The Reign Man is Back!
The buzz in the building was definitely there. Just minutes before halftime during an ordinary round robin game at Seattle’s famed Rip the Cut Tournament on Saturday, May 24th, a ghost from the city’s past walked inside those Cleveland High School doors. Former NBA All-Star Shawn Kemp was in the house y’all.
Without stretching or warming up, the Reign Man immediately threw on a jersey and joined Team Old School, which also featured ex-Charlotte Hornet, Eldridge Recasner. He threw himself in the fire so fast that he actually played his first 10 seconds with his car keys in his pocket before throwing them off to the sidelines!
On the first defensive possession, the 38-year-old Kemp skied in the air as he nearly swatted a jump shot attempt. The effort drew a lot of oohs and aahs from the anxious crowd (including Knicks’ duo and Seattle natives Nate Robinson and Jamal Crawford), who were on pins and needles waiting to see what the Sonic legend could still bring.
What he brought definitely was impressive. Not quite the same Shawn who banged on Chris Gatling, but he wasn’t exactly the same plus-sized Shawn in Cleveland and Portland.
He has lost weight and is in pretty decent shape. The bounce was still there, and so was the swagger. The ‘J and handles were a little rusty, but still extremely impressive considering his age and his past problems.
In his second game a few hours later, his Old School Team matched up with the Home Team, which boasted Seattle’s favorite sons, Crawford, Brandon Roy and Spencer Hawes.
In the game, Kemp stripped Jamal at midcourt (and we all know what kind of handle JC’s got) then took it coast to coast for a thunderous yoke. Matched up with Hawes, Kemp took the 20-year-old Sacramento King and former lottery pick off the dribble several times and even emphatically blocked one of his lay-up attempts.
It is unclear whether Kemp is attempting yet another comeback, but one thing is clear for sure. The man still loves basketball.
“Ah man, I play ball in all kind of tournaments across the United States, from New York to Hawaii,” Kemp told Bounce after the game. “I play basketball every week bro.”
By Gerald Narciso
May 29th, 2008 at 10:22 am
CasUno says:
No more gut, what!!!!!!!!!!!
May 29th, 2008 at 10:54 am
kemp says:
The Reignmaaaaaannn!!!!!!!!!!!!
Respect
May 29th, 2008 at 11:15 am
Coldchain says:
Change that headline guys. “Shawn” Kemp is the right spelling…
May 29th, 2008 at 11:38 am
splash20 says:
Even when he was said to be lazy and overweight with Cleveland, Reign Man was still putting up 19 and 9 every night.
May 29th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
Big Ran says:
NBA All-Star Shawn Kemp back in the house!
A DREAM COMES TRUE. We could only hope that he makes a come back, he was only 19 when he started, had some time off. But most important he still loves to play, 38 isn’t that old when you love the game.
He should try out with the Nets at the 5.
Much respect
May 29th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
Coldchain says:
Not good for the Kings when Kemp is damn near 40 and giving the business to their Lottery pick.
May 29th, 2008 at 5:38 pm
Bobbito Garcia a.k.a. Kool Bob Love says:
he’s quoted as saying he’s played in tournaments in new york, but i’ve never heard of him making an appearance here. has anyone? i’m pretty sure word would’ve gotten around if he had cuffed it on someone at ebc or nike pro city . . .
May 29th, 2008 at 6:59 pm
Bigg Wash aka The Original Power Point aka Points on the Package says:
Great to see Shawn back in the mix. He can still get it done if he decides to come back. Theo ratliff is still giving the Pistons solid minutes.
Make it Reign Big Homey!
May 29th, 2008 at 7:54 pm
Feets Malone says:
WOW!!! An excellent read!!! Basketball is LOVE and it always lives within!! PROOF.
May 29th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
jack ryan says:
He should start a new franchise with all the kids he has. Maybe two franchises.
May 30th, 2008 at 12:10 am
Carlito Roc says:
Thats ill. He’s one of my favorite nba players of all time.
I’ve never heard of him rocking in ny at all, that would have hit the wire for sure. Maybe he means years ago. lol
May 30th, 2008 at 1:08 am
Darryl Brown says:
Hey take a look at this website out of Chicago I think
it can be a big thing worldwide.
May 30th, 2008 at 3:48 am
Allen Ginnett aka quit ridin the nut sack nah mean?!?! says:
Im pretty sure ive been callin this for a while, I saw him once when i was in houston buying some bootleg movies. But word on the streets was that dude was back for real! Alton Lister isnt back though, that was confirmed over the phone today…RIP ALTON LISTER!
