2003 NBA

1. Tim Duncan: Won the MVP for the 2^nd straight season.

He was the Finals MVP for the 2^nd time in his career.

He was first team All-NBA for the 6^th straight year and first team all-defense for the 5^th straight.

Duncan was 7^th in scoring (23.3), 3^rd in rebounds (12.9) and blocks (2.9).

The Spurs forward was also shot 51% and four assists per game.

He started for the West in the All-Star game (19 points and 15 rebounds).

Duncan had 58 double doubles including seven games with at least 20 rebounds.

He led the league with 3.3 blocks per game in the playoffs.

The Spurs finished the Suns in the first round behind a triple double (15-20-10) from Duncan.

He averaged 32-15 in Games Five and Six as San Antonio dethroned the three time champion Lakers.

The MVP averaged 28-16-6 and 3 blocks per game in the West Finals win over the Mavericks in six games.

He put up 24-17 and over five assists and blocks a game in the Finals.

His near quadruple- double in Game Six put the Nets away and gave the Spurs their second title.

San Antonio was a league best 60-22 and won the Midwest Division. They won all four series on their way to the title in six games.

2. Kevin Garnett: Was 2^nd in the MVP, and 3^rd in the Defensive Player of the Year voting.

He was first team All-NBA and first team All-Defense.

Garnett was Player of the Month in February and April.

He was the All-Star game MVP (37-9 on 17-24 shooting).

KG was 2^nd in rebounding (13.7), ninth in scoring (23), and 8^th in minutes (40.5).

The Big Ticket also averaged a career high six assists per game and he shot 50% from the field in all 82 games.

68 of those 82 games were double doubles, six were triple doubles, and five were 20+ point-rebound games.

In Games 2-3 vs. the Lakers in the 1^st round, Garnett averaged 34-17-5.5. The Timberwolves took a 2-1 lead in the series behind Garnett’s play.

For the series KG averaged 27-15-5 with double doubles in all six games.

The Wolves went 51-31 and was the four seed in the West. They lost in the 1^st round for the 7^th straight season.

3. Kobe Bryant: Was 3^rd in the MVP voting. He was first team All-NBA and All-Defense.

He was player of the month in January.

Kobe led the league in field goals and total points while playing in 82 games.

Bryant averaged 30 points a game; good for 2^nd in the league.

He was 4^th in minutes (41.5) and 6^th in steals (2.2).

Bryant averaged a career high 6.9 rebounds per game and also six assists a game.

He had nine straight 40 points games in February, the second longest in NBA history. He had three 50 point games on the season.

He was an All-Star and scored 22 points.

Kobe led all playoff scorers with 32.1 per game. 

The Lakers ended their 3 year run as champs. They won 50 games and beat Minnesota in the 1^st round. They lost to the eventual champions Spurs in six games in the 2^nd round. 

2003 College Basketball

1. Carmelo Anthony:  He was the Most Outstanding Player in the Final Four after leading Syracuse to their first ever national championship.

He was the consensus NCAA Freshman of the Year, 2^nd team All-American, and 1^st team All-Big East.

He averaged 22.2 PPG (4^th in the Big East), 10 RPG (3^rd), 36.4 minutes per game (4^th), and 1.6 steals per game.

Melo had 26 games with at least 20 points and 22 double doubles.

Syracuse beat three straight top 6 Big 12 teams to win the title.

In the regional final vs. #3 Oklahoma, Carmelo had 20-10 on 9-16 shooting in 40 minutes as Syracuse shutdown the Sooners 63-49.

Anthony averaged 20.2 points per game in the tournament.

He had 33-14 and three steals and shot 12-19 from the field in the Final Four vs. #5 Texas.

Anthony had 20 points, 10 rebs. and 7 assists in the final over #6 Kansas.

Syracuse won the title 81-78 over KU.

The Orange were Big East co-champs with 13-3 record.  They were 24-5 in the regular season (30-5 overall) and were #13 in the final poll.

2. Nick Collison: Was the NABC Player of the Year and consensus first team All-American.

 

He was also the Big 12 Player of the Year.

Collison became the Big 12 all-time leading scorer.

He was among the Big 12 leaders in scoring with 18.5 PPG (2^nd), 3^rd in RPG (10), 3^rd in blocks (1.9), and 2^nd in FG% (55.4).

The senior center had 16 double-doubles. That included 24 point 23 rebound heroic effort vs. #5 Texas.

Collison propelled Kansas back to the Elite Eight with a career high 33 vs. #7 Duke.  He also had 19 rebounds.

