Mavs Lose Sonny Weems Sweepstakes

West Memphis-

Traversing the Western shore of Memphis, one can become easily distracted by sun tan oil and bikinis. But if you look past the exterior and delve into the substance beyond the glitz and glamour, you might just find something worth remembering: Sonny Weems. Long bandied about by locals and onlookers alike, Weems stands at an imposing 6 foot 6 inches tall, well above average amongst Western Memphisites. From early on, it was clear that Weems had something different, something special. Once invited to the Portsmouth Invitational Basketball Tournament, Weems averaged almost 20 points per game in highschool. Gifted by God with an array of athleticism and skill that could not be stopped, a legend was born.

A worn man in a red flannel shirt sits on a porch outside a small bait shop, his chair gently rocking, recalling the feat etched permanently in his memory. "He just rose up, laid the ball of the square and," he pauses as his gray beard sways in the ocean breeze, unphased by the man's emotion, "...and he touched the backboard at the same time the ball went in." The man still shakes his head in disbelief as he recalls the history that was made that fateful night. It was June 26th, 2005 at the Tennesee Class 5A championship. While less gifted kids focused their time on the Memphis pastimes of surfing and skateboarding, Weems was creating history. "Tapping" was born. A trip to a local gymnasium later that day confirmed my suspicion. Weighted shoes, squat thrusts...the gym is littered with a dream. Little kids pracitce on the five foot tall basket while the adults jump earnestly, outstretching their hands yet coming up short of the real backboard. Clearly, Weems was special.

What happens to the basketball player who seemingly has achieved it all? Junior College in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Plying his trade for the Lions, Weems routinely touched the backboard while laying the ball in. Sometimes he did this up to ten times per game. Impressed with his incredible leaping ability and intrigued by lucrative marketing opportunities, the Milwaukee Bucks from the NBA recently traded a blossoming star in Malik Allen to Fort Smith, who were forced to part with Weems because of the struggling economy and inability to legally pay their players.

As news broke around the basketball league of the move, the question most often asked by anonymous front office executives, but never answered, was where was Donn Nelson? From Analysts Ric Bucher to Marc Stein, the outlook for Nelson's Mavericks appeared bleak, but Weems could've changed all of that. Instead though, as Nelson spent weeks in dark, smokey Vegas gambling halls succumbing to his nasty habit, the Bucks were out in the real world, making moves. While the outlook for the Mavs remains dreary, the forecast in Milwaukee is "Sonny".