I wrote this article months and months ago. I thought I’d post it up on my blog now that I’ve found it — also because I’ve been needing to update this. — Enjoy.
Sam Cassell is one of the most underrated players of all time.
This guy has ALWAYS been a winner.
In his rookie season/Sophmore season with Houston he won 2 NBA championships. Sure he was brought into a good situation playing with Hakeem Olajuwon and company but he played a major role in there championship runs. not only did he bring instanty energy and effiency off the bench he hit some MAJOR clutch shots in the playoffs and NBA finals. Remember the back breaking shot he hit against New York in the finals? He came up huge for Houston. I am actually going to go out on the limb and say Houston would NOT have beat New York in 94 to win the title without Cassell on the roster. So he won 2 championships with the Rockets.
Gets traded to Phoenix in the Barkley deal. Then journeys to Dallas. I am not going to go into depth about his play there because 1. I dont know too much about it. 2. He only spent less than 30 games with Dallas and Phoenix combined. He ddint play enough games there to make an impact.
1996 comes around Sam Cassell is a Net. He gets traded mid season didnt really have time to adjust so the Nets miss the playoffs by a few games. 1997 rolls around Sam Cassell gets a chance to play a full season with this team and he takes them to a seed in the playoffs. He led a bad team to the playoffs and a 2nd place seed in his division. That is amazing considering the players he had around him. Not forget to mention a coach who isnt very good. John Calipari is a pretty bad coach. That team was full with underachievers like Keith Van Horn, Kerry Kittles, Chris Catling, Jayson Williams, ect.
Sure he lost to the Bulls in the first round of the playoffs but who doesnt lose to the Bulls?
NJ ships him over to Milwaukee. The year before he arrived they made the playoffs. However, it was during the shortened season and they were only 28-22.
They get Cassell he takes them to the playoffs and keeps them with the tough Indiana Pacers for 5 games.
The very next season. His first full season as a Buck he takes them to the Eastern Conference Finals to play the great 76ers team that went on to beat the Lakers in game 1 of the NBA finals.
Anyways, he takes them to the Eastern conference finals and pushes the 76ers to 7 games. You can make the case that Ray Allen was the leader of this team but if you watched the finals you would know why I am saying this. Sam Cassell is the only reason the Bucks pushed the 76ers the first 7 games. He hit 5-6 huge 4th quarter shots just in that series alone.
They miss the playoffs the next season. They come back strong then to lose to the eventual almost champ NJ Nets. Again Cassell is the reason they gave the Nets a tough first round series.
Gets shipped over to Minnesota. Before he arrived the Timerwolves have been eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for 7-8 straight seasons! His FIRST season as a Timerwolve he not only leads them to the best record in the Western Conference. He takes them all the way to the Western Conference finals. Keep in mind the Wolves were always getting the early ticket in the playoffs. And this guy takes them to Western Conference Finals his first season?
That, my friends is amazing.
Now he signs with the LA Clippers. A team who before he arrived has been one of the worst NBA franchises of all time. They had not made the playoffs in over a decade. Cassell shows and and all of a sudden the Clippers start winning games. They go from one of the worst teams in league history to having a top 6 seed in the tough Western Conference. He is the main reason for the Clippers’ steller season last year. I am not jumping on the Elton Brand bandwagon, but I stick by my opinion that it is Sam Cassell that is the reason for this teams success.
My main point for this entire posts was to show that not only has Cassell always been a winner. He has led every team he has ever played for to a top seed. Its NOT a coincidence that when he arrived in NJ the horrible Nets make the playoffs. Its NOT a coincidence he led the previous Bucks team who had not made the playoffs the previous season before he arrived to the Eastern Conference finals. It is NOT a coincidence that he led a Minnesota team who has never been out of the first round of the playoffs to the Western conference finals and the best record in the league in his first season with the team.
It is NOT a coincidence that he is leading the Clippers team who has not sniffed the playoffs in ages to a top 6 seed in the West last season.
It is a shame this guy has only made one All-star team his entire career. He has led some huge turnarounds in the NBA.
Sam Cassell, one of the most underrated NBA players in HISTORY.
5 Comments
June 18, 2007 at 4:43 pm
Cassell also took the Florida State basketball team (notoriously unsuccessful) to the final eight of teh 1992 NCAA tournament.
July 3, 2007 at 9:54 pm
Sam Cassell is as good as Gary Payton. It’s a shame that a player with the same numbers as cassell in Points per game and Assists per game is going to the hall of fame when sam cassell gets just one all-star nomination.
July 19, 2007 at 3:43 am
Most Underrated? Try Rex Chapman. Thanks for playing.
January 1, 2008 at 8:29 am
Sam is one of the great guards that made the Clippers one of the most dominant team in the Western Conference. He is a very talented player who can make points and assist. I think its he has all the rights to become one of the greatest players in the NBA.
JIM11
Clippers Fan
May 12, 2008 at 3:43 am
tahmid, you are a fuckin fag who obviously knows nothing about basketball. I completely agree that cassell is underrated, but he is NO WHERE near gary payton. Gary payton and michael jordan are the 2 greatest defensive guards of all time. Cassell’s played D like 4 times in his life. Cassell was never the go to player or shut down defender that gary was. Gary played D on the opponents best player, then gave you mid 20’s for points and 7-8 dimes a game and a couple steals. NO WAY IN FUCK is Cassell comparible to Gary Payton. Cassell came into the league on the best team, and yes I agree he was key for the rockets team and im a big cassell fan. But he has never had to be the franchise player. he’s always been a role player everyhwere he goes. In houston it was hakeem’s team, in Milwaukee it was Ray and Robinson’s team. He’s a role player, a GREAT role player. GP is a fuckin superstar.