Thunder: Remembering the Hornets
The Hornets were in town Wednesday to play the Thunder, and for the Thursday Oklahoman, I wrote about the massive makeover of the franchise that we once called ours. No player or coach or even owner left from the Oklahoma City days, even though it’s been less than five years since the Hornets left. You can read about it here.
But I got a little melancholy Wednesday and decided to play that Thunder trivia game we played a couple of weeks ago. Name every Hornet who started a game in their Oklahoma City years. There were 22.
I went by memory, and frankly, my memory wasn’t all that great. I came up with 15. If you want to play the game, stop right now and make your list.
Here’s who I remembered:
Chris Paul: I’m sure you’ve heard of him.
David West: Still a ballplaying fool, only now with the Pacers, and we can say we saw his emergence.
PJ Brown: On old favorite of us in the media. He learned everyone’s name in the first couple of weeks and called us by name the entire season. They don’t make many like him. He retired in 2008.
Desmond Mason: The transitional figure in Oklahoma City basketball history. A Hornet and a Thunder. Now retired in Oklahoma City. I’d still like to see him employed by the Boomers in some capacity.
J.R. Smith: Not a ton of these Hornets are still relevant in the NBA. Not that J.R. is, either, stuck in China.
Rasual Butler: Now a Raptor. Here’s a great Rasual Butler story. Some kid from South Africa or some place flew over here just to see Rasual Butler play. Quite a story. So I wrote about it. Talked to the kid, and he said he just became a fan of Butler and had always wanted to see him play. I asked Butler how to explain his popularity with this kid. He looked at me with the straightest face you’ve ever seen and said, “I’ve got fans all over the world.” Serious as a heart attack.
Marc Jackson: I loved Mark Jackson, the big center brought in late in Year 1. What a good guy. Finished Year 2 in OKC and retired.
Speedy Claxton: Great backup point guard to CP3 in Year 1. Played so well he got a new contract with the Hawks. Retired in 2009.
Jannero Pargo: Excellent backup to CP3 in Year 2. Still in the league, with the Hawks.
Bostjan Nachbar: Started 13 games at the start of Year 1, then Mason took over and Nachbar was traded to the Nets in the Marc Jackson deal. Hasn’t played in the NBA since 2008.
Birdman: Chris Andersen started two games and played in 32 before his suspension for drug use. The Hornets people kept telling us we weren’t seeing the real Birdman. Turns out, they were right. Still wreaking havoc for the Denver Nuggets.
Peja Stojakovic: Almost didn’t remember Peja, he was here such a short time. Played 13 games, then had back surgery. Helped beat the Thunder last season with the Mavs in the Western Conference finals.
Linton Johnson: Don’t ask me why I remember Linton Johnson. I just do. Came over in that Net trade. Last played in 2008-09, with Chicago.
Aaron Williams: Maybe my personal favorite Hornet. The A-Train could dunk. I don’t mean spectacular dunks. I mean, when he got a chance to dunk it, he did. Nazr Mohammed ought to try it sometime. Williams now is an assistant coach at his alma mater, Xavier.
Tyson Chandler: I almost forgot him, even though he was a big-time player in Year 2. And almost came back to us, in that Thunder/Hornets trade that the Thunder backed out on. Now a Knickerbocker.
So that means I was missing seven — though I didn’t know how many I was missing. At the game Wednesday night, I trotted out the quiz to the Thunder stat crew, which consists mainly of the same guys who worked the Hornet games, too. Five or six really sharp guys who know a lot about the NBA and have a really good memory. Anyway, they didn’t come up with Johnson or Pargo, but they added five to the list:
Jackson Vroman: Yes, hard to believe, but the Iowa State flash started two games. Just when you think the NBA’s a big-time deal, you go to a game and Jackson Vroman’s in the starting lineup. When he was injured, Vroman used to hang out in the media room before the game. Darndest thing I’ve ever seen. That 2005-06 season was Vroman’s last in the NBA.
Kirk Snyder: I should be whipped for not remembering Snyder. Started a ton of games, had that poster dunk over Von Wafer when the Lakers were in town, interesting guy. Then moved on to the Rockets, lost his mind, was convicted of aggravated burglary and felonious assault and sentenced to three years in prison.
Cedric Simmons: First-round draft pick in June 2006 out of North Carolina State, started four games in Year 2. Been out of the NBA since 2009.
Hilton Armstrong: Another first-round draft pick in June 2006, out of UConn. Started five games in Year 2. Stayed with the Hornets until 2010. Last played with Atlanta last season.
Devin Brown: The ultimate Hornet, from those two seasons. Signed off the scrap heap as a free agent on Dec. 22 of Year 2 and then started 49 games and averaged 11.6 points a game. Last played in the league with the Bulls in 2009-10.
So there are 20 players. Two remaining, and neither me nor a panel of Oklahoma City NBA experts could remember. So drumroll…
Brandon Bass: Still a viable NBA player, with the Celtics. I didn’t think of Bass, primarily because I would have doubted that he ever started. He seemed to always be in Byron Scott’s doghouse. But what a solid player he turned out to be. He played in 50 games over two seasons in OKC, starting four.
Bobby Jackson: Signed as a free agent in summer 2006, to much fanfare, since he had been a key player with the Kings. Never really did much in OKC; started twice, played 56 games. Last played in the NBA in 2009.
-------------Berry Tramel can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including AM-640 and FM-98.1. You can e-mail him here and follow him on Twitter @BerryTramel. Visit Berry's website here.
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Comments
I remember Jackson Vroman’s last few seconds in the NBA. Hornets were on defense and the offense shot the ball. Jackson went for the rebound and fell on the ground. He put his hand on the ground to catch himself. Broke his wrist. At that second I thought “oh this guy does nothing outstanding. This could be the last we see of him in the NBA because they will find someone healthy who can give the team what he gives and they won’t cost as much.” Turns out I was right. He never saw the court again. Too bad for him. I hope he saved his money.
I was huge into the Hornets when they came. Loved CP3 and Tyson doin the alley-oops, DWest winning games at the buzzer, Masons fade away hook shot. I have one question though. I remember MoPete(Morris Peterson-MichiganSt.) Did he not start a game?
I stand corrected I guess. Looked up Petersons stats. He was a Hornet for the 3 years after they left here. Guess I still considered them an adopted son for a couple more years til we got the Thunder. Now there is no one left from the OKC days.
I gotta be honest, I never got into the Hornets because I knew they were going to be a short term thing. On the other hand, I got behind the Thunder 100% the day they were announced.