Listening to him on NBALP, watching the Rox game. I remember when he came into the league in 1981. Drafted in the second round by the Kings. Came to training camp and preseason and didn't do nothing for probably 3/4s of preseason, played garbage minutes in preseason games, just didn't look like anything, looked like a sure-fire cut. Then all of a sudden with probably only 2 or 3 preseason games left before cuts and the regular season, he starts firing off all these midrange jumpers and just nailing them. Coming in off the bench and throwing up 16-18 points in 15 minutes. Dude just started going off. Of course, he made the team, probably as the 12th man back then, worked his way into the rotation his rookie year and the rest, as they say, is history. One of the truly underrated shooters of all time in the NBA.
I don't think he ever made an all star appearance. I believe he has the most points scored in history to never make an all star game.
Funny thing is he is sitting here now trashing the Suns because all they are shooting is jumpers. That was his whole career. And now he's hacking on them about not playing defense. If there was a guy that didn't play any defense during his career, it was EJ. LOL. Funny how things change when you sitting in the seat of the commentator. Anyways, I still like the guy a lot. Always been partial to those old Kansas City Kings players who played in a junky arena in the middle of the worst part of downtown Kansas City, across the street from the cattle yard. Cotton Fitzsimmons belonged to KC long before San Antonio and PHX stole him away, even though he started his career in Phoenix. Those old Kings teams made Cotton's coaching career.
I still remember that shot he made against the Jazz in the playoffs ... One of my favorite Rocket memories. I was watching that while on an airplane flying to Utah using a handheld TV very discreetly ... haha
Yeah, that shot felt like it came from half-court. Interesting thing about EJ was he really couldn't shoot the 3 early in his career. Mid-range guy. Wasn't until probably 5 or 6 years in did he really start shooting the 3 effectively.
Man that year brings a lot of sad memories. That shouldve been our year to finally play the Bulls. Nonetheless, that 3 pointer was an awesome moment. <iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/luBrkc2m9cI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Why'd you have to go do something like that? I'm sitting here trying to endure this game tonight and you gotta throw up one of dem highlights. I'm sick now. All the magic and excitement. Gone gone bye bye. Hakeem and Barkley didn't make the best of teammates but they were superstars and the biggest reasons we were playing in that game. I have a dream. It involves Hakeem, at George Bush International, greeting Dwight Howard as he steps off the jet.
