[Player's Tribune | by Steve Francis] I Got a Story to Tell

I hope steve gets better, it is a hard road alcoholism. Wish steve good luck, those were some good times when Francis and yao played shaq/Kobe. Those were some really neat games.

 

Funny read.

He went full circle again!!! Look at him now. Still remember when he got his ass beat at El Tiempo. Lol

 

"Cashmere, Steve"

deserves its own cfnet meme — used when a poster is not listening to the sage words of another. “Cashmere, Steve”

 

"Hakeem is sitting there reading the Quran. Not saying a word.

Then he gives me a look. You know how Dream is. He’ll just look at you — super wise, super calm. Every word that comes out of the man’s mouth is like it’s coming straight from God Almighty."

THIS deserves its own thread. So dreamy.

 

For anyone wondering...

Steve Francis (42 mins)
27 points (50% FG)
7 rebounds
5 assists (7 to's)
1 steal
15.4 BBref Game Score

Gary Payton (37 mins)
26 points (37.5% FG)
5 rebounds
10 assists (5 to's)
3 steals
18.1 BBref Game Score

I'd have to go back and watch the game to get the complete picture, but this looks pretty far from a "killing" to me. I guess "I played him rather evenly" doesn't make for as great a story.

 

I remember that game. Francis crossed Payton over and toyed with him a lot in the first half.

 

27 & 7. As a rookie. Against a supposed stellar defensive player who wouldn't stop trash talking.. I can see why he said it

 

I'm on board. Let's make this happen.

 

I think we all know Steve never recovered from being traded to ORL, this article confirms it. No doubt I would make that trade ten times over but I have always wondered what was the ceiling of a Steve/Mobley/Yao, especially if you add Battier to the core. I think it would have been a fun team.

 

Just something I was pondering while reading this but how would have the Rockets fared if they never make the move for Tracy? Kept a core of Cuttino, Steve, Yao, Mo Taylor *whispers Kelvin Cato in disgust* Sure that's not a roster that was going to beat Los Angeles or San Antonio but maybe you have a few deep postseason runs.
Sure we probably wouldn't have ever had one of the most memorable moments in the 13 in 35, but I just wonder.
Also hope Steve truly gets back on it, really made me happy seeing him here during the 2015 postseason run.

 

btw I died at work when Dream told Steve about the construction boots, great stuff. Also Sam Cassell wtf lmfao.

 

Stevie conveniently left out all that crack he was doing.

 

man steve poured his heart out on the court and help Yao transition in the NBA. I got love for stevie and he has his faults but he did his best every game for us in the first stint. I don't know if he's still struggling with alcohol but good to hear this story and see where he came from and how crazy of a run he had in just 4 years.

 

Great story, but this pretty much sums up the Francis years. On his first game against Gary Payton - "And I killed his ass. Look up the stats. I KILLED his ass."

Francis - 27pts, 5 ast, 7 to, 1 stl, fg% .500 L
Payton - 26 pts, 10 ast, 5 to, 3 stl, fg% .375 W

So Francis' field goal percentage was better, but Payton won the game and arguably had better stats.
https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/199911200SEA.html

 

steller defensive player + top pg vs a former drug dealer + hs dropout

i bet gary cried himself to sleep that week

 

Waste of talent. Could have achieved more if he had work ethic of James Harden on and off the court

 

Man why can't more muslims be like the dream.. I remember in the early late ninety's he actually made it cool to be a muslim

 

I always liked Francis, he gave his all to the Rockets