Former Nugget Antonio McDyess has endured numerous losses in his NBA career, but no loss hurt as much as his final one last season in San Antonio. With tears welling in his eyes, the Detroit Pistons forward was unable to compose himself after his team lost a deciding Game 7 of the 2005 NBA Finals to the San Antonio Spurs.
Sure, McDyess has millions of dollars, was an all-star with the Nuggets in 2001 and won Olympic gold in 2000. But what is missing is an NBA championship ring, and he hopes his long quest for one will end this season with the Pistons.
“I couldn’t believe it,” Mc- Dyess said about the loss. “When I saw the last seconds tick off the clock and went into the locker room, not being able to celebrate was the toughest thing at that point that I could even imagine.
“Knee surgery was bad, but getting as close as I did and not winning it could be put on the same page as that. I couldn’t talk to the media. I was so hurt. I had tears in my eyes, man.”
The Pistons are back on the road to a championship, but the road is tougher this time.
Detroit had to win the final two games of a second-round series against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers to get to the Eastern Conference finals. Now, the two-time defending Eastern Conference champs are in a dogfight with the Miami Heat. And while the Pistons had a tough ending to last season, the bitter Heat had it worse, losing to Detroit at home in Game 7 of the conference finals.
“It’s all about winning at this point,” McDyess said. “All about the rings. The money is good, but at this point you want something to show for what you played for.”
McDyess, 31, never got close to becoming a championship contender during two stints with the Nuggets, from 1995-97 and 1998-2002. Denver never made the playoffs during his time with the team.
Then-Nuggets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe traded McDyess to New York on June 26, 2002, for Marcus Camby, Mark Jackson and the draft rights to Nene. McDyess still respects Vandeweghe and was stunned he was let go by the Nuggets.
“I was surprised, man,” McDyess said. “Kiki turned that place around to me, personally. And he got fired? But what did he get fired for? I don’t know. Maybe because they didn’t get past the first round (of the playoffs)?
“I was definitely surprised. It’s going to take time. He turned it around overnight, and the next thing you look up and he’s fired.”
The Nuggets acquired McDyess, the second pick in the 1995 draft, from the Los Angeles Clippers on draft night. “Dice” has played 11 seasons.
He has overcome potential career-ending knee problems that forced him to consider retirement. But even though McDyess is healthier than he has been in years and is an important part of the Pistons’ roster, he may consider retiring again if he gets sized for that championship ring.
When asked how much longer he wants to play, McDyess said: “I don’t know. As long as my body tells me I can go, unless I get a ring.
“If I get a ring? Then I’ll tell you. Then you can come back and ask me that question.”
Footnotes
Colorado sophomore guard Richard Roby worked out for Minnesota last week, but said he canceled a workout with Chicago because of the flu. Roby, who can return to CU, said Thursday he has not hired an agent. … Former UNLV forward Louis Amundson, a Boulder native, said he will work out for the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday and the Nuggets on Wednesday. … Former University of Denver forward Yemi Nicholson worked out for the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday and has several workouts ahead before the predraft camp begins. … Nuggets forward Linas Kleiza is working out in Denver, but he will miss summer league play to take part in training camp for the Lithuanian national team, which is in the world championships beginning in mid-August in Japan. … One sleeper prospect to keep an eye on during the predraft camp from June 6-10 in Orlando, Fla., is Gulf Coast Community College (Fla.) forward Tedric Hill. The 6-foot-10, 235-pounder is athletic but very raw and has struggled academically in college.
Marc J. Spears can be reached at 303-820-5449 or mspears@denverpost.com. Spears also has a weekly NBA radio show on Thursdays at 4 p.m. on ESPN 560 AM.
