Meeting Spud Webb

Michael Anthony Jerome Webb was known as “Spud” during his basketball career because he was only five feet six inches tall, one of the shortest players in NBA history. I am here to tell you that I think they were stretching things even to list him at that height. 

Spud grew up in poverty in Dallas, Texas, and was told from the beginning that he was too short to play basketball. He got a chance to play on his junior high team only after two others did not pass their pre-season physicals. All he did was to score 22 points in his first game. Spud could dunk the ball from the time he was five feet three inches tall.  

Out of high school, Spud attracted little attention from colleges but finally landed at Midland (TX) College, where he led them to the junior college national title in 1982. In the championship game, Midland defeated top-ranked and previously undefeated Miami Dade in double overtime, with Webb scoring 36 points. North Texas Coach Bill Blakeley had recruited Webb but was fired before the next season. However, he had connections with North Carolina State and Webb finally got to work out in front of legendary coach Jim Valvano. Needless to say, his vertical leap of 42 inches impressed the NCS staff. 

Webb went on to a 13-season NBA career. His best year was 1991-92 with the Sacramento Kings, where he averaged 16 points and 7 rebounds. 

Perhaps Spud’s greatest fame came from his winning the 1986 NBA Slam Dunk Contest. He defeated Dominique Wilkins, who was 14 inches taller than he was. 

During the late 1980s, I worked in the Marketing function for Today’s Kids, which was headquartered in Booneville. One of the best toys we introduced during those days was the plastic basketball goal. I was appointed to take it to one of the trade shows in New York City. At that point, we were looking at possibly putting some sort of licensed figure on the goal to hopefully increase its popularity. 

Spud and his agent came by our booth, hoping to talk us into putting his name and likeness on the toy. We shook hands and visited for a few minutes. He had long and sensitive fingers. I remember thinking how much his hands were like those of internationally famous concert pianist Van Cliburn when I had met him while I was in college. 

Today’s Kids did not use Spud Webb’s likeness on the basketball goal while I was with the company, but it would have been a perfect match. And, at least it gave me the opportunity to meet one of the famous players in NBA history.