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Who was like the hardest person to guard in your career? DeMarcus Cousins: I came in the era where, when I entered, it was still two bigs in the post type, you know? So, like I said, I’m right on the cusp of the old-school ball to the new-school ball. I’ve kind of seen both sides of it, and man, there are so many talented guys. I mean, there are more guys that don’t even get the recognition. Now, [Al] Jefferson, Chris Kaman, and Marc Gasol, players of that nature, didn’t have the opportunity to play against guys like Zion [Williamson] and things like that. But I would say, for me, Anthony Davis has always been a guy that I’ve been a huge fan of, you know, his younger days in New Orleans, and we had a lot of battles. Anthony Davis is a guy that doesn’t always get respect from media. Blake Griffin in his days was a special, special player. So, I enjoyed the battles against him. Z-Bo [Zach Randolph], one of my favorites. I took a lot from his game. Like I said earlier, I wasn’t the most athletic guy. So, just learning how to use your body and create angles, and you know, make the game easy.
As he prepared to head to Springfield, Mass., for Wade’s induction, Riley reflected on landing Wade with the No. 5 pick in 2003. “We were very fortunate to get him,” he understated. “And it would have been a dilemma if Toronto would have taken him fourth. We would have taken Chris fifth. As a matter of fact, we needed a big that year and Chris got picked and then we took Dwyane. Everybody said I was going to take Kaman, but that’s not true. That was just something we put out there in the media.”
Law Murray: Russell Westbrook is keeping his number 0. Jason Preston is taking #1, Reggie Jackson's number. Keaton Wallace is taking #35, which has never been worn by a Clippers guard before (you've seen 35 on the likes of Loy Vaught, Chris Kaman, and Wenyen Gabriel) pic.twitter.com/noMrsFiC3d
Former NBA center Chris Kaman walked into the Man Cave Sports Cards and Collectibles in Stanton a few months ago, looking for cards. Then, according to Man Cave founder Nate Smith, a friendship began to develop between them. In September, Smith worked to bring Kaman on as a partner and is now helping the business expand. Earlier this month, the Man Cave opened its second location, 701 S. Greenville Drive in Greenville, that joined the first store and thriving eBay business as the sports card and memorabilia industry continues to boom across the country.
Keeping the stores stocked is the most challenging aspect of the business, according to Smith. Smith, Kaman and employees have to travel across the Midwest to card shows to buy new inventory. That will continue as the new store continues to mature.
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Damian Lillard: Well, the funniest teammate I've had is definitely Evan Turner! Second place would be Chris Kaman, but specific stories I would like to share, I wish I could, but I can't... I wish I could, but I can't man!
When asked about his “Welcome to the NBA moment” in the Knuckleheads podcast with Darius Miles and Quentin Richardson, the former Bulls center had this to say about (via the Knuckleheads, clip from u/whenmachinescry on Reddit): “It was a guy I haven’t even heard of, it was the Clippers… I had to guard Chris Kaman. I don’t even know who Chris Kaman is, this gon’ be easy… Left, right, on the block, it was crazy, he was talking s--- too. I ain’t even heard of this guy and he’s getting buckets. I was like, ‘Tomorrow, Yao Ming, the night after that, Shaq.’ I’m like this s--- doesn’t stop.”
At first, Kaman wasn't a fan of the bitter taste of straight black coffee. But when DiFrancesco and Dr. Cate Shanahan, then the team's nutritionist, suggested he cut it with organic, full-fat milk or grass-fed butter, Kaman was hooked -- not only on the taste, but also on the improvements in focus and concentration. "I thought it gives more of a good, even energy source than when you take some of the high-sugar, high-carbohydrate drinks," Kaman says, "[which] really just gives you spikes."
Chris Kaman will join a special club this year: He's being inducted into the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame. Kaman played basketball for Tri-Unity Christian High School, then Central Michigan University. He was drafted to the NBA in 2003 and spent 13 years there. "I think I was just blessed," Kaman said. "I always dreamed of it … I did not know I was any good at basketball until my third year of college when we played Michigan at Michigan and we beat them. I had a really good game and everybody was talking about it. I wouldn't have thought I could go to the NBA."
He said it never occurred to him who the scouts who started showing up at games were there to watch. "My teammates were like, 'They're coming to watch you, you idiot,'" he said. "Then I started to click and put things together."
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As captain for the past two seasons, Lillard has made it clear to his teammates that their playoff checks should be donated to the Blazers’ support staff, which consists of everybody from massage therapists to the trainers at the practice facility. With some Blazers teams, the locker room leadership was not always as generous. Three seasons ago, when veteran Chris Kaman joined the team, he became appalled that the Blazers were keeping their playoff checks. Kaman, who became close with Lillard, told him if he ever led a team he should insist on getting the guys to donate to underscore the importance of unity and having one’s back.
People want to know where Chris Kaman is, is he retiring, what his future might be. I always thought it was funny that he would say to you very often, "I hated every head coach I ever played for, but I like you." So that’s probably the ultimate compliment that you could ever receive from somebody. We’ll lose a lot of humor on the bus and the team planes if he’s not around, but have you talked to him at all or do you know what he’s doing? Stotts: He’s back in Michigan. He did come back here, you know, he bought some property out in central Oregon and he came back here to get some of his stuff. I think he’s leaving his options open as far as playing next year. I don’t know where he is with that. I just heard today that he is beginning a workout regimen. He’s a talented guy. I think people know he could have helped us last year. Last year was about our young guys. He was extremely admirable in fulfilling that role.
Jason Quick: Sorry to hear of passing of Chris Kaman's father, Leroy, this summer. He touched on what he taught him in this story csnnw.com/portland-trail…
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