Why an NBA analyst says Rick Adelman and Chris Webber are ‘definitely’ Hall of Famers
The Kings reached the playoffs just twice in their first 13 seasons in Sacramento.
Once Rick Adelman was hired, the team’s fortunes changed. He coached the Kings to postseason appearances in each of his eight years at the helm and brought national attention to the team.
On Friday, the longtime NBA coach was nominated to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
“He put Sacramento on the map,” said Byron Scott, one of three analysts who introduced some of the nominees on ESPN’s “The Jump.”
“Rick Adelman was one of the best coaches I’ve ever been around,” said Scott, an assistant during Adelman’s first two seasons with the Kings. “Never got enough credit for the things he was able to accomplish as a coach. Didn’t like all the fanfare, he was just a guy who just came to work and if you look at every organization he went to, they won.
“I think, without a doubt, that Rick Adelman should definitely be in the Hall of Fame as a coach.”
ESPN analyst Brian Windhorst called Adelman an “offensive innovator.” The Kings led the NBA in points per game in the coach’s first three seasons and weren’t lower than third during Adelman’s tenure until his final season. Their style of play was praised by Sports Illustrated, which deemed the team “The Greatest Show on Court” on a February 2001 cover.
Adelman was 395-229 as Sacramento’s coach. His victory total, 624 games coached and 63.3 winning percentage are tops in franchise history.
The longtime coach also led the Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves and Portland Trail Blazers, a team he twice guided to the NBA Finals. His overall record was 1,042-749 (58.2 percent) and he’s ninth on the NBA’s all-time wins list.
The analysts discussed some of the notable candidates for the Class of 2019. One was Chris Webber.
The former Kings forward retired in 2008 and received his first nomination last year. The No. 1 pick in the 1993 draft was a five-time All-Star, Rookie of the Year in 1993-94 and led the league in rebounding in 1998-99, his first season in Sacramento.
He averaged 20.7 points, 9.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 15 seasons. Those numbers increased over 377 games and seven seasons with the Kings: 23.5 points, 10.6 rebounds and 4.8 assists.
“That list is so amazing, but I’m going to go with my man C-Webb,” Scott said of the list of notables that included Chauncey Billups, Becky Hammon, Tim Hardaway and Ben Wallace. “I coached him in Sacramento when he was at the prime of his career. You talk about a guy who could do it all: C-Webb was great in the post, he was great in the mid-post, facing up guys, unbelievable passer, great rebounder. His hands were like glue – if the ball touched his hands, it was his ball.
“The way he played the game and the way he cared about his teammates was just second to none.”
Like Adelman, Scott says Webber “definitely” should be in the Hall of Fame.
Other nominees with Sacramento ties include:
▪ George Karl: A first-time nominee, his coaching career that covered a quarter century included a short stint with the Kings. While his record in Sacramento wasn’t impressive (44-68), Karl was 1,175-824 (58.8 percent) overall and is sixth on the all-time wins list.
▪ DIck Motta: Another nominee who didn’t fare well with the Kings (48-113 over parts of three seasons), he finished with a 935-1,017 record and led the Washington Bullets to the NBA title in 1977-78.
▪ Kevin Johnson: He never played for the Kings, but the Sacramento High School graduate was mayor of his hometown from 2008-16. The three-time All-Star and 1988-89 Most Improved Player averaged 17.9 points and 9.1 assists over 12 seasons.
The Class of 2019 will be enshrined in September in Springfield, Mass.
For more information, visit www.hoophall.com.
This story was originally published December 23, 2018 at 12:28 PM.