Wizards owner Abe Pollin paid Antawn Jamison the ultimate compliment Tuesday, comparing him to franchise great Wes Unseld. The ultimate reward for the All-Star forward came the night before, when Jamison signed a four-year contract for a reported $50 million.
Tuesday at Verizon Center, Pollin made it obvious that, where Jamison is concerned, character matters.
“He’s not only a great and fantastic athlete, he’s a human being of the highest caliber,” said Pollin. “He reminds me of … Wes Unseld. I’ve never had anybody else I’ve said that to.”
Jamison, 32, is coming off perhaps his best season. The 6-foot-9, 235-pound forward averaged 21.4 points, his high in four seasons with the Wizards, and 10.2 rebounds, his high in his 10-year career.
In signing Monday night, just hours before he would have officially become a free agent, Jamison not only demonstrated his desire to remain in Washington, but signaled to free agent Gilbert Arenas, his Wizards teammate the last four years, to follow suit.
“Ernie Grunfeld has done a fabulous job, in my eyes, putting a championship contender together, and we knew the importance of having myself and Gilbert Arenas back,” said Jamison. “I totally believe that will happen.”
At the end of this season, Arenas said that he would sign with the Wizards — only if Jamison was returning. Jamison and Arenas have been teammates for all but one of Arenas’ seven seasons. The two traded text messages Monday after Jamison made his decision.
“Once he heard the news, he congratulated me and said he was happy,” said Jamison. “I texted him back and said, ‘Now it’s your time.’”
Jamison said he received tempting feelers from one other team, and had a day of indecision. But the Wizards’ courtship never wavered.
“One situation came up and I thought it might occur,” said Jamison. “But one thing I will say, the Wizards from day one did everything possible and indicated they really wanted me to come back.”
