Rebound: Vol. 5, Issue 1

THE OFFICIAL MAGA ZINE OF THE NATIONAL BA SK E TBALL RE TIRED PL AY ERS A SSOCIATION

THE STARS REALIGN

NBRPA News Full Court Press Center Court

Legends of Basketball

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Rebound Magazine PUBLISHER/CEO

Matthew Fish mattfish@reboundmagazine.com CONSULTANT

Larry Pond lpond2@cox.net WRITERS

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Arnie Fielkow STAFF

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FROM PUBLISHER the

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22 RICK BARRY 26 RUBEN PATTERSON 28 ARMINTIE HERRINGTON 30 MITCH RICHMOND 34 BOB PETIT 36 DON KOJIS 40 BLUE EDWARDS

NBA ALL-STAR WEEKEND 4 ALL-STAR WEEKEND IN TORONTO, ONTARIO 5 NBRPA ANNOUNCES ALL-STAR DETAILS 6 CALENDAR OF EVENTS

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8 JALEN ROSE: DAVE DEBUSSCHERE AWARD RECIPIENT 9 CAMILLE RANGE: DEBUSSCHERE SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT 9 EARL LLOYD SCHOLARSHIP FUND 10 REEL MEDIA 11 11TH ANNUAL CIVIL RIGHTS AWARD RECIPIENTS

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FROM the PUBLISHER

FISH TALK

CELEBRATING PLAYERS AND COACHES WHO ADVANCE BASKETBALL

T

he New Year is here and so is the 2016 NBA All-Star party held in Toronto, Canada, from February 12-15.

The NBA and NBRPA together have prepared a variety of fun events that both give back to the community as well as the fans that love the game of basketball.

This NBA All-Star game is the first ever in Canada. The Canadians will definitely be out in full force to support this great game and the players who play it.

NBRPA participants will be staying in the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, a AAA Diamond Hotel, located in Downtown Toronto. Get ready to enjoy our annual Welcome Reception, Member Breakfast and the 17th annual Legends Brunch on Sunday, February 14, along with several other wonderful events. See details in the Calendar of Events on page 6.

Happy New Year! This year is about HOPE: One can only hope for the best.

After completing a six-month member internship in Chicago with the National Basketball Retired Players Association, there is hope. Hope that those who need help will take advantage of the variety of programs and services developed and implemented to assist those in need and the hope that even more help is on the way. Hope that members speak up and share their ideas to steer our association

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in a direction that satisfies everyone’s wants and needs. Hope that the NBRPA continues to grow into a stronger and more viable organization, making a bigger difference in the community and assisting members and their families. Hope we all get the opportunity to fraternize with friends and family, finding comfort and love with one another. Hope that this New Year brings happiness and health to all.

Here is hoping for a prosperous 2016!

Hope that these things all come true.

Matt Fish Publisher, Rebound mattfish@reboundmagazine.com

GREETINGS

FROM THE NBRPA PRESIDENT & CEO

NEW YEAR, NEW OPPORTUNITIES

A

s 2016 is upon us, the NBRPA is diligently working to make this a very successful year for our partners and especially our members, which now total over 730. This focus will be front and center as we gather in Toronto at the 2016 All-Star Weekend.

We are looking towards our 25th anniversary next year and we’re not the only ones taking notice. For example, Sporting News recently published a highly positive story about the “new” NBRPA and the success that the organization is currently enjoying in the areas of membership growth, partnerships, community engagement, membership benefits and services, and much more.

This drive to make a difference was very apparent as we started the New Year with NBRPA Chapter leaders from Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, Orlando, Phoenix, Chicago, Detroit, Miami, New York, Dallas and Las Vegas convening in New Orleans to plan their international and domestic charitable efforts for 2016 with strategies to strengthen programming and support for former players.

Local chapters have grown from four to 11 in less than five years and the NBRPA membership has doubled. The growth can be directly attributed to the commitment of Legends to their communities.

Corporate sponsorship is one of the keys to building stronger community outreach in 2016. We salute our partners, like Wells Fargo, which step up to sponsor programs like our Civil Rights education events, or like the National Police Athletic League, the Leadership Foundation, the NBA and Jobsy Wobsy which help us sponsor the nationally-acclaimed Full Court Press program.

The NBRPA is determined to uphold our mission to the public so as we gather in Toronto in February there will be a number of star-studded, fun community and philanthropic events that feature our Legends. I look forward to seeing all of our NBRPA Members make the trip to Canada for more open discussions and impactful activities as we continue to grow and have a prosperous year.

Yours in basketball, Arnie Fielkow President & CEO National Basketball Retired Players Assoc.

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NBA ALL-STAR WEEKEND

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NATIONAL BASKETBALL RETIRED PLAYERS ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES ALL-STAR DETAILS

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t's time once again to get excited and celebrate the best game and players in the world at the NBA AllStar game in Toronto.

“The NBRPA and its members are proud and honored to be an integral part of NBA All-Star 2016 in Toronto February 12 to 15,” said Arnie D. Fielkow, President and Chief Executive Officer for the NBRPA. “Working in conjunction with the NBA, we have planned a number of star-studded, fun community and philanthropic events for our members and the public alike. On behalf of the NBRPA’s Board of Directors, I would like to thank our members, sponsors and supporters for making such an impactful and enjoyable agenda possible. We are extremely excited to be a part of the first ever NBA All-Star Weekend in Toronto.”

Members may purchase two tickets to each NBA basketball event (including the 65th NBA All-Star Game at the Air Canada Centre). In addition, each member is allotted two complimentary tickets to the 17th Annual Legends Brunch. Ticket availability is based on NBRPA membership type (with platinum members receiving priority) and the order in which ticket requests are received.

Please note that all ticket prices listed on the aforementioned registration page

are based on Canadian currency and are subject to daily fluctuation.

The official NBA Hotel for NBRPA Members is the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, located 123 Queen St W, Toronto, ON. The Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel is an AAA Diamond hotel located in Downtown Toronto. Members, guests and partners will immediately be in awe of the 2.5-acre waterfall garden that decorates the hotel lobby. The hotel is perfectly located near all of Toronto’s attractions and connected to the financial and entertainment districts by way of PATH, a 16-mile underground network of shops and services. Mirvish Toronto theaters, world-class dining and Toronto museums are also just steps away.

An exclusive Legends of Basketball Welcome Reception at the Sheraton Centre will officially open the Legends All-Star Weekend on February 12. The NBRPA’s Member Breakfast will be held on February 13. The NBRPA’s signature All-Star Weekend event, the 17th Annual Legends Brunch, will take place on All-Star Sunday, February 14, at the Allstream Centre at 10 a.m. and will be televised on NBA TV. Additional details for all NBRPA events will be announced in the near future.

The BBVA Rising Stars Challenges, State Farm All-Star Saturday Night and the 65th NBA All-Star Game will all be played at the Air Canada Centre, home of the Toronto Raptors. As part of NBA All-Star 2016, the NBA, NBRPA and its partners will host a variety of community, grassroots and fan events throughout the weekend.

