11,964 points, 2,902 rebounds and 2,015 assists in 11 NBA seasons. That boils down to 16.0 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. Pretty impressive stats for an entire NBA career. Clearly not elite, but definitely representative of a quality NBA player. So to whom do we attribute these numbers? That’s right, Cuttino Mobley.
You probably forgot about him after hypertrophic cardiomyopathy forced him out of the league in ’08. That’s what basketball does. It’s an impatient, soulless corporation that feeds on the hearts of the meek. Literally. Mobley gave everything he had to the league for years and was handsomely rewarded. But when it threatened his health and forced him out the door, it was unforgiving and unwilling to ride it out. After being traded to the Knicks from the Clippers for cap reasons, New York cut him just to save a few bucks.
You can take the player from the game, but you can’t take the game from the player.
So Mobley started over. He may be a 35-year-old has-been to most, but not in his mind. That’s why he’s still working out four times a week and clinging to NBA dreams. But Mobley’s a pragmatist – he’s hedging his NBA bet with a side business that contrasts his somewhat matured personality.
So what’s the business, you ask? A medical marijuana dispensary in Providence, Rhode Island. Here’s what Mobley himself had to say about it to BasketballBreakdowns:
“We’re going through the procedure now. A compassion center, to help people that are ill. We’re doing a lot of different research – we have to sign different contracts as far as rental places, cultivation sites, and trying to be as strict as possible.”
As to whether marijuana can help people in pain, here’s Mobley’s take:
“I definitely think it does. There’s a lot of different prescription drugs out there that don’t do justice for you. This right here helps in so many different ways, for so many different diseases, and it’s cheaper.”
My initial reaction was to nod – an expected alignment of the cosmos, of sorts. But the man still has NBA aspirations tattooed to his brain. Maybe one day he’ll relive the glory days. I hope so, at least. I wouldn’t mind watching him and Stevie Franchise light up opposing backcourts for one more season. But a man’s gotta choose – NBA or marijuana. Not an easy choice, apparently.
In case you’re feeling nostalgic, enjoy.
What do you think? Would you like to see Mobley back in the NBA?
Follow Dylan on Twitter at @DylanBotB.
Follow Dime on Twitter at @DimeMag.
Become a fan of Dime Magazine on Facebook HERE.
