How many people remember Richard Hamilton leading the UConn Huskies to their first NCAA championship in 1999? How about when Ben Gordon led them to another one 5 years later? I do! I even went to the parade in 1999, and chanted along with everyone else for Hamilton to stay “One more year!” (What we wouldn’t give for players to stay until their junior year these days, right?). As a UConn Huskies fan and Chicago Bulls fan, I was pumped for Wednesday night’s matchup of the former UConn stars playing against their former NBA teams. For Hamilton, it was his first game against the Pistons since signing with the Bulls, and fortunately for him, his surrounding cast is much better than Gordon’s.
The Bulls played mostly a stinker of a game the previous night (though one great 4th quarter was enough to pull out a W), but this night was much different. The Bulls started off strong, and took a 6-0 lead before Detroit scored their first points 4 minutes in. They never looked back, and ran away with a 99-83 victory. They assisted on 31 of their 40 field goals, and 5 players scored in double figures, led by Carlos Boozer’s 19. Derrick Rose had 17 to go along with 10 assists, and Joakim Noah also had a double double, with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Hamilton scored 14, and Taj GIbson had 12.
After sitting out two games to rest a sore groin, you can be sure Hamilton wasn’t going to sit out a third. He received a standing ovation when he was announced in the starting lineup, and deservedly so. Not only was Hamilton a college champion, he also won a championship with the Pistons. In 2004, the same year Gordon and the Huskies won the title, Hamilton and the Pistons beat the L.A. Lakers to win the NBA title. Like most people, I was happy that the Lakers lost, but unlike most people (outside of Michigan, anyway), I was actually happy for the Pistons and Hamilton.
This wasn’t Gordon’s first game against his former Chicago teammates, as this is his 3rd season with Detroit. Unfortunately, it was a disappointing showing — coming off a 26-point game, he shot 2-of-10 for just 7 points.
When Gordon was drafted in 2004 by the Bulls, I was ecstatic. Chicago hadn’t been to the playoffs since 1998 when Michael Jordan retired for the second time, and Gordon led them back to the postseason as a rookie. He led the Bulls in scoring during his 5 seasons with the team. I was sad to see him leave the team in 2009, and not surprisingly, they were quite weak at the shooting guard position he vacated. For that reason, they signed Hamilton this year after 9 seasons with the Pistons. A great situation for Hamilton, and a not-so-great one for Gordon, who is stuck in no-man’s land with Detroit. It makes me sad to see him waste away on a terrible team, but I must admit, I’m happy to have Rip. While the 2 players are tied in NCAA championships, Hamilton currently leads 1-0 in NBA championships, and looks to be in much better position to add to that.