Green Lights
Michael Redd didn’t always have a green light.
As a rookie, he attempted 19 shots in seven months. And made five of them. He made half of his free throws, didn’t make a three-pointer, and watched his team play to within one win of a trip to the Finals.
Two seasons later, he hit 35 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 6 steals in a December win over the Cavaliers. That game took place in Redd’s home state of Ohio. Redd started all 82 games that season, and made 182 three-pointers. He had a green light.
This time, the Cavaliers are visiting Milwaukee today, and Redd is coming back to his second home here in Milwaukee to retire. He is stopping at a red light now. Still at least for tonight, a few of the brightest flashes will find a way to flicker on in green, maybe even a little Bucks green, for Redd.
Warmups
That video at the top shows Redd warming up during his final season with the Bucks. Redd was on the comeback trail, and I arrived early to the stadium that night. He started making a few threes and I pulled out my camera. My camera captured him making 14 out of 16, by my count, but it was better than that.
He didn’t play that night. Roughly a month later, Redd returned to the court for NBA action for the first time in more than a year. None of the games from that final year are on his top performances from below, but I am grateful to have that video at the top, because it is a glimpse of how good someone can be, even when they aren’t any longer at the top.
Fifty Seven
Here is the night Redd scored 57, because it’s the type of night to stay up late and watch Redd highlights on YouTube.
November 11, 2006 – 57 points, 3 steals, 1 block (18-32 field goals, 6-12 threes, 15-17 free throws)
Box Scores
And, here are 10 of my favorite Redd box scores (click on the box score to see the full game stats via basketball-reference), because Michael Redd is retiring today:
November 11, 2006
March 4, 2007
November 28, 2006
January 16, 2009
December 9, 2002
November 20, 2007
January 21, 2004
November 2, 2005
April 1, 2008
December 26, 2006
