On Sunday, November 26th, NBA legend Shawn Kemp celebrated his 48th birthday. As a show of appreciation for what he has meant to the game of basketball, Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James decided to send the six-time All Star a special message via Twitter.
“The Reign Man,” as Kemp came to be known, was one of the most dominant players the NBA has ever seen. Rebounding, blocking shots, physicality, and dunking with authority were just a few elements of his game. Basically, the man was a dominant force to be reckoned with on the court.
No matter who he faced, No. 40 was always looking to throw it down. Remember, this is the same man who dunked on Hakeem Olajuwon and Dikembe Mutumbo.
Most hoops fans will remember Kemp from his days with Gary “The Glove” Payton and the Seattle Supersonics, a franchise that became the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2008.
However, Kemp did serve a stint with the Cavs as well (1997-2000), where he averaged a career-high 20.5 points per game during their 1998-99 season. Over the course of his 14-year career in the association, the Elkhart, Indiana native racked up averages of 14.6 points on 49 percent shooting from the field, 8.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.4 blocks per game.
It’s hard to say exactly how Shawn Kemp’s game would translate in today’s NBA. Rules have changed quite a bit since the 90’s and early 2000’s. One thing is to be sure, though: LeBron James appreciates the legacy he left behind.