the man of the kingdom

Most of today’s younger NBA fans probably know who Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are. They are the highest scoring duo of the Oklahoma City Thunder, a team formerly known as the Seattle Supersonics. Before the Sonics moved to a different city and changed their name to “Thunder,” they once had a pretty dynamic duo in the form of Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp.

Known as the Reign Man, Kemp was famous for his powerful dunks, high flight, and incredible athleticism. During his prime, he was one of the most exciting players in the league and stood out as a Sonics fan favorite. He and Gary Payton helped build the Sonics into a Western Conference powerhouse in the early to mid-1990s.

Another thing that made Kemp a popular player in his day was his emotional displays on the pitch. Every time he did a posterize dunk against a taller defender, Kemp always had something to say to his unlucky target. One of his famous poster dunks was against Warrior’s Aldin Lister when he singled him out after delivering a ferocious dunk that sent Lister to the ground.

Kemp would reach the NBA Finals for the first and only time in his career in 1996 where he faced Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. The Sonics would end up losing to the Bulls in 6 games and this would be the closest Kemp would get to winning a championship. Rumors that Kemp would go elsewhere soon spread after the 1996 season.

After failing to come to terms with Sonics management regarding his contract, Kemp was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a three-team trade that included the Milwaukee Bucks. Kemp would continue to be productive during his tenure with the Cavs posting career-high numbers in points per game. However, the drive he once had while with the Sonics was no longer there and he wasn’t as explosive as he used to be.

Kemp struggled with his weight during his 3-year stint with Cleveland and after being traded to the Portland Trailblazers during the 1999-2000 season, Kemp’s demons finally caught up with him. In addition to struggling with weight problems, he also had a drug and alcohol addiction, and because of this, his abilities declined forever.

But despite all of this, most basketball fans will always remember Shawn Kemp for being one of the most exciting players in the league and one of those who helped put the Sonics franchise on the map during the ’90s. .