After his two seasons of obscurity, the tall and lanky frame of Larry Sanders exploded into the spotlight, and he emerged as one of the brightest young talents the NBA had to offer. In 2012, Sanders burst onto the scene and found his niche with the Milwaukee Bucks.
He became their rim-protecting center — a freakish athlete blessed with explosiveness and lateral quickness, two qualities you rarely saw in centers.
He averaged 2.8 blocks per game in the 2012-13 season, along with 9.8 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. The Bucks were stuck in the NBA’s version of purgatory, fighting valiantly for the eighth seed and a first-round exit for more than a decade. But with Sanders in the middle, there was light at the end of the tunnel.
Larry Sanders was going to be the savior of the Milwaukee Bucks’ basketball.
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And no, that’s not a hyperbole. Grantland, the much-loved and revered sports and pop culture website, was so enamoured with Sanders and his game that they published his name as “LARRY SANDERS!” every single time. He was a one of a kind player; he had the build of a rim protector, but could play periods of perimeter defense against the best guards and forwards in the NBA.
His style of defense involved him mirroring the offensive player’s movement, and Grantland’s Kirk Goldsberry published a paper at the MIT Sloan Sports Athletic Conference in 2013 that showed Sanders as the best interior defender in the league.
In short, LARRY SANDERS! was meant for great things.
The Bucks recognized what they had in the then 24-year-old 6’11” center and signed him to a four year, $44 million extension. And back then, the $44 million extension was considered a bargain – where were you going to find a rim-protecting center that could block 2.8 shots per game?
However, after signing the extension, things took a turn for the worse. He was sidelined for 23 games in December 2013 after he tore a ligament in a night club altercation. He came back, played 20 games before sustaining a broken orbital bone that ruled him out for the rest of the season.
\While he was out injured, he was also given a five-game suspension for violating the NBA’s drug policy after testing positive for marijuana.
Safe to say, Sanders’ 2013-14 season was a letdown. The 23 games he played that season were disappointing as well, as he averaged 7.7 points, 1.7 blocks and 7.2 rebounds. He didn’t have the same impact he did last season, and it was clear that something was wrong with the young center.
His attitude was questioned, and some began to wonder if the Bucks had made a mistake by committing to him.
The once-franchise center then checked into a rehab facility to deal with his off-court issues in a last ditch attempt to fix his free-falling career. The Bucks finally entered into rebuilding mode, and abandoned their ill-advised attempts at winning the eighth seed.
They drafted Jabari Parker, and with John Henson and Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks have a young core to build on, even without Sanders.
This season, Sanders was back to being a starter and has played 27 games so far. His averages of 7.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks are respectable, but are a far cry from his stats during his breakout season.
However, just when things were looking up, Sanders was excused from team activities, with team officials citing “personal reasons” with no specific timetable for his return. He’s missed the last eight games, and it’s still unsure of when he will return.
Furthermore, conflicting reports came out this week on Sanders’ commitment to basketball.
First, there was this.
Sources tell me that Bucks center Larry Sanders recently told some Bucks officials that he doesn't want to play basketball anymore.
— Gery Woelfel (@GeryWoelfel) January 5, 2015
Which was then followed by this.
Not trying to dispute anyone's reporting, but the idea that Larry Sanders told anyone he didn't want to play any more was news to Larry.
— Steve Kyler (@stevekylerNBA) January 5, 2015
And finally, Sanders’ response.
“I saw that tweet. It is not accurate at all. Rumor unsubstantiated.” - Larry Sanders' agent Happy Walters.
— Steve Kyler (@stevekylerNBA) January 6, 2015
Honestly, who knows what’s going through Sanders’ mind at the moment. In a 2013 Sports Illustrated article, Sanders admitted that he couldn’t see the appeal in building an entire identity around the game of basketball. He had other interests that he pursues, and in light of recent events, his commitment to the game of basketball has been questioned.
At this point, it’s almost a near certainty that we’ll never see the 2012-13 version of LARRY SANDERS! ever again. That was a young and talented player with a bright future ahead of him. He had the makings of a franchise player, and the Bucks committed to him as their centrepiece moving forward.
But it’s not about whether we’ll see LARRY SANDERS! ever again, it’s whether or not Larry Sanders will still play basketball. A team doesn’t pull away their highest-paid player from team activities for minor incidents. There’s a very real chance that this is a serious matter, and there’s more at stake here than just basketball.
From being one of the brightest young prospects to one of the worst contractual decisions in recent history, the story of Larry Sanders is a cautionary tale of how quickly a player’s future can change in the NBA. Get well soon, Larry Sanders.