# Shawn Kemp eyes return..



## Bartholomew Hunt (Mar 4, 2003)

LINK



> "I'm going to play again,'' Kemp says, speaking in depth publicly for the first time since he retired two years ago after a 14-year NBA career. "And if I'm going to play again, there's only one way to do it. The right way. On my own.''





> He's finally talking now, rain clouds hovering above the Reign Man. He looks trim, close to the player Seattle remembers. Gone are the rolls of fat and double chin that defined him later, replaced by definitions in muscle fast returning. He's talking fast, animated, gesturing with arms spread wide to make his points. There's a reason, an excuse, for everything that happened.
> 
> And then, at the end of every explanation, Kemp places the blame squarely on his shoulders. It's tough to gauge where he wants that blame to go — on the events he says conspired against him or on himself.
> 
> "You see, I never blamed anybody for any of this,'' Kemp says. "I put my own self in the dirt.''





> Kemp says he doesn't have to prove himself to you. Certainly not through the media. But then he switches gears again, talking about how this comeback could boost him into the Hall of Fame and rewrite the ending to his basketball career. He doesn't have to prove anything to anybody, he says, but his words suggest he's trying anyway, trying to change the definition of Shawn Kemp.
> 
> That's what this comeback is about. Proving to the NBA he's changed. Proving to himself that he belongs among the elite. Proving that the world's perception of Shawn Kemp is different than reality.
> 
> "It's tough as hell to be good,'' he says. "By me stepping out of my contract a couple years ago, if that don't prove heart, I don't know what else does. I didn't have to do anything. But I don't want to disrespect the game of basketball.''





> He's doing 500 crunches a day, jumping enough rope to make a boxer proud and working with a trainer, Roberto Carmenati, on his basketball skills. After a few workouts earlier this month, Carmenati says Kemp is at 85 to 90 percent of the player he was in 1996.As Kemp tries to sell his comeback, he knows the questions will still be there, swirling around it like a cloud. The difference, Kemp says, is he's at peace with the long odds, with the curious glances and jokes about his past. He jokes that he might come back with a different jersey number and a mask on his face. The better to fool people into forgetting about his mishaps.


Would you consider giving Kemp yet another chance to resurrect his career? Perhaps he could be the perfect mentor to Kwame Brown! :laugh:


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## Unique (Apr 13, 2005)

id tottaly give him the mle...i kno its alot but he's worth it


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

Lakermike05 said:


> id tottaly give him the mle...i kno its alot but he's worth it


I'd give him the LLE... And a truck load of condoms....


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## Mrdectown (May 28, 2005)

PauloCatarino said:


> I'd give him the LLE... And a truck load of condoms....


NOW THATS FUNNY!!!!! :rofl:


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## Bartholomew Hunt (Mar 4, 2003)

PauloCatarino said:


> I'd give him the LLE... And a truck load of condoms....


 :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:


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## lafever8 (Jun 26, 2005)

you would give him the MLE? you crazy? i wouldnt pay him at all. why? because we dont need him at all!

PS: i'm back, you all missed me?


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## Obesa cantavit (Jul 16, 2005)

Kemp in '96 was one of the best players in the L. If he is 85% of that, which his trainer reports (may or may not be true since Kemp pays this guy) then he is a steal. I think its just as good as having Charles Oakley in his later Bulls/Wizards days. Hard to believe since he left as a fat piece of crap that was winded after running down the court, has a million illegitimate children, and is a coke head.

I wonder if he went on the Subway diet like Jared?


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## Geaux Tigers (Apr 26, 2004)

Ya know what else Shawn Kemp eyes...


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## Unique (Apr 13, 2005)

lafever8 said:


> you would give him the MLE? you crazy? i wouldnt pay him at all. why? because we dont need him at all!
> 
> PS: i'm back, you all missed me?


we dont need him? we dont need a big body? we dont need a better front court? when u say things like that it scares me


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## King Sancho Fantastic (Jul 19, 2005)

Id give him the lle or the vet minimum. If anyting he can be a decent back up at power forward. :wink:


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

I would take him in a heart beat... just because he was one of my favorite players. If we sign him and Nick I'll even forget about the Kwame trade or the Turiaf surgery.

http://s34.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=3NZVO7ABILH9K04T7GCJVA3JAL


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## Lakerman33 (Oct 16, 2004)

TAKE HIM. Who cares its the LLE


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

Jamel Irief said:


> I would take him in a heart beat... just because he was one of my favorite players. If we sign him and Nick I'll even forget about the Kwame trade or the Turiaf surgery.
> 
> http://s34.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=3NZVO7ABILH9K04T7GCJVA3JAL


Eheh... Great avatar, J...

