2010 NBA Playoffs: Antawn Jamison Is Reason Enough To Cheer for the Cavaliers

With the second round of the NBA playoffs only days away, soon, fans of 22 NBA teams will be migrants, searching for a new bandwagon to join for the stretch run.

If your loyalties remain undecided, the thought of Antawn Jamison, one of the NBA’s true good guys, winning an NBA championship should be enough to sway you toward Cleveland for the next six weeks.

Yes, seeing LeBron James win his first ring, and Shaquille O'Neal winning his fifth (with a third different team) certainly makes for some quality television for ESPN, TNT, and ABC.

But seeing a guy like Jamison, who was named a two-time "Good Guy" by The Sporting News, win a championship would be tailor-made for the “Nice Guy Finishes First” story playing out in real life.

Ever since entering the League in 1998—forgoing his senior year at UNC after having won the Naismith and Wooden awards as a junior—Jamison has managed to be a consummate professional both on and off the court.

Jamison isn’t the guy who’s going to choke his coach , or threaten to shoot his teammate , and he certainly wouldn’t be the one throwing his teammates under the bus after a tough loss. 

The All-Star forward recognizes the value of chemistry in a locker room, and after being traded to Cleveland in February this year, ‘Tawn made a point of buying into the Cavs’ defensive intensity, despite not necessarily being known as the best defender in the NBA.

"I don't want to be a liability on the defensive end," Jamison said . "I want to be able to say that even though I'm not the best defensive player in the league, when it comes down to it, I can defend and make it difficult for our opponents."

Keep in mind, Jamison’s not any regular role player here–in his 12-year career, Jamison’s averaged 19.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists, a steal, and a three-pointer per game.

The fact he’s humble enough to adjust his game on the fly at 33, shows that he’s humble enough, mature enough, and hungry enough for an NBA championship to make any sacrifices necessary. 

From the sounds of J.A. Adande’s excellent piece on Grant Hill , Jamison is prepared to follow Hill's model, and continue having success on the court late into his 30s, giving his willingness to adjust.

Jamison also just so happens to be essentially a saint off the court.

In Jamison’s rookie year with Golden State, he began the “Antawn’s Army” program , where he’d buy tickets to Warriors games for local youths every month. Jamison continued the program along every stop he made in his professional career, and now offers a limited number of autographs to fans on his website.

Jamison’s thirst for giving back hasn’t been limited to “Antawn’s Army”; in fact, Jamison’s been just about what NBA commissioner David Stern must have dreamed of when creating the NBA Cares program. 

Jamison created his “A Better Tomorrow” program in 2002, providing assistance to the less-fortunate members of his community around the holidays. He’s donated thousands of dollars over the course of his career to charities, created scholarships and school programs in his name, and has demonstrated a commitment to giving over the course of his entire career.

Bottom line: The guy’s got a nearly 3,000-word charity section on his website, describing everything that he’s given back to his communities over the years— 3,000 words ! Most of my college essays weren’t even that long.

Now, with LeBron, Shaq, and the rest of the Cavaliers by his side, Jamison’s facing his best chance at an NBA championship.  

"I've seen a lot, accomplished a lot on an individual level, but as far as team level, I haven't gotten past the second round," he said. (In fact, he has LeBron to thank for his past three first-round exits with the Wizards).

"It seems like every year around this time, I'm sitting there watching other teams and other guys get the opportunity. And come June, I'm sick (of it). ... This is the only thing left for me to accomplish."

If you’re sick of athletes like Tiger Woods and Ben Roethlisberger winning championships with questionable moral compasses, Jamison should be a beacon of hope during these NBA playoffs.

If you’re like me, a beaten-down Sixers fan looking for a bandwagon to join, Jamison’s all the reason you need to cheer for the Cavs.