Comments on: Lakers I Miss: Cedric Ceballos

By: Gatinho

Gatinho — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 01:04:28 +0000

Actually, the only other team Kobe worked out for was the Nets who were then coached by John Calipari. West tried to trade Vlade to the Nets for their 8th pick, but the Nets declined. Kobe’s agent Arn Tellem then called the Nets to tell them that Kobe only wanted to play for the Lakers. Claipari wanted to call Kobe’s bluff and draft him anyway, but GM Nash decided that the risk was too big and drafted Kerry Kittles with the pick.

Once the trade of Vlade to the Nets was nixed, Tellem didn’t allow any other teams who were picking between 8 and 13 to work out Kobe. And no team is going to draft a player that they can’t work out.

By: Chris J. (Las Vegas)

Chris J. (Las Vegas) — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 00:57:56 +0000

The above post should have read “nearly blew a vein.”

By: Chris J. (Las Vegas)

Chris J. (Las Vegas) — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 00:56:40 +0000

I was living in New York for about six months at the start of the 94-95 season. James Worthy – still my favorite Laker ever – retired right before the season and I remembered thinking that the team was really in need of a good three.

When a guy I worked with as an intern at Madison Square Garden told me the Lakers had traded for Ceballos, I never blew a vein. Another Jerry West stroke of genius.

That 94-95 team didn’t win a title, but it still ranks among my favorite squads of all-time, and I’m aold enough to remember the Showtime Era.

“The Lake Show” was just fun to watch. Ceballos and Nick Van Exel were great scorers with personality; Eddie Jones was a highlight reel as a rookie; Anthony Peeler had a great stroke; Sedale Threatt was always exciting; and then there was Vlade doing his thing in the middle.

I guess the thing that made that team so enjoyable was the fact that they came out of nowhere to be a threat in the west. The Lakers had missed the playoffs for the first time in years in 93-94, and people said the dynasty was over. Then this young team came along, won its first round series over the Sonics and damn near beat the favored Spurs in round 2. Who can forget the bomb Nick hit to shut up the Alamodome in game five? Had Vlade not blown two free throws late in another game, maybe the Lakers would have moved on to play the Rockets in the Western finals…

By the next season, the newness was off and people took the Lakers seriously before the season devolved into the “Magic comeback” and first-round loss to the Rockets. While that 95-96 team paved the way for the Shaq-Kobe era, no team from this decade was as fun to watch as the 94-95 Lakers. The only thing that even came close was their 15-1 run in the 2001 playoffs.

By: John R.

John R. — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 21:29:47 +0000

“Kobe went on record before the draft that he would only play for the lakers. ”

LOL. This isn’t the NFL…

By: k_swagger8

k_swagger8 — Tue, 22 Aug 2006 04:35:34 +0000

kobe was drafted 13th by charlotte (actually he was really hand picked by the lakers) Kobe went on record before the draft that he would only play for the lakers. So GM west asked charlotte to pick him and gave vlade in return. Just goes to show how much he wanted to be a Laker!

By: burningjoe

burningjoe — Mon, 21 Aug 2006 21:12:00 +0000

If I remeber correctly…Kobe was not drafted by the Lakers…wasnt he part of a draft day trade with Atlanta? For Vlade?

By: Robert

Robert — Sun, 20 Aug 2006 20:59:33 +0000

Kurt, while we are reminiscing – did we ever get an explanation why Shaq was the only Laker of note, not to attend Chick’s funeral?

By: Dan

Dan — Sun, 20 Aug 2006 20:58:13 +0000

That Sedale/Ced/Peeler/Van Exel team was the one I first remembered watching as a kid. I was too young for the late Magic years. Watching them was when I got hooked on basketball.

By: dkh2

dkh2 — Sun, 20 Aug 2006 18:10:45 +0000

Lakers I miss:Nick Van Exel.
cant wait for that post Kurt.
from a hardcore Laker fan (still a Nick fan) from Japan.

By: Brian

Brian — Sun, 20 Aug 2006 02:01:59 +0000

I remember Chick Hearn extolling the virtues of Sedale Threatt going to his left.

“Threatt to his left!!”

While far from a complete player, Sedale Threatt may have has the most unstoppable jump shot in NBA history when he was in the zone, going to his left.

There were a few games where he and Van Exel single-handedly (or should it be double-handedly?) brought them back from the bring of disaster with a barrage of threes. I particularly remember a game against Denver where Sedale and Nick were letting the bombs fly fast and furious, and brought them all the way back in the fourth quarter.

Yeah, that Sedale/Ced/Peeler/Young Van Exel team was one that the hardcore Lakers fans will always remember. They may not have won the championship, but I always felt they (and Coach Del Harris) despite their deficiencies, never got enough credit for laying the groundwork for the team that eventually won it all in 2000.

And hey – what about Sam Bowie!??! Imagine if we’d had him in his non-injured prime!!