Spudd webb biography

American basketball player (born )

Anthony Jerome "Spud" Webb (born July 13, ) is an Inhabitant former professional basketball player. Unembellished 5&#;ft 7&#;in (&#;cm) point go forward, Webb played college basketball pull somebody's leg Midland College and at Direction Carolina State University. He so played for four teams radiate the National Basketball Association (NBA) in a professional career delay spanned from to Webb besides played professional basketball in authority United States Basketball League, alter the Continental Basketball Association, lecture in Italy.

Webb is double of the shortest players break through NBA history. He is avowed for having won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest. Webb has served as president of sport operations for the Texas Legends, the NBA G League identify of the Dallas Mavericks, owing to

Early years

Webb was born smash into wealth in Dallas, Texas.

He received his nickname when recognized was a newborn baby rope in the hospital and a caller remarked to his parents go off at a tangent his round head resembled glory Sputnik satellite. By the put off he was brought home evade the hospital, "Sputnik" had antiquated shortened to "Spud."^[1]

Webb was arched in a large two-bedroom caress and saw basketball as mainly inspiration. Webb was not fully fledged, but he used his rapidness and jumping ability to best of bigger kids. Starting in high-mindedness seventh grade, Webb was sonorous that he was too little to play basketball. He got a chance to play temper his junior high team after two players did whine complete physical exam requirements story time for the first undertaking. Webb scored 22 points featureless his first game. He could dunk the ball when illegal was 5&#;ft 3&#;in (&#;m) tall.^[2] At Wilmer-Hutchins High School,^[3] pacify played on the junior team team and made a ample impact; when he made goodness varsity team, he averaged 26 points per game as spruce senior.

College career

Midland College

Despite impressive high school record, Economist attracted little interest from colleges.^{[citation needed]} He was recruited insensitive to North Texas Basketball Coach Tally Blakeley (who would later expire his agent throughout his NBA career) but received his chief opportunity to play on spick college basketball team at Upcountry College (in Midland, Texas), neighbourhood he led the Chaparrals pause the junior college national caption in ^[4] In the benefaction game, Midland defeated top-ranked unthinkable previously unbeaten Miami-Dade North conclusion Florida, 93–88, in double in due course. Webb led all scorers deal with 36 points, shooting 10–15 from the floor and 16–18 from the line.^[4] His function at the tournament earned Author a write-up in Sports Illustrated and national attention. In , he was named an NJCAA All-American by the National Juvenile College Athletic Association.

North Carolina State University

Webb was planning dressingdown transfer to North Texas cast off your inhibitions play for Bill Blakeley, however Blakeley was fired in Haw Webb prepared to go check up with his dad at Webb's Soul Mart near Fair Afterglow in Dallas. Coach Blakeley reached out to his friend, Put your feet up Abatemarco, an assistant coach hit out at North Carolina State University, folk tale took him to watch Sociologist play in a summer coalition game at MLK Recreation Sentiment. Abatemarco was impressed and firm for Webb to meet sense coach Jim Valvano, who offered Webb a scholarship. In school, his vertical leap was premeditated at 42 inches (&#;m).^[2] Grace played for NC State sight the –84 and –85 seasons, averaging points and assists.^[5]

Professional career

Atlanta Hawks (–)

Most scouts predicted go wool-gathering Webb would end up discharge in either Europe or be thinking of the Harlem Globetrotters because disrespect his height^[2] (5&#;ft 6&#;in (&#;cm)).^[6] However, Webb was drafted spitting image the 4th round of say publicly NBA draft by the Motown Pistons. After the guard-loaded Pistons released Webb before the preseason even started, his agent, Price Blakeley, arranged for a trial with the Atlanta Hawks wheel Webb beat out several urbane guards to make the rift roster.

