchase of two slave records. Webber believes that these artifacts are a reflection of his beliefs and aspirations. He initially collected them as encouragements to face life obstacles. However, he had no intentions on exhibiting them until the growth of his collection prompted additional storage. His collection includes an original 1901 publication of an autobiography by Booker T. WashingtonBooker T. Washington
Booker Taliaferro Washington was an American educator, author, orator, and political leader. He was the dominant figure in the African-American community in the United States from 1890 to 1915...
, various documents, letters, and postcards signed by Frederick Douglass
Frederick Douglass
Frederick Douglass was an American social reformer, orator, writer and statesman. After escaping from slavery, he became a leader of the abolitionist movement, gaining note for his dazzling oratory and incisive antislavery writing...
, Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X
Malcolm X
Malcolm X , born Malcolm Little and also known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz , was an African American Muslim minister and human rights activist. To his admirers he was a courageous advocate for the rights of African Americans, a man who indicted white America in the harshest terms for its...
. When not on public exhibit, the artifacts are stored at the Sacramento Public Library's Archival Vault. In previous years the Chris Webber Collection has previously been featured in Crocker Art Museum and Wayne State University.
On June 28, 2007, Webber unveiled his collection of African American artifacts during the Celebrating Heritage Exhibition at Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit. During a news conference, Webber said he believed that children can learn from these artifacts, "Hopefully, when children see them they will see there is no excuse for us not to be successful. There's no excuse not to find something that you love to do. There's no excuse to not work hard at it."
Charity
Webber is active in various charities and created The Timeout Foundation in 1993. The foundation's mission is to provide positive educational and recreational opportunities to youth.In 1999, Webber created C-Webb's Crew where a group of tickets at every Kings regular home season game would be donated to at-risk youth and their families. To date, over 3,000 youths and their families have attended a game through C-Webb's Crew.
Community awards Webber has won include the inaugural Sacramento Kings/Oscar Robertson Triple Double Award, which is annually awarded to a Kings player who exemplifies: team leadership, all-around game, and sportsmanship; the NBA Community Assist Award for his contributions in February 2003, and the Wish Maker of the Year in 2003 awarded by the Sacramento Chapter of the Make a Wish Foundation.
More recently, Webber held a celebrity weekend, Bada Bling!, at the Caesars Palace Hotel
Caesars Palace
Caesars Palace is a luxury hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, an unincorporated township in Clark County, Nevada, United States in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. Caesars Palace is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment Corp....
in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
. The event was held from July 28–30, 2006 and included a live auction and celebrity poker tournament. Many renowned NBA players participated including then-current and former teammates: Mike Bibby, Brad Miller, Andre Iguodala, Bobby Jackson, Kyle Korver, and his then-current coach, Maurice Cheeks. Other notable participants included Charles Barkley, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Gary Payton, Kenny Smith, Moses Malone, and Stephon Marbury. Numerous entertainers attended as well such as Nas and Common. All of the proceeds were donated to The Timeout Foundation.
Webber hosted his second annual Bada Bling charity weekend from July 20–22, 2007 at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas.
Discography
Webber also has produced hip hopHip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
records, including two songs for rapper Nas
Nas
Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, who performs under the name Nas , formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapper and actor. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in hip hop and one of the most skilled and influential rappers of all-time...
: "Blunt Ashes
Hip Hop Is Dead
Hip Hop Is Dead is the eighth studio album by American rapper Nas, released December 15, 2006 on Def Jam Recordings. His first album for the label, it was co-financed by Nas's previous label, Columbia Records, which once distributed for Def Jam...
" and "Surviving the Times
Surviving the Times
"Surviving the Times" is a 2007 hip hop song by Nas from his Greatest Hits album. The song's lyrics focus on Nas career before and just after Illmatic. The song makes reference to Nas' signing with Columbia Records, being turned down by Russell Simmons for Def Jam and him meeting Prince Paul and...
