He's the reason I made this list. I was watching the 1996 NBA Finals on the treadmill the other day and was blown away. Shawn Kemp was once my favorite power forward in the league. And now I remember why... he was a man child. He attacked the basket and blocked shots like Dwight Howard before Dwight Howard. Then... the downfall started. I'm as big of an NBA fan as anyone, but I honestly had no idea he played for any teams besides the Sonics and the Cavs. Apparently, he was on the Jail Blazers, and Magic. Once retired, he got tryouts or had interest from the Mavs, Nuggets, and Bulls before going to play in Italy in 2008. And as an added bonus tidbit: Guess who's trying to be the first Kemp to play college basketball? I think of all the illegitimate Kemp's, though, Shawn Kemp the 6th or Shawnie Kemp probably have the most pro potential, though.
Larry Johnson
It's kind of crazy to think that right now, Larry Johnson is approximately 7 years younger than Jamie Moyer. LJ at UNLV was the best player on probably one of the best (and most fun to watch) college teams I remember watching. He was the first draft pick in 1991 and was an All-Star starter by his second season in 1993. He averaged 22.1 points and 10.5 boards even though he was listed at 6'7 though he actually measured in at 6'5-1/2" (check Draft Express). He injured his back and went from an explosive power forward who averaged 20 and 10 to a short power forward with a messive contract (12-years, $84 million).
Shaquille O'Neal
Since he was drafted in 1992, here are the list of players who've gone through the draft combine that are taller than Shaq. Shawn Bradley, Pavel Podkolzine, Aleksander Radjevic, Constantin Popa, Big Z, Peter Ramos, Hasheem Thabeet, Frans Steyn, Dikembe, and Frans Steyn. The average vertical leap of those guys? Of the guys measured, is 24 inches. Shaq's vertical leap was 36 inches. In fact, here's the complete list of NBA centers who had a higher record vert than Shaq - Stephen Hunter, Pops Mensah-Bonsu, Yi Jianlian (seriously?!?), Joakim Noah, and two guys that were 6'9 but considered centers. As a rookie, do you know who's vertical leap was less than the much taller Shaq? The list includes such high flyers as Amare Stoudamire, Dwight Howard, and Chris Bosh. If you add in other positions, Shaq was a bigger leaper than Blake Griffin, Michael Beasley, JR Smith, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant, Dwyane Wade, Gerald Henderson, Andre Iguodala, and Tyreke Evans. That's mind blowing. Watching highlights of "Old Shaq" (as in Magic Shaq or Lakers Shaq and not the current Shaq, who is in fact, old...) is mind blowing. I don't know that we'll ever see a big man dominate light he did for a solid 12 years.
Patrick Ewing
Most people of my generation remember Patrick Ewing as the stiff center with the knee pads on the boring defense team that NOBDOY outside out New York wanted to beat the Bulls. In college, though, he was a ridiculous athlete. As a bonus, he produced a son that had ridiculous athleticism that nobody seemed to notice because the back of his jersey said "Ewing." Here's the list of NBA players who are taller than Pat Ewing Jr that had a higher measured vertical leap. Jamario Moon. That's it... that's the list.
Ray Allen
We look at Ray Allen right now as an over-the-hill shooter. I think when he was originally traded to the Celtics (before they got KG), people wondered why the Celtics were grabbing another old body with a big contract. In his Jesus Shuttlesworth days, he was "Dunk Contest worthy" athletic. While he's lost a step, I think Ray Allen, who's crazy about his body (seriously... the guy watches his body fat because he think it affects the amount of height he gets on his jumper) is still a little athletically underrated.
Penny Hardaway
I think all of the years with the Suns and Knicks have made us forget that at one point, he seemed like the next Magic Johnson. I remember when the Magic (who by the way have won the lottery three times to the Timberwolves zero) traded C-Webb for Penny, I thought they were crazy. Over the next year, I was proven wrong. Unfortunately, we never got an opportunity to see what Penny and Shaq would've been in their prime together due to a crazy string of injuries. I never would've guessed Grant Hill would last longer in the NBA than Penny after all of the injuries he suffered in his career.
Bonus:
JR Rider
I don't think we ever forgot JR Rider was athletic. In fact, that's ALL he was. But I'd never seen this play from college that instantly catupults into my top 10 "Hold on... play that again..." plays of all-time.
