The Peoria jersey is from a pretty big rival I played against, 40 miles away. Central couldn't beat us back in the day, though. Richwoods gave us trouble ... rich brats. I always liked him because he left Richwoods to play for Central, and won a rare B2B State Titles in the top class of teams. (We won't talk about Peoria Manual winning 4 in a row in mid 90s, though.)
Very inspiring story and great carreer he had after what happened to him. A nice example for many athletes and people in general who have a huge setback.
Always heard about that huge injury but never imagined that it was so bad it almost required amputation.
Yup. People also do not realize just how talented he was before the injury. He really had a chance to be a Hall of Fame type player.
He was hopeful to be the next Magic Johnson, a tall player with great handle and court vision, and an automatic midrange jumper. I've always liked his game. Too bad he ended up reviving his career with the hated Warriors.
Could he score and shoot well though before his injury? That's crucial if you compare him to the greats.
No, he wasn't developed quickly enough in the early part of his NBA career. He got the big injury when he was only 21. The Magic reference was when he came out of college (only 1 year). His biggest weakness was his weight. He was like built with toothpicks. Many people believe that his physique was partially to be blamed for that horrific injury. Strength was why he could never be the next Magic.
That’s a bit much. I saw him multiple times before the injury, and he was never that even on his best day. Could not hold Penny’s jockstrap...
Here is a dude that could have tossed in the towel after all the early hype. Hung around, worked hard, played within his limits and got three rings. Got to respect hard work after the hype. Another link to back in the day biding adieu.
