![frederic weis frederic weis](https://img.lamontagne.fr/cpYhuFgcS_wjmMnHriqrb0hFzsmUK2Ju0EPj94dtEo8/fill/657/370/sm/0/bG9jYWw6Ly8vMDAvMDAvMDQvNjIvNDAvMjAwMDAwNDYyNDA2NQ.jpg)
Frédéric played well in the 2000 Olympics when France captured the silver medal. Alas, Rose was later imprisoned for unscrupulous financial dealings and conflicts of interest just like the one that entangled Weis.ĭespite the setback and the miscommunication that ultimately derailed any time in the NBA, Weis had a solid European career. It would have made a lot more sense for Weis to make the New York move and work with the Knicks full-time to develop his blossoming game. He wanted Weis to return to his French club, which Rose had an ownership stake in. Weis played for New York’s summer league team, but when it was time to sign a rookie contract, his agent, Didier Rose, didn’t have his best interests in mind. Van Gundy later said he didn’t really remember many interactions with New York’s top draft pick that year (since it was more than 15 years ago), but that he did add that Weis was “an incredibly nice and sweet guy.” He told her a story about how Van Gundy had seen him wearing his watch just before practice - Weis was always a stickler for being on time - and berated him about whether he planned to wear it once workouts began. During phone calls with Celia, Weis described Van Gundy as having been “cold” to him and showing little interest in him. But his exuberance was quickly tempered after a few choppy interactions with Van Gundy, who did not seem pleased with Weis having been the team’s draft choice. Nonetheless, Ed Tapscott, the team’s interim general manager, who had drafted Weis, told him the Knicks were excited to have him and looked forward to seeing him play in the summer league. According to Weis’s wife, Celia, Weis was told, “You’re not really the guy we were supposed to draft,” and he was informed that “some fans might not be so happy.” Knicks officials alerted Weis to the discontent in a short, somewhat awkward meeting. But as Sam Borden documents at the New York Times, Weis’ jubilance was soon stunted by the realization Knicks fans didn’t want the lumbering seven footer, and even the coach, Jeff Van Gundy, was blasé about Weis’ future in New York. 15 overall pick, Weis was called in a Paris hotel room and started celebrating. Most NBA fans won’t remember him, except as the victim of what could be Vince Carter’s greatest poster slam ever, nicknamed “le dunk de la mort (the dunk of death).” But the 7-foot-2 Frenchman, Frédéric Weis, was drafted by the Knicks the year before those 2000 Olympics when Vinsanity reigned supreme, and it all seemed to spiral out of control from there, despite a somewhat successful international career.Īfter being selected with the No.