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NBA ALL-STAR WEEKEND

CALENDAR OF EVENTS THURSDAY, FEB. 11 TIME EVENT

LOCATION

TBD

Behind the Bench Community Service Event

The Hospital for Sick Children

3:00pm - 6:00pm

Legends All-Star Lounge/NBRPA Registration

Osgoode (3rd Floor)

3:00pm - 6:00pm

All-Star Games & Brunch Ticket Pickup

Danforth (4th Floor)

FRIDAY, FEB. 12 TIME EVENT

LOCATION

10:00am - 11:00am Chairman's Thank You Meet 'n' Greet (BOD, BOD Guests, Chapter Presidents and Sponsors only)

Yorkville West (4th Floor)

11:00am -1:00pm

All-Star Games & Brunch Ticket Pickup

Danforth (4th Floor)

11:00am - 5:00pm

Legends All-Star Lounge/NBRPA Registration

Osgoode (3rd Floor)

12:00pm - 4:00pm

NBA Day of Service (Hands-On Service) (Need to be pre-registered)*

3:00pm - 5:00pm

All-Star Games & Brunch Ticket Pickup

Danforth (4th Floor)

5:00pm - 7:00pm

Legends Welcome Reception

Osgoode (3rd Floor)

8:00pm - 11:00pm

NBA Welcome Party (Invitation Only)*

9:00pm - 11:00pm

BBVA Rising Stars Challenge*

Enercare Centre

TBD Air Canada Centre

SATURDAY, FEB. 13 TIME EVENT

LOCATION

9:00am - 11:00am

NBRPA Legends Breakfast with Athletes In Action

Dominion Ballroom (2nd Floor)

11:00am - 3:00pm

Legends All-Star Lounge / NBRPA Registration

Osgoode (3rd Floor)

11:00am - 2:00pm

All-Star Games & Brunch Ticket Pickup

Danforth (4th Floor)

11:00am - 2:00pm

New 2016 NBRPA Board of Directors Meeting & Meeting with Commissioner

3:00pm - 5:00pm

NBA and NHL Legends Community Clinic

8:00pm - 11:00pm

NBA Legends Watch Party*

8:30pm - 11:00pm

All-Star Slam Dunk/3-Point Saturday Night*

Leaside

Enercare Centre – NBA Centre Court Osgoode (3rd Floor) Air Canada Centre

SUNDAY, FEB. 14 TIME EVENT

8:30am - 9:30am

NBA All-Star Chapel

10:00am - 1:00pm

17th Annual Legends Brunch (Invitation Only)*

8:30pm - 11:00pm

65th NBA All-Star Game*

LOCATION

TBD Allstream Centre Air Canada Centre

Times and locations subject to change for all events. ( * = Ticket required to attend.) Unless specifically noted, members are responsible for their own Toronto area transportation for events outside of the Sheraton Centre.

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NBRPA NEWS

JALEN ROSE

DAVE DEBUSSCHERE EDUCATION AWARD RECIPIENT

F

rom November 20 to 22, The Legends Fantasy Weekend took place at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn., pairing NBRPA with the Naismith

Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

The NBRPA hosted its annual Legends Philanthropy Awards Gala on Saturday, November 21, and featured a star-studded line-up of remarkable players who made the game faster and more exciting.

At the gala, the NBRPA honored some of the country’s greatest athletes and other civic leaders for their contributions both on and off the playing court.

The NBRPA is proud to announce Jalen Rose as its 2015 Dave DeBusschere Education Award recipient.

Jalen Rose currently serves as the official ambassador for the NBRPA and has been shaping programming to assist former players in life after basketball and serve communities. Rose’s philanthropic spirit can be seen with his most substantial outreach initiative, the establishment

JALEN ROSE RELEASES NEW BOOK

N

ational Basketball Retired Players Association ambassador Jalen Rose has released his first book that chronicles his upbringing in Detroit to his Fab Five Days at University of Michigan to his 13-year NBA career.

The book, Got to Give the People What They

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Want: True Stories and Flagrant Opinions from Center Court, is on sale now and is currently the No. 1 bestseller in Basketball on Amazon.com.

“It was almost like an adult baptism,” Rose said about writing the book.

“I talked about things that

of the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy (JRLA). JRLA gives life-changing opportunities for underprivileged youth through the development of Detroit programs and the distribution of grants to qualified nonprofit organizations. Rose continues to maintain a high profile as a lead personality for ESPN/ ABC and a philanthropist who gives from the heart, making him an outstanding honoree for the Dave DeBusschere Education Award.

During his basketball career, Rose was a member of the renowned ‘Fab Five’ at Michigan University where he helped lead the team to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship in 1992 and 1993. His NBA career spanned 13 years; he averaged a career total of 14 points a game and was named the league’s Most Improved Player in 2000. Upon retirement, Rose seamlessly transitioned into a broadcasting career where he worked for TNT Sports and is currently an analyst, writer, and host for a variety of ESPN/ABC platforms.

He recently released his first book, Got to Give the People What They Want: True Stories and Flagrant Opinions from Center Court, this past month. Rose wants to use the book as a way to provide motivation to those who read it, like the ability to persevere through tough times and have discipline in others.

happened in my life in the book and what I learned from it: good, bad or indifferent. Hopefully it provides some motivation to those who read it like the ability to persevere through tough times and have discipline in others.”

The book took Rose about a year and a half to complete and touches on a variety of subjects in his life, both on and off the court. From trashtalking 101 to navigating on how to be a veteran in the NBA, the list goes on

and on with topics that basketball fans will love.

Rose was on hand at the NBRPA’s Legends of Basketball Fantasy Weekend – at Mohegan Sun, November 20-22, in Uncasville, Conn. For full details and purchase information, please visit legendsofbasketball.com.

Rose’s book, Got to Give the People What They Want: True Stories and Flagrant Opinions from Center Court, is currently being sold at bookstores and online now.

CAMILLE RANGE

DEBUSSCHERE SCHOLARSHIP RECEPIENT DESCRIBES HER WHITE HOUSE INTERNSHIP

C

amille Range, a 2014 and 2015 DeBusschere Scholarship recipient, interned at the White House this past summer for Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! Initiative. She is currently a graduate at the University of Texas School of Public Health.

The Debusschere Scholarship helps players transition to new careers after basketball and also helps their children and grandchildren access higher education. Range is the daughter of NBRPA member Ronnie Perry Range.

Range thrived during her summer at the White House and raved about the Let’s Move campaign and her experience over-

all. “The campaign is all about promoting a healthier generation through eating healthy and physical activity,” she said.

“One of my responsibilities was to organize volunteers at the White House to tend to the garden which included picking fruits and vegetables, planting and weeding,” said Range. “When we were done, we’d take the fruits and vegetables to the kitchen for the chefs to use.”

