Reginald Jamaal Evans is an American professional basketball player who now plays in the Big3 League. While limited in his offensive game, Evans was known for his rebounding, tenacity and hustle on the defensive end.
Reggie Williams is a retired professional basketball player who played ten seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was an All-American college player at Georgetown University and was a member of their 1983–84 National Championship team.
Rodney King Thorn is an American basketball executive and a former professional player and coach, Olympic Committee Chairman, with a career spanning over 50 years. In 2018, Thorn was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Artis Wayne Cooper was an American professional basketball player who played fourteen seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "Coop", he played for the Golden State Warriors, Utah Jazz, Dallas Mavericks, Portland Trail Blazers, and Denver Nuggets from 1978 to 1992. He was the Denver Nuggets’ all-time leader in blocks when he left the franchise in 1989. After his playing career ended, he worked as an executive with the Trail Blazers and Sacramento Kings.
Kurt Nimphius is an American former National Basketball Association (NBA) player. Nimphius played nine seasons in the NBA after his collegiate career at Arizona State University.
The 1990–91 NBA season was the 23rd season for the Seattle SuperSonics in the National Basketball Association. Head coach Bernie Bickerstaff was replaced by his former assistant K. C. Jones, and went on to occupy the desk of vice-president of Basketball Operations for Seattle, resigning months later to accept a job as General Manager of the Denver Nuggets. The Draft Lottery gave the SuperSonics the No. 2 pick, which was used to select future All-Star point guard Gary Payton out of Oregon State in the 1990 NBA draft.
The 1995–96 NBA season was the 28th season for the Seattle SuperSonics in the National Basketball Association. During the off-season, the Sonics acquired shooting guards Hersey Hawkins and David Wingate from the Charlotte Hornets, and re-acquired Frank Brickowski from the Sacramento Kings. The team returned to what had now become the KeyArena at Seattle Center after spending the previous season in the Tacoma Dome, while the KeyArena was being renovated. After two consecutive playoffs appearances losing in the first round, the Sonics got off to a 9–6 start in November, but later on posted a 14-game winning streak between February and March, then won nine straight games between March and April. The team held a 34–12 record at the All-Star break, then won 30 of their final 36 games afterwards to finish the regular season with a franchise best 64–18 record, surpassing the record from the 1993–94 season, and earned their third number one seed in the Western Conference in franchise history. They also posted a 38–3 record at home, which was second best in the league.
The 1987–88 Chicago Bulls season was the 22nd season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Bulls finished second in the Central Division with a 50–32 record. Michael Jordan was named the league's Most Valuable Player and Defensive Player of the Year. He also won the All-Star Game MVP and Slam Dunk Contest during the All-Star Weekend, which was held in Chicago. In the first round of the playoffs, the Bulls defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in five games, but lost to the Detroit Pistons in five games in the semifinals. Following the season, Charles Oakley was traded to the New York Knicks. The Bulls had the third best team defensive rating in the NBA.
The 1990–91 NBA season was the Clippers' 21st season in the National Basketball Association, and their 7th season in Los Angeles. Finishing near the bottom of the NBA continued to leave the Clippers with high draft choices, selecting Bo Kimble out of Loyola Marymount with the 8th pick, and Loy Vaught from the University of Michigan with the 13th pick in the 1990 NBA draft. Through the first six weeks, the Clippers were sailing around .500. with a 10–10 record. However, they would struggle losing 12 of their next 13 games, as Ron Harper only played just 39 games due to a knee injury. At midseason, Benoit Benjamin was traded to the Seattle SuperSonics in exchange for Olden Polynice. Despite winning five straight games in late March, the Clippers finished sixth in the Pacific Division with a 31–51 record, topping 50 losses for the tenth consecutive season.
