Top 20 Cleveland Cavaliers: #18 Terrell Brandon
Top 20 Cleveland Cavaliers: #18 Terrell Brandon
At this point, I'm making my picks and sticking with them. I'm sure that there will be many who see the remaining 17 and say, "How could heput him over Terrell?" The reason is, because I didn't truly start watching all of the games until the 1996 season, Terrell's last with the Cavaliers. My top 20 list is dedicated to those Cavaliers I can remember watching.
That being said, #18 on our list is the great Terrell Brandon. Born in Portland, Oregon, Terrell attended Grant High School and eventually went on to lead his team to the Division III state title in 1988, thesame year I was born.
Terrell decided to attend the University of Oregon, and he immediately was identified as top NBA recruit for the1991 NBA Draft.The Cleveland Cavaliers selected5 foot 11" Brandonwiththe 11th pick overrall. Henaturally became the leader ofteam, whichhadhistorically been a mockery in the Association. He kept developing his skillset, and eventually was named an EasternConferenceAll-Star in 1996, and then again in 1997. That's impressive for a mediocre team at best.
Terrell never really fully appreciated his nickname, "The Lone Ranger" but did admit that it fit his personality. "I'm a people person when I'm with people," he said, "but I'm not out there to meet people."In a 1997Sports Illustrated issue,Terrell was named theBest Point Guard in the NBA. Pretty impressivewhen you considerhe was playingon a teamthat finished 42-40, good enough for5th place in theCentralDivision. He played alongside otherTop 20 candidates Danny Ferry, BobbyPhills, and Bob Sura.
In the Sports Illustrated issue, Brandon was touted for his focus on basketball and not on being a superstar. He was quoted as saying that there's not a city in the NBA that he could describe, nor a restaurant that he could name. "People think I'm going to use my money to buy cars," he said, "but I'd rather give it to my church, to my family, do something I can be proud of. All those days sitting in the hotel room, looking out the window, this is what I'm thinking about. What can I do to make my son 5 year old Trevor proud of me. What can I do so my parents will be proud of me."
The simplicity of his life surprised many. He sought no endorsements, no press coverage, none of the trappings of stardom. "This life is easy if you let it be," he explained, bewildered that anyone might court fuss. "I won't complicate mine. I play the game, go home, wait for the next day. I don't want any stress in my life."
In addition to being dubbed "The Best Point Guard in the NBA" in 1997, Brandon also won the NBA Sportsmanship Award. Class all the way. Brandon was traded along with TyroneHillin 1997 to the Milwaukee Bucks, in the infamous Shawn Kemp deal. He finished his career in Minnesota and retired in 2001.
Those are a few things that separate "The Lone Ranger" from some of today's players, whose focus seems to be on celebrity status, advertising dollars, and creating a media buzz about their every move. Holding a city hostage, while the head coach gets fired in an attempt to satisfy his every desire. Wait a minute, that kind of sounds like LeBron now that I think about it. The King could learn a thing or too from Terrell. Terrell Brandon is Underrated
http://lebronunderrated.blogspot.com
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