The Detlef Schrempf generation

After his 2011 NBA championship win especially, momentum continues to mount in the argument for Dirk Nowitzki as one of the greatest power forwards in NBA history, already widely regarded as the greatest German basketball player of all time.

Though well deserved, as time moves on, it can be easy to forget players of the past, even some of the best. While Nowitzki has dominated the league the last decade, it was fellow German power forward Detlef Schrempf who took the NBA by storm in the 1990s.

Also drafted by the Dallas Mavericks – as the eighth pick in 1985 – Schrempf didn’t get a true chance to shine until he was traded to the Indiana Pacers four seasons later.

Regularly awarded over 30 minutes per night, Schrempf served primarily off the bench for the Pacers and proceeded to win two Sixth Man of the Year awards in consecutive seasons. He was also nominated to the NBA All-Star team for the first time as a Pacer in 1993. That year, his best season with the team, Schrempf averaged 19.1 points and 9.6 rebounds per game.

Many today certainly remember him as a Seattle SuperSonic though, despite his prior accolades as a Pacer. When Schrempf was traded from the Pacers to the Sonics in the summer of 1993, he moved into a lineup alongside greats Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp.

Schrempf immediately benefited from the move and shot 51.4 percent from three-point range, one of the top such marks for any single NBA season. He would later go on to become the first German player to reach the NBA Finals in the following season, where, if not for Michael Jordan, he would have also become the first German player to win an NBA title.

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Additionally, over the course of his career, Schrempf was named to two NBA All-Star teams (1995 and 1997) while wearing the green and yellow – or rather, green and maroon after the Sonics made their unfortunate uniform change in ’95.

Throughout the 1990s, while EA Sports’ popular NBA Live franchise took off, it was hard to find an NBA fan unfamiliar with the joys of using Schrempf to drain virtual threes left, right and center thanks to his 93 three-point rating in NBA Live ’96.

He had slowly and inconspicuously become one of the most recognizable names of a generation dominated by the likes of Jordan, Charles Barkley and Hakeem Olajuwon.

In the years since the Sonics moved from Seattle to Oklahoma City, Schrempf hasn’t been afraid to speak about the relocation. When the Sonics do return – which many assume will happen eventually – it’s expected that the once rabid fanbase will return.

Though the official SuperSonics franchise has settled in Oklahoma, it’s not hard to believe that a new franchise would in many ways remain tied to the one that left.

Schrempf – a Seattle resident involved in a variety of charities in the Northwest – would be a perfect ambassador to bridge such a connection to the past. Whether he returns as a coach or in some other capacity remains to be seen. Irregardless, the new Sonics franchise would be lucky to have him.

Even in retirement, Schrempf has made himself visible, contributing to the community whenever and however he can. The Detlef Schrempf Foundation has continued to provide assistance to various children’s charities since its inception in 1996.

Schrempf, or @DSchrempf, is also an active member of the Twitter community with a website for his foundation at Detlef.com. The annual Detlef Schrempf Celebrity Golf Classic is just one of the organization’s many events.

Additionally, Schrempf has guest starred on two episodes of NBC‘s hit show Parks and Recreation. In the Indiana-based comedy Schrempf cameos as one of the state’s greatest celebrities, meshing excellently with the cast to largely favorable reviews.

His reputation has even transcended mediums. In 2007, Seattle-based indie rock group Band of Horses released their second album, on which the fourth track – named “Detlef Schrempf” – serves as a testament to the breadth of his influence in the region.

In today’s NBA, with more and more Europeans players making their way on to rosters, it can be easy to forget that some of the best arrived a generation ago when America’s stranglehold on the league was as dominant as ever.

While Schrempf wasn’t one of the earliest European pioneers, his consistent play and, particularly, his personality made him a fan favorite wherever he played.

There really is no doubt that Schrempf was among the few who helped pave the way for the current decade’s influx of European players. Along with Dirk Nowitzki, Schrempf is one of the two best German stars of all time.

So while it’s easy to get caught up in Nowitzki hysteria – and rightfully so – it’s important remember what the first German All-Star did for the league just 20 years ago.

Not to mention what he continues to do today.

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