The 1991–92 NBA season was the Clippers' 22nd season in the National Basketball Association, and their 8th season in Los Angeles. During the off-season, the Clippers acquired Doc Rivers from the Atlanta Hawks, and James Edwards from the Detroit Pistons. The Clippers, led by Danny Manning and Ron Harper, won five of their first seven games. They would lose six straight afterwards, but then post an 8-game winning streak in December which led them to a 14–10 start. However, they would struggle over the next few weeks sliding back below .500 with a 21–24 record as head coach Mike Schuler was fired. After splitting two games under interim Mack Calvin, and holding a 22–25 record at the All-Star break, the team hired Larry Brown, who resigned as coach of the San Antonio Spurs a few weeks earlier.
The 1992–93 NBA season was the Detroit Pistons' 45th season in the National Basketball Association, and 36th season in the city of Detroit. During the off-season, the Pistons signed free agent Terry Mills, and acquired Olden Polynice from the Los Angeles Clippers. Under new head coach Ron Rothstein, the Pistons years of battle would catch up with them as they lost nine of their first eleven games. However, they would win ten of their next eleven games to climb back into playoff connection, but then slip below .500 holding a 21–29 record at the All-Star break. At midseason, the team traded Orlando Woolridge to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for All-Star guard Alvin Robertson. After posting many winning and losing streaks throughout the entire season, the Pistons missed the playoffs for the first time in ten years, finishing sixth in the Central Division with a 40–42 record.
The 1975–76 Phoenix Suns season was the eighth season for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association. The season included an improbable run to the NBA Finals by a team that had never won a playoff series and made the playoffs only one other season in the franchise's existence. With a regular season record of 42–40, the Suns had finished third in the Pacific division standings and improved upon last season's win total by 10 games. The ensuing playoff run took plenty by surprise, including a seven-game series win against the Western Conference's top seed and defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors, a team that had finished 17 games ahead of the Suns in the divisional standings. The franchise's first Finals appearance pitted them against a 12-time champion in the Boston Celtics, whose roster featured three players from that season's All-Star Game. The 1976 NBA Finals would feature a memorable Game 5 triple-overtime thriller filled with controversies in which the Suns narrowly lost. Returning home for Game 6, the demoralized Suns would lose Game 6 and the series but not before endearing a generation of fans to the Suns franchise and showcasing basketball from the desert southwest. The team's "Cinderella" season earned them the nickname Sunderella Suns. John MacLeod was head coach and the Suns played their home games at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
The 1994–95 NBA season was the Kings' 46th season in the National Basketball Association, and tenth season in Sacramento. In the 1994 NBA draft, the Kings selected Brian Grant out of Xavier University with the eighth overall pick. During the off-season, the team signed free agent Frank Brickowski, who missed the entire season with a preseason shoulder injury, and never played for the team during the regular season. With the arrivals of Grant, and second round draft pick Michael Smith, and replacing Lionel Simmons as the team's starting small forward with Walt Williams, the Kings played above .500 for the first half of the season with a 25–20 record at the All-Star break. However, after a 28–20 start, they struggled with a 7-game losing streak afterwards and began to slip under .500. On the final day of the regular season, the Kings faced the Denver Nuggets at McNichols Sports Arena for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Nuggets would win, 102–89 as the Kings went home with a 39–43 record, fifth in the Pacific Division, missing the playoffs for the ninth consecutive season.
The 1996–97 NBA season was the Kings' 48th season in the National Basketball Association, and 12th season in Sacramento. During the off-season, the Kings acquired Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf from the Denver Nuggets, and signed free agent Jeff Grayer in January. Coming off their first playoff appearance in ten years, expectations in Sacramento were high. However, the Kings struggled with an 8–17 start to the season, as Brian Grant only played just 24 games due to a shoulder injury, and Billy Owens missed 16 games early into the season with a groin injury. The Kings would rebound to get back into playoff contention, holding a 21–28 record at the All-Star break. However, after holding a 28–32 record as of March 5, the team went on a 7-game losing streak as head coach Garry St. Jean was fired, and replaced with assistant Eddie Jordan for the remainder of the season. The Kings finished sixth in the Pacific Division with a 34–48 record, missing the playoffs by finishing just two games behind the 8th-seeded Los Angeles Clippers.