Range described working in the White House as very “surreal” and happily notes that she took a lot away from her summer there. “My professionalism has exponentially increased by working in that setting,” she said. “My entire experience has really emphasized the story of the power of the mind. If you want to do something, you can make it happen in whatever capacity you can! I feel I have the ability to do anything that I say that I want to do.”

EARL LLOYD SCHOLARSHIP FUND

I

n honor of the recently departed NBA pioneer, Earl Lloyd, the NBA Legends Foundation has pledged an annual, restricted gift of $50,000 to the NBRPA for the purpose of providing significant financial support to low income recipients of the Dave DeBusschere Scholarship. The Lloyd Scholarship will be available to the children and grandchildren of NBRPA members who have played three full years in the NBA and therefore, are eligible to receive assistance from the Foundation.

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NBRPA NEWS REEL MEDIA GROUP HELPING CURRENT AND POTENTIAL SPORTS BROADCASTERS IMPROVE

F

ormer ESPN anchor Bram Weinstein recently wrote an informational blog offering key tips on how to confidently present yourself while on air. Weinstein works with Reel Media Group helping current and potential sports broadcasters better themselves at their position.

Reel Media Group is an organization dedicated to being a conduit between journalists, broadcasters, producers and talent managers to supply high quality media training, Our very own members of the NBRPA are able to utilize this outstanding organization by participating in the NBRPA-Reel Media Group sports intensive training program. The training includes letting members work in a state of the art broadcast studio and working one-on-one with a set of talented producers including Weinstein. The training helps break down the top discipline and techniques of a sports commentator that benefits our members when engaging in commentary and broadcasting opportunities.

In his latest blog, Weinstein gives five critical pointers to assuring you have the most confidence while on air: • Research • Be aware of your mannerisms • Look good • Own your voice • Believe

NBRPA MEMBER JOE SMITH APPEARS ON CNN TONIGHT WITH DON LEMON

N

ational Basketball Retired Players Association member Joe Smith recently appeared on CNN with host Don Lemon to discuss the current tragic situation involving his good friend, Lamar Odom.

Smith is one of many NBRPA members who participated in the NBRPA-Reel Media Group sports intensive training. The training includes letting members work in a state of the art broadcast studio and working one-on-one with a set of talented producers including Bram Weinstein, former ESPN anchor and current host of “Talking Heads.” The training helps break down the top discipline and techniques of a sports commentator that benefits our members when engaging in commentary and broadcasting opportunities.

The NBRPA sends its thoughts and prayers to Lamar Odom and continues to pray for a recovery.

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11TH ANNUAL NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM SPORTS LEGACY AWARD RECIPIENTS

R

EBOUND and the NBRPA would like to congratulate Tamika Catchings and NBRPA members Jalen Rose and Spencer Haywood for being named recipients of the 11th annual National Civil Rights Museum Sports Legacy Award. The trio was honored on Martin Luther King Day at halftime of the Memphis Grizzles and New Orleans Pelicans game in Memphis at the FedEx Forum. The game aired on ESPN. Jalen Rose, Spencer Haywood and Tamika Catchings were honored for their contributions to civil and human rights, and for laying the foundation for future leaders through their careers in sports in the spirit of Dr. King.

Rose was honored just this

past November with the NBRPA Dave DeBusschere Education Award at the Legends Fantasy Weekend at Mohegan Sun for his work in the establishment of the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy (JRLA). The academy gives life-changing opportunities for underprivileged youth through the development of Detroit programs and the distribution of grants to qualified nonprofit organizations.

He also established the Jalen Rose Foundation/Charitable Fund to create opportunity for underprivileged youth and has personally donated more than $1.2 million to the fund.

Haywood, who was named to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame last year, forever changed the game of basketball off

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the court just as much as he did on the court when he became the first NBA player to join the league before completion of his college career. After his Hall of Fame career, Haywood became involved in real estate development in Detroit.

Catchings will be the first female inductee to receive the Sports Legacy Award. She will close out her decorated women’s basketball career after the 2016 WNBA season and Summer Olympics. Catchings serves on the U.S. Department of State’s Council to Empower Women and Girls Through Sports traveling around the globe to engage girls and women through the power of sports. She is also the current president of the WNBA Players Association.

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LEGENDS FANTASY WEEKEND

LEGENDS FANTASY WEEKEND NATIONAL BASKETBALL RETIRED PLAYERS ASSOCIATION HOSTS SECOND ANNUAL LEGENDS FANTASY WEEKEND TO VERY SUCCESSFUL RESULTS

T

he National Basketball Retired Players Association (NBRPA) celebrated its 2015 Legends Fantasy Weekend Nov. 20-22 at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn., to very successful results.

The special weekend started off on Friday, November 20 at the Hall of Fame Tip Off Banquet hosted by ESPN’s College Basketball Play-by-Play Announcer Bob Picozzi. NBRPA members and staff, Hall of Fame legends, and coaches and players from Purdue, Florida, St. Joseph’s, Old Dominion, Buffalo, Niagara, North Carolina A&T and Vermont all gathered for a great dinner. Rick Barry spoke to the teams and left them inspired with his words of wisdom as he gave them

Above: Vice Chairman of the Board Dwight Davis with Legend of Philanthropy Award winner Lenny Wilkens (right) with Icon Art owner Cash McMahon, presenting a priceless work of art.

Left: 2015 Basketball Hall of Fame Inductees Spencer Haywood and Jo Jo White with 1987 Inductee Rick Barry.

1989 Naismith Hall of Fame Player inductee Lenny Wilkens accepting the Legend of Philanthropy Award.

Senior Vice President of Entertainment, Charlie Rosenzweig; Chairman of the Board NBRPA, Thurl Bailey; Career Counselor NBPA/NBA Rich Rinaldi

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guidance on bringing as much passion to their school obligations as they do on the basketball court. Coaches from the eight programs had a roundtable discussion talking about the importance of this weekend for their student athletes and at the end of the night, the NBRPA members and basketball legends were highlighted and given a standing ovation for their impact on and off the court.

The NBRPA Members Breakfast kicked off a busy Saturday where members from our association were able to catch up and socialize with one another and hear a special presentation from Tower Strategic Group, LLC. Following the breakfast, the annual men’s college tip-off tournament hosted by the Basketball Hall of Fame was underway with the stars of tomorrow.

During the tournament, the Basketball Hall of Fame hosted a special halftime presentation spotlighting NBRPA members participating in the weekend’s events.

Saturday night ended with the NBRPA’s premier event, the Legends Philanthropy Awards Gala, featuring a star-studded line-up of remarkable players. The gala helped to raise funds for the NBRPA’s Dave DeBusschere Scholarship Fund and other charitable partners. At the gala, basketball legends and other non-

Dave DeBusschere Education Award recipient John Starks, Legend of Philanthropy Award recipient Lenny Wilkens, and former NBA coach and player, WNBA New York Liberty Assistant Coach, Herb Williams

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LEGENDS FANTASY WEEKEND

Left: Paul Lambert, Basketball Hall of Fame Vice President of Enshrinement Services and Community Engagement Below: A variety of one-of-a-kind items available for auction

Right: David Naves, Board of Directors with ABA Legend Pat McFarland Below: Jalen Rose and Herb Williams enjoying the celebration at the Legends Gala

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basketball luminaries were honored for the philanthropic contributions they have given in their respective fields: • John Starks was awarded with the Moses Malone NBRPA Service Award for his foundation’s work that provides community programs focused on furthering the educational, recreational, and career development of children and families.

