50 greatest NBA players from the 1990s — 29. Chris Webber
The Orlando Magic won the lottery and selected Michigan big man Chris Webber with the first overall pick in the 1993 NBA Draft, almost immediately flipping him to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for the rights to No. 3 pick Anfernee Hardaway and first-round picks in 1996, 1998 and 2000.
Webber was the NBA Rookie of the Year in 1993-94, finishing fourth in the league with a .552 field-goal percentage.
But friction with coach Don Nelson made his stay by the Bay short lived. In November 1994, Webber was traded to the Washington Bullets for Tom Gugliotta and first-round picks in 1996, 1998 and 2000.
In his first season with the Warriors, Webber averaged 17.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.2 blocks and 1.2 steals in 32.1 minutes per game, shooting .552/0-for-14/.532.
Webber was an All-Star with the Bullets in 1997, coming back after missing much of his first two years with the club with knee problems—a recurring theme during his career.
In May 1998, Webber was traded to the Sacramento Kings for Mitch Richmond and Otis Thorpe.
In his four seasons in Washington, Webber averaged 20.9 points, 9.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.7 blocks and 1.6 steals in 38.9 minutes per game, shooting .501/.336/.560.
He broke out as a star in Sacramento in the lockout-shortened 1998-99 season, earning All-NBA honors and leading the NBA with an average of 13 rebounds per game. He was fourth in rebounds and minutes per game, as well.
In that lone season with the Kings to close out the decade, Webber averaged 20 points, 13 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 2.1 blocks and 1.4 steals in 40.9 minutes per game, shooting .486/.118/.454.
Webber remained with Sacramento until February 2005, when he was traded with Matt Barnes and Michael Bradley to the Philadelphia 76ers for Corliss Williamson, Brian Skinner and Kenny Thomas.
Waived by the 76ers in January 2007, he signed with the Detroit Pistons five days later. Unsigned until January 2008, Webber returned to the Warriors for one last go-around, retiring in March 2008.
He was 17th in the decade of the 1990s with his average of 20 points per game and 13th with an average of 13 rebounds per game.
Webber’s average of 37.1 minutes per game is 26th in NBA history and his average of 20.7 points per game is 42nd.