Greatest unsung hero in every NBA team’s history

Sacramento Kings: Mike Bibby

It can’t be easy replacing a flashy, fan favorite point guard. That’s what Mike Bibby did when the Sacramento Kings swapped passing savant Jason Williams for him prior to the 2001-02 season.

The move paid off, as Bibby meshed well with Chris Webber, Peja Stojakovic and the rest of the team. Sacramento improved to third in offensive rating with Bibby plugged into the lineup. It helps to have a point guard who can shoot.

The Kings finished that season with a franchise-best 61 wins. This earned Sacramento a trip to their its Western Conference Finals appearance since the franchise was known as the Kansas City Kings.

While the team had little issue getting buckets with Williams conducting the offense, there’s no question that Bibby’s addition took the team to another level. Though he only averaged 13.7 points per game that year, Bibby really made a name for himself during the postseason. His scoring average jumped to 20.3 per game with a .444/.424/.826 shooting line.

A gifted passer with a smooth shooting stroke, Bibby flourished in Rick Adelman’s egalitarian corners offense. He was one of many multi-faceted players that kept the ball moving until someone found the ideal shot.

Bibby would have a higher-scoring season with the Kings, including a 21.1 points per game season in 2005-06. The Kings would have several more great seasons, but that 2001-02 team represented them at their zenith.

Fans today still rave about how great that Kings team was and how they maximized every bit of talent that they had. There was plenty of talent to go around. Bibby was the perfect point guard for that team. He landed at the right place at the right time in Sacramento in the early 2000s.