Spud Webb

infobox NBA Player
name = Anthony Webb
nickname = Spud


position = Point guard
height_ft = 5
height_in = 6
weight_lbs = 133
nationality = American
birth_date = birth date and age|1963|7|13
birth_place = Dallas, Texas
college = Midland College,
North Carolina State
highschool =
draft = 4th round, 87th overall
draft_year = 1985
draft_team = Detroit Pistons
career_start = 1985
career_end = 1998
former_teams = Atlanta Hawks (1985-1991, 1995-1996)
Sacramento Kings (1991-1995)
Minnesota Timberwolves (1996)
Orlando Magic (1998)
awards =
halloffame =

Anthony Jerome "Spud" Webb (born July 13, 1963), is an American retired NBA basketball point guard.

Career

Early years

Webb was born in July 13, 1963, into poverty in Dallas, Texas. He was raised in a small three bedroom home and used basketball as an inspiration. Webb was never tall, but he used his quickness and jumping ability to out play the other kids. At Wilmer-Hutchins High School, he was cut from his varsity team because of his height. He was forced to play on the junior varsity team where he made a large impact. When he got on the varsity team, he averaged 26 points per game. During his senior season he was 5 feet 5 inches (165 cm) tall, and that's when he first threw down a dunk. He was one of the best players in the state of Texas. After High school, he attended Midland College and North Carolina State University, where his height was viewed as a problem. However, Webb proved his critics wrong by averaging 10 points per game throughout college.

NBA career (1985-1998)

Standing at 5 feet 6 inches (168 cm) tall, [ [http://www.basketballreference.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=WEBBSP01 DatabaseBasketball.com: Spudd Webb Past Stats, Satistics, History and Awards] ] Webb received his first oppurtunity to play in a basketball team when he attended Midland College (in Midland, Texas), where he led his team to the junior college national title in 1982.

Webb attracted the attention of Tom Abatemarco, an assistant coach at North Carolina State University, who arranged for Webb to meet head coach Jim Valvano, who offered Webb a scholarship. In two years at N.C. State, Spud averaged 10.4 points and 5.7 assists per game.

He was then drafted in the 4th round of the 1985 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons. His first six seasons were played with the Atlanta Hawks, but he had his best years statistically with the Sacramento Kings, where he played as a starter from 1992-1995. He then split a season between the Atlanta Hawks and the Minnesota Timberwolves before finishing his career after one season with the Orlando Magic and retiring from professional basketball in 1998. Webb played 814 career games, averaging 9.9 points per game, registering 8072 points and 4342 assist in twelve seasons.

Webb was, and remains the third shortest player to play in the NBA. Only Earl Boykins and Muggsy Bogues were shorter.

NBA Slam Dunk Contest

Webb, the shortest person to compete in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest, won the event in 1986. His participation surprised the media; including his teammates, and defending dunk champion Dominique Wilkins, who had "never seen me dunk before," Webb said. His dunks included the elevator two-handed double pump dunk, the one-handed off the backboard one-handed jam, a 360-degree helicopter one-handed dunk, a 180-degree reverse double-pump slam, and finally, the 180-degree reverse two-handed strawberry jam from a lob bounce off the floor. He defeated Wilkins with two perfect 150-point scores in the final round. Atlanta coach Mike Fratello said, "Spud kind of duped him. He told Wilkins he never had anything prepared, didn't practice for it. So, Wilkins maybe thought his normal assortment would be good enough to get through". Twenty years after Webb's victory in the Slam Dunk contest, he trained New York Knicks point guard Nate Robinson (who stands at 5 feet 9 inches tall) win the event. Webb tossed the ball to Robinson, who leaped over Webb and dunked, earning 50 points from the judges. Robinson went on to win, making him the second player in basketball history under six feet to win since Webb.

References

External links

* [http://www.spudwebb.net/ Spud Webb Official Website]
* [http://www.nba.com/hawks/news/Catching_Up_With_Spud_Webb_110404.html 2004 interview, "Catching Up with Spud Webb"]
* [http://www.sportsstats.com/bball/individual.stats/player_stats/player1970.txt Spud's college statistics]
* [http://sports.jrank.org/pages/5189/Webb-Spud-FURTHER-INFORMATION.html Spud Webb - Further Information]
* [http://www.geocities.com/tzovas/nbastars/webb_spud.html Short biography of Spud Webb]