DENVER -- Nuggets coach George Karl can see a different
Shawn Kemp -- not just a slimmer version of the former All-Star, but
a wiser one.
"He seems clearer, stronger," Karl said Monday after Denver's
three-day camp for free agents. "His words are older. They have
some wisdom to them. It's the most grounded I've seen him."
The 36-year-old Kemp, who reportedly ballooned to 340 pounds in
recent years, has been out of the NBA for the last three years but
he wants to play again. Kemp said he hired a trainer and dropped 75
pounds, helping trim his body fat to 11.5 percent.
The former "Reign Man" said he didn't go on a special diet and
simply lost the weight the old-fashioned way -- hard work.
"I started jogging, jogging and jogging," Kemp said. "I ran
this weight off."
Given his past relationship with Karl, he wouldn't mind making a
comeback with the Nuggets. Karl coached Kemp from 1991-97 when both
were with the Seattle SuperSonics.
"He challenged me a few years ago to become one of the best
players in the league, and I accepted the challenge," said Kemp, a
member of Dream Team II. "That's one of the reasons why I wanted
to come here. I knew he [Karl] wouldn't take it easy on me. He
hasn't taken it easy on me since I've been here."
In scrimmages over the last three days, Kemp held his own
against younger post players and blocked a shot by 6-foot-11 Geoff
Husted with authority as Husted entered the lane.
"I ran better than most of the big guys here," Kemp said.
"I'm a little more advanced than I thought I was."
Kemp said there are other teams interested in his services, but
the Nuggets are definitely on his radar.
"I look forward to hearing from them [Denver]," Kemp said.
Kemp averaged 14.6 points and 8.4 rebounds a game during his
14-year career with Seattle, Cleveland, Portland and Orlando. And
while Kemp's best days may be in the rearview mirror, Karl thinks
he could still contribute.
"Older players kind of have a sense and know how to win
basketball games," Karl said. "I think Shawn is in that category.
He's an old pro now that isn't going to probably get the slam dunks
and the great lobs. He understands he can help a team as a role
player, 10-15 minutes off the bench. If he can continue to regain
some of his talents, then maybe more."
Kemp's biggest nemesis has been himself in recent years. In
April 2005, Kemp was arrested for possessing small amounts of
cocaine and marijuana in his truck. In 2001, he checked into a
rehabilitation clinic for cocaine use.
Kemp was also featured in a story by Sports Illustrated in 1998
detailing athletes with out-of-wedlock children. The article said
he reportedly fathered at least seven child by six different women.
"That was a little part of my life," Kemp said on the subject
of his checkered past.
Kemp acknowledges that his past may become an issue for his
future employer. However, he is serious about a comeback, which
would be at least his fourth. The rapid weight loss showed that.
"You have to see it in a person's eyes and hear it in their
voice and feel it from them before you become a believer," Kemp
said. "That's what most of these teams are going to do -- talk to
me and feel it from me."
It wasn't all love and roses for Karl and Kemp in Seattle. The
two had confrontations about Kemp's tardiness to practice, contract
issues and missing team flights in 1997.
But Karl won't hold the past against Kemp.
"I think he's done a great job of getting in shape," Karl
said. "He went through five practices at a very hard level, and
survived. He had moments where he was very impressive.
"He's got to regroup and regain some of the specialness that he
had. Can he do that? All those things have got to be answered over
a two-month period, not a two-day period. If he wants to keep
pushing it, hopefully he can be successful."
These days, Kemp will work hard again for basketball. He's
rediscovered his fondness for the game.
"I've always appreciated basketball," Kemp said. "I never
tried to disrespect the game. That's why I stepped to the side a
couple years ago to get my focus back to see if I really wanted to
put the effort into basketball."
Kemp discovered the effort was worth it.
"I'm tired right now," Kemp said after Monday's workout. "I
have to work on my moves inside a little bit, and on my shooting a
little bit. Other than that, I was happy."
In his absence, though, the game has changed on him.
"It used to be where the bigger guys were inside," Kemp said.
"Now most of the bigger guys are on the outside, shooting jumpers.
The game's not the same. It actually favors me a little bit since I
was more of a speed guy on the outside anyway."
As for his advancing age, Kemp doesn't think it's an issue.
"I'm a well-rested 36-year-old," Kemp said with a grin.