Update: The hits keep coming for Martell Webster. Ten days after undergoing season-ending hip surgery, the Washington Wizards are reportedly in the process of waving Webster, who has one year left on his contract according to Shams Charania of YahooSports!
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Some will understand where I am coming from on this. Others may boo me out of the building. But during my days covering the NBA as a writer in New York, New Jersey (rip) and Portland, I never cheered for the Knicks, Nets or Blazers – especially in the press box.
Instead, I pulled for and applauded the stories I wrote and read along the way during those 7 years writing about the NBA.
I still do — regardless of the sport. I love the stories within the stories and the emotions they tap into.
One story and person I have followed over the years, starting from those Rip City days is Martell Webster. As you may recall, Webster was selected by the Blazers 6th overall in the 2005 NBA Draft and was projected to be part of Portland’s youth movement. He was – here and there – when he was healthy. The sad part is, Martell is still not healthy.
My heart sunk when I read this headline this morning from the Washington Post:
Wizards’ Martell Webster to undergo season-ending hip surgery Friday
The setback is part of what seems to be a never-ending list of injuries, surgeries and obstacles for the 28-year old Seattle prep alum to overcome. Again – his foot, his back, now the hip.
I’m not going to play this off like Martell and I are boys. Or that he even remembers my name. But his story has left an impression on me over the years, even as he battled through injuries with the Blazers. I can remember him being in a walking boot and grabbing a black folding chair to work on his shooting form, upper body strength and range. It was a common scene at the practice facility and pre-game shoot around. In fact, when I coached high school basketball in Germany last year, I included Martell’s chair shooting drill into my individual workouts with the kids.
I simply called it: The Martell Webster Drill.
“Hell no,” Webster said when asked if it could be a career-ending operation. “I hope not. Doc said 85 percent chance [of returning]. I’ll take that.”
And I’ll take another chance to follow and cheer for this story.
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