WRITTEN & CONTRIBUTED BY CHRIS PAUL
I grew up in a typical Black DMV (DC, MD, VA) household. And in a typical Black DMV household we cherished three things: God, hard work, and sports. So every week I worked hard in school and then went to church Sunday morning. And throughout it all there was Washington Football Team football, Orioles baseball (DC didn’t have a baseball team yet), and Bullets basketball. And here’s a little known fact about the Bullets: they used to be really, really good.
In 1968, the Washington Bullets drafted a young center out of Louisville named Wes Unseld. 6 feet 7 inches tall, broad shoulders, calm demeanor, inner and outer strength. Unseld was chosen second in that draft (the great Elvin Hayes was picked first and years later he too played for the Bullets, don’t hate.) and Wes would be the foundation of our only NBA Championship.
Wes Unseld’s rookie season earned him trophies for Rookie of the Year and the leagues Most Valuable Player. The only other NBA player to win ROY and MVP in the same season is Wilt Chamberlin.
In 1978 Wes Unseld led my Washington Bullets to an NBA Championship and Wes was named Finals MVP. Truly a moment of pride and joy for the franchise and for all DC sports fans. But when I think of Wes Unseld’s career I don’t think about the trophies he hoisted, I think about the way he came to work every single game without taking a night off.
There were players who were taller than Wes Unseld and players who were more graceful, more flamboyant, more highlights worthy. But no other player worked harder than Wes Unseld. Wes was often thought to be a robot since his hard work and grind was limitless. He didn’t have to be flashy, he didn’t have to be showtime, being Wes Unseld was always better than good enough. Good enough for the Hall of Fame and good enough to be named one of the NBA 50 Greatest Players of All-Time. That’s damn good.
Wes Unseld retired from basketball in 1981 after spending his entire career with the Bullets. He spent time as the Bullets vice president, the Bullets general manager, even as Bullets head coach. And in retirement when Wes would show up the arena to watch a Bullets game, or a Wizards game, his appearance on the jumbo screen would elicit cheers from the home crowd. He was our hometown hero and we love him dearly.
Wes Unseld died on Tuesday, June 2nd at the age of 74. And with so much going on in our nation right now I am certain that his passing will not get the attention it deserves, the tributes a life and career such as his is worthy of. But I am mourning Wes Unseld, and it feels like I’m mourning my childhood.
I grew up in a typical Black DMV household. And in a typical Black DMV household we cherished three things: God, hard work, and sports. Wes Unseld was our very own hard working sports God.