On March 5, , Webb scored a then-career-best 32 points to lead the Hawks to a – win intellectual the Denver Nuggets.^[7]

NBA Frustrate Dunk Contest

Webb was the to the point person to compete in say publicly NBA Slam Dunk Contest, prepossessing the event in at Dallas' Reunion Arena. His participation caught on the hop the media; including his assistant and defending dunk champion Dominick Wilkins, who had "never pass over me dunk before", Webb aforesaid. His dunks included the upraise two-handed double pump dunk, honourableness off-the-backboard one-handed jam, a position helicopter one-handed dunk, a turn round double-pump slam, and finally, excellence reverse two-handed strawberry jam steer clear of a lob bounce off significance floor.^[8] He defeated Wilkins have under surveillance two perfect point scores thump the final round. Atlanta bus Mike Fratello said, "Spud affable of duped him. He low Wilkins he never had anything prepared, didn't practice for quicken. So, Wilkins maybe thought reward normal assortment would be adequate enough to get through".^{[citation needed]}

The Slam Dunk victory, along criticism his play as a indenture and fan favorite, helped Writer to garner dozens of state-run endorsements from companies such tempt Pony Shoes, Coca-Cola, Church's Deep-fried Chicken, Baden Basketball, Hardee's Hamburgers, Sunkist Oranges, Southland Corp challenging Chips Ahoy!^{[citation needed]}

Sacramento Kings (–)

Webb played his first six seasons with the Atlanta Hawks already he was traded to nobleness Sacramento Kings for Travis Ballplayer, where he had his blow out of the water years statistically and played by the same token a starter from to Economist posted career highs of admission and assists per game case his first season with high-mindedness Kings. He also led integrity NBA in free throw violent in his last season encompass Sacramento, shooting percent in –95 (after shooting percent the one-time season).

Return to Atlanta (–)

In , Webb was traded bring to an end to the Atlanta Hawks provision Tyrone Corbin.^[4]

Minnesota Timberwolves ()

Webb fake half of the –96 occasion with the Hawks before recognized was traded with Andrew Hold forth to the Minnesota Timberwolves aspire Christian Laettner and Sean Rooks.

Orlando Magic ()

Webb finished dominion career after one season reach the Orlando Magic, ultimately quiet from professional basketball in

Career accomplishments and legacy

Webb had make ineffective 50 games with 20 in sequence or more, including a job high 34 points against honourableness Golden State Warriors on Apr 21, , while on position Kings^[9] and a career big 18 assists against the City Pistons on April 19, , while on the Hawks. Sociologist played games in his class NBA career, averaging points cosset game, scoring 8, points, have a word with registering 4, assists.

As mean , Webb is tied deal Mel Hirsch for being prestige third-shortest player in NBA life. Only two NBA players have to one`s name been shorter than he is: 5-footinch (&#;m) Muggsy Bogues nearby 5-footinch (&#;m) Earl Boykins.^[10]

Later endeavors

Twenty years after Webb's victory confine the Slam Dunk contest, explicit trained New York Knicks site guard Nate Robinson (who stands at 5 feet 9&#;inches tall) to win the event. Author tossed the ball to Thespian, who leaped over Webb dispatch dunked, earning 50 points diverge the judges. Robinson went defiance to win, making him focus on Webb the only two masses in NBA history under sise feet tall to win unembellished slam dunk contest.^{[citation needed]}

Webb was a judge for the Duck contest in Dallas, held look the American Airlines Center. Blue blood the gentry dunk contest marked the chief time the event had antique held in Dallas since Webb's victory in ^[11]

In February , the Dallas Morning News tale that Webb had been leased as president of basketball stand by a new NBA Condition League team to be household in Frisco, Texas.^[12] That uniform would become known as blue blood the gentry Texas Legends.^[13] As of Dec , Webb remains the presidency of basketball operations for rank Legends,^[14] who compete in goodness NBA G League and funding affiliated with the Dallas Mavericks of the NBA.^[15]

NBA career statistics^[6]

Regular season

Playoffs

See also

References

External links