On Senior Night 1996 — the final home game of Chucky Atkins' USF men's basketball career — he walked to mid-court, knelt down and kissed the Sun Dome court. It capped an unforgettable home finale, when he dropped 30 points in a Conference USA victory against the UAB Blazers.
"That was my way of showing appreciation to the university, to the alumni who watched us play and supported us and to my coaching staff and teammates who were always there for me,'' Atkins said.
Saturday night at the Yuengling Center, when the USF Bulls (12-16, 5-10 American Athletic Conference) host the SMU Mustangs (10-18, 5-10), Atkins makes a triumphant return on "Chucky Atkins Night'' as USF pays tribute to the point guard who became one of only three USF men's basketball players to have his jersey (No. 12) retired.
"This means even more, almost like I can't put it into words,'' said Atkins, 48. "When I entered USF, I was 18 years old. I really didn't know anything. I had no idea what was ahead of me and I was really kind of afraid.
"But I knew I wanted to play college basketball. I wanted to belong. And I was willing to do whatever it took to make that happen.''
Atkins arrived at USF as a 5-foot-11 (maybe) point guard from Orlando's Evans High School. He was mostly overlooked and unwanted, getting looks from Manhattan College, Murray State and East Carolina before USF coach Bobby Paschal received a testimonial from one of his former players who was based in Orlando.
"Chucky Atkins … take him! Sign him now!''
Paschal and his staff didn't hesitate.
Atkins (1992-96) became a four-year starter, playing in 111 games and scoring 1,619 career points (sixth all-time at USF), along with 519 assists (third), 244 made 3-pointers (second), 85 double-figure scoring games (sixth) and 24 games or 20 points or greater (seventh).
In his senior season, after capturing a gold medal at the World University Games, Atkins was considered one of the NCAA's top point guards, mentioned in the same class as Georgetown's Allen Iverson, Kansas' Jacque Vaughn, Georgia Tech's Stephon Marbury and Santa Clara's Steve Nash.
But even though some prognosticators projected Atkins as an NBA first-round pick, he still couldn't escape the "overlooked and unwanted'' label. He was not drafted. Later, he was cut by a CBA team. He remembers being in a semi-depressed state, laying on his mother's couch, wondering if he should just give up basketball.
Give up?
Never!
Chucky Atkins, the kid who nobody wanted, eventually played 11 seasons in the NBA, the most of any USF Bull, and had career earnings of more than $34-million.
"No matter what happens to you in life, if you believe in yourself, you've got to keep fighting,'' Atkins said. "If you're good enough, you're going to knock down that door. That's my story. My story is about persistence.''
Leader, Scorer, Playmaker
The enduring USF memory of Chucky Atkins — whether it's from a coach, a teammate or even a sports writer — is a guy who couldn't get enough of basketball. And if he wasn't playing it or practicing it, he was watching it.
"Chucky Atkins was — and is — the ultimate definitely of a gym rat,'' said Tommy Tonelli, the former USF point guard and assistant coach. "As coaches, we'd be leaving the facility and the offices late at night, and Chucky would be in the gym getting up more shots. And that was before the shooting machines came along.
"He was always trying to make himself better. He was a great teammate and a great leader. Most of all, he was a guy who was supremely confident in himself and in how we wanted to play the game.''
Tonelli also remembered a guy who thrived in the big games and always wanted to take the big shot.
"He never backed down from a challenge — never,'' Tonelli said.
In a 17-day span in his sophomore season, Atkins hit free throws and shots in the final seconds each game as USF defeated Florida State (65-63), Old Dominion (75-73) and USC (64-61).
"When Chucky Atkins has the ball in his hands in a game-winning situation, you might be in trouble,'' USC coach George Raveling said after Atkins' last-second free throws defeated the Trojans.
Raveling, a member of the USA National Team selection committee, remembers working with Iverson and Atkins.
"Allen is more of a riverboat gambler,'' Raveling said. "Chucky is more of a corporate CEO.''
Paschal said he believed Atkins did everything necessary to be drafted. When that didn't happen, Paschal had quick advice.
"I told Chucky he couldn't control what other people did or said, but he could control what he chose to do,'' Paschal said. "I suggested he work as hard as he could work. If an opportunity came his way, I wanted him to be prepared. He never stopped working.''
Atkins initially played in the Vancouver Grizzlies' summer league, then lasted until the final cut after thinking he had made the regular-season roster. He tried out for Oklahoma City's CBA team — and he was cut again.
"That was the moment when I wondered if this was for me,'' Atkins said. "I can almost make an NBA team and I get cut in the CBA? So I went to the coach and asked him, 'Why was I cut?' Because everybody on the team knew I was the best player out there.
"The coach said he kept other guys over me because he had already been to battle with them. That was like a slap in the face. But that's the moment I learned the truth about professional basketball. It's right place, right time, right circumstance. Other USF players might have been good enough to make it, but their timing wasn't good. So I just had to find the right place for me.''
Getting His Opportunity
Atkins got a chance with the CBA's La Crosse Bobcats — and he was like a man possessed.
"Nobody was my friend,'' Atkins said. "It was all business. It was like me against the world.''
Atkins played one season at La Crosse and caught the eye of the brother of Drazen Petrovic, an NBA player from Croatia. Atkins played the 1997-98 season in Croatia, where he made good money, but still longed for an American opportunity.
Atkins had been well-known around the Orlando Magic in his hometown, working as a tryout player and operating in the open gym. Chuck Daly, then the coach, had interest, but Atkins had one more season of a favorable financial contract in Croatia.
When Atkins returned to Orlando, Doc Rivers had become the Magic coach. Rivers watched Atkins practicing against the exiting Magic players and remarked, "He's better than what we've got.''
Atkins was offered a contract by the Magic. And that began his 11-season run in the NBA, which covered nine different stops (Magic, Pistons, Celtics, Lakers, Wizards, Grizzlies, Nuggets, Thunder, then back to the Pistons). He averaged 9.9 career points and 3.4 assists per game.
Chucky's NBA teammates included Kobe Bryant, Vlade Divac, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony, Jerry Stackhouse, Pau Gasol, Kyle Lowry and Iverson.
"I'm happy with how my career went down,'' Atkins said. "You never know how things are going to play out. I could've been drafted and taken everything for granted and maybe my career wouldn't have been as long.
"But the way things went for me, it made me understand professional basketball, what it takes to make it, everything you need to make you stronger and better. I learned how to persevere.''
Atkins is back in his hometown area, where he doesn't play much basketball these days. But he's still willing to compete — at anything.
"I'm a competition junkie,'' Atkins said. "Fishing, golf, chess, checkers, you name it. If I have the choice between competing and being lazy, I'm choosing the competition every time.''
He learned those lessons at USF.
"Every time I went out there, it was a challenge,'' Atkins said. "I wanted to make my mark in college basketball. Didn't matter how tall I was or anything else. I gave it everything I had — always — so there are no regrets.
"All these years later, as I look back on it, I had so much fun as a USF Bull. There are so many fond memories and fun people. It was an honor to wear the uniform. To think that they're bringing me back to honor me, it's kind of mind-boggling. I'm very grateful to be a USF Bull.''
