gophers/ncaa
Moments of glory series: Trevor Winter's NBA job? Hack-a-Shaq
- Article by: BRIAN STENSAAS , Star Tribune
- Updated: June 4, 2012 - 5:54 AM
Trevor Winter only played five minutes in the NBA, but the former Slayton, Minn., and Gophers center got to battle against 15-time All-Star Shaquille O'Neal.
Trevor Winter was more known for his Gophers career, but he also had a memorable cup of coffee with the Timberwolves.
- 2
- comments
resize text 
- buy reprints
For a man who loves to hear himself talk, Shaquille O'Neal didn't say much to Trevor Winter during their brief encounter.
"People hear I played in the NBA, and I always get asked who I played against," Winter said. "My answer is always Shaq, because that's pretty much it."
The next question, inevitably, is what kind of guy the 15-time NBA All-Star was.
"Truthfully," Winter said, "you don't get to know a lot about a person in five minutes."
This is not a facetious statement by Winter, who these days is among the world's only 7-foot-tall medical salesmen. On March 16, 1999, the Slayton, Minn., native and former Gopher was activated by the Timberwolves for one reason: Hack Shaq.
During the team's pregame meeting, Winter was told tongue-in-cheek he would be fined a set amount of money for every foul he didn't make on O'Neal.
"They needed my fouls," Winter said. "And I thought what the heck. I was excited to get out there."
Winter checked in midway through the game at Target Center, played 5 minutes and picked up five fouls against the Lakers big man.
"He looks big on TV but even for a 7-foot, 300-pound guy like I was, he made me feel small," Winter said. "A giant of a man."
On the first play of his first NBA action, O'Neal took the ball inside and dunked on Winter. Hard.
"It happened so fast I don't even think [TV] was back from commercial," Winter said. "The pace of the game was fast. Everything was kind of a blur after that."
Winter also collected three rebounds in his debut. Despite having a foul left, he was lifted after five minutes ("They were happy with my showing," he said) and did not return back into that game -- or ever again.
He was deactivated the next day and his career NBA stats always will read five minutes, five fouls.
"It was a great experience, and I owe a lot to coach [Flip] Saunders for believing in me enough to be with the team," said Winter, who made the Wolves roster after coming to camp from the Fargo-Moorhead Beez of the now-defunct International Basketball Association. "I'm not sure if I'd call this an honor or what. It sure is interesting. All I know is I take pride in playing at all three levels of basketball in Minnesota."
- 2
- comments
- resize text
- buy reprints
explore Gophers/college sports
ADVERTISEMENT
| Philadelphia | 2 | Top 6th Inning |
| Washington | 5 |
| Baltimore | 9 | Top 5th Inning |
| Toronto | 3 |
| Minnesota | 0 | Bottom 6th Inning |
| Detroit | 5 |
| Atlanta | 2 | Bottom 5th Inning |
| NY Mets | 2 |
| Chicago Cubs | 3 | Bottom 5th Inning |
| Cincinnati | 5 |
| Cleveland | 1 | Top 4th Inning |
| Boston | 3 |
| NY Yankees | 8 | Top 6th Inning |
| Tampa Bay | 0 |
| Pittsburgh | 0 | Bottom 3rd Inning |
| Milwaukee | 2 |
| Miami | 0 | Bottom 3rd Inning |
| Chicago WSox | 0 |
| LA Angels | 1 | Top 3rd Inning |
| Kansas City | 0 |
| Oakland | 2 | Bottom 2nd Inning |
| Houston | 0 |
| San Diego - E. Stults | 8:40 PM |
| Arizona - B. McCarthy |
| St. Louis - L. Lynn | 9:10 PM |
| Los Angeles - C. Capuano |
| Texas - J. Grimm | 9:10 PM |
| Seattle - J. Saunders |
| Colorado - T. Chatwood | 9:15 PM |
| San Francisco - T. Lincecum |
| Indiana | 24 | 1st Qtr 3:52 |
| Miami | 12 |
| Ottawa | 0 | 2nd Prd 10:36 |
| Pittsburgh | 2 |
| Indiana | 34 | 2nd Qtr 0:18 |
| San Antonio | 35 |
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
inside the StarTribune
-
425 Portland Av. S.
Minneapolis, MN 55488
(612) 673-4000
- Company
- Subscriber Services
- Website
- Buy Ads
- Store
- Connect with Us
© 2013 StarTribune. All rights reserved.
StarTribune.com is powered by Limelight Networks
Newspaper Subscriptions
eEdition
RSS
Newsletters
