http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/14234432p-15055985c.html
NBA insider: Still lamenting pick of wrong Mr. Post Man
By Joe Davidson -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Friday, March 24, 2006
Former Utah Jazz star Karl Malone had his jersey retired Thursday, shortly after a statue - bigger but not nearly as strong as the "Mailman" - was unveiled in front of the Delta Center.
And somewhere, a Kings fan since their powder-blue Sacramento origins of 1985 leaned forward and blurted, "Darn it to Louisiana, Malone should have been running his routes here, with his name below the numbers on those cheesy old Kings uniforms."
Well, no, not really.
The Kings picked center Joe Kleine at No. 6 in the 1985 draft. Malone went to Utah at No. 13. So to bemoan the Kings then is to bemoan everyone else who passed up the power forward who will wind up in the Hall of Fame, running the break with John Stockton and the Jazz.
Or, as longtime Kings exec Jerry Reynolds would argue, Malone should have been the No. 1 overall pick, not Patrick Ewing to the New York Knicks, if one compares their careers.
Malone's jersey will hang in the rafters next to those of Pete Maravich, Darrell Griffith, Mark Eaton, Jeff Hornacek and Stockton (and soon, perhaps, Adrian Dantley and likely down the road, coach Jerry Sloan).
Utah never won a championship, but it hails its stars of yesteryear. A look at jerseys the Kings might consider retiring:
1. Vlade Divac's No. 21 - There might never be a more beloved King than Vlade, the heart and soul, personality and face of the franchise for six seasons. Hoist the number, already.
2. Chris Webber's No. 4 - From not wanting to come to Sacramento to not wanting to leave, Webber gave the Kings an All-Star presence, even when his knee went bad. A no-brainer.
3. Doug Christie's No. 13 - He played with class, professionalism, endless effort and sticker-tight defense. He also played hurt and inspired, and he could also whip the back-door pass. It would be his official goodbye to the faithful at Arco Arena.
4. Rick Adelman - The winningest coach in franchise history, who steered Sacramento to its best seasons, deserves a jersey in the rafters much as Portland gave coach Jack Ramsay.
5. Geoff Petrie - The front-office exec who hired Adelman and brought in the pieces of the puzzle belongs. He's in the Rose Garden rafters in Portland, and he influenced the Kings far more.
About the writer: The Bee's Joe Davidson can be reached at jdavidson@sacbee.com.
NBA insider: Still lamenting pick of wrong Mr. Post Man
By Joe Davidson -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Friday, March 24, 2006
Former Utah Jazz star Karl Malone had his jersey retired Thursday, shortly after a statue - bigger but not nearly as strong as the "Mailman" - was unveiled in front of the Delta Center.
And somewhere, a Kings fan since their powder-blue Sacramento origins of 1985 leaned forward and blurted, "Darn it to Louisiana, Malone should have been running his routes here, with his name below the numbers on those cheesy old Kings uniforms."
Well, no, not really.
The Kings picked center Joe Kleine at No. 6 in the 1985 draft. Malone went to Utah at No. 13. So to bemoan the Kings then is to bemoan everyone else who passed up the power forward who will wind up in the Hall of Fame, running the break with John Stockton and the Jazz.
Or, as longtime Kings exec Jerry Reynolds would argue, Malone should have been the No. 1 overall pick, not Patrick Ewing to the New York Knicks, if one compares their careers.
Malone's jersey will hang in the rafters next to those of Pete Maravich, Darrell Griffith, Mark Eaton, Jeff Hornacek and Stockton (and soon, perhaps, Adrian Dantley and likely down the road, coach Jerry Sloan).
Utah never won a championship, but it hails its stars of yesteryear. A look at jerseys the Kings might consider retiring:
1. Vlade Divac's No. 21 - There might never be a more beloved King than Vlade, the heart and soul, personality and face of the franchise for six seasons. Hoist the number, already.
2. Chris Webber's No. 4 - From not wanting to come to Sacramento to not wanting to leave, Webber gave the Kings an All-Star presence, even when his knee went bad. A no-brainer.
3. Doug Christie's No. 13 - He played with class, professionalism, endless effort and sticker-tight defense. He also played hurt and inspired, and he could also whip the back-door pass. It would be his official goodbye to the faithful at Arco Arena.
4. Rick Adelman - The winningest coach in franchise history, who steered Sacramento to its best seasons, deserves a jersey in the rafters much as Portland gave coach Jack Ramsay.
5. Geoff Petrie - The front-office exec who hired Adelman and brought in the pieces of the puzzle belongs. He's in the Rose Garden rafters in Portland, and he influenced the Kings far more.
About the writer: The Bee's Joe Davidson can be reached at jdavidson@sacbee.com.
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