Published: July 9, 2008
What Anthony Mason lacked in size he made up for in pure, unadulterated grit and an off-court personality ahead of its time. Just five years into retirement and seven years removed from his first and only All-Star appearance, the man they called Mase is already being unfairly overlooked.While the rest of the NBA was making its transition from short shorts to urban-inspired spunk, Anthony Mason was shaving slogans into his head, appearing in rap videos and locking down opposing team’s scorers with a physique to make Bruce Banner blush.
But on top of just looking like a bouncer in New York’s finest clubs, Mason made his living combining an unseen versatility on the court with a passion lit from years bouncing around the outskirts of the NBA.
Originally drafted to the Portland Trail Blazers in 1988, Mason didn’t quite catch on from the start and found himself venturing abroad to play professionally in Turkey long before European basketball was as chic as it is today. It wasn’t until the 1989-90 season that Mason made his debut in the Bigs with the New Jersey Nets.
After parts of two seasons in the NBA (one with the Nets and another with the Denver Nuggets), Mason headed for stints in the CBA and USBL before a man by the name of Pat Riley scooped him up to star in a frontcourt alongside the likes of Patrick Ewing, Charles Oakley and Charles Smith.
During his days with the Knicks, Mason found himself emerging as a force offensively while still responsible for shutting down some of the game’s greatest players on the other end of the floor. In the 1995-96 season Mason led the entire NBA in minutes played, a testament to his drastic improvement as a player.
In 1996 Mason was swapped as part of the deal that brought Larry Johnson to the Knicks from the Charlotte Hornets. Despite the move, however, Mason continued to lead the league in minutes played as his numbers blossomed yet again playing alongside Glen Rice in North Carolina.
Statistically, the 1996-97 marked the best of Mason’s career as he erupted for 16.2 points, 11.4 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game. Mason was rewarded for his efforts with a spot on the All-NBA Third team at the conclusion of the season.
Mason would go on to play for Charlotte for the next two seasons (plus the lockout) until he was once again recruited with Riley, at this point with the Miami Heat. Here, Mason would end up being the main beneficiary of the glut of minutes made available when Alonzo Mourning went down with a kidney ailment.
That February, during his first and only season with the Heat, Mason was elected to replace his injured teammate and help fill the void created by an also-injured Grant Hill on the Eastern Conference All-Star team. The selection would be the first and last for Mason while also making the beginning of the end of his 13-year career.
After signing with the Milwaukee Bucks before the 2001-02 season, Mason showed up to training camp with his new team overweight and drew criticism over the next two seasons for not helping the team chemistry which was previously at a relative high thanks to the contributions of Glenn Robinson, Ray Allen and Sam Cassell.
After the 2002-03 season Mason called it quits and has quietly remained out of the NBA ever since. After helping usher in the league’s bold new identity, the man who once rocked team logos shaved into the back of his head has withdrawn from the eyes of the public while his son, Anthony Mason Jr., makes a name for himself at St. John’s University.
Photo Credit: Icon Sports Media
10 Comments on "Hey! Whatever Happened To Anthony Mason?"
neil on Wed, 9th Jul 2008 8:47 am
I just loved seeing Mase carrying the ball up the floor with that combination smile/menacing look on his face. He was one-of-a-kind.
rashad on Wed, 9th Jul 2008 9:02 am
He was an absolute beast who could control the game at times on the floor..he’s like a poor man’s Ron Artest
Paul on Wed, 9th Jul 2008 10:59 pm
I was just thinkin about this other day. The 6′6 Mase playing power forward and took absolutely forever to release his shot on free throws. I loved em in his Heat days taking the ball up the left side of the court with his right hand, every single time. Great Article
alex gomez on Sat, 12th Jul 2008 2:03 pm
mase was super
Dan Marjele on Tue, 29th Jul 2008 9:44 pm
Mason was totally overrated. Yes he was big and physical, but like many dudes, he played hard when he wanted too, not all the time. And when he got signed up for a bigger contract he relaxed a little too much.
Jason on Tue, 12th Aug 2008 6:43 pm
I loved watching the abomination that was his free throw mechanics
Tony Mallette on Thu, 4th Sep 2008 12:25 am
Mase is a friend of mine now and is and always will a good person
mybaker on Sat, 13th Sep 2008 2:43 pm
I was just at an estate sale here in Charlotte today where they sold the contents of his home here. I really didnt know who he was so I googled when I got home which brought me here. I didn’t buy much but I did get a 3 piece set of LV luggage. Nice taste. I hope he is okay.
DSmith on Sat, 6th Dec 2008 10:42 am
I went to college with Mason and he was a real funny guy. It would be nice to catch up with him.
J bryant on Fri, 26th Feb 2010 10:35 pm
Anthony lived next door to us in Jamaica, N.Y. I have been trying for years to get in touch with him