• Katrina Adams was awarded with the Earl Lloyd Trailblazer Award for her contributions and significant achievements to the sport of tennis.

• Jalen Rose was awarded with the Dave DeBusschere Education Award for his academy’s work which gives life-changing opportunities for underprivileged youth through the development of Detroit programs and the distribution of grants to qualified nonprofit organizations.

• Mannie Jackson was awarded with the Marques Haynes Humanitarian Award for his exceptional charitable and philanthropic actions through his program and as former chairman and owner of the Harlem Globetrotters.

• Lenny Wilkens was awarded with the Naismith Legend of Philanthropy Award for his foundation’s work on supporting healthcare and education for all children regardless of their financial means.

• Leah Chase was awarded with the Darryl Dawkins Big Heart Award for her significant contributions to education, creative and culinary arts and social justice for over four decades.

The night was a huge success and raised notable funds for the Dave DeBusschere Scholarship. Members of the NBRPA had a great time and remarked how much they look forward to continuing this rising annual tradition.

The weekend concluded on Sunday, November 22 with the final round of the Hall of Fame tip-off tournament where Purdue defeated the University of Florida 85-70.

“The NBRPA’s second annual Legends Fantasy Weekend was an amazing success and wonderful showcase of the great athletes and leaders who continue to contribute both on and off the court.

We are very thankful to Mohegan Sun for being a great host and we look forward to continuing to partner with them for this special weekend,” said NBRPA President and CEO Arnie D. Fielkow.

Gabby Leone sings the National Anthem

The New York Knicks, represented by Thurl Bailey, John Starks and Herb Williams, donate $2,000 for the Dave Debusschere Scholarship fund.

Presentation of Colors, Mohegan Tribe Color Guard

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NBRPA CHAPTER NEWS 2015 ANNUAL CHAPTER PRESIDENTS' RETREAT

NBRPA CHAPTERS CONVENE IN NEW ORLEANS

On the evening of December 10, 2015, chapter leaders and NBRPA staff hosted a community youth clinic at the Sanchez Multi-Purpose Center, located in Lower 9th Ward, where they assisted many local kids with on-court activities featuring messages of encouragement and motivation.

C

hapter leaders from Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, Orlando, Phoenix, Chicago, Detroit, Miami, New York, Dallas and Las Vegas convened to plan their 2016 international and domestic charitable efforts as well as to discuss strategies on strengthening programs within the NBRPA and its chapters to make the association even stronger.

Joining in the three-day retreat were chapter leaders Willie Norwood, Emmette Bryant, Willie Davis, Jerome Williams, Wayne “Tree� Rollins, Rick Darnell, Tom

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Hoover, Major Jones, Matt Fish, Irving Thomas, Dallas Advisory Committee Chairman and board members Dwight Davis and Marvin Roberts.

The meetings were very productive with honest and thoughtful discussions taking place all with the ultimate goal of making the program even more successful.

The passion of the leaders was evident from the start and tremendous progress was made as the program heads into 2016.

Along with multiple business meetings and discussions, chapter leaders were able to have a grand

lunch at the famous Dooky Chase Restaurant where many local New Orleans politicians stopped by to speak on their admiration of the former players. The highlight of the evening was chapter leaders getting to meet New Orleans legend and 2015 Darryl Dawkins Big Heart Award recipient Leah Chase. Ever in her jovial mood, Chase joked and shared warm greetings with the players and happily signed copies of her book for the chapter leaders keepsake.

On the evening of December 10, chapter leaders and NBRPA staff hosted a community youth clinic

Matt Fish

Cincy Powell, Marvin Roberts, Rick Darnell

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NBRPA CHAPTER NEWS at the Sanchez Multi-Purpose Center where they assisted many local kids with on court activities followed by a hearty group discussion where they gave messages of encouragement and motivation. The vibrant kids were thrilled to engage with the legends and took away many valuable life lessons from them.

The retreat ended with a special presentation from NBRPA partner Wells Fargo, where chapter leaders collaborated with them on ways to strengthen the partnership.

Chapter leaders, board members, and NBRPA staff were extremely satisfied with the progress made during the Chapter Presidents Retreat and all look forward to building the program up in 2016.

2015: LEGENDS IN ACTION Here’s just a sampling of the activities chapters organize in their service area with the involvement of local NBRPA members.

ATLANTA: Legends provide hunger assistance programs through four Boys and Girls Club locations.

CHICAGO: To improve policecommunity relations, this chapter sponsored several mentorship events in Illinois, Iowa, Indiana and Michigan to help young people understand how to appropriately interact with law enforcement officials.

DALLAS: Legends served as hosts for Megafest with Reverend T. D. Jakes and provided mentoring and celebrity interaction opportunities to over 85,000 attendees.

DETROIT: Legends created a black teen-mentoring program that includes bringing 100 school kids to the Chicago Bulls game on Martin Luther King Day. HOUSTON: Legends helped raise 1 million pounds of food to keep the Houston Food Bank open during the 2015 holidays.

LAS VEGAS: Legends provide books that supplement the reading programs of 17,000 children in grades K-12.

LOS ANGELES: Legends partner with retired National Football League players to leverage their celebrity and host fundraisers and other support programs for Wounded Warriors and their families.

MIAMI: Legends partner with local churches to sponsor summer basketball camps and recovery efforts in Haiti.

NEW YORK: Legends sponsored a Thanksgiving dinner for 4,000 families impacted by AIDS or domestic violence.

ORLANDO: Legends provide reading and mentoring services to local children with autism.

PHOENIX: Legends partner with current players at the Phoenix Suns and the local United Way to promote Destination Graduation, a high school mentoring program.

Wayne "Tree" Rollins, Major Jones, and Jerome "JYD" Williams

Wayne "Tree" Rollins helps a player with his form

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Left to right: Ron Taylor, Tom Hoover, Emmett Bryant, Rick Darnell, Major Jones, Cincy Powell, Willie Davis, Irving Thomas.

Chef Leah Chase in the middle, wearing red coat.

Chapter Presidents discussing expanding the chapter footprint at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in New Orleans last December.

A working lunch for the Chapter Presidents at Dooky Chase's restaurant.

Legendary Creole chef Leah Chase served down-home New Orleans staples in a vibrant, art-filled space.

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FULL COURT PRESS

JOHN MCGLOCKLIN

MILWAUKEE BUCKS LEGEND PUTS FULL COURT PRESS ON CHILDHOOD CANCER WITH THE MACC FUND

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J

ohn McGlocklin may be best known for his contributions to the Milwaukee Bucks as a player for eight seasons, where he was named an All-Star and helped lead the team to an NBA Championship in 1971, but it is his contributions off the court that will leave a lasting legacy.

