Mully a HOFer

Discussion in 'Golden State Warriors' started by CohanHater, Apr 4, 2011.

  1. CohanHater

    CohanHater JBB JustBBall Member

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    Mullin got voted in. I'm happy for him. I enjoyed many a Mullin game, especially the 40+ Point duel with Magic Johnson in the 2nd round of the playoffs. That's my favorite Mullin performance of all time.
     
  2. jason bourne

    jason bourne JBB JustBBall Member

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    Wow. This is a "surprise" culmination and apex for me as a Warrior fan. First and foremost, congrats and hats off to Chris Mullin. You worked hard all your life as a basketball player and person you wanted to be. You took the God given talent you had and crafted and honed it into marvelous perfection -- that wonderful spring water of a jump shot, the ability to find a seam or crevice in a sea of bodies and arms in order to get to the rim for a layup or to gain a split second in order to get your shot off, the nonchalant change of speed or quick change of direction in order to make an offensive move or no-look pass, the anticipation and moving of your feet to get to a spot on the floor and cut a faster man off and quick hands to strip the ball from your man while he was evaluating his next move.

    I started off as a Golden State Warrior fan with Run TMC. Was it in 1988? I seem to remember it was the 1989 or 1990, but I think that was when I became a STH. To me, that team was the "greatest" Golden State Warrior team. I was wondering if Chris Mullin was going to make the Basketball Hall of Fame. If one just looks at the stats in basketballreference.com, then he's not on the "cream" list when one compared it to the players already there. Chris Mullin had years where he had the stats and credentials, but was it enough? That's why it was a "surprise" to me that he made it. It was not a surprise that he had the talent and hard work behind it to make it happen. Chris Mullin is and always will be a Golden State Warrior. Now, he will be one of, if not the greatest, modern Golden State Warrior. It would be great if the Warriors honor Chris Mullin and retire his number. I will definitely try to get tixs to that event.

    Mullin's career (wikipedia)
    In Mullin's first three seasons with the Warriors, he was primarily a spot-up shooting guard playing in the backcourt alongside Eric "Sleepy" Floyd. In his second season, the Warriors advanced to the Western Conference semifinals under George Karl, where they lost to the eventual NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers.

    However, Mullin was uncomfortable playing on the West Coast, having basically lived all his life in New York. A heavy drinker in college who never worked out much, other than playing basketball, Mullin sank further into alcoholism. In his third season with the Warriors, the team was beset with all types of turmoil, starting with the suspension of center Chris Washburn for drug abuse. The team would also trade malcontents with the Houston Rockets, sending Floyd and Joe Barry Carroll for Ralph Sampson and Steve Harris. Karl was fired after 64 games. Mullin missed 22 games himself with injuries but still managed to average 20.2 points per game.

    1988 marked a new era for Mullin and the Warriors. Don Nelson was hired as head coach and vice president and immediately re-tooled the team. He drafted guard Mitch Richmond with the intent of moving Mullin to small forward. Nelson advised Mullin to get himself into alcohol rehabilitation and start getting himself in better shape. Mullin complied, and the player the Warriors thought they were getting in the 1985 draft finally showed up.

    For five consecutive seasons, from 1988 until 1993, Mullin scored an average of 25 or more points and five rebounds. He became the only Warrior player besides Wilt Chamberlain ever to have five consecutive 25-ppg seasons. Additionally, the Warriors made five straight playoff appearances. Mullin, Richmond, and 1989 first-round draftee Tim Hardaway formed the trio "Run TMC" that were the focal stars of this playoff run. A five-time All-Star, Mullin also won Olympic gold twice—as a member of the 1984 amateur team, and for the 1992 Dream Team.

    In 1993-94, Mullin's and the Warriors' fortunes began to change. Nelson traded for Chris Webber on NBA Draft day and dealt Richmond to the Sacramento Kings for Billy Owens, hoping to make the Warriors stronger in the frontcourt. Mullin's body began breaking down, however, and he began to miss significant numbers of games. The Warriors had a successful first season with Webber, but he and Don Nelson began to bicker over his use as a player. This led Nelson to resign, and subsequent coaches saw Mullin as injury-prone and began to center the team around Latrell Sprewell. Mullin was traded after the 1996–97 season to the Indiana Pacers for second-year center Erick Dampier and NBA journeyman Duane Ferrell.

    Mullin had a successful first season with the Pacers, coached by Larry Bird. He started all 82 games, averaged 11.3 points per game, and helped the Pacers to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they lost to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in seven tough games. Bird, however, began to phase Mullin out and give more time to Jalen Rose at small forward. Mullin did, however, appear in three games of the 2000 NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. After that season, Mullin was waived by the Pacers . He then once again signed with Warriors for the 2000–01 season, his last season as a player.

    Effort more than physicality marked Mullin's playing style. Somewhat lanky at 215 pounds and six-foot seven inches, Mullin managed to hold his own. He was a dead-eye outside shooter and could go to either his left or right and shoot with either hand, despite being naturally left-handed. This made him difficult for many NBA small forwards to guard. In fact, he was compared to NBA legend Larry Bird because both players lacked speed, had a great outside shot and had the innate ability to put their defender off guard.[2] He was on the All-NBA second team (1989 and 1991), third team (1990), and first team (1992). Mullin also appeared in the 1995 Billy Crystal movie Forget Paris.

    After his playing days were over, Mullin was hired as a special assistant by the Warriors, and was named Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations for the team on April 22, 2004. On May 11, 2009, the team announced that Mullin's expiring contract would not be renewed.[3] He was replaced by Larry Riley as the Warriors' General Manager.

    He is currently an NBA analyst for ESPN.

    On Feb. 28, 2011, Chris Mullin was elected to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. Induction will take place at the Hall of Fame on Nov. 20, 2011 as part of a three-day celebration that includes the CBE Classic at Sprint Center. [4]

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Mullin_(basketball)

    In order to better appreciate Chris Mullin, I did a little search and came up with some back story. Mullin was an East coast guy and still has his legendary roots in New York. He may not be as appreciated as much in GS-land because of the Cohan years and being GM, but as a player, he was always on the top shelf.

    http://www.bouncemag.com/2011/04/04/the-playground-gave-us-mo-aka-chris-mullin/
     
  3. CohanHater

    CohanHater JBB JustBBall Member

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    Very Nice JB...I concur about seeing 17 in the rafters. I'd pay for the best available seats to that event. Mullin was the player than made me love basketball (even though he cherry picked or as Papa would say "leaked out" more than any player probably in the history of the game). I loved the touch passes and quick hands that inevitably would lead to 3 or 4 balls that were poked out a game. Not to mention the way he always squared up or "drew contact" and got his shot off. My brother and I are sharing drinks tonight and watching old Mullin youtubes.
     
  4. Shapecity

    Shapecity S2/JBB Teamster Staff Member Administrator

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    Very deserving honor for Mullin. He had an All-Star pro career and an impressive college resume.

    I hated this trade ... "dealt Richmond to the Sacramento Kings for Billy Owens"
     
  5. Zhone

    Zhone JBB JustBBall Member

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    Yep, I was always a fan of the Warriors but the Run TMC era has some of my best memories of that time. I probably have a few pictures somewhere of me with my Mullin buzz-cut getting ready to cheer on the Warriors.

    Lacob did a good job by contacting Mullin to congratulate him and retire his number next year.

    http://www.csnbayarea.com/04/05/11/...een-M/landing.html?blockID=497817&feedID=5986
     

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