Cardinals in the Pros
Nick Van Exel |
|
Former Cardinal star Nick Van Exel was a 6’1” left-handed point guard known for his flashy style of play and his ability to hit critical shots during close games.
It was during his days at TVCC that fans started referring to him as “Nick the Quick.” After two outstanding years in Athens, Nick signed with the University of Cincinnati.
During his freshman season in Cincinnati, he led the Bearcats to the NCAA Final Four. In only two seasons he became Cincinnati’s all-time leader in three-point field goals made, attempted and percentage. He earned Third Team All-American honors (AP, Basketball Times and Basketball Weekly) and was a finalist for the Wooden Award as a senior.
During his fabulous 13 year NBA career, Van Exel played for the San Antonio Spurs, Portland Trail Blazers, Golden State Warrieors, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers.
Van Exel was the last Laker to score in the fabled Boston Garden when he nailed a three pointer at the buzzer to give the Lakers the win.
He currently ranks 6th all-time in NBA career three-point field goals made with 1,528. He finished in the top 15 in assists in 8 of 13 seasons. Nick was named an NBA All-Star in 1998.
Nick Van Exel is currently retired and living in Texas. He usually attends a couple of TVCC home games a year. |
Shawn Kemp |
| Despite never officially wearing the Cardinals uniform, Shawn Kemp put Cardinal basketball in the national spotlight. He was the first McDonald’s All-American player to sign with the Cardinals.
Kemp attended Concord High School in Elkhart, Ind. After just a few months with the University of Kentucky, Kemp transferred in to TVCC in 1987, but was too late to suit up for the season. That year, the Cardinal fans turned out in huge numbers for daily workouts to watch the future star.
After a great year on campus, Kemp went home for the summer and was approached by some of the top agents across the country.
After talking with the Cardinal coaches and other advisors, 19-year-old Kemp declared himself eligible for the 1989 NBA Draft.
The Seattle Supersonics drafted Kemp in the first round and he quickly became a force to be reckoned with. At the time, he was the youngest player in the NBA.
Kemp was one of the NBA's premier high flyers with outstanding leaping abilities. Half-court lob passes to Kemp became a regular sight. He is widely regarded as one of the best slam dunkers of all-time.
He played for the U.S National Tem in the 1994 FIBA World Championship in Toronto, Canada, winning the gold medal. Kemp played in six NBA All-Star games. He played not only for Seattle, but also for the Cleveland Cavaliers and briefly for the Orlando Magic.
He left the NBA after the 2002-2003 season. |
|
|
