Side effects: the best supporting players can be integral to their teams' success

Sporting News, The, Jan 28, 2005 by Mike DeCourcy

Ever since they started making TV shows and movies out of comic books, Robin has been a problem. You think sidekick, you think Robin wearing that frilly red and green outfit from the campy late-60s TV show or that metallic number with the phony six pack from the crummy late-90s movie. Robin Just is not cool.

Yes, Tonto was cool. Ed Norton was cool beyond reason on The Honeymooners. But Robin? It's tough enough for a talented performer to accept second billing without carrying around the burden of being associated with that character.

But maybe the sidekick is turning cool again, at least in college basketball. Perceived in recent years as a sport with too few big names, now even the supporting players are squeezing in moments of brilliance. The sidekick can be particularly disconcerting to an opposing coach, who has enough worries trying to stop All-Americans without having to handle their friends, too.

The concept of a sidekick is not an invention of modern popular culture. It goes at least as far back as Arthur and Lancelot. Of course, the issue of being a sidekick on a basketball floor can be a touchy subject, or haven't you ever heard of Kobe Bryant?

Those collegians willing to serve as sidekicks for their starring teammates can be greatly rewarded, though. Last season, Ben Gordon sidekicked his way to an NCAA championship and the No. 3 spot in the NBA draft. He was right behind--no, beside--All-American teammate Emeka Okafor. This season's best sidekicks have a chance to make a similar impact in March.

Luther Head

Senior shooting guard, Illinois

Sidekick to: Junior guards Dee Brown and Deron Williams.

Sidekick model: George Harrison. Although John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote most of The Beatles' songs, Harrison really could play.

Moment in the lights: Head outperformed not only his teammates, but also Indiana star Bracey Wright with a career-best 29 points in an Illinois victory at the 2004 Big Ten Tournament.

He's No. 3: The greatest difference between last year's inconsistent Illini and this year's dominant squad is Head, who has developed from a gifted athlete into an accomplished basketball player. He has as many assists halfway through this season as he did all last season, and he leads Illinois in 3-pointers. Opponents can't drop off Head to double-team inside or stop Brown's penetration. If they do, Head will bury another 3-pointer.

"It's just getting better at the little things--making the extra pass, not taking so many dribbles trying to get to the hole," Head says. "I looked at film of myself last year, and I wasn't passing the ball to the open man. I worked hard this summer on my jump shot. It's showing."

Instead of turning jealous over the summer when Brown and Williams were invited to work as counselors at the Nike All-American Camp and the Michael Jordan Flight School, Head picked up on some of the drills and tips those two learned from pro coaches and elite players.

Now beyond the injuries and off-court problems that affected his junior season, Head might not be the star for top-ranked Illinois--but he is the team's leading scorer. "Before, I couldn't play without focusing on things off the court," Head says. "This year, I'm more basketball-minded. I'm just playing."

Best quote from an annoyed opposing coach: "He was making me say bad words."--Purdue's Gene Keady, after Head scored 19 points and beat the Boilermakers with a game-winning shot in overtime last March.

Earnest Shelton

Senior shooting guard, Alabama

Sidekick to: Junior forward Kennedy Winston.

Sidekick model: Don Cheadle. A supporting actor in nearly every role he takes, he routinely outshines those who share the screen with him.

Moment in the lights: In last season's Sweet 16, Shelton made four 3-pointers and scored 22 points to lead Alabama to an 80-71 victory over defending national champion Syracuse.

He's No. 2: Operating as a secondary option for Alabama is not a hindrance for Shelton. He needed to grow his confidence just to climb that far in the hierarchy.

Shelton was recruited to provide the Crimson Tide with improved perimeter shooting, but he nearly became a bust before becoming a sidekick. He made less than a third of his 3-point attempts as a freshman and sophomore and didn't believe in his talent until coach Mark Gottfried delivered the message of how important he was to Alabama.

"He said in order for us to win, I was going to have to step up my game," Shelton says. "He challenged me to be a better player, a better student-athlete. I took heed of that."

Shelton missed nine of his first 10 3-pointers as a junior, but instead of losing confidence, he accepted his coach's challenge and slapped 28 points on Southeastern Louisiana in the Tide's third game. Shelton has been a prominent player since. He attempts 2.4 fewer shots per game than Winston, but he's happy to take advantage of the defensive attention paid to his more famous teammate.

"Most teams have a great defender--they don't have two or three great defenders." says Shelton. "Kennedy looks for me. I'll curl behind him, and he'll flip it back. Or my guy might go in to help against him. He's a great scorer, but he's also a great passer."