On the night he retired in 1976, McGlocklin founded the Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer Fund, an organization dedicated to funding childhood cancer and related blood disorder research. The inspiration to start the organization came from McGlocklin’s good friend and Hall of Fame announcer Eddie Doucette, whose 2-year-old son Brett was diagnosed with leukemia in 1975.

Forty years later, Brett is healthy and happy after being given only a five-year survival rate of 20 percent. Brett’s success is just one of many success stories to come from the MACC Fund.

It’s a heroic endeavor since childhood cancer is often harder to detect until it is in advanced stages. The MACC Fund contributes to the raising of awareness and funds to support childhood cancer in a variety of ways, including supporting three research facilities throughout the state of Wisconsin: the Medical College of Wisconsin, the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, and Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin.

“For 39 years we have been dedicated to raising awareness and funds to support childhood cancer,” said McGlocklin. “As of December 2015, we have given a total of $55 million overall towards childhood cancer research which has helped childhood cancer cure rates go from 20 percent to 80 percent!”

Talking to McGlocklin, it is easy to hear the passion in his voice as he describes the mission of his organization and his desire to continue to improve on those numbers. While extremely happy with the 80 percent childhood cancer cure rate, McGlocklin has made it a point of emphasis to keep the MACC Fund going strong until that number reaches 100.

“We are putting on a full-court press to continue to attack this disease,” said the basketball legend.

McGlocklin has plenty of help from fellow sports stars to make that dream come true.

He points out how athletes from all over Wisconsin have given their time, energy, and resources to helping his fund in the organization’s 39-year history. For instance, Green Bay Packers star Aaron Rodgers has helped raise over $2 million towards the organization in his 10-year career as a Packer and continues to work closely with them.

Along with athletes, the teams of Wisconsin also have been huge contributors to the important cause.

The Packers, Bucks and Milwaukee Brewers have all provided donations and special fundraising activities to support the MACC Fund. The Milwaukee Bucks franchise in particular has been a huge supporter. From letting McGlocklin announce the start of the fund on his retirement night to hosting special fundraising nights at games each season, the franchise has committed to supporting the cause with McGlocklin since day one and continues to work with him to do so.

So much so that McGlocklin credits them for the MACC Fund’s overwhelming success and believes that without the support from the Bucks, his passion of making a difference with the MACC Fund would have had no chance. “The MACC Fund itself is a great showcase of what the Bucks and NBA have done for us,” said McGlocklin. “They have given us a forum to truly put out our cause and I cannot be more grateful.”

In order to raise funds throughout the year to support childhood cancer research, the MACC Fund holds 75 to 90 events a year. Events such as Candy Cane Lane, a neighborhood Christmas lighting outing

that collects donations for the MACC Fund, and the Trek 100 Bike Ride, the MACC Fund’s largest fundraiser that lets bicyclists complete up to 100 mile routes that helps raise money for every mile completed, are the backbone to the organization and its yearly raising of funds.

With a staff of only five people, it takes a special kind of commitment and hard work to keep the fight going and McGlocklin credits his staff for being intensely involved to making everything come together.

McGlocklin wants it to be known that the MACC Fund is not simply an organization that benefits the state of Wisconsin. The success contributed to the MACC Fund helps children throughout the world.

Research into childhood cancer has gone on to cities and states around the globe in the worldwide effort to fighting the disease. He is hopeful that people will continue to donate to this worthy cause, and encourages anyone who wants to help to volunteer at MACC Fund sponsored events or simply offer ideas, suggestions, or points of contact to them that they feel can further the fight on putting an end to cancer. “We are always listening,” he said. “We are always available.”

The MACC Fund is a shining example that shows former basketball players are doing well off the court in other than personal successes. The MACC Fund crosses the line of sports in all forms, and is a cause that McGlocklin will continue to fight for until the final buzzer goes off.

To learn more about the MACC Fund and ways that you can contribute, visit maccfund.org.

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LEGENDS of BASKETBALL

LEGENDS INTERVIEW

RICK BARRY

T

here are scorers ‌ and then there are SCORERS. Rick Barry is the only player who ever led the NCAA, ABA and NBA in scoring for an individual season.

He scored more than 25 points per game while being named NBA Rookie of the Year in 1966, then followed

that up with an All-Star Game MVP award in 1967. Forty years before Stephen Curry led Golden State to the 2015 NBA title, Barry was named Finals MVP after leading the Warriors to a four-game sweep of Washington in 1975. In 1987 he was inducted into the Hall of Fame. In 1996 he was named one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history.

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In 1965 as a senior at Miami, you led the nation in scoring with 37.4 points per game and were named All-American, but did not play in the NCAA tourney because the basketball program was on probation at the time due to recruiting violations.

Did you feel like you were one of the best players in the country, and how frustrating was it to not have a chance to compete for a title?

The press said that I was one of the best and the Lakers GM said that I would be the No. 1 pick in the draft. However, I still needed to prove myself because my goal was to play in the pros. Back then, the NIT was a bigger tourney but the NCAA tourney was just starting to get some recognition.

In the summer of 1965 you were drafted second overall by San Francisco one spot behind Fred Hetzel. Did you see that as a validation of your college career, or the realization of a lifelong dream of reaching the NBA? It was certainly a dream come true, but more about attaining a goal that I had set for myself. If you have a passion for what you do in life, then you do not work for a living. I loved basketball and could not wait to play a game.

In 1966 you had 25.6 points per game and 10.6 rebounds and were named NBA Rookie of the Year. How were you able to make such a smooth transition from college to the pros?

I played for a coach in college, Bruce Hale, who had us play a pro-style offense and man-to-man defense, so I had about four years of minor league experience. It was easier for me to play in the pros because the college defenses were designed to guard me. I understood what was expected of me and had the good fortune of getting some good pointers from Jerry West.

You scored 38 points in 34 minutes for the West in the 1967 NBA All-Star Game and earned MVP. How were you able to play your best against the best?

You always want to play against the best because they bring out the best in you. I would have loved to get a chance

to take the winning shot at the end of a game. There is no pressure if you have the confidence to live up to the expectations.

In 1967 you led the NBA in scoring with 35.6 points per game — a number that has only been surpassed by Wilt Chamberlain and Michael Jordan — but finished fifth in MVP voting. What is your secret to being a great scorer?

The MVP was picked by the players that year, not the press. I did not play to make friends. I cared about winning and kicking your butt! I was the only unanimous choice to the All-NBA team by the writers, but the players did not like me because of the way I played the game. I never wear any rings I received for individual awards, just the one I got for winning an NBA title.

In the 1967 Finals you lost to the 76ers despite scoring 40.8 points per game in the series, a Finals record that stood for over 25 years until Jordan broke it in 1993. How were you able to play so well despite nursing a sprained ankle, and where does that Philly team rank among the best in NBA history?

