Comments on: Hey! Whatever Happened To Bryant Reeves?

By: Bryant Reeves – Fleer Ultra 1999-00 | Cardboard Kingpin

Bryant Reeves – Fleer Ultra 1999-00 | Cardboard Kingpin — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 02:07:36 +0000

[...] Hoops Addict has a good read on Big Country if you’re looking for more. [...]

By: Dale Ferriere

Dale Ferriere — Sun, 31 May 2009 15:11:24 +0000

This article is an example of racism in basketball. I saw when Reeves put up 41 points on the Celtics. I also saw Reeves wilter when pitted against Shaq. Nevertheless, prior to his weight, back and knee problems he was probably a top five center, thereby qualifying him for the salary boost he got from Vancouver’s GM. Like many pro athletes, once they sign the big contract they never live up to expectations. Additionally, the mix with Rahim was a disaster. Rahim, also highly over-rated, killed every team he was on, including the Olympics. Rahim’s demand for the ball in the post, lousy outside shooting, and inability to pass also led to Reeve’s demise and a Vancouver franchise to die on the vine.

Don’t blame Reeves for Vancouver leaving, blame Rahim.

By: Valerie Kisling

Valerie Kisling — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 16:08:06 +0000

I called him a gentleman earlier – saw him recently at the KU game in Stillwater and tried to speak with him. He blew me off. At first I was mad, then just kinda sad for him. It’s too bad. His wife was very sweet.

By: t diddy

t diddy — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 03:53:42 +0000

There are only two ways to make it to the league–you find basketball or basketball finds you. Big Country wasn’t looking for basketball, it found him. He is much more in his element raising cattle in Oklahoma now. He was an emotional pick for the Grizz, who needed to make an immediate impact in a situation where the league handcuffed expansion teams by blocking lottery draft picks.

By: ball holder

ball holder — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:33:59 +0000

Anybody want to buy a signed big country ball, Going cheap

By: Chad

Chad — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 04:15:17 +0000

This article is loaded with inaccuracies, so I chose to focus on the most glaring:

Bryant Reeves was definitely overrated and overpaid (as was every NBA player during the period in which he signed the big contract), but not under skilled. He had soft hands, good shooting touch and some good post moves as evidenced by his two 16 point, 8 rebound seasons (he was a 20 and 10 player for the second half of the latter). Players in the NBA don’t put up those kinds of numbers by being “under skilled”.

“…it seemed as if he was made to play for Vancouver, right down to his Paul Bunyan, lumberjack look.” You have obviously never been to Vancouver judging by that ignorant statement! Cities in the American Midwest are befitting of that statement; Vancouver is on the west coast.

There is a sundry list of more significant reasons as to why the Grizzlies left Vancouver than Reeves’ contract; a lack of corporate support, poor ownership/management, NBA players refusing to play in Vancouver, and restrictions placed on the Canadian expansion teams by the NBA just to name a few.

Reeves’ retirement was primarily due to chronic back problems and knee problems, not the inaccurate and/or speculative reasons mentioned in the article.

There is much more, but I don’t have all night. A little more focus on research might be in order.

Chad
Greater Vancouver resident
Former Grizzlies seasons ticket holder (95–96 through 97–98)

By: Valerie Kisling

Valerie Kisling — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 19:28:02 +0000

Bryant was and is a gentleman and a lovely person.

By: Tom Scott

Tom Scott — Fri, 04 May 2007 20:12:16 +0000

Reeves, Vin Baker, and probably a couple others got fat during the lockout and were never the same again.

By: Jaz

Jaz — Thu, 03 May 2007 00:44:49 +0000

Here is the Wiki entry, he did end with chronic back pain.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryant_Reeves

By: Jaz

Jaz — Thu, 03 May 2007 00:41:51 +0000

I thought Reeves hung it up because of back problems. No doubt the extra weight would have had a part in that.