Brockman caught my (and the rest of Sacramento's) eye early last season with his work on the court. Lacking finesse and jump-out-of-gym athleticism, Jon Brockman made up for it with his work-horse style of play. Lunging for errant balls, corralling rebounds, bodying up on guys five inches taller and forty five pounds heavier than him, Brockman did all he could with the few minutes a game that coach Paul Westphal gave him. He stretched his time on the court to the absolute limit, and when you saw Spencer Hawes or Jason Thompson run to the scorer's table to check in for him, you couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness.
After the miraculous comeback over the Bulls, where Brockman notched an astounding (and team best) +26 in only 17 minutes of play, his cult status among Kings fans was forever solidified. During that game he became my favorite player on the Kings. This may be the largest cliche I'll ever type, but I can't think of a better way to put it--Jon Brockman's raw energy during that second half galvanized the Kings. He was the catalyst, bar none, that put into motion one of the largest comebacks in NBA history. In a Kings season marred with disappointment and heartbreak, this was the arguably the brightest moment. And it was all possible because of Jon Brockman.
While the media fawned over Tyreke Evans and his run for the vaunted 20-5-5 statline as the season drew to a close (and rightly so, I suppose), I grew to respect Brockman more and more. He kept his head down and plugged along, doing all he possibly could, never causing trouble or making waves.
Nicknames were thrown his way. Brocknasty. Brocktopus. The Brockness Monster. My IM team loved that last one so much we used it to name our team. The autograph I got from him at the meet-and-greet found its way onto my wall. The photo of us became my profile picture on Facebook.It's safe to say I idolized him. And that handshake had a lot to do with that. The handshake said it all; he was interested in getting to know you. He didn't take anything for granted. Every game for him was an opportunity--just a normal guy trying to prove he had the moxie to hang in the Association. That's all. Sitting at a supermarket signing autographs for fans was starkly foreign to him and likely something he never expected to do. You could tell he was surprised, and perhaps excited, that people had lined up to see him.
And that type of humility, that type of enthusiasm is exactly what the NBA needs more of. With super stars wearing shirts proclaiming their greatness or giving uninspired quips to reporters in post-game interviews, Brockman eschewed that culture. Opting instead to sport a camouflage hat as part of his off-court attire, he tried to blend in rather than obnoxiously stand out. Brockman wasn't (and isn't) about the fanfare, even if he is appreciative of it.
In the off-season, Brockman was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. I understand that's the nature of the league, that players are treated as commodities to be traded, bought, and sold. Being a fan favorite doesn't get you too far if management deems you an unnecessary piece of their puzzle. That's too bad, because it means he won't be donning a Kings uniform anymore. But I'm happy for him regardless. It means he'll still grace the league with his work ethic. And no matter what jersey he sports (even if it is purple and gold), I'll root for him. Because guys like Jon Brockman make the game worth watching. The league needs more people like him--duck hunter, country music enthusiast, working man.
Look past the entitled superstars. Look past the labor disputes. Jon Brockman is a reason to be excited about this league.
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