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That team was one of the greatest of all time … but if two plays had gone our way we would have won the series in six games. I had to have my ankle shot up at halftime and it really affected my shooting. I missed eight free throws in Game 3, which is almost sacrilegious to me.

After that season you signed a three-year deal with the ABA’s Oakland Oaks, where you would play for your college coach/

consider that season to be a success due to winning it all, or a failure due to the injury?

I knew that we would have won the title if I had been healthy, but I was happy for guys like Doug Moe/Larry Brown. It was disappointing to not get to finish what I started.

In Game 7 of the 1970 Western Division semifinals with the Washington Capitals, you scored 52 points before

father-in-law Bruce Hale. But a court ordered you to sit out the entire season due to the reserve clause in your contract. What was your reaction when the court announced its decision?

The court case was not resolved until five years later. I simply chose to sit out. The only resolution was that I wound up having to go back to the Bay Area and play for the Warriors. I ended up leaving the Warriors over $10,000.

In 1969 you led the ABA in scoring with 34 points per game and your team won the title, but they did so without you due to torn ligaments in your knee after you were undercut earlier in the season

by Kenny Wilburn. Did you

Denver guard Lonnie Wright punched you from behind.

Then a fan came onto the court and hit you while you were still being attended to by the trainer. How crazy was it back in the day in the ABA? It was just one of those stupid things that happens in sports sometimes. The ABA was pretty bush-league when it started so it took a lot of pride for us to go out there and play your hardest. My dad was a perfectionist and so am I. Take me through the 1972 playoffs with the New York Nets. Despite Kentucky winning an ABA-record 68 regular season games, you were able to beat them in six games, which is considered one of the

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most incredible upsets in pro basketball history. After sitting out Game 4 due to strep throat, how were you able to pull off the upset?

I remember lying in bed and listening to the game on the radio.

John Roche scored 38 points and had an incredible Game 4.

After Virginia had a playoffrecord 47-point win in Game 1 of the Eastern Division Finals, your team was able to get back on track and clinch the series with a six-point win in Game 7. How on Earth was your team able to regroup after that Game 1 blowout, and what did you do during the 10 days that the series was delayed after Game 2 because the Nassau Coliseum was booked?

I remember getting our ass kicked. To be honest, it is a lot easier to lose a lopsided game like that. It is the one-point losses that will haunt you for the rest of your life. We had a good team effort and played good defense.

You lost to the Pacers in the Finals with each of the last five games decided by six points or less. Was that the most competitive series you have ever been a part of, and do you think you should have won?

We gave away a game in Indiana and I remember pinching my neck while warming up before Game 6. Roger Brown got off to a good start. Coach Lou Carnesecca told us not to let anyone make a 3-point shot, but one of our guys backed off and let Billy Keller make a three, then Freddie Lewis stole the ball and scored. That was a heartbreaking loss.

In March of 1974 you scored a career-high 64 points, including 45 in the second half, in a win over Portland. Was it just one of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”?

Things were just working pretty

well. The fans were mad at me because they wanted me to keep shooting instead of passing to my teammates! If I saw someone open then I would pass them the ball.

Take me through the magical 1975 Finals with Golden State.

This was the first championship game in any of the four major pro sports to feature two African-American head coaches in Al Attles and KC Jones. How big a deal was this at the time?

None of the players paid any attention to it because we were just

important. Being named MVP was just a bonus. To this day it is one of the most overlooked accomplishments in NBA history.

We were not even supposed to make the playoffs but we won our division and swept the team that was supposed to sweep us.

Your career free-throw percentage of 90 is among the best in NBA history. How did you develop your unorthodox, underhand free-throw shooting style, and what made it so successful?

My father was a semi-pro player

I did because I was taught so well. My dad taught me all the fundamentals and instilled a great competitive drive in me. I never do anything in my life without giving my best effort. I would like to be remembered as a guy who gave everything he had and played the game the right way.

Four of your sons have played pro basketball — Scooter, Jon, Brent, and Drew — and your youngest son Canyon plays college basketball at Charleston. How proud are you

doing our job and playing the game.

After Washington forward Mike Riordan fouled you hard from behind in the first quarter, Attles ran onto the court, started a fight with Riordan, and got ejected. What did it mean to you to have a coach who would do something like that in order to protect his players?

He was going out there to keep me from doing anything foolish to get myself ejected. Their strategy was to try and get me thrown out from the opening tip. I always knew that Al had my back. He was a tough guy but a mild-mannered guy.

You finished the series by being named Finals MVP. What did it mean to you to win the title?

Winning the title was more

and coach who tried to make me shoot like that in high school, so at first I just did it to get him off my back. A lot of guys are worried about being made fun of… but they cannot make fun of you if you are making them.

My youngest son is now shooting them that way. The fans at his games were just shocked. They wanted him to get fouled just so they could see him keep shooting them like that!

In 1987 you were inducted into the Hall of Fame. In 1996 you were named one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history.

What made you such a great player, and how do you want to be remembered the most?

I accomplished everything that

of all of their accomplishments, and do they credit at least some of their success to genetics?

I have been blessed, but I am proudest of them for being good people. They have played a great sport and been able to provide for their families. Genetics have a great deal to do with it but you still have to put in the time and effort to maximize that potential. I taught them what I was taught so they had a good foundation. There are many players who will never be as good as they could be because they lack that foundation. Canyon also has a natural feel for the game and has the ability to react instantaneously to it, which is something that I cannot teach.

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LEGENDS of BASKETBALL

LEGENDS INTERVIEW

RUBEN PATTERSON

Jon Teitel visited with Ruben Patterson about joining the NBRPA and playing with and against Kobe Bryant.

F

or those of you who think basketball in Ohio started with LeBron James, Ruben Patterson would like to give you a little history lesson. He was born in Cleveland and went to college at Cincinnati where he was named an All-American in 1998. After being drafted by the Lakers and joining the backcourt with a fellow young shooting guard named Kobe Bryant, he ended up playing for six different NBA teams over the course of the next decade. Despite standing only 6foot-5, his 51.7 career field goal

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percentage remains in the top-75 in the history of the league.

When did you join the NBRPA? It has been approximately two years now.

As an active NBRPA member, why do you think other former NBA players should join?

It is a great program that helps retired basketball players in terms of education and financial advice. They cover any situation that can arise in life after basketball. You can even go back to school and get your degree like me.

The NBRPA proactively offers a full menu of education, health, finance, and career/life transition benefits. How have benefits such as

those offered by the “Legends Foundation” and programs such as the Career Transition program benefited you in your transition?

They helped me get back into school because I did not finish my degree after I was drafted. They can also help you out if you want to start a business or pursue something else.

What are some of the difficulties you faced during the transition from your playing days to life after basketball, and what advice do you have for players who will face a similar transition?

From a financial perspective, you have to watch over the things you spend money on and make sure you surround yourself with people you can trust.

You were an All-American at Cincinnati.

What did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor?

It was a huge honor. The great Oscar Robertson went to Cincinnati, as were other future pros like Kenyon Martin, Nick Van Exel and Danny Fortson.

