Chris Webber said missing out on the Lakers in 1998 was all worth it: "My career wouldn't be as fulfilled if it wasn't for Sacramento"

Nothing is set in stone in the NBA. Chris Webber’s career trajectory proves it.

After his second team, the Washington Wizards, decided to move him, the 6’10” forward was initially thrilled by reports that he might land with the Los Angeles Lakers. But things played out differently. In May 1998, Webber was traded to the Sacramento Kings instead.

At first, Webber famously wanted no part of Sacramento. That didn’t last, though. Looking back on the six and a half seasons that followed, he called his Kings tenure one of the best things that ever happened to him — truly a blessing in disguise.

“By God’s grace, I ended up right where I belonged,” Webber later said.

From Lakers dream to Kings reality

Back then, Webber, who had earned his first All-Star nod three years after claiming the 1994 ROY award, had already secured his place among the NBA’s top-tier big men.

Still, after the 1997–98 season concluded, the Wizards‘ front office pushed him toward a fresh start, which C-Webb welcomed, especially when he imagined that new chapter unfolding in Los Angeles.

Instead, Webber found himself a few miles up the coast. On paper, the Kings were just another small-market team stuck in a cycle of disappointment, with just two playoff appearances between 1986 and 1996 — hardly the destination most stars of his caliber were aiming for.

At their worst, the organization from Sactown were the league’s laughing stock; at best, perennial underdogs. Webber felt that even that “more favorable label” worked against them, recalling that he saw it as a con early on.

Webber’s defining the Kings’ legacy

Even through the Kings’ many struggles, one faint light remained: the franchise’s direction was still up for grabs. Nothing had been solidified inside the organization, meaning the stage was set for someone to seize the role of true cornerstone. Over time, C-Webb experienced a genuine shift in mindset, growing determined to claim that responsibility for himself.

Once he did, everything shifted. Webber’s unselfish play, leadership, and relentless energy breathed life into a franchise desperate for hope.

“Honestly, it feels great to be part of a story of overcoming,” reflected the retired five-time All-Star.

It’s safe to say much of that transformation wouldn’t have happened without the genuine bond Webber built with teammates like Jason Williams, Mike Bibby, Vlade Divac, Peja Stojakovic and Hedo Turkoglu — on and off the court.

That group became more than just a roster — they felt like family — and the league took notice as the early-2000s Kings evolved into “The Greatest Show on the Court,” a free-flowing, high-octane spectacle fueled by imagination and unity.

Their ceiling came in the 2002 WCF against the Lakers — the very side Webber had been willing to join years earlier. Still, he couldn’t have been more satisfied with how it all unfolded.

“My career wouldn’t be as fulfilled if it wasn’t for Sacramento,” he said. “Sacramento and I needed each other.”

What began as a trade, the one-time rebounding leader never wanted, evolved into a lasting legacy for both Webber and the city, culminating in February 2009 when the Kings retired his number four jersey during a home game against the Utah Jazz.

Ultimately, “C-Webb” averaged 23.5 points, 10.6 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 377 games for Sacramento — arguably the most defining stretch of his Hall of Fame career.

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Oct 28, 2025, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Chris Webber said missing out on the Lakers in 1998 was all worth it: “My career wouldn’t be as fulfilled if it wasn’t for Sacramento”

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