New role: Small town hero?
Former NBA players try to extend their careers overseas all the time. It’s almost a non-story at this point. What you don’t see so often is a guy that’s pretty much been off the radar for six years resurface in a small town club across the pond. That’s exactly what Michael Dickerson, of Rockets and Grizzlies fame, is doing.
The former Arizona Wildcat signed with Palencia Basket of Spain last month and has been playing his first official games since February 2003 there. The team, now in the Spanish second division, had a 5-11 record upon his arrival and is relying on Dickerson’s star power to avoid relegation to the third division – although with not much success so far.
Rumors about a potential comeback in Spain first appeared last fall, when Dickerson was visiting his cousin Josh Fisher and started practicing with Gran Canaria, the club where Fisher plays in the Spanish ACB, usually considered the best league in Europe.
Now the comeback is complete. Dickerson, prematurely forced to retire at 28 due to hamstring and groin injuries, is back and happy to be playing – even if on a small stage, away from the bright lights of the NBA.
“It’s a great opportunity, ” the 6-foot-5 swingman said. “I always wanted to play here. It’s a challenge. I wanted to have fun playing basketball again. After retiring, those were difficult times for me personally, but I’m enjoying the chance to play professionally again.”
Unlike others, Dickerson, who averaged 15.4 ppg in five NBA seasons, at least had the chance to sign a big contract before the injuries caught him. In one of his last big moves in Memphis, GM Billy Knight gave him a six-year, $43 million contract extension before the start of the 2001-02 season. The money, though, didn’t make retirement any sweeter.
“It didn’t make it easier at all at the time,” Dickerson said. “It doesn’t really mean anything to me.”
Dickerson, a man of deep spirituality (especially for NBA standards), has used part of that money to travel around the world. He’s been all around Europe and has also spent time in India and Tibet. Still, the player who was supposed to be Pau Gasol’s perimeter sidekick in the first years of the Grizzlies franchise in Memphis, always found the time to exercise and stay in shape in case the opportunity to return to the basketball courts came up.
Gasol and Dickerson ended up playing together in just 10 games, but that was enough for Dickerson to notice the big man from Spain was something special.
“He was talented,” Dickerson said. “A big man that can shoot and pass the ball… There are not many players like that in the NBA. And he was doing that already at a young age. I knew if he kept getting better and better, he’d become an All-Star.”
According to Dickerson, who’s still in touch with fellow Wildcat NBAers Mike Bibby and Jason Terry, his time in Europe may not be over when his playing days come to an end.
“I’d like to stay here in Spain or some other place in Europe and create an individual training facility or a tranining camp where I can coach kids and help the kids develop their basketball game.”
Michał Said,
January 14, 2010 @ 1:52 pm
I remember him! Great guy. Wish him all the best.Michal from Poland
Omar Ghanim Said,
January 14, 2010 @ 2:14 pm
At Zona, him, Bibby, Terry, & Miles Simon were BY FAR the best and the most exciting team to run the table in NCAA Tourny history.
Matt G. Said,
January 14, 2010 @ 2:58 pm
Haven’t heard about this guy for years, good to see he’s getting a second chance to shine again. However, his $43 million contract extension in 2001 speaks volumes to how much different the league has changed in the past 10 years. Guys like him would be lucky to make half of that these days (somewhere around $4-$6 million/year would be top price for a player of his caliber), or sign much smaller one year deals (a la Nate Robinson and David Lee).
It’d be nice to get more “where are they now” stories like this from ex-NBA players (Dajuan Wagner, Isaiah Rider, Sean Kemp to name a few). This tops the list of the feel good story of the month!
jtothemeils Said,
January 14, 2010 @ 3:02 pm
I forgot how he got hurt. He was really good.
palentino Said,
January 14, 2010 @ 3:33 pm
VAMOS PALENCCIA!!! COME ON PALENCIA!!!
KobeWearsAPurpleThong Said,
January 14, 2010 @ 3:54 pm
‘Zona had a great sqaud with: Dickerson, Bibby, Simon etc…
BigBen Said,
January 14, 2010 @ 4:27 pm
He’s in my city!
Great time in NBA, and I hope that he can play well in my team.
k Said,
January 14, 2010 @ 4:54 pm
was a great player when he was with the grizzlies, great memories when he was playin in vancouver, throwing down dunks from bibby. M & M connection!! hope he does well in spain, a great person, a good role model!
Ruben Said,
January 14, 2010 @ 6:44 pm
Small Town, caña ahi a los palentinos, paisano, jejejejeje…
Gary Said,
January 14, 2010 @ 7:29 pm
How do you retire from the NBA at 28 with hamstring and groin injuries? If i recall it was much more serious than that.
paul Said,
January 14, 2010 @ 7:50 pm
great article, he was a great player for vancouver, best wishes for him in spain!
Larry B. Said,
January 14, 2010 @ 8:07 pm
I liked him. He was a very solid player. I always wondered what the heck happened to him…
Twitter Trackbacks for HoopsHype.com NBA Blogs - Jorge Sierra » New role: Small town hero? [hoopshype.com] on Topsy.com Said,
January 14, 2010 @ 10:54 pm
[...] HoopsHype.com NBA Blogs - Jorge Sierra » New role: Small town hero? blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/sierra/2010/01/14/new-role-small-town-hero – view page – cached January 14, 2010 @ 1:01 pm by Jorge Sierra · Filed under Europe, Memphis Grizzlies, Michael Dickerson, Pau Gasol [...]
Adam Said,
January 14, 2010 @ 11:00 pm
Matt G are you nuts. The landscape has changed. Dickerson was a solid player when he was in the NBA. He would probably make more than that today. It’s only just over 7 million a season. Hedo Turkoglu just signed a 5 year 53 million dollar deal. Guys that have comparable stats have much larger contracts then that one.
