FOR ANYONE WHO SAW Bob Cousy, Bill Russell and John Havlicek winning championships in Boston; who observed the Los Angeles Lakers stockpiling Hall of Fame candidates as they went; who watched the Chicago Bulls win three straight NBA championships, . . . these are strange times.
Times when it's getting hard to name three players in a visiting team's starting lineup. Or in some cases, hard to name anyone on the other team.And so as the Jazz were putting the finishing touches on a 102-86 drubbing of the expansion Toronto Raptors Thursday at the Delta Center, the Raptors dispatched someone named Vincenzo Esposito, pride of the Italian basketball league, to fire up 3s. Carlos Rogers - not to be confused with Roy, Fred, or Ginger - got himself thrown out of the game for woofing at nine-time All-Star Karl Malone after a dunk. And though the Raptors lost by 16 points, they left the arena calling it one of their better games of the year.
Welcome to expansion basketball, 1996.
But amid the no-names and never-weres on the Toronto roster is one player who would have survived in any era: Damon Stoudamire. Fifty-one games into his rookie season, he's favored to win the Rookie of the Year award.
"I have no idea who the favorites are," said Toronto coach Brendan Malone. "But he's my favorite."
Stoudamire, of course, is no secret in Toronto. He is the best-known and highest-regarded player on the 14-37 Raptors. When you build with an expansion franchise, you don't start by promoting Herb Williams or Oliver Miller. You go for the future.
Consequently, after only four months in Canada, he's already the country's most marketable export since Dan Akroyd. A painting of Stoudamire recently went up on the "Hero Wall" in downtown Toronto, replacing the one of baseball star Joe Carter that graced the wall for over two years.
"Toronto loves him," said media relations director John Lashway.
The No. 7 selection in last spring's NBA Draft, he scored 26 points to go with six rebounds and 11 assists on his second night in the league, against Indiana. Since then, he has gone on to average 18.3 points, 4 rebounds and 9 assists. And while Philadelphia's Jerry Stackhouse and Golden State's Joe Smith are having decent rookie seasons, most experts are now saying Stoudamire will take the award going away.
"That's out of my hands," said Stoudamire, after registering 23 points and six assists against the Jazz. "But if my play is justifiable, and you have a (Rookie of the Year) vote, and you like what you see, well . . ."
While Stoudamire has a number of outstanding games, including a triple-double against Seattle on Nov. 21, he's had one or two nights where he got his ego handed back on a platter. Most notable was the Nov. 13 game against Utah. That night, Jazz All-Star John Stockton went for 29 points and 12 assists against Stoudamire. In what he called one of his most embarrassing nights ever, Stoudamire ended up with seven points, nine assists and six turnovers.
It was the kind of night when you go on to spend the next day in your house with the blinds drawn. When you send out for pizza and leave the money on the porch.
"When somebody does the things he did to me in the first game, it sticks in your head," said Stoudamire. "Watching him on TV and playing him in person are two different games."
If it makes Stoudamire feel any better, Stockton has made a career of sneaking up on people. Only this week, he became the NBA's alltime steal leader. When he came into the league almost 12 years ago, it wasn't a sure deal he'd ever get out from underneath the shadow of Rickey Green. He looked like the guy who ushered you to your seat, not a future Hall of Famer.
Since then, players have spoken volumes about watching out for Stockton and not underestimating him. Nowadays, the only people who ever get surprised by Stockton are rookies.
"(Stoudamire) played well tonight, because the maestro took him to school the first time," said the Raptors' coach.
But by the time Thursday's game rolled around, Stodamire was ready and waiting. Not only did he manage to keep Stockton from taking the ball away, he also held him to a manageable 14 points and 14 assists.
"Last time," said the Raptors' coach, "Stockton broke him down on the dribble. This time he didn't. But everytime he plays Stockton, he learns something."
So on his second meeting with Stockton, Stoudamire was ready and waiting. This time he wasn't surprised. When it was all over, he knew he could leave the arena by the front way instead of taking the service elevator. "The bottom line," said Stoudamire, "is the guy can play."
Only this time, he didn't have to get embarrassed to figure it out.