Shortly after Kenny Anderson, the Nets All-Star guard, went AWOL for a day in Dec. 1994 and missed a Nets practice, Derrick Coleman, his teammate, responded to reporters' questions about the incident:
"Where were all you guys when Dwayne Schintzius missed practice? Everyone misses practice. Dwayne Schintzius misses practice. Jayson Williams misses practice. I miss practice. Even the coaches miss practice sometimes."
Then Coleman was reminded that Anderson, a team leader, might want to set a better example. "Whoop-de-damn-do," said Coleman "I didn't feel he owed anybody an apology." The Nets finished the 1994-95 season 30-52. Coleman, who missed practice more than anyone, was traded to the Sixers for Shawn Bradley shortly after the 1995-96 season began. Coleman averaged about 20 points and 10 rebounds a game for the Nets during his first five NBA seasons, on his way to becoming one of the league's best players. It wasn't to be. He did, however, achieve the distinction of being voted Page 2's second worst cancer in NBA history.