Its amazing how easy it would be to get information like that but instead you don’t even know what you are talking about. Nate Robinson and David Lee both had no choice but to sign 1 year contracts because the knicks didn’t want to give them long term deals. They are restricted free agents so even if another team offered them a deal the knicks would have just matched it. For some guys signing a one year deal to become an unrestricted free agent the next year is a great choice.
Cram33 Said,
January 14, 2010 @ 11:56 pm
Great story, cheers for that one. Good to see him making the most of his retirement. You can tell he’s not concerned about anything apart from playing at the moment. Love that he doesnt have a huge ego getting in the way of him getting a game. Some other guys could learn from that.
http://travellingsportsfan.blogspot.com/
nick todd Said,
January 15, 2010 @ 1:58 am
who cares. just another forgettable nba player. you think its good to rip off nba team. i hate guys who sign big contracts but never earn them. theres guys that work their asses off everyday to make a living and theres people like you.
Jeff Said,
January 15, 2010 @ 3:23 am
Shut up Nick. Dont compare NBA guys to regular guys. Regular guys are not 6′6 with 42 inch verticals. These guys dont wake up and make 50 million dollars. They work at their game 8-10 hrs a day in the off season. Tens of thousands of people are working daily to use approx 450 slots. If you win that Lottery you deserve the money. Ditch diggers, are a dime a dozen.
7 Said,
January 15, 2010 @ 5:00 am
can anyone make a story about steve francis??
Dicko Fan Said,
January 15, 2010 @ 5:30 am
I never ever supported any of the teams that Dickerson played for.
However, he was always among my favorite NBA players.
Dickerson would have earned every cent from the contract that he signed had it not been for the fact that he tore his groin and hamstring almost completely from the bone. It was one of the most horrendous injuries a professional sportsperson from any sport could ever have.
You simply do not recover from that type of injury. While it wasn’t cancer or anything life threatening for a star what he went through was excruciating.
I had a teammate go through a similar thing and four years on he is still in a world of pain when he tries to do anything more than walking.
To hear that Mike has come back to play basketball in a small Spanish town is inspiring. Go for it Mike D - you deserve every moment.
tbone Said,
January 15, 2010 @ 10:59 am
Played against him in high school in Seattle. Good guy. One of the best coming out of our area. Good to hear he’s still using his skills.
Cat '97 Said,
January 15, 2010 @ 11:29 am
Dickerson had one of the best 1st steps in basketball. He was one of the better players to come out of Arizona, and was a huge part of our run in 1997. Glad to hear he’s back playing ball.
Sam A. Said,
January 15, 2010 @ 11:58 am
Nice piece. Met him on a couple occasions. Wonderful person. Hoping the best for him.
john pittman Said,
January 15, 2010 @ 12:25 pm
I WISH HIM WELL……GOD HAS BLESSED HIM TO PLAY AGAIN…HE DESERVES THE OPPORTUBITY……….TWO THUMBS UP
J Said,
January 15, 2010 @ 1:12 pm
As a VANCOUVER Grizzlies fan I’m happy for him.
don Said,
January 15, 2010 @ 3:33 pm
too bad. i’m was too young or too uninformed to follow the grizzlies then, sounds like he was good. good for him.
Castel Said,
January 15, 2010 @ 5:34 pm
Fumanchu (Dickerson) is back again!! I desire him the best in Europe, great guy with serious problems in the past, can become a star in Spain,
I remenber those days in Houston with Steve Francis,Mobley, Calvin Cato,Scottie Pippen, on the rookie year, and there were a pretty cool team to see,
k Said,
January 16, 2010 @ 1:15 am
glad to see so many people still remember mike-d!!still remember his rainbow three pointers!!! hope he does well in spain and maybe make a comeback to the nba?? the great hubie brown once called him ” a pro’s pro” for his work ethic and professionalness, wish him all the best!
Findek Said,
January 16, 2010 @ 6:58 am
Best Wishes man !
Good luck with your game, good luck with facility ;]
Matt Said,
January 16, 2010 @ 11:02 am
Mike you should make a trip over to San Sebastian, you’ll love it.
T Diggs Said,
January 16, 2010 @ 11:43 am
Loved that one shot he hit at the buzzer that beat the Knicks one night.
k Said,
January 17, 2010 @ 7:29 am
i remember the buzzer beater too, but i think it was against the nets, he shot over “starbury”
Vgrizz Said,
January 21, 2010 @ 2:07 am
much support from the vancouver area…..go mike-d!!!!
Angelo Said,
January 25, 2010 @ 5:42 am
Anyone from the Vancouver area that follows the grizzlies ?
Patrick Trent Said,
January 31, 2010 @ 7:07 am
I am not sure there are many people from the Memphis area that follow the grizzlies. Why didnt they move that team to OKC instead of the Sonics… Greedy NBA People
Vgrizz Said,
February 2, 2010 @ 7:07 pm
lets hope he makes it back to nba soon…..maybe he can go back to the team that drafted him? houston??
Sandra Stonebreaker Said,
February 6, 2010 @ 12:18 am
Was Michaels high school counselor during his 11th and 12th grade at Federal Way High School. Obviously, he was a great basketball player with a great work ethic. More than that he was a good role model and never acted as if he should be allowed priveleges because of that. He was very quiet, almost always carried a basketball with him through out the day. Was a good student and worked hard enough to maintain that. Know that often after games he went to a local playground and shot hoops for two or three hours if he felt he did not play up to his own standards.
Was able to get tickets once to see him play at AZ After that just an occasional TV appearance.
I was delighted to see this post and know where he is. He was a special young man.