clarinews@clarinet.com (JOE DiGIOVANNI) (01/16/90)
MILWAUKEE (UPI) -- Sidney Moncrief toiled for 10 years with the Milwaukee Bucks, leading the NBA team to the playoffs each season before retiring last summer. Now, the Bucks are thanking Moncrief by making him their sixth player to have a jersey retired. Milwaukee planned a ceremony Tuesday night to retire jersey No. 4 before the Bucks game with the Golden State Warriors. While meeting the media Monday, the always modest Moncrief downplayed his successful career -- including being named to the All-NBA team in 1983 and to the second team four times. When Moncrief played with them, the Bucks had 10 straight winning seasons and seven straight division championships. ``I can't take full credit for our record or for our success,'' Moncrief said. The ceremony almost didn't take place. Moncrief originally balked when talk arose of retiring his jersey. ``I did have hesitations to having my jersey retired but after getting rid of my selfishness and giving it some thought, I'm excited,'' he said. ``I've always viewed retirement of a number as something I wasn't high on. ``I didn't see the significance of it over the long term. Over time I saw it as a chance for the team to say thank you and for the fans to say thank you and let them see you a final time.'' Moncrief's No. 4 will join Oscar Robertson (1), Jon McGlocklin (14), Brian Winters (32), Bob Lanier (16) and Junior Bridgeman (2) as those immortalized on a banner above the Bradley Center. The 6-4 guard, who lives in Little Rock, Ark., was bitter after the Bucks chose not to re-sign him during the off-season. He hoped to sign with another team but retired after not getting any offers. But his scoring average had dipped from 20 points in the 1985-86 season to 12, 11 and 12 points in his final three seasons. Moncrief now says he's glad he hung up the uniform. ``Mentally, I had a burnout,'' he said. ``I'm very happy that it did not work out. ``Normally, Sidney is very impulsive. I could have gotten in a city I didn't like and midseason I would have quit. I didn't want to be remembered that way. ``I see players do things I know I can't do on the basketball court anymore,'' he said. ``The desire to compete isn't there anymore.'' Now, he's giving attention to his family, himself and his business. He opened Sidney Moncrief Pontiac, Buick, GMC more than two years ago in Little Rock. ``I don't do too much of anything,'' he said. ``I exercise, I play golf and I play tennis. I go to the dealership once in awhile. ``I've chosen one year not to do anything. Maybe next year I'll find something to do and if an offer came up involving basketball I'd consider it.'' What's the best thing about retirement for Moncrief, who had several knee problems in his latter years with the Bucks? ``Not to have anything hurt is a very good feeling,'' he said. ``To know that you're not abusing your body, because I played aggressively, and had a lot of wear and tear. It feels like the summertime.'' The Bucks allowed Moncrief to choose when the ceremony would take place. He chose Tuesday night's game with Golden State, now coached by former Bucks Coach Don Nelson. ``It wouldn't be a retirement ceremony without him,'' Moncrief said. ``He was very instrumental in getting me here.''