With the Jayhawks down by one in the second half, he scored seven straight points to give Kansas a six point lead, a lead they would not relinquish, with less than six minutes to play.

He had 12-15-5 in the Final Four pounding of #9 Marquette.

Collison finished his great career with 21 rebounds, 19 points (8-14 FGs) and three blocks and steals in title game vs. Syracuse. He played all 40 minutes.

Kansas won the Big 12 regular season with 14-2 record and was 30-8 overall. They were #6 in the final polls. They advanced to their 2^nd straight Final Four.

Collison was on the USA national team as the only non-professional. He averaged just under five points per game as the US went 10-0 win the FIBA Americas and qualify for the 2004 Olympics.

3. Dwayne Wade: Was a consensus All-American and finalist for the Player of the Year.

He was the Conference USA Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.

He was the MVP of the Midwest region in the NCAA tournament.

Wade carried Marquette past top ranked Kentucky 83-69 in the regional final. The win ended UK’s 26 game winning streak.

He was the 4^th player, including Magic Johnson, to record a triple double in the NCAA tournament. He finished with 29-11-11 and four blocks.

In the tournament “Flash” average 21.8 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 6 APG.

He led Conference USA in scoring (21.5), and was 8^th in assists (4.4), and was 2^nd in steals (2.2). He also averaged over six rebounds, and 1.3 blocks a game.

Wade had 21 twenty point games , including 28 vs. #14 Louisville.

In Marquette’s sweet 16 upset of #3 Pittsburgh, Wade scored 22 on 10-19 FGs.

He had 19-6-4 in Marquette’s blowout loss to Kansas in the Final Four.

Marquette finished #9 in final poll. They were 27-6 and 14-2 in Conference USA as regular season champions. The Golden Eagles advanced to their first Final Four in 26 years.

NFL 2002

1. Derrick Brooks: He was the Defensive Player of the Year.

 

He guided the Bucs to their first Super Bowl with a clinching interception return for a touchdown.

He made his 6^th straight Pro Bowl and was a consensus All-Pro.

He also defensive Player of the Month in October.

The Bucs linebacker had 118 tackles, five picks, three returned for scores, and returned a fumble for TD.

He had at least 10+ tackles in four of the last seven games, to help get Tampa Bay to their fourth straight playoffs.

In the divisional round vs. the 49ers, Brooks had 7 tackles, ½ sack, and Int. as the Tampa pounded San Francisco 31-6.

In the NFC Championship game he posted seven more tackles.

The Bucs finished with NFL’s top defense allowing just 12 points per game, and gave up the league’s least amount of yards. They went 12-4 and won the NFC South.

They handled the Eagles 27-10 to win the NFC. Tampa Bay routed Oakland 48-21 in the Super Bowl.

2. Rich Gannon: Was the regular season MVP and first team All-Pro.

He led the NFL in competitions with a single season record of 418. He also topped the league in yards with 4,689.

The 37 year old QB was also 5^th in TD passes with 26, and 2^nd in rating (97.3) and competition percentage (67.6).

He had 10 300+ yard games.

Gannon help the Raiders get past the Jets for the 2^nd straight year in the playoffs. He tossed two second half TD passes, as Oakland outscored New York 20-0 in the second half.

He finished with 283 yards passing on the night.

In the AFC title game the Raider quarterback threw three first half TD passes to give Oakland a 24-17 lead on Tennessee. His TD scamper put Oakland in front by 10 in the fourth.

Gannon threw for 286 and ran for 41 as the Raiders pounded the Titans 41-24 to advance to their first Super Bowl in 19 years.

He threw two TDs and for 272 yards in the Super Bowl. He threw five picks, and three that were returned for scores.

Oakland went 11-5 and won the AFC West. They were second in the NFL averaging 28.1 points per game.

3. Terrell Owens:  Was consensus first team All-Pro for the 3^rd straight season.

He led the NFL in TD catches with 13 for the second straight year.

He was 4^th in the league with 100 receptions and 8^th in yards with 1300, and 2^nd in yards/game.

T.O had five multi-TD games including a famous Monday Night Football performance vs. Seattle.

Owens was a starting WR for the NFC Pro Bowl.

He carried San Francisco past the Giants in the classic wildcard win.

His 76 yard catch and run put the Niners up seven early.  He added another touchdown and a pair of two point conversions. He had 9 catches for 177 yards on the game.

The 49ers came back from a 24 point deficit in the 3^rd quarter in escape with a 39-38 win to advance to the divisional round.

The 49ers were 10-6 and NFC West champs. They would eventually fall to the champion Bucs in the divisional round.