Thursday, February 1
By Chris Palmer
ESPN The Magazine
|  | | Aaron McKie launches the game-winning, 3-point shot over Bobby Jackson to beat the Kings on Dec. 30. |
Aaron McKie has never been The Man. Not in HS (as a senior at Simon Gratz in Philly, he was overshadowed by frosh Rasheed Wallace). Not in college (second fiddle to Eddie Jones at Temple). Not in the NBA, where he's been the set-up man, the clean-up man and the other man.
He's certainly not The Man with the Sixers-that job's taken. So what do you call a guy whose versatility and blue-collar effort have made him indispensable? Try Glue Man, because in the absence of starting PG Eric Snow (out since early December with a fractured right foot), McKie's the guy holding Team Turmoil together.
At 6'5", 209 pounds, McKie is a classic jack-of-all-trades who beats you with little things like extra passes, well-placed jumpers and relentless hustle. "I observe and plug whatever holes need to be filled," McKie says. "Post up, drive, shoot from the outside, whatever."
More important, he's accomplishing what Jerry Stackhouse, Larry Hughes and Tim Thomas- all too busy looking for their own shots-could not: making Allen Iverson better. In the 18 games since McKie took over at the point, The Answer is averaging 30.4 points (vs. 24.3 in the first 18 games). But McKie's also found time to look out for himself, setting new season highs in points (11.5), rebounds (4.2) and assists (4.7). Pretty nice timing, considering he's in the final year of a seven-year, $8 million deal.
Earning Player of the Week honors the last week of December moved him out from under the radar-at least for the time being. "He may not have all the leaping ability or the quickness," says Rockets guard Cuttino Mobley, "but he's really someone you have to prepare for."
As well as a good man to have around.
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No place like home: Damon Stoudamire
