A HOOPS STAR IS REBORN WEBBER SHEDS TROUBLESOME LABEL IN SACRAMENTO.

Byline: Steve Dilbeck Staff Writer

Here comes trouble - that's what they all figured. Chris Webber's reputation arrived way ahead of him. And it wasn't scribbled all cute on a T-shirt.

A talented underachiever. A young rebel who dared take on an almost legendary coach. In trouble with the law. All but chased out of town by two teams by the time he was 25.

Then when he was traded to the Sacramento Kings, that Siberian outpost of the NBA, Webber didn't even want to show up.

``Actually, coming to (Sacramento) seemed like the lowest point of my career,'' Webber said. ``And really, it's been more like rebirth time.''

Now he's trouble of a much different nature. The kind almost impossible for other teams to handle. After five often-turbulent seasons with Golden State and Washington, Webber has gone from the poster boy for the spoiled NBA star to the future of the league.

If the Kings have no answer for center Shaquille O'Neal in their opening playoff series, the Lakers have none for Webber. In Sacramento's four regular-season games against the Lakers, Webber averaged 27 points and 11 rebounds.

In Game 1 on Sunday at the Staples Center, it was more of the same, the 6-10 Webber scoring 28 points in 27 minutes, flashing by and over A.C. Green and Robert Horry. The only thing that could stop him was fouling out, which he did, much to his dismay.

``For us, he's just like Shaquille is to the Lakers,'' said Kings center Vlade Divac. ``He's our main guy. He's had an all-pro season.

``From day one, he was determined to win and lead this team. I've just tried to help him. Whatever he wants to do, I'll do.''

It's hard to figure as to who this might come as bigger news, the Warriors, Wizards, Kings or Webber.

Golden State coach Don Nelson was so high on Webber, who was coming out of college after two years at Michigan, he engineered a complex draft-day deal in 1993 with Orlando, trading for the No. 1 overall pick.

No one ever disputed Webber's talents. But Nelson soon soured on Webber, who didn't want to play center. Then he quickly wanted to renegotiate his contract, and his independent streak did not sit well with the regimented Golden State coach.

Things turned ugly, and after his rookie year, he was traded to Washington and reunited with his former Wolverines teammate Juwan Howard. The Bullets were heralded as the team of the future, with a new frontcourt and soon a new nickname, the Wizards.

But Webber left his fans disappointed.

In January of '98 he was charged with marijuana possession during a traffic accident. He and Howard were named in a sexual-assault complaint by a woman whom Webber said he had never seen before. A grand jury did not indict the players.

For a young man, Webber was carrying a lot of bad baggage when he reluctantly arrived in Sacramento to start last year's lockout-shortened season; it had all the makings of a bad marriage: The seemingly arrogant, troubled power forward to the lowly Kings, in a city far from the national spotlight of Washington.

``I didn't know him before,'' Divac said. ``I can't judge him. But from the first moment I met him, he's been like my younger brother. He's the greatest young guy I ever met. I had so much fun with him. He's a good guy.''

Teamed with his first true center in Divac, unexpectedly paired with a real point guard - Jason Williams, who tried to get him the ball - Webber led the Kings to their first winning season in 17 years. A team that had gone 27-55 the previous year went 27-23 in the abbreviated '99 season. Webber averaged 20 points and 13 rebounds per game.

He acted like the model team player. There was no trouble off the court. Webber quickly went from a player gathering the wrong kind of reputation to a franchise player.

This year he stepped it up again, averaging a career-high 24.5 points (sixth in the league) and 10.5 rebounds (fifth), and 4.6 assists. Webber's stock has risen so far that Utah's Karl Malone, never quick to praise the NBA's young bucks, has become a convert.

``I don't worry so much about the future of the game anymore because of players like Chris Webber,'' Malone said. ``I have a lot of respect for him now. No doubt, he's turned his career around.''

It's easy to determine the calmer lifestyle of Sacramento has helped him focus on his career, but not even Webber - only 27 - is certain how much influence the dimmer lights have played on his turning his career around.

What he and everyone else around Sacramento is certain about, is that he has to stay in the game if the Kings are going to have any chance of upsetting the Lakers. Webber bemoaned Horry for ``flopping'' to draw fouls in the opener.

``You know, if Robert Horry isn't a four-man (power forward), then don't play him at that position,'' Webber said. ``You know what I mean?

``I fouled out - three or four offensive fouls in 27 minutes in one of the biggest games of my life - and it doesn't feel good. . . . I'm not going to worry about offensive fouls or trying to lose weight so I can't bump him.''

Webber actually only has 10 pounds on Horry.

``I heard him say I was flopping, but I don't flop,'' Horry said. ``The only time I flop is when I get hit with something.''

Don't misunderstand Horry, though. Like most everyone else, he has come around on Webber. When Horry sees Webber now, he sees trouble.

``When he was in Washington, he was just trying to put on a show a lot,'' Horry said. ``Now he's playing basketball.

``People think once you come into the league, you're just going to step into an all-star role. It takes time to mature. I think he's matured, knows his game, knows what works for him and is using it to the best of his ability.

``You could see he's always been a manchild. In college he was bigger than everybody; now he's about average size. But he's so strong and agile, you knew eventually it was going to come.''

Now you know where, and when.

CAPTION(S):

photo; 2 boxes

Photo: (color) Sacramento forward Chris Webber has become one of the NBA's top players.

David R. Crane/Staff Photographer

Box:

(1) Kings vs. Sacramento

Lakers lead series, 1-0

Game 2: Thursday at Staples Center, 7:30 p.m.

INSIDE: Shaquille O'Neal has a stern warning for Sacramento coach Adelman.

(2) NBA PLAYOFF SERIES