Bonus Hollander POTD Greg Kite. BYU C drafted 21st by BOS in 83 as backup C & won 2 rings before becoming NBA nomad thru 95. Started all 82 games for 90-91 ORL & had career high 4.8 ppg. Unskilled on offense but toughness earned him an NBA pension. Now, a financial advisor.

Hollander POTD Patrick Ewing. Huge college star at Georgetown was the prize of the 1st lottery for NY in 85. He wasn't instantly dominant but won ROY. Took til about 89 to be megastar. Came so close to that ring. HOFer & top 75 guy.

From Larry Platt's "Keepin' It Real," Vernon Maxwell, who had fallen out of the NBA, trying out for Chuck Daly in Orlando in 1997. Max still had an edge but he makes the team and makes an immediate impact in his first game....

From NY Mag in 81, Vic Ziegel writes about the Nets new home in the Meadowlands, led by a young coach Larry Brown and three 1st rounders, Buck Williams, Albert King & Ray Tolbert. Brown calls Buck "a machine." The Nets expected a big bump in attendance from Piscataway.

Bonus Hollander POTD Otis Thorpe. Providence PF was drafted 9th by KC in 84. Hard worker was double-double machine in SAC. Peaked at 20.8 ppg in 87-88. Traded to HOU in 88-89, he was a perfect bookend for Hakeem. Made 91-92 all-star game. Spent 1994-2001 as roaming big.

Hollander POTD Caldwell Jones. Albany St C went to SD of ABA in 73. Led ABA in BPG 1st 2 yrs & was all-star in 75 (19.5 ppg, 14 rpg, 3.2 bpg). Left ABA for PHI in 76 & was defensive guy who scored less. Played thru 90 w/HOU & others. Bros also played in NBA. He died in 2014 RIP.

From Scott Howard-Cooper in 01, a look at the just consumated Kidd-Marbury & Bibby-Jason Williams PG challenge trades:

From Eggers/Jaynes' "Against the World," a 91-92 POR matchup v rival LA: -Vlade flagrantly fouls Ainge sparking trash talk -Jack Haley threatens Ainge who barks: "we'll see you ho's in the playoffs" -Teammates later explain to Ainge what a "ho" is & he's surprised ("really?")

Bonus Hollander POTD Nate McMillan. NC St PG was drafted 30th in 86 by SEA. Started early (preak 9.3 apg in 88-89). Not a scorer but great defender. Made great 3rd guard for 90s Sonics too. Per bio "won't be mentioned w/Magic or Isiah but will around for years." Retired in 98.

Hollander POTD Mike Gminski. Duke C was drafted 7th by NJ in 80. Was solid in NJ for most of the 1980s. Peaked at 17 ppg 10 rpg in 87-88. Played a few yrs w/PHI, CHA & MIL til retiring in 94. Had nice jumper and even dropped 40 pts on 85-86 Celtics.

3/9/01: Dr Jack and Mad Dog Carter debate who has a brighter future between Baron Davis and Paul Pierce:

12/19/95, NBA players don't like the new uniforms that are now considered classic: -Mario Elie: "We've got the ugliest unies" -Kerr: "It's getting ridiculous...overdone" -Oakley: "They're cut for white college kids...too tight" www.deseret.com/1995/12/19/1...

Hollander POTD Bob Netolicky. Drake PF signed w/IND of ABA in 67. Was all-star his 1st 4 yrs, peaking at 20.6 ppg in 69-70. Traded to DAL in 72 but returned to IND in 73. Not the same player after 73 & retired in 76. Flaky, per bio "remains basketball's oldest teenager."

Hollander POTD Cedric Ceballos. Cal Fullerton SF was drafted 48th by PHO in 90. Won slam dunk in 92 w/blindfold shtick but was legit scorer. Scored 19+ ppg 3x & made 94-95 all-star game. Went AWOL in LA in 96 & was a bench player thereafter w/PHO, DAL, MIA & DET thru 2001.

From Peter May's "The Last Banner," Don Nelson talking about whether the 85-86 Celtics were the best of the Bird teams. Nellie changes his tune mid-interview...

Bonus Hollander POTD Stacey Augmon. Plastic Man was star at UNLV, drafted 9th by ATL in 91. Long, excellent defender started at SG from 91-96, forming lockdown backcourt w/Mookie. Scored 14 ppg there but was not a great shooter. After ATL, was role player thru 2007.