I remember Shawn completely humiliated the Warriors team dunking helicopter-style on all their frontcourt players... TWICE...

And i remember Chris Gatling giving him a low-five, as astonished as he was...


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## Pinball (Aug 3, 2002)

Nothing more than the LLE. I'd never even consider giving him the MLE. He's got too many issues. First, can he keep the weight off? Is he still a coke head? Will he be able to regain the explosiveness that he had before he swallowed another person? He's 35 so there's no guarantee that he'll be as athletic as he was before, even if he works extra hard. Lastly, he's been out of basketball for a few years now and wasn't very good when he left. Even in today's market where people like Adonal Foyle get the MLE, I still wouldn't give it to Kemp.


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## lafever8 (Jun 26, 2005)

Obesa cantavit said:


> Kemp in '96 was one of the best players in the L. If he is 85% of that, which his trainer reports (may or may not be true since Kemp pays this guy) then he is a steal. I think its just as good as having Charles Oakley in his later Bulls/Wizards days. Hard to believe since he left as a fat piece of crap that was winded after running down the court, has a million illegitimate children, and is a coke head.
> 
> I wonder if he went on the Subway diet like Jared?


85% of what he was before? the best he can get is like 50% of what he was before. i dont think he'll ever be that effective. i mean, this guy is like 45 years old. i guess i would give him a chance with the LLE, but NO MORE THAN 1 YEAR!


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## lafever8 (Jun 26, 2005)

Lakermike05 said:


> we dont need him? we dont need a big body? we dont need a better front court? when u say things like that it scares me


sorry, i forgot about ronny.


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## Unique (Apr 13, 2005)

guys come on big guys are hard to find if hes lost the weight which was so hard do u really think hed want to gain it back.......i doubt he still does coke..nba has drug test u kno ...in the article is he talkin about this year or next?


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## LamarButler (Apr 16, 2005)

I didn't really watch him, so I got a question. Can he play center? I really wouldn't want to bring him back and take Kwame's minutes.


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## Unique (Apr 13, 2005)

LamarButler said:


> I didn't really watch him, so I got a question. Can he play center? I really wouldn't want to bring him back and take Kwame's minutes.


yes he can play center


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## clien (Jun 2, 2005)

man forget it shawn kemp is done, he was awsome in his prime i loved him,, but seriously we dont want him


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## Bartholomew Hunt (Mar 4, 2003)

I would probably be against it to. As bad as we need help with the frontcourt, we already have too many question marks as we stand now (Kwame, Phil/Kobe, etc).


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## Unique (Apr 13, 2005)

even in kemps last years he was still doing good ...he can give us alot more then vlade did


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## shobe42 (Jun 21, 2002)

Obesa cantavit said:


> Kemp in '96 was one of the best players in the L. If he is 85% of that, which his trainer reports (may or may not be true since Kemp pays this guy) then he is a steal. I think its just as good as having Charles Oakley in his later Bulls/Wizards days. Hard to believe since he left as a fat piece of crap that was winded after running down the court, has a million illegitimate children, and is a coke head.
> 
> I wonder if he went on the Subway diet like Jared?


85%... 8.5% would be lucky... and im not tryin to be funny


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## shobe42 (Jun 21, 2002)

actually tho, if we get payton back i say we sign Kemp on the spot :banana:


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## LoyalBull (Jun 12, 2002)

This isn't the first news Shawn Kemp has made this off season.

Few weeks ago he was arrested for Cocaine possession.

Thats all the Lakers need... more drama.

Want to change your life Kemp?

You can do so in other ways, like being a father (that should eat up all your time) and stop having enough coke on you (with gun too boot) that you could have 'intent to sell' labeled on you as well.

This wouldn't be a 'second chance' this would be like an 8th chance. And two years removed from the game and two months removed from a cocaine arrest? 

Who needs that drama?


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