May 30th, 2008 at 4:00 am
Thomas Chambers aka GOT YOUR GIRL CHOKIN LIKE DARIUS WASHINGTON says:
The streets are buzzin about a possible Kemp return to the NBA. Supposedly signing Kemp doesn’t just give you the rights to one player. He’s a package deal. Mario Ellie, Antoine Carr and Benoit Benjamin are the three attachments that come with the Reingman. As for the Alton Lister comeback that “Allen Ginnett aka quit ridin the nut sack nah mean?!?!” referred to, well, don’t count it out. I have connects in Dallas that tell me he’s more than interested in showing his face in the NBA once again. His boy J-Uzi from 116th says Alton is an ox in the gym, and stays sippin from that fountain of youth.
p.s. Coldchain speaks the truth.
May 30th, 2008 at 8:18 am
illest says:
the streets are buzzing about a shawn kemp return. are we smoking trees on this blog? hes old. look at the spurs. i enjoyed watching him in the 90s but not now.
May 30th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Kemp4Prez08 says:
HOLY ****! I’ve used this screenname since i started checkin’ this site out along with the “40″ in my e-mail address cuz of the Reignman! I’m so glad this story saw some light. Most people clown on him for his weight/alcohol issues but when people praised Jordan i praised this dude!
Peep youtube for some crecent clips of him ballin’ plus i hear his son Shawn Kemp Jr. is pretty impressive in the high school scene.
Thanks for this.
PZ
May 30th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
BxBaller says:
This is VERY nice to hear. I’m glad that he’s doing well for himself. He’s probably not going to make an NBA comeback, it’s still nice to hear that he’s still ballin.
May 30th, 2008 at 9:35 pm
ERIC says:
AMAZING! MY FAVORITE PLAYER IS BACKKKK!!
June 1st, 2008 at 10:27 pm
COOL 419 says:
MAN, THAT BROUGHT TEARS TO MY EYES..THAT DUDE HAS BEEN THROUGH HELL AND BACK.. I GIVE HIM BIGG PROPS..
June 3rd, 2008 at 2:07 pm
cahill says:
shawn kemp…what a joke. everyone knows if he comes back to the nba its only to pay child support and buy some more coke. this man, along with jim obrien of ohio state, almost singlehandedly killed basketball in ohio. just stay away shawn.
June 3rd, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Rob Enderle says:
How many kids is he at now?
12? 18? 24?
He can start his own franchise.
Nothing as sad as a washout who burned bridge after bridge trying to get some of that fan adulation at any cost.
His legacy is what it is. We can all dream about what ifs but who he is and what he did are recorded for all to see.
Its a cute story but move on …
I dont want to see Payton or Kemp play any more. They had their chances.
June 4th, 2008 at 3:53 am
Bobbito Garcia a.k.a. Kool Bob Love says:
yo, what’s up with all the negativity? let them man play ball if he wants. you’re not obligated to watch, it’s not even on tv. we report about it here cuz it’s interesting and obviously many were excited to read about him being on the floor in a local tournament. he’s entitled to play ball the rest of his life, adn enjoy it to the fullest. as for his personal problems, that’s not of any of our business. we just cover basketball.
June 18th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Kerry says:
I read so many blogs and still find so people who have no idea about nothing. So what he has alot of children, that’s his problem not ours. You have never heard any of the Mothers complaing about anything. So what does that tell you, well I tell you that means he is taking care of his fatherly duties. But you real smartazzes don’t peep that out. But you wimps like cahill, Rob you guys are jokes. Tell me a team you guys have played on besides high school ball. And by the way no matter how many kids he has he has more money than you and your Daddy put together and your Granddaddy too.
July 21st, 2008 at 4:28 pm
love2live says:
Great article…good to hear Kemp is still doin his thing…keep up the good work Gerald!!!
September 1st, 2008 at 6:35 pm
Nix Santos says:
Great to hear from my idol again.
February 13th, 2009 at 7:10 pm
Steen (Davis) Miles says:
Good news of Shawn’s return. We’re always rooting for him.One of his sons, Shawn, Jr., is a high school superstar here in Georgia, just like Shawn’s father was in Indiana, his nephew in Chicago and little brother in New York. Perhaps one day they’ll be together.
February 15th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
Oly says:
I’m happy to see him in shape! Way to go Shawn!
February 25th, 2009 at 5:25 am
james says:
first griffey comes back to seattle, now hopefully shawn will too, he was amazing to watch in the glory days of the nba
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