Andre Miller recalls playing for a dysfunctional Cavs team that featured an out-of-shape Kemp: "They even started calling him 'Shawn Blimp'"

The 1990s featured a handful of high-flyers who captivated fans with their aerial escapades. From Michael Jordan to Vince Carter and Kobe Bryant, these superstars flew through the air with the greatest of ease and left fans in awe. However, there was another player who was just as athletic but far more ferocious in his rim attacks: Shawn Kemp.

A 6’10” freak of nature who terrorized defenses every time he rumbled down the lane and elevated for a dunk, his combination of size, strength, and athleticism made him nearly unstoppable in his prime. He brought a lot to the table and helped the Seattle SuperSonics contend in the ’90s and even reach the 1996 NBA Finals.

However, as his career progressed and he got traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers, it felt like the only table that mattered to the Reign Man was the dining table. Former NBA veteran Andre Miller saw this with his own eyes as Kemp got so out of shape to the point where teammates and opponents began ridiculing him for his weight gain.

Shawn Blimp

At the height of his powers, Kemp was a bona fide difference maker on the court for the Sonics. An MVP candidate who impacted both ends of the court, Kemp averaged 23.3 points on 55 percent shooting and 10.0 rebounds in the 1996 NBA Finals, all while battling the ferocious Dennis Rodman inside the paint.

However, as the Sonics traded Kemp to the Cavs, Miller noted how his teammate had seemingly abandoned his workout regimen in favor of indulging in unhealthy food, even before games.

“That was fun, man. But, you know, it was like I’m coming in as a young guy and, you know, going to get donuts,” Andre said, recalling his rookie year during the 1999-00 season.

Rookie duties are an inevitable part of life in the NBA, and Miller vividly recalled one specific task he had to perform for Kemp before every game.

“Shawn Kemp always had me running to get a bucket of chicken before games,” Andre revealed. “Yeah, man. Anytime. That’s when he got a little bigger — that’s the year he came over there. They even started calling him ‘Shawn Blimp.'”

Miller added that Kemp’s unhealthy eating habits weren’t the only thing that struck him as odd when he joined the NBA. He also saw how some NBA veterans had the nerve to talk back to the head coach, which, safe to say, was a real eye-opener for the University of Utah standout.

“To sit in the locker room and — the first time I saw a vet curse out a coach? I think it was Clarence Weatherspoon. I’m like, man, this is the NBA. You can cuss coaches out?” Miller stated. “I’m seeing dudes cussing out coaches, throwing chairs, and I’m just sitting in the corner chilling like, ‘Yeah, this how they do now.'”

Kemp still had game

The real revelation for Miller, though, was Kemp. Despite being overweight, Andre said the big man still had game. Shawn averaged 17.8 points and 8.8 rebounds in his final season in Cleveland.

However, he was far from the efficient scorer he was during his time in Seattle when he made 52 percent of his shots. In his third season with the Cavs, Kemp shot only 41 percent, a dismal number for a power forward.

“Man, he came over there like 280, 290, and I was still throwing him lobs,” Miller conveyed.

Kemp’s remarkable weight gain was not lost on Steve Kerr when they became teammates on the Portland Trail Blazers during the 2001-02 season. By then, there was no denying that Shawn no longer had the physique that allowed him to dominate some of the best power forwards in the game during his glory days in the Association.

“Then I played with Shawn in Portland, about 2001, it was the lockout year,” Kerr relayed. “So, the lockout happened, and he came back probably 50 pounds overweight. I don’t think he was ever able to recover from that.”

A couple of seasons after that stint in Portland, Kemp played his last game in the NBA. He was a member of the Orlando Magic then and, at 33, had already gone through numerous injuries and personal struggles.

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 15, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Andre Miller recalls playing for a dysfunctional Cavs team that featured an out-of-shape Kemp: “They even started calling him ‘Shawn Blimp'”

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