BF Number 19: Rod Strickland

Part 2 of a 20 part series. I'll be up next with Kevin Loughery. Until then, enjoy this great write up from SP Yup. -Jake

Rod Strickland.

Man...
Assist-Machine...
Hot-dog vomiting god...

Drafted by the New York Knicks, but forced to sit behind Mark Jackson, Strickland bounced around to the Surs and the Trailblazers before he found his way into a Bullets uniform.

Strickland was perhaps the MOST underrated player of my generation. Need proof?

1. His first three years with the Bullets/Wizards, he had the highest PER (Player Efficiency Rating) in the NBA (based on total average).
2. In his second year with the Wizards (1997-1998) he led the league in assists at a clip of 10.5
3. He became the 25th player to score 10,000 points and dish out 5,000 assists. The previous 24  players to accomplish the feat had played in an all-star game. There are now 39 players who have accomplished it. The newest 13 have all also played in an all-star game.

   Strickland hasn't.

   His statistics from the 97-98 season compare quite well to Steve Nash's MVP seasons aside from 3PT shooting percentage.

   He was 2nd-Team All NBA. That's it.

4. He punched Tracy Murray in the face.
      (You could tell that Tracy needed a good shot to the face)
5. He compensated for his two OVERRATED teammates,  Webber and Howard, and guided the team to success during spells of injuries for both.
6. He had a propensity for eating MASS amounts of fastfood before games, and more often than not (at least 5 times during games where I sat VIP)said food was regurgitated.

Some people claim that Strickland "didn't live up to his potential". This is simply false, he just was never recognized for the great player he was.   He was a selfless pass-first PG who was more than capable of scoring at will (as evidenced by his PPG while in Washington), who never complained. Ever. My favorite Strickland anecdote took place in the 98-99 season, when (then coach) Bernie Bickerstaff put him on Michael Jordan. Michael had  about a good 5 inches on Rod. Rod SHUT HIM DOWN. And then, he made a three in MJ's face, got fouled, made the free-throw, and just stared him down.

WHO STARES DOWN MICHAEL JORDAN?!?!?!

Rod Strickland does goddamnit.

"Rod Strickland, HE'S THE MAN, HE'S THE MAN! THAT'S THE REASON I'M A WIZARDS FAN!"