# ESPN Lists Most "Overpaid" NBA Players



## John Corn (Mar 21, 2002)

Here's a partial list: 

1. Bryant Reeves, Grizzlies ($11,555,554) 
The massive but slow-moving 7-footer, whom Memphis signed to a six-year, $65-million deal that runs through 2004-05, averaged about 25 minutes and eight ppg. in 1999-2000 and '00-01, and was never much of a rebounder. He retired in late January, after not playing a single game this season due to injury. 

2. Shawn Kemp, Blazers ($12,770,000) 
For eight consecutive seasons, Kemp averaged 17.8 ppg or higher, but the 12-year veteran has averaged a little more than six points a game over the last two seasons, and has twice been suspended for drug violations -- so, on top of his diminishing productivity, he's not exactly someone you can rely on. (Of course, when he's suspended, the Blazers save $141,889 every game he misses, or he might have been No. 1 on our list.) Since the Blazers have him signed for big bucks through 2003-04, he's almost certain to make this list Perennial contender for at least two more years. 

3. Juwan Howard, Nuggets ($18,750,000) 
The poster child for overpaid players. Used to play 40 minutes a game; now he's down to about 33. In points and assists, he's about two-thirds the player he was during his best years in Washington. 

4. The Knicks: Allan Houston ($12,750,000), Charlie Ward, ($5,110,000), Latrell Sprewell ($11,250,000), Marcus Camby ($6,250,000) 
You could make a good case for all four individually -- plus overpaid and seldom-used subs Howard Eisley and Shandon Anderson -- but this would not do justice to the Knicks as an overpaid team. This is the one place they really mesh as a unit. 


Remember Grant Hill? 
5. Grant Hill, Magic ($10,865,000) 
Played only four games last season because of an ankle injury, and in the 14 games he played this year before succumbing to another season-ending injury, he didn't perform like -- or even look like -- the Grant Hill of old. 

Others on the list: 

6. Vin Baker ($11,250,000) 
7. Scotti Pippen ($18,083,564) 
8. Austin Croshere ($6,310,000) 
9. Tom Gugliotta ($10,113,465) 
10. Zydrunas Illgauskas ($11,250,000) 

Also receiving votes: 


Penny Hardaway, Suns ($11,250,000) Ho will love that. 
Antonio McDyess, Nuggets ($11,700,000) 
Eric Montross, Raptors ($2,480,000) 
Kevin Garnett, Timberwolves ($22,400,000) 
Brian Grant, Heat ($10,009,688) 
Glen Rice, Rockets ($8,800,000) 
Calvin Booth, Sonics ($4,539,000) 
Mookie Blaylock, Warriors ($5,400,000) 
Michael Stewart, Raptors ($3,840,000) 
Vitaly Potapenko, Celtics ($4,762,500) 
Scott Williams, Nuggets ($4,650,000) 
Walt Williams, Rockets ($5,000,000) 
Erick Dampier, Warriors ($6,235,000) 
Chris Mills, Warriors ($5,400,000) 
Damon Stoudamire, Blazers ($12,375,000) 
Brent Price, Kings ($3,680,000) 
Tariq Abdul-Wahad, Mavs ($5,062,500)


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## Rage (Aug 19, 2001)

Rage's List: 

Every one of them and boring baseball too. Even the NHL appears to be out of whack. The NFL wages still seems reasonable to me.


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## Kevin (Mar 27, 2002)

We need a salary cap on all sports. These ridiculously high salaries are taking the fun out of sports like baseball, basketball and many others. EVERYTHING seems to revolve around money. It's too expensive to go to baseball games anymore, and on top of that, me and 3.5 million other New Yorkers can't watch the Yankees on TV this year thanks to MONEY and GREED.


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## Rage (Aug 19, 2001)

Yeah, I can't imagine that. Cough up the 7 bucks a month or tell the Yankees to go to hell.


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## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

They most all professional athletes are over paid IMHO, but thats the greed of the leauges and players, the moneys taken the fun out of the game.


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## John Corn (Mar 21, 2002)

I wouldn't put Sprewell, McDyss and Hill in the same category as Juwan Howard - that guy is REALLY overpaid, even when he's healthy and even on the best day of his life. 

The only thing he does particularly well is post up on the left block against smaller players. Once a team puts a big body on him he’s not very effective. He handles and passes the ball adequately for a guy his size, but he’s certainly no Chris Webber. Howard’s rebounding is below average for a power forward, he doesn’t have much range on his shot, he can’t play defense, he doesn’t do a good of drawing fouls etc.


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