OAKLAND—Well it’s official, after 15 years in the NBA, superstar Chris Webber is retiring from the basketball court.  He made the announcement on Wednesday, March 26, 2008.   Webber recently joined the Golden State Warriors back in January of this year.

Chris Webber speaks during a press conference held on Wednesday, March 26, 2008. Webber announced that he is retiring from the NBA after 15 years. Photo courtesy of the AP/Ben Margot.

 

He first began his basketball career while playing for the Michigan Wolverines during his college career in the early ‘90s.  Webber is well known as member of Michigan’s Fab Five, which included Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King, and Ray Jackson.  Together the five players led the Michigan Wolverines to the NCAA championship two years in row, first in 1992 and then in 1993.  The Wolverines lost in both games, first to Duke and then North Carolina.  Many remember Webber for mistakenly calling for a time-out when the Wolverines had no more; they eventually lost to North Carolina during that call.  

He was a first draft pick in 1993 to the Orlando Magic, but was later traded to the Golden State Warriors.   After squabbling with head coach Don Nelson, he asked for a trade and was shipped to Washington.   From there he joined the Sacramento Kings where he became a dominate force with teammate Mike Bibby.  Together the two lead the Kings to the Western Conference Finals in 2002 where they battled the dynamic Los Angeles Lakers.   The series went seven games and the Lakers came out on top.  

Chris is a five-time All-Star who averaged 20.7 pts, 9.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game in his NBA career.  Since departing the Kings, he has played for the Philadelphia 76ers and the Detroit Pistons.  Webber is originally from Detroit and found it fulfilling to become a member of his hometown team back in 2007.  Detroit is where his basketball career first began.  Since rejoining the Warriors Webber has only played in nine games with the team.   Webber has been fighting with a left knee injury for some time.   He hasn’t played with the Warriors since March 2, 2008.  

Many were hoping with Webber’s addition, the Warriors would become a force to be reckoned with in the West, but this was not the case.   “I have to thank God for the opportunities to play in the cities that I played in,” Webber said during a press conference on Wednesday.  Webber went on to thank all the coaches and players whom he had worked with from his time in middle school all the way to the NBA.    

The Warriors are currently in a heated battled with the Denver Nuggets and the Dallas Mavericks to secure that 8^th and final spot in the Western Conference. Webber hopes to stay involved with the NBA by becoming a television commentator in the near future.