Chris Webber Turns 53
- Jake C
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
Cover photo: Chris Webber dunks against the Chicago Bulls. Photo credit: Getty Images.
One of the best power forwards in NBA history celebrates a birthday on Sunday, March 1 as Chris Webber turns 53.
A native of Detroit, Mich. who starred at Detroit Country Day School, Webber led his school to three state championships and was National Player of the Year in 1991 as well as Mr. Basketball in the state of Michigan. A 2-time Parade All-American (1990, 1991), he was also the co-MVP of the 1991 McDonald’s All-American Game. For college, the forward stayed home and helped revolutionize the style of the game as a Michigan Wolverine. There, teaming with Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King, and Ray Jackson, Webber and “The Fab Five” with their baggy shorts, black socks, and bald heads shifted the culture of college basketball. Webber averaged 17.4 points and 10.0 rebounds in 70 collegiate games in his freshman and sophomore seasons, led the Big Ten in rebounds (10.0, 10.1) in both seasons, and was a 1st team All-American in 1991-92 with 19.2 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. Steve Fisher’s group made the NCAA Final in both of Webber’s seasons there, losing to Duke and North Carolina. In 1992, Webber was part of the USA Select Team that defeated the fabled Dream Team in an exhibition game.
“Chris Webber was a man. I remember thinking ‘if this guy’s coming into this league, I gotta get out of here,” Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird said of Webber.
In the 1993 NBA Draft, Webber was taken first overall by the Orlando Magic but was traded to the Golden State Warriors for Memphis State’s Penny Hardaway, who was drafted third overall.
As a 20-year-old rookie turning 21, Webber was the NBA’s 1993-94 Rookie of the Year as a Warrior, averaging 17.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game in 32.1 minutes in 76 games. Webber, with a bald head and a ferocious style, was the favorite player of his future contemporary, rival, and Hall of Fame forward Kevin Garnett.
After his stellar rookie season, Webber was traded to the Washington Bullets for forward Tom Gugliotta and three draft picks. The forward played four seasons in Washington, with his last of the four, in 1997-98, being the first year of the Wizards.
Chris Webber’s Stats in Washington
1994-95: 20.1 points (49.5% FG, 17.4 FGA), 9.6 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 38.3 minutes, 54 games
1995-96: 23.7 points (54.3% FG, 18.4 FGA), 7.6 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 37.2 minutes, 15 games
1996-97: 20.1 points (51.8% FG, 16.2 FGA), 10.3 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 39.0 minutes, 72 games (All-Star)
1997-98: 21.9 points (48.2% FG, 18.9 FGA), 9.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 39.6 minutes, 71 games
On May 14, 1998, Webber was traded to the Sacramento Kings for guard Mitch Richmond and Otis Thorpe. In five of his seven seasons in Sacramento, Webber was an All-NBA performer. The Kings made the playoffs in each of Webber’s seasons there, peaking in 2001-02 with a 61-win team that made the Western Conference Finals, a series against the Los Angeles Lakers in which they led 3-2. The seven-game loss is a series that is forever mired in the Tim Donaghy game fixing controversy. At the time, the Kings led by head coach Rick Adelman had the best passing team in the NBA and one of the most talented teams in the league with scoring sniper Peja, Webber, center Vlade Divac, and the defensive-minded Doug Christie.
Chris Webber’s Stats in Sacramento
1998-99: 20.0 points (48.6% FG, 18.5 FGA), 13.0 rebounds (1st, 9.4 DREB also 1st), 4.1 assists, 2.1 blocks, 40.9 minutes, 42 games, 2nd team All-NBA, 7th in MVP voting
1999-00: 24.5 points (48.3% FG, 20.6 FGA), 10.5 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 38.4 minutes, 75 games, All-Star, 3rd team All-NBA, 9th in MVP voting
2000-01: 27.1 points (48.1% FG, 23.4 FGA), 11.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 40.5 minutes, 70 games, All-Star, 1st in NBA in FGM (11.2), 1st team All-NBA, 4th in MVP voting
2001-02: 24.5 points (49.5% FG, 19.9 FGA), 10.1 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 38.4 minutes, 54 games, All-Star, 2nd team All-NBA, 7th in MVP voting
2002-03: 23.0 points (46.1% FG, 21.4 FGA), 10.5 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 39.1 minutes, 67 games, All-Star, 2nd team All-NBA, 10th in MVP voting
2003-04: 18.7 points (41.3% FG, 18.3 FGA), 8.7 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 36.1 minutes, 23 games
Webber played 46 games with the Kings in 2004-05 (21.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, 5.5 assists) before a February trade to the Philadelphia 76ers that yielded the Kings forwards Corliss Williamson, Kenny Thomas, and Brian Skinner. For the 2005-06 season, a healthy Webber played 38.6 minutes per game and averaged 20.2 points (43.4% shooting), 9.9 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game in 75 games.
On Jan. 16. 2007, a recently waived Webber signed with his hometown Detroit Pistons. In 43 games (42 starts) in 29.7 minutes per game with the Pistons in 2007, the veteran averaged 11.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. For his final season of 2007-08, Webber played for the Warriors, appearing in nine games.
Over his career, Webber was one of the best forwards in the game in an era that included the aforementioned Garnett, Tim Duncan, Rasheed Wallace, Dirk Nowitzki, and Antonio McDyess as the cream of the crop at the four position. He also is one of the best passing forwards in the history of the game. Webber started 827 out of 831 career games, and in 37.1 minutes per game averaged 20.7 points (47.9% on 18.1 attempts), 9.2 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. In his seven seasons as a King, he averaged 23.5 points (47.3% on 20.7 attempts), 10.6 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game in 38.8 minutes per game.
In 2021, Webber was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
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