Nick Van Exel was traded to Portland during the off-season.
Van Exel was my teenage hero.
I remember when I was in 10th grade, I watched him play his first game as a Laker at the Forum. Late in the fourth quarter, he made a running one-hander in the lane and began waving his arms to rouse the crowd. I was mesmerized.
Nickey V. sparkled in his NBA debut with the Lakers.
I began imitating a few of his moves on the court. For the most part, they were effective. As such, my respect for this NBA star increased.
I also collected a bunch of his rookie cards. Upper Deck Die-Cut. Topps Finest Refractor. Topps Stadium Club (pictured at top).
Van Exel became someone I admired because of his brash demeanor, willingness to take (and oftentimes hit) the crunch-time shot, and his cool-headed personality off the court.
Five seasons later he was traded to the Nuggets. It was a sad day for me. I had a hard time reconciling to myself the fact he was no longer a Laker.
Since playing for the Lakers, Van Exel has played for three other NBA teams. He is now the starting small guard for the Portland Trailblazers.