Hollander POTD Kiki Vandeweghe. UCLA SF was drafted 11th in 80 by DAL but forced trade to DEN. Bio compared him to Bobby Jones, when he was the opposite player. Scored a ton (peak 29.4 ppg) but was not a D guy. Played w/POR, NY & LAC thru 93. Was NJ GM & now works for NBA office.

From the 96-97 SI NBA Preview, the Spurs: -Brian Hill under pressure for playoff flameouts -Big addition Mad Max. Hill: "I want him to be feisty...to punch some body" -SA hoped Charles Smith could help -DRob ended up getting hurt & they tanked hard for Duncan

Random POTD Pero Antic. Macedonian PF went pro in 99 & had a nice career abroad til signing w/ATL in 13. Spent 2 yrs in ATL as cult hero backup (6 ppg, 3.5 rpg in 17 mpg). Returned to Europe from 15-18 before retiring. Now an exec in Europe. Had (and has) a pretty memorable look.

Bonus Hollander POTD Scott Brooks. Undrafted Cal Irvine PG was undrafted but made PHI in 88. Per bio "a hyperactive little pest" who grinded out a 10 year career. In 92-93, HOU went 19-3 in when he played full 4th quarter. Also played w/MIN, DAL, NY & CLE. Also coached OKC & WAS.

Hollander POTD Billy Paultz. The Whopper was an awkwardly built PF who could defend a board. Started out w/Nets in ABA +had 5 double/double seasons. Traded to SA for trinkets in 75+ transitioned to bench role. Lasted til 85. Famously got in Hakeem's head in the 85 playoffs.

From the 96-97 SI NBA Preview, Shaq sounding off on a few things: -Thought he shoulda been 96 All-Star Game MVP (fact check: true) -Liked Hakeem but felt that Ewing & Robinson were aloof -Also said that Ewing, Robinson & Zo "cry to the refs" when he overpowered them

Excerpt from "Tales From The 76ers" @gordonwjones and Pat Williams tackle how good the 82-83 76ers were: -David Dupree thinks they were best ever -McCallum calls them "perfectly constructed" -Nellie was impressed by the playoff run -Neil Funk goes w/the MJ Bulls

Bonus Hollander POTD Bill Cartwright. SF C was drafted 3rd overall in 79 by NY scored 20+ ppg 1st 2 yrs. Declined & had injuries the next few yrs. Traded to CHI in 88 & clogged the lane for 5 yrs (& 3 titles). Used sharp elbows to KO opponents. Solid player w/a weird jumper.

Hollander POTD Chris Mullin. St John's star was drafted 7th in 85 by GS. Struggled early then rededicated himself & was a star from 88-93. Spent 3 yrs chasing ring in IND before retiring after final yr w/GS 01. Dream Teamer & HOFer. Per bio "might have worst haircut in the NBA."

From the 96-97 SI NBA Preview, ATL: -Went all in signing Mutombo that summer -Laettner was energized by finally playing on a good team -Wilkens goal was to get Steve Smith to shoot more -ATL had 3rd lowest attendance in 95-96 & hoped Mutombo & Co would get fans excited

Bonus Hollander POTD Doug Collins. Illinois St G was 72 Olympic star & 1st pick by PHI in 73. Great scorer but only played 58+ games 3x. Still was a 4x all-star had 21 ppg in 75-76. Hurt leg in 79 + barely played before retiring in 81. Later coached & did TV work. Excitable guy.

Hollander POTD Scott Wedman. Colorado SF was drafted 6th by KC in 74. Spent next few years as key option, peaking at 19 ppg in 80-81 & 2x all-star. Signed w/CLE in 81 + had health issues. Good bench guy in BOS til injury ended career in 87. Great shooter. Per bio a "zoo lover."

Hollinger POTD Manu Ginobili. Argentinian SG was drafted 57th by SA in 99. Stayed in Europe til 02 & was great. Pretty good as a rook in SA & became a 2x all-star. Per bio, his "hands are incredible" and stripped dribblers with ease. HOFer and still quite underrated.

Bradley in 73 giving a graduation speech at St Peter's in 73: