By now, you’ve probably heard these two things about Steve Francis of the Houston Rockets: One, he’s the only player in the NBA currently leading his team in scoring (22.6), rebounding (7.7) and assists (6.6), and two, when he plays, the Rockets have a markedly better chance of winning. With Francis in the lineup, the Rockets are 15-14, without him, 1-19.
 Francis will be in the All-Star Game and Slam Dunk. Garrett Ellwood NBAE/Getty Images |
Francis will make his first NBA All-Star appearance on Sunday, after being voted by the fans to start in the Western Conference backcourt alongside the Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant. Francis has the numbers and is blessed with extraordinary basketball talent worthy of the No. 2 overall pick of the 1999 NBA Draft and being named Co-Rookie of the Year along with Elton Brand.
But take it a step further.
Francis, on the verge of NBA stardom, will participate in the Slam Dunk Contest for the second time in three years (a busy schedule kept him from competing in the 2001 installment in his hometown, Washington D.C.), happily offering his services for the fans that generously punched his name on the All-Star ballot.
Francis, who will celebrate his 25th birthday on Feb. 21, will be working overtime this weekend “just because in years past, all the great ones did it three, four times in a row.”
How many young players have such a sense of history and greatness?
How many young players take on a leadership role from the opening day of their very first training camp? When Francis first arrived in Houston in 1999, Hakeem Olajuwon and Charles Barkley were still punching the clock, but there was little doubt after watching Francis begin his NBA career that the Rockets were his outfit.
“Once you see Steve Francis, he’s going to make an impact on you because he does so much,” said Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich. “He’s all over the place. He’s a multitalented player.”
One that his teammates have come to rely on.
“A lot of it has to do with presence and leadership out on the court,” Kevin Willis said. “He puts points on the board and takes pressure off. But it’s a confidence thing, really. You feel comfortable. You feel more relaxed, less pressure.”
Yet, when pressed on the issue of being “the Franchise,” Francis won’t let his thoughts stray far from the team concept.
“I just try to play within the confines and the flow of the game,” he said, “and the times when I don’t do that are the times I’ve had bad games. I think that I’ve learned by me sitting out 17, 18, 19 games, sitting on the bench with a sore foot, that helped me realize what I can bring to this team.”
Francis will be the first Rockets All-Star since Olajuwon, Barkley and Clyde Drexler were named to the 1997 team. He said he’s looking forward to player introductions, making his way onto the court through “that star that they have, with the smoke coming out that everybody walks through. Looking forward to that.”
Rob Reheuser is a member of the NBA Editorial Staff.