I love going back to campus, walking into the arena, and looking up above the stands to see my picture and name.

You had a one-point loss to Iowa State in the 1997 NCAA tourney and a one-point loss to West Virginia in the 1998 NCAA tourney. What makes the difference between winning and losing in March when a game comes down to the final possession?

That is what you fight and train for, just like the players keep doing if they make it to the NBA. It hurts to lose. I will never forget the West Virginia game because we almost made it to the Sweet 16.

In the summer of 1998, you were drafted 31st overall by the Lakers, one spot ahead of your future teammate Rashard Lewis. Did you see that as a validation of your college career, or the realization of a lifelong dream of reaching the NBA? It was a dream that I had for a long time. I was a football player growing up in Cleveland, but once I started growing taller I continued to work hard and eventually got into basketball. It takes a lot of hard work to make your dreams come true.

In the decisive Game 5 of the 2000 Western Conference first round with Seattle, you scored 15 points in a three-point loss at Utah. Where does that rank among the most devastating losses of your career?

It is up there. We had lost in the playoffs the previous year when I was with the Lakers but I did not get to play that much. John Stockton and Karl Malone were very tough. I remember that series because it was my first real playoff experience.

Your career 51.7 shooting percentage is still among the top-75 all-time. What is your secret for being a great shooter?

I did not even know that until you mentioned it! I

was not a great shooter, but more of a slasher who provided defense and energy. I think that all of my dunks and layups helped my shooting percentage.

Speaking of great scorers, one of the best of alltime recently announced that this season would be his last. You have bit of history with Kobe Bryant. During those days of the Blazers-Lakers rivalry, you were nicknamed the “Kobe Stopper.”

How did the nickname come about, what is the key to guarding a superstar like Kobe Bryant, and could you have ever imagined back then that he would still be playing today?

Shawn Kemp started that nickname when we played the Lakers. I was soaking my Achilles in some ice as a cameraman was filming me and Shawn just made it up on the spot. Kobe was unbelievable – even way back as a rookie with the Lakers I witnessed his passion for the game. He would come into the gym at 3 a.m. or 4 a.m. to shoot around. The game will miss him. He was so hungry and dedicated and I am glad that I got to compete against one of the top-five players to ever be in the league. He has nothing left to prove and he has done so much for the league. Father Time is real, so Kobe’s body is just saying that he cannot do it anymore. I am 40 years old and sometimes when I try to play against high school kids my body just cannot do it. There will never be another Kobe Bryant. He was the next star after Michael Jordan and the one who came the closest to being like Jordan.

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LEGENDS of BASKETBALL

LEGENDS INTERVIEW

ARMINTIE HERRINGTON Writer Jon Teitel visited with Armintie Herrington about getting a triple-double and being named WNBA Rookie of the Year. Armintie Herrington is simply able to do things that regular people cannot do because she is such an amazing athlete. In high school she scored 51 points in a basketball state title game and was also a 15-time state champion in track. At the University of Mississippi, she was an All-American and led the entire country in steals per game. In the WNBA she was named Rookie of the Year and made the playoffs for seven straight years. Since she decided to retire this past September, we wish her a happy and healthy future!

In 2003 you set a state tourney scoring record with 45 points in the semifinals before winning a Class 1A state basketball title at Myrtle High School. What did it mean to you to win a title?

It meant a lot to me. I actually broke my own record by scoring 51 points in the finals. I knew that I had to give all I had so that all our hard work did not go to waste. It is in the record book forever and we will never forget it.

In addition to basketball you were also a 15-time state track champion.

Which sport did you enjoy the most, and why did you end up choosing hoops over track at the University of Mississippi?

I loved running; the long jump was also one of my favorites. I also did the hurdles ‌ but never learned to jump them correctly! I wanted to focus my time on basketball, and practice was so grueling that at the time I did not think my body could take it if I had done them both.

Looking back I wish that I could have

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done a couple of track events in college as well, but I decided to just do one thing at a time.

In December of 2006 you recorded the second triple-double in school history with 34 points, 15 rebounds and 12 steals vs. Illinois. Where does that rank among the best all-around games of your career?

I was just at a speaking engagement at my alma mater and someone brought it up. I really wanted to win that game because it would help us in the rankings, and I was just feeling it that night. I got to a point where I was exhausted and came out of the game, and one of our assistants said that I was only a couple of steals away from our coach’s school record.

I popped right up and said I wanted to go back in the game, and after the game we were all laughing about it. The triple-double was just an extra bonus, and looking back at it now I realize that I must have been pretty good to do something like that!

As a senior you were named All-American after leading your team with 18.1 points and 4.8 assists per game. How did you balance your scoring with your passing?

I am not sure. I just wanted to be a complete player rather than a selfish player who does too much. I had to find a way to get my teammates involved because I could not score all of the points myself, so I tried to make the correct pass and not be a one-woman show.

How on Earth did you end up with almost 1,200 rebounds despite standing only 5-foot-9?

I think it was just the talent that God gave me in terms of running and jumping. I did not pick up a basketball until the eighth grade, and then picked up the competitive instinct and pushed my ability to be the best that I could.

You were a two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Year, led the nation with 3.8 steals per game in 2007, and your 403 career steals remains the most in school history. What is the secret to being a great defender?

I learned a lot from coach Carol Ross, who wanted me to be great. She built my confidence so that I felt that I was the best player in the world. She taught me to never let my teammates down and just be the best, so I felt untouchable. If you build a player’s confidence, then they can prepare like a champion.

You were drafted No. 3 overall by Chicago in the 2007 WNBA Draft. Did you see that as a validation of your college career, or the realization of a lifelong dream of reaching the pros?

It was a blessing and something that I had never dreamed of. My mom raised five kids and I was the first to go to college, so thank God it was free. I remember sitting at the table when they announced my name and my first words were, “Oh me, oh my!” I could not believe it but was so grateful that Chicago recognized my talent.

You finished the season by being named WNBA Rookie Of the Year. How were you able to make

such a smooth transition from college to the pros?

My coach wanted to make sure I went in and played hard and was a winner. I played fearless and treated each practice as though I might get cut later that day.

I played my hardest and gave it my all, but also made sure to have fun and enjoy the moment.

What are your memories of the 2010 WNBA Finals as a player for Atlanta when you lost the series 2-1 to Seattle with all three games being decided by three points or less?

I was nervous to play an awesome Seattle team with Lauren Jackson and Sue Bird. We had more talent but they were more seasoned. We made it to the Finals many times but just could not win a ring. When you think about the stars you watch in college and then end up playing with some of them as teammates in the pros, you have to erase the memories of them being almost like your enemies during college. The best part was the relationships I built with the players and coaches. I would not trade it for anything.

In September you announced your retirement.

Why did you decide to call it quits, and what do you hope to do in the future?

