Steve De'Shawn Francis, formerly known as "
Stevie Franchise" now self-described "Steve-O" (born
February 21,
1977 in
Silver Spring, Maryland), is an
NBA basketball player. He was the 2nd overall pick in the
1999 NBA Draft by the
Vancouver Grizzlies out of the
University of Maryland, but was traded to the
Houston Rockets that summer after publicly announcing that he did not want to play for the Grizzles. He is a liability on defense, but is known for his explosiveness to the basket with dunks.
Missing imageSteveFrancis.jpg Francis in a 2004 Orlando Magic game.
Yet, he is also notorious for taking ill-advised isolation shots. Steve Francis is said to have a 42" vertical leap, but this has not be validated. His last season in Houston was rocky at best. Rumours surrounding his absence at a team function due to his attending the Super Bowl were only an example of his perceived antics on and off the court, stressing his relationship with the Houston fan base.
On June 29, 2004, Francis was traded to the Orlando Magic along with Cuttino Mobley and Kelvin Cato in a seven-player deal that sent Tracy McGrady, Juwan Howard, Tyronn Lue, and Reese Gaines to Houston.
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