NBA basketball players' careers are frequently indexed to longevity and awards. Rings, trophies, or how many seasons a player stayed in the NBA. There’s certainly merit in evaluating NBA players along those parameters.
However, there’s an opportunity to recognize that the journey itself to earning an NBA roster spot for any amount of time is an incredibly difficult athletic achievement that merits celebration and honor.
Former Chicago Bulls forward Michael Sweetney passed away on Thursday, and his basketball career exemplifies the opportunity we all have as basketball fans to honor NBA players who don’t enter philosophical GOAT conversations, hear their name in NBA awards announcements, or get the privilege to play NBA basketball in June.
All NBA players are elite basketball players
Michael Sweetney’s NBA career was preceded by a standout NCAA men’s basketball career from 2000 to 2003 for the Georgetown Hoyas, adding to a storied tradition of Hoyas frontcourt players such as Patrick Ewing, Alonzo Mourning, and Dikembe Mutombo.
Sweetney started all three seasons for the Hoyas and finished his collegiate career as a two-time all-conference recognition recipient. He also finished his final Hoyas season as a junior with a strong performance, averaging 22.8 points per game, 10.4 rebounds per game, and 3.2 blocks per game, according to Sports Reference.
Remembering Sweetney’s NBA career journey
Sweetney was originally drafted 9th overall by the New York Knicks in the 2003 NBA Draft and played his first two seasons for the Knicks and subsequently entered the Chicago Bulls organization via trade during the 2005 NBA offseason.
The Bulls franchise's historical impact of this trade lies in the draft capital attached to the Bulls' return of Sweetney, along with forward Tim Thomas and guard Jermaine Jackson.
One of the first-round picks the Bulls received along with Sweetney became franchise legend center Joakim Noah, while the other first-round pick turned into seven-time NBA All-Star (who never suited up for the Bulls) LaMarcus Aldridge.
Sweetney’s time with the Bulls was brief: two seasons, and of the two seasons, the 2005-06 Bulls season was Sweetney’s stronger campaign, starting 44 of 66 regular-season games.
Again, Michael Sweetney didn’t earn NBA longevity or accolades in his career, yet he was able to demonstrate game moments that made you understand how he was able to earn one of 360 active NBA roster spots in the league during the 2005-06 season.
Sweetney’s best three-game stretch of the 2005-06 Bulls season occurred within the famous annual “circus trip” road-game stretch of the Bulls season, where Sweetney averaged 19.0 points per game, 12.3 rebounds per game, and 1.3 blocks per game against the Portland Trail Blazers, Seattle SuperSonics, and Los Angeles Lakers.
Overall, Sweetney’s contributions to the Bulls’ 2005-06 season were modest, and at the same time, he should be remembered for being a member of the mid-2000s Chicago Bulls rosters that grew up from baby status into credible NBA playoff teams.
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