".
| 2 Much Drama 2 Much Drama 2 Much Drama is the debut album by NBA star, Chris Webber, released under his nickname C. Webb. Released on March 16, 1999 for independent label, Lightyear Records, the album was neither a critical nor commercial success, however the single "Gangsta, Gangsta " did surprisingly well, making it to...
|
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Awards
- 5 time All-Star
- 5 times All-NBA – 2001 first team, 1999, 2002, & 2003 second team, 2000 third team
- All Rookie NBA – 1994
- 1994 NBA Rookie of the Year
- 1990–1991 National High School player of the year
- Jerseys: #44 Detroit Country Day School, #4 Sacramento Kings
- 1999 NBA rebounding champ (13.0 rpg)
Regular season
|-| align="left" | 1993–94
| align="left" | Golden State
| 76 || 76 || 32.1 || .552 || .000 || .532 || 9.1 || 3.6 || 1.2 || 2.2 || 17.5
|-
| align="left" | 1994–95
| align="left" | Washington
| 54 || 52 || 38.3 || .495 || .276 || .502 || 9.6 || 4.7 || 1.5 || 1.6 || 20.1
|-
| align="left" | 1995–96
| align="left" | Washington
| 15 || 15 || 37.2 || .543 || .441 || .594 || 7.6 || 5.0 || 1.8 || .6 || 23.7
|-
| align="left" | 1996–97
| align="left" | Washington
| 72 || 72 || 39.0 || .518 || .397 || .565 || 10.3 || 4.6 || 1.7 || 1.9 || 20.1
|-
| align="left" | 1997–98
| align="left" | Washington
| 71 || 71 || 39.6 || .482 || .317 || .589 || 9.5 || 3.8 || 1.6 || 1.6 || 21.9
|-
| align="left" | 1998–99
| align="left" | Sacramento
| 42 || 42 || 40.9 || .486 || .118 || .454 || 13.0 || 4.1 || 1.4 || 2.1 || 20.0
|-
| align="left" | 1999–00
| align="left" | Sacramento
| 75 || 75 || 38.4 || .483 || .284 || .751 || 10.5 || 4.6 || 1.6 || 1.7 || 24.5
|-
| align="left" | 2000–01
| align="left" | Sacramento
| 70 || 70 || 40.5 || .481 || .071 || .703 || 11.1 || 4.2 || 1.3 || 1.7 || 27.1
|-
| align="left" | 2001–02
| align="left" | Sacramento
| 54 || 54 || 38.4 || .495 || .263 || .749 || 10.1 || 4.8 || 1.7 || 1.4 || 24.5
|-
| align="left" | 2002–03
| align="left" | Sacramento
| 67 || 67 || 39.1 || .461 || .238 || .607 || 10.5 || 5.4 || 1.6 || 1.3 || 23.0
|-
| align="left" | 2003–04
| align="left" | Sacramento
| 23 || 23 || 36.1 || .413 || .200 || .711 || 8.7 || 4.6 || 1.3 || .9 || 18.7
|-
| align="left" | 2004–05
| align="left" | Sacramento
| 46 || 46 || 36.3 || .449 || .379 || .799 || 9.7 || 5.5 || 1.5 || .7 || 21.3
|-
| align="left" | 2004–05
| align="left" | Philadelphia
| 21 || 21 || 33.4 || .391 || .267 || .776 || 7.9 || 3.1 || 1.2 || .9 || 15.6
|-
| align="left" | 2005–06
| align="left" | Philadelphia
| 75 || 75 || 38.6 || .434 || .273 || .756 || 9.9 || 3.4 || 1.4 || .8 || 20.2
|-
| align="left" | 2006–07
| align="left" | Philadelphia
| 18 || 18 || 30.2 || .387 || .400 || .643 || 8.3 || 3.4 || 1.0 || .8 || 11.0
|-
| align="left" | 2006–07
| align="left" | Detroit
| 43 || 42 || 29.7 || .489 || .333 || .636 || 6.7 || 3.0 || 1.0 || .6 || 11.3
|-
| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | Golden State
| 9 || 8 || 14.0 || .484 || .000 || .417 || 3.6 || 2.0 || .4 || .7 || 3.9
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 831 || 827 || 37.1 || .479 || .299 || .649 || 9.8 || 4.2 || 1.4 || 1.4 || 20.7
|-
| align="left" | All-Star
| align="left" |
| 4 || 4 || 19.0 || .371 || .333 || .375 || 6.0 || 3.3 || 1.0 || - || 7.5
Playoffs
|-| align="left" | 1993–94
1994 NBA Playoffs
The 1994 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1993-94 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Houston Rockets defeating the Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals...
