Chris Andersen: Brrrrrr What Happened to that Boy? !

“Ha! Banishment! Be merciful. Say death. For exile hath more terror in his look. Much more than death.” Romeo Montague, Romeo and Juliet, Act 3 Scene 3.

The birdman has been caged long enough. Commissioner Stern clipped his wings two years ago; grounding the wild haired one with the sacred writ of NBA law, sending his career into a mighty freefall.

He was exiled to barren lands where he roamed jagged mountains and expansive plains, dreaming of a time when he could take flight once more….

Following those lonely days and restless nights, the pogo-legged bean pole got to work. He hired the services of basketball guru Joe Abunassar and set up camp in gyms across Las Vegas and Denver.

Now Andersen will become the first player to apply for reinstatement in the league since the troubled Roy Tarpley, who was suspended in 1995 and whose subsequent application was denied.

Let us hope the basketball lords presiding over birdman’s case will be more lenient. After all, the gawky pillar of energy has professed his sobriety and apologised for his good-time habits.

While the path back to the show may not be smooth and may not be quick, I fully expect Andersen to be swatting shots and soaring for boards in an NBA arena in the future. Even the Commissioner must long to see that mop of blond straw flying high through the air again.

The question is, where will he end up? If reinstated, New Orleans would have a 30-day window to sign him to a contract. Should the Hornets pass, Andersen would become an unrestricted free agent and could sign with any team.

The Hornets bench is weak but would the front office risk spoiling the team’s chemistry half-way through a special season? Boston is another possibility; the Celts have a suspect bench and Andersen is tight with KG. Plus, the Bostonians would love to have another white boy on board.

But wherever he lands, the birdman will hype a crowd and draw a smile. As long as he doesn’t enter another dunk contest, that is.