'He doesn't have a drinking problem!' - Kendall Gill on Shawn Kemp's bad reputation

Although Shawn Kemp was considered to be one of the best and most electrifying power forwards of the '90s, the Seattle SuperSonics legend didn't have the best reputation around the Association. Rumors were circulating about "The Reign Man's" bad off-court habits, the biggest one being an alleged drinking problem.

His coach at the time, George Karl, at one point confirmed this narrative and threw his star under the bus. That didn't sit well with Kendall Gill, who played in Seattle for two seasons and formed a relationship with Shawn.

In a 1998 edition of SLAM Magazine, KG reflected on those times, defended Kemp, and expressed excitement that he was finally out of Seattle and in a new chapter.

"I saw Shawn last night, and we talked a little bit about it. He said he was just happy to get a new start. I'm happy for my man. I felt that he wasn't really respected with the rumors about him having a drinking problem. Shawn Kemp is one of the hardest-working players in the NBA, and he doesn't have a drinking problem! I know that because I'm friends with him," Kendall explained Shawn's situation.

Everybody hates George

Karl was a proven and good coach during his NBA days, but it seems the tactician ended up beefing with almost everybody he coached when they finished working together. Gill and Kemp were no different.

While Shawn didn't like George's portrayal of him as an off-court distraction, Kendall hated that the coach viewed him as a "pretty boy." From KG's point of view, he was a dog who had to fight to get to the NBA, while Karl didn't really respect his work ethic.

"George Karl and I, we didn't respect each other. Our relationship deteriorated from the start. The 'pretty boy thing' pissed me off a whole lot. I wasn't being respected. I wanted respect for my work ethic., the way I came to practice every day," Kendall emphasized

After playing for the Sonics from 1993 to 1995, Gill finally broke free from Karl and had some of his best years on the New Jersey Nets. The same couldn't be said for Kemp, who went to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1997 and never looked like the same player again.

McMillan signed a different tune

Although Kendall defended Shawn, other reports told a different story. For example, another former Sonics teammate, Nate McMillan, once shared how they had to remove beers from the locker room after drafting "The Reign Man."

"We had some issues with some people drinking, and at that time, beer was allowed in locker rooms," McMillan said. "It was just there, and we had to take beer out of our locker room because he was underage."

It is evident that a few lousy off-court habits derailed Kemp's career and stopped what could have been an even more remarkable career. However, Gill felt that coach Karl bashing him publically was not the solution, and it's admirable to see that he stepped in to defend his friend and teammate.