| align="left" | Golden State
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
| 3 || 3 || 36.3 || .550 || .000 || .300 || 8.7 || 9.0 || 1.0 || 3.0 || 15.7
|-
| align="left" | 1996–97
1997 NBA Playoffs
The 1997 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1996–97 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls winning the NBA championship by defeating the Western Conference champion Utah Jazzfour games to two...
| align="left" | Washington
| 3 || 3 || 35.3 || .633 || .455 || .500 || 8.0 || 3.3 || .7 || 2.3 || 15.7
|-
| align="left" | 1998–99
1999 NBA Playoffs
The 1999 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1998-99 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs by defeating the eighth-seeded Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks four games to one...
| align="left" | Sacramento
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
| 5 || 5 || 38.4 || .388 || .286 || .400 || 9.4 || 4.0 || 1.8 || 1.0 || 14.8
|-
| align="left" | 1999–00
2000 NBA Playoffs
The 2000 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1999–2000 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers win their first championship in twelve years by defeating the Eastern Conference champion Indiana Pacers...
| align="left" | Sacramento
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
| 5 || 5 || 39.2 || .427 || .200 || .794 || 9.6 || 5.4 || 1.6 || 2.0 || 24.4
|-
| align="left" | 2000–01
2001 NBA Playoffs
The 2001 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2000–01 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers winning their second consecutive championship by defeating the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers...
| align="left" | Sacramento
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
| 8 || 8 || 43.5 || .388 || .000 || .694 || 11.5 || 3.1 || 1.1 || 1.0 || 23.3
|-
| align="left" | 2001–02
2002 NBA Playoffs
The 2002 NBA Playoffs were the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2001–02 season. This would be the final postseason that held a best-of-5 first-round series; next year's postseason would see those series expanded to a best-of-7 format...
| align="left" | Sacramento
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
| 16 || 16 || 41.7 || .502 || .000 || .596 || 10.8 || 4.7 || .9 || 1.6 || 23.7
|-
| align="left" | 2002–03
2003 NBA Playoffs
The 2003 NBA playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2002-03 NBA season. This postseason was notable for being the first time all series were conducted in a best-of-7 format. It was also the only time in playoff history that no team was swept in a first-round series....
| align="left" | Sacramento
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
| 7 || 7 || 35.1 || .496 || .000 || .653 || 8.3 || 3.6 || 1.4 || 1.1 || 23.7
|-
| align="left" | 2003–04
2004 NBA Playoffs
The 2004 NBA Playoffs were the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2003–04 season. Consisting of 16 teams in two conferences, the playoffs involved about two months of play. The playoffs were conducted in seven-game series, with the team with the better record holding home court...
| align="left" | Sacramento
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
| 12 || 12 || 37.2 || .452 || .250 || .615 || 8.3 || 3.7 || 1.3 || .8 || 18.4
|-
| align="left" | 2004–05
2005 NBA Playoffs
The 2005 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2004–05 season.The San Antonio Spurs, the number two ranked team in the Western Conference, won the 2005 NBA Playoffs by defeating the defending champions, the Detroit Pistons, 4-3 in the NBA Finals...
| align="left" | Philadelphia
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
| 5 || 5 || 37.2 || .411 || .357 || .750 || 5.8 || 2.8 || 1.2 || .2 || 19.0
|-
| align="left" | 2006–07
2007 NBA Playoffs
The 2007 NBA Playoffs was the postseason to the National Basketball Association's 2006–2007 season.There were four rounds of postseason action, all of them in a best-of-seven format, with teams seeded on a bracket. The team with the better record wasn't necessarily the basis of seeding teams in...
| align="left" | Detroit
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
| 16 || 16 || 25.2 || .524 || .000 || .531 || 6.3 || 1.5 || .9 || .6 || 9.9
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 80 || 80 || 36.2 || .464 || .269 || .611 || 8.7 || 3.6 || 1.1 || 1.1 || 18.7
Quotes
- "You can do anything—that's the message I want to give. It's not about being a basketball player and it's not about being a doctor or being a lawyer. It's about finding something that you love to do, cultivate it, work hard at it and make a life better for you."