The 1997–98 NBA season was the Kings' 49th season in the National Basketball Association, and 13th season in Sacramento. During the off-season, the Kings signed free agent Terry Dehere. The team decided to add youth to their roster with the addition of rookies Lawrence Funderburke, top draft pick Tariq Abdul-Wahad, second round draft pick Anthony Johnson and undrafted rookie center Michael Stewart. The Kings got off to a slow start losing their first four games on their way to a 5–14 start, but later on won 8 of their 14 games in January, and held a 20–28 record at the All-Star break. At midseason, the team traded Michael Smith and Bobby Hurley the Vancouver Grizzlies in exchange for former Kings forward Otis Thorpe. However, with a 26–36 record as of March 6, the Kings struggled losing 19 of their final 20 games, including a 12-game losing streak and seven straight losses to end the season. They finished fifth in the Pacific Division with a 27–55 record, which was fourteen games behind the 8th-seeded Houston Rockets.
The 1995–96 NBA season was the Kings' 47th season in the National Basketball Association, and 11th season in Sacramento. In the 1995 NBA draft, the Kings selected Corliss Williamson from the University of Arkansas with the thirteenth overall pick, and selected Tyus Edney out of UCLA with the 47th overall pick. During the off-season, the team acquired Šarūnas Marčiulionis from the Seattle SuperSonics, and acquired Tyrone Corbin from the Atlanta Hawks. The Kings would play their best basketball winning their first five games of the season. However, things turned ugly as a brawl occurred in a 119–95 road win over the Indiana Pacers on November 10, 1995, with a total of 16 players, eight from each team suspended. The team played above .500 for the first half of the season, holding a 24–20 record at the All-Star break. However, after a 24–17 start, the Kings struggled losing eleven straight games in February, as they traded Corbin and Walt Williams to the Miami Heat in exchange for Billy Owens and Kevin Gamble. Despite their struggles, the Kings would finally end their nine-year playoff drought by winning 9 of their final 15 games. They would capture the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference with a 39–43 record, which was the same record as the previous season, and fifth in the Pacific Division.
The 1988–89 NBA season was the Seattle SuperSonics' 22nd season in the National Basketball Association. During the off-season, the Sonics acquired Michael Cage from the Los Angeles Clippers. The SuperSonics won their first three games of the season, and held a 28–18 record at the All-Star break. However, the team lost seven straight games between March and April, but then posted an 8-game winning streak afterwards, and finished third in the Pacific Division with a 47–35 record.
The 1999–2000 NBA season was the 33nd season for the Seattle SuperSonics in the National Basketball Association. The SuperSonics had the thirteenth overall pick in the 1999 NBA draft, and selected Corey Maggette out of Duke University, but soon traded him to the Orlando Magic in exchange for Horace Grant. The team also acquired Brent Barry from the Chicago Bulls, and signed free agents Vernon Maxwell, second-year forward Ruben Patterson and three-point specialist Chuck Person. Two years removed from the George Karl-era, the Sonics held a 31–20 record at the All-Star break, and managed to make the playoffs after a one-year absence, finishing fourth in the Pacific Division with a 45–37 record. They took the 2nd-seeded Utah Jazz to a fifth and decisive game in the Western Conference First Round before being eliminated on Utah's home floor.
The 1993–94 NBA season was the Pistons' 46th season in the National Basketball Association, and 37th season in the city of Detroit. In the 1993 NBA draft, the Pistons selected Lindsey Hunter out of Jackson State with the tenth overall pick, and selected Allan Houston from the University of Tennessee with the eleventh overall pick. During the off-season, the Pistons acquired Sean Elliott from the San Antonio Spurs, signed free agent Greg Anderson, and hired Don Chaney as head coach.
Eniel Polynice is an American basketball player for Saint-Quentin of the LNB Pro B.
