Chris Webber Retires

You want to talk about “it” in basketball, you can’t leave out Chris Webber. He was an explosive player in college. He started out his basketball career as part of Michigan’s Fab Five. Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King and Ray Jackson and Webber lead Michigan to the NCAA championship game. He was apart of “it,” he was in “it,” and has now decided to finish “it.”

Webber announced his retirement after 15 NBA seasons on Wednesday. His career began a downward slide after he underwent microfracture surgery, in 2003, on his knee the following year. He was dealt to Philadelphia in 2005 and spent the second half of last season in Detroit with his hometown Pistons. This announcement will cut short his comeback attempt with the Golden State Warriors.

Webber told the AP, “It definitely didn’t work out the way that I planned,” Webber said. “Life is what happens while you’re making plans. I’m happy. I’m happy I got a chance to come back here and be reunited with Coach.”

“I really didn’t want to rehab and come back this season because I don’t think that was possible,” Webber said. “Plus, because the way the team is playing, the chemistry is already great with these guys, they’re on a roll. I feel like they’re going to win and have a great chance to go very far in the playoffs. I just felt it was time to let the game go and to be able to be happy about what I accomplished without trying to keep coming back.”

Webber had been slowed by the knee injuries for the last few years. And the move to Golden State didn’t help. He struggled to keep up with the fast-pace play that the Warriors ran, he only averaged 3.9 points per game.

Webber is best remembered by fans for his two national championships. But the Wolverines lost both times, to Duke in 1992 and North Carolina the following year. Webber was most remembered for calling a timeout when Michigan had none remaining in the final minute of the 1993 loss to the Tar Heels.