CHRIS WEBBER’S OFF-COURT HOBBY NBA veteran Chris Webber has taken a page out of Charles Blockson’s book and amassed his own private collection of African American artifacts, some dating back to the 18th century. A postcard sent from Malcolm X to Alex Haley and a a first edition of Phillis Wheatley’s Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral, dated 1773, are among his prized possessions, which he was able to purchase thanks to his hefty NBA salary. “Both children and adults know Chris Webber as a basketball player … but many don’t know Chris Webber as a collector,” says Bamidele Demerson, director of education, research, and exhibitions at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African-American History in Detroit (www.maah-detroit.org), where Webber has shown portions of his collection. “To have a person of his stature involved in the collection of artifacts and documents gives an awareness that we can all do this … that it’s OK also for them to collect documents and artifacts that tell their story.” His collection is currently on display at the Central Library in Sacramento, Calif.