The overlooked career of Kevin Martin

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Kevin Martin

Kevin Martin announced his retirement this past Thursday by posting an ad in the Zanesville Times Recorder:

Thank you, thank you, thank you. There’s not a more perfect day for me to express those feelings. There are so many ways to announce your after professional career plans. My family and close friends have known since June of the direction I wanted my life to go. Those were the toughest conversations that I have ever had but with the ultimate support I knew I was making the right decision. […]

To my community, I think the way I have always wanted to do it was on a personal level with the place that has always been there for me as I started this journey as a 18 year old kid. That place is Zanesville, OH! It was always about you! Special is just the start to describe you guys as part of my journey from day 1. Honestly, there isn’t enough pages or enough days in a year for me to name everyone that has had a positive impact in my life. Every little kid that loves basketball dreams about playing in the same league as Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant, but I know it’s the hope that others give that can only make that dream a reality. That’s where I realize I’m from a one of a kind community. I never took anything for granted, always inspiring to make a difference off the court and play at a high level because I always represented Zanesville everywhere I went in this world. […]

In appreciation to you… The Kevin Martin Youth Foundation will be donating $100,000 to enhance the talents of our young children, on and off the sporting fields, in the Zanesville and surrounding area! Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

This put an end to a 12-year career where Martin put everything he had out on the floor. Kevin was a NBA journey man, playing for five different teams during his career. And throughout his tenure, he was known for his scoring ability.

Despite his unorthodox form, Martin could shoot the ball well and that’s what he was mainly known for in his latter years. But many people forget that he also had the ability to put the ball on the floor and get to the rim. Martin was an all-around scorer that averaged 17.4 points per game for his career shooting .437 from the field. He had multiple 20+ scoring seasons and even multiple 40+ scoring performances including a 50+ performance against the Golden State Warriors in 2009.

Even with everything he did well, Kevin Martin didn’t quite receive the notoriety that some of his peers did. His career went well under the radar and didn’t quite get the shine others did. Some of that could be due to the lack of winning from the teams that he played on. Another reason could be due to the era in which he played. Drafted in 2004, Martin’s career was during the prime of Kobe Bryant and the liftoff of LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Dwyane Wade. NBA superstardom was already attained with a slurry of some of the greatest scorers that the league has ever seen.

Regardless of being overlooked, Kevin Martin was still one of the great scorers of his time. He could do it all and he was surely one guy that you did not want to leave open. Kevin Martin may not be a name kids these days recognize but if they’re looking for some new footage of players to watch, he’s definitely a guy they should do their research on.

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