Tuesday, August 5th, 2008 at 1:41 pm  |  121 responses

Shawn Kemp: Confirms Rumors

SLAM talks to Shawn Kemp about kids, drugs, Italy and making it reign!

PRODUCED BY: MATT CAPUTO
DIRECTED & EDITED BY: MATTHEW J. SHERIDAN

It really wasn’t too long ago that Shawn Kemp was one of the most dominant and popular players in the NBA. A tall and lanky leaper, Kemp came into the NBA at 19-years-old and captivated arena audiences with his “supernatural” athleticism. At 6-10, few players of Kemp’s size had ever played the game as hard he did at the speed that he did. After 14 years in The League, Kemp’s career was both highly decorated and filled with peaks and valleys.

Today, Kemp is planning on returning to the court by playing pro ball in Italy next year. He’s living around Seattle and working on various small business ventures with his wife, as well as staying in shape to make some kind of court comeback. His son, Shawn Kemp Jr., will be a senior in high school this fall and on the D1 basketball radar. At age 38, Kemp is slimmed down and in good shape. His hard partying days seem to be over.

On a recent trip out to the West Coast, SLAM caught up with Kemp at the Rose Garden. Kemp was in Portland to serve as an Assistant Coach of the Seattle 3BA team in the league’s “pilot” game and lend his support to the new league. After the game, Kemp shared a few moments with SLAM to look back on his life and career.

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  • jelle

    it would be awesome if he started playing again and then in europe let’s all move to italy its not euroe’s best competition but he will be the best player in europe ever i think
    welcome back

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  • sampson

    Kemp keep it real, as a fan and a friend i think this a good move for you,and you will do well. if italy has ben in a drought, then you are what they have ben waiting for, make it reign brotha, make it reign!!!
    P.S. slam on hit me up when you come back to visit.

  • Jimbo

    Take it from someone that watched him play in High school. This guy has a gift. Go for it Reign Man. Concord High school Minute Men

  • Daui C.

    Be happy for him.Hes back.I would like to see him back in the NBA.

  • http://Slam Cook

    He deserves a chance if he has gotten his life together.

  • Tha Hogg

    Its good 2 see my boy bacc in the mix. Cuzz I remember those years when it was Kemp, gary payton(the glove) and detlef shremph. They was kinda vicious.

  • Hope

    Anyone that has the fortitude, to step-up and change the way their action has hurt their life as well as others. Then (God) bless him and his efforts good luck (Mr. Kemp).

  • ol’ BV

    SHAWN KEMP WAS ABOUT THE BADDEST MOFO THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY HAS EVER SEEN! JUST TO LET ALL THESE NO-BRAIN JERK-OFFS IN ON A LITTLE SOMETHIN!

  • http://myspace.com/hootie26 hootie26

    Kemp was the Manchild of the NBA. That year when Seatle played Chicago (4-2 Bulls) Kemp ruled. He had no help, not even from the Glove. Reign man carried them! Let it Reign again!!! 40 rules 4ever

  • Ben Anderson

    I hope Shawn has a great time in Italy. The guy made a lot of mistakes towards the end of his career in the NBA, but I wish him the best in his return. As a former Sonics fan we’ll be keeping up on you since the David Stern let Clay Bennett steal our team and move them to Oklahoma City. One day your number and Gary Payton’s number will be retired in Key Arena. Hopefully together. You two and the rest of the crew brought a lot of joy to the fans of the Sonics.

  • Pingback: SLAM ONLINE | » Here Comes the Reign Again!

  • steve

    The HEAT should sign him up to play center this year for 15 minutes a game. Have him play 15 minutes, Zo play 15 minutes, and Blount get the other 15.

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  • Scott W. Sexton

    Kemp just needs money for all his child support. He is washed up.

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  • Q

    I don’t think there will ever be a player like him. Not even close. The man had such swagger and finesse in his moves and – obviously – the dunks.. There are some guys playing right now that may have a few elements from him in their games (ricky davis?) but nobody really looks like him..

  • http://reignman.com Kemp fan

    There is no better finisher on the alley-oop than Shawn Kemp. He is also one of the top three dunkers in NBA history. Vince Carter and Dominique Wilkins are the other two. I’ll let you put them in order. My favorite Kemp dunk was when the Sonics and the Warriors were playing in the playoffs. It came down to the last play of the game and the Sonics needed a basket to win. Kemp jumped into the air and threw down a thunderous dunk with reckless abandon to win the game. I like to call this the helicopter dunk because his body spun around like a propeller after he slammed the ball through the basket. I’ll never forget how excited I use to get when I watched the Reignman play. He did something great every game! Remember: Steady on the game is the man who make it reign.

  • Kyemira

    Yo’ll need to stop talking about my cousin Shawn KEMP. His kids ,and him are not on drugs.

  • Tony

    Man, I miss watching him play, he is one of my idol when i grow up, i think he’s the best dunking of all time.I just want to wish him well and enjoy life. We need Shawn and Gary back to seattle to built up the new team. We miss the sonics man.

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