When I came home after the All-Star break it was the first time that I missed my life, husband and family. I had to deal with some surgery last year and wanted to become more involved with my church, so after I returned to Washington I started to think about it. It hit me like never before. I played out the year but my heart was not 100 percent into it with the goal of being a champion. I gave my all for nine seasons and accomplished a lot, but after fulfilling my purpose I wanted to stay healthy and find a job and feel great about myself. I do not know if coaching is in my future. I did it for a few years at my alma mater and liked it, but right now I enjoy my work as a TV/radio color analyst for the basketball team. It would be great to be a mentor to ladies to show them what lies ahead after basketball is over. Nothing is set in place for the future, but I am grateful to be back at Ole Miss.

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LEGENDS of BASKETBALL

LEGENDS INTERVIEW

MITCH RICHMOND

M

itch Richmond finished his amateur career in 1988 with losses in the NCAA tourney and the Olympics, but after getting drafted that summer his shelf started to fill up with some heavy-duty hardware. He began his pro career by being named NBA Rookie of the Year and later made six straight All-Star Games from 1993 to 1998. He was named MVP of the 1995 All-Star Game, followed that up with an Olympic gold medal in 1996, then won a ring in the final game of his career with the Lakers in the 2002 NBA Finals. After retiring he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014, and this fall he joined the staff of his former Hall of Fame teammate Chris Mullin as an assistant coach at St. John’s.

You began your college career at Moberly Junior College. How did you like playing for coach Dana Altman, and how did he convince you to switch your shooting stroke from the side of your head to the center of your body?

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I had a great relationship with Coach Altman and we hit it off from Day 1. I played forward/center in high school and had to transition to becoming a 2-guard.

I had to figure out how to get my shot off with a better rhythm, and we worked on it all summer until I felt comfortable with it.

In the 1988 NCAA tourney as a player at Kansas State, you scored 11 points in a loss to Kansas. What was it like to play your in-state rival four times in four different cities during a two-month span?

It brings back some bad memories. We felt that we were the better team that year and had beaten them pretty badly in the Big 8 tourney. We thought that we were finished with them, but after a couple of upsets we ended up facing them in the NCAA tourney. That was probably our worst game of the year and was very tough to lose.

In the 1988 Olympics as a member of Team USA, you scored five points in a six-point loss to the USSR. Where does that rank among the most devastating

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LEGENDS of BASKETBALL losses of your career, and do you think we will ever go back to using college players on the US Olympic basketball team?

I do not think that we will ever see a team featuring only college players, but perhaps there will be a mix of college and pro players at some point. That was the most devastating loss of my career.

After getting selected fifth overall by Golden State in the 1988 NBA Draft, you averaged 22 points per game and were named NBA Rookie of the Year.

How were you able to make such a smooth transition from college to the pros?

I put in the work and was lucky to get drafted by Golden State. You always want to get drafted by the right team that fits your style, and it was a great fit for me. Coach Don Nelson let me make some rookie mistakes but always had confidence in me.

In the 1995 All-Star Game you scored 23 points (10-13 FG) for the West and were named MVP. How were you able to play your best against the best?

You just want to enjoy the weekend without getting injured. I got a little heated after making four or five in a row and my teammates just kept feeding me. It was good to do it in a setting like that and be recognized as the best.

You played for Team USA again in the 1996 Olympics.

Did you feel that you had to win it all after getting a bronze in 1988, and what did it mean to you to win a gold medal?

It meant a lot to me because I never knew if I would get another opportunity to play in another Olympics. I was overwhelmed at the chance to join the team, which allowed both David Robinson and me to redeem ourselves. It was so refreshing to win a gold medal. I have never looked at the bronze a single time since I received it back in 1988.

Take me through the magi-

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cal 2002 NBA playoffs with the Lakers. The Western Conference Finals vs. Sacramento is considered one of the best playoff series in NBA history (with six of the seven games decided by six points or less).

Did you get the sense that something was fishy during the fourth quarter of Game 6 (when the Lakers attempted 27 free throws), and what was your reaction after several years later after referee Tim Donaghy alleged that the game had been fixed by the refs?

I had been in Sacramento for so many years without making the playoffs, so after joining the twotime defending champion Lakers I was cheering them on as much as I could from the bench. To be in a series against the Kings with a chance to make the Finals was very nerve-racking. My jersey was soaked as if I had played the whole game because I really wanted to win a ring. I was lost during that whole series just trying to figure out what was going on. When Robert Horry made his big shot at the buzzer in Game 4 to give us another life, I was the first one who ran out to hug him!

You swept New Jersey in four games in the Finals. What did it mean to you to win a title, and how special was it to go out on top?

I wanted to play again. New Jersey could not match up with Shaq and nobody could guard Kobe.

What got me through it was remembering the guys who cheered me on from the bench when I was playing in front of them, so it was a blessing to get a ring. I thank Robert every time I see him for making that shot! I had some other offers and thought about taking one of them. I took the summer off to rest my knee and just decided to go out as a champ and start the next chapter of my life.

Your career 3-point total of 1,326 is in the top-30 all-time.

What is your secret for making shots from behind the arc?

It just takes a lot of work. I think those records will continue to grow because some guys shoot 15 threes a game now. I cannot believe it! I remember when I would shoot four or five threes in a game and some people thought that was too much, but Stephen Curry now shoots 10 to15 every night. Back then our coach would tell us to drive to the hoop, but now every team plays an open style. That is why Nelson was so great. He was doing it 30 years ago. It was great to see Golden State win the title last year.

In 2014 you were inducted into the Hall of Fame. Where does that rank among the highlights of your career?

That is up there. I did not know if that moment would ever come but I had some people in my corner. I was so appreciative to make it and happy that I switched sports from football to basketball.

I feel like I am still a young man and was ecstatic about making it.

Earlier this year you were hired as an assistant to your old teammate Chris Mullin at St. John’s. Why did you take the job, and what do you hope to do in the future?

It is another chapter in my life.

Chris is one of my best friends in the entire world and we have always been around coaches. He is a first-time head coach and I feel like I can help him succeed.

We want to help the kids. It is a lot more about teaching and is enjoyable to show the players what we learned during our careers. We know the recipe and want to give them the skills to be successful in life. We will have some rough times in the beginning – as we already have – but it is worth it to try to turn this thing around. I am just taking the future day by day because I am where I want to be.

I want to stick around and give back to the sport.

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LEGENDS of BASKETBALL

LEGENDS INTERVIEW

BOB PETIT

T

here is only one man alive who averaged 16-plus points and 16-plus rebounds during his NBA career, and that man is named Bob Pettit.  After winning a Louisiana state title as a high school senior and leading the SEC in scoring for three straight years at LSU, he was drafted second overall by the Milwaukee Hawks and embarked on a stellar professional career. By age 26 as a member of the St. Louis Hawks, he already had a Rookie of the Year award, two scoring titles, a pair of MVP awards and an NBA championship to his name. By the time he retired at age 32, he had been named an All-Star during each of his 11 years in the NBA. Five years after that he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

At Baton Rouge High School you were cut from the varsity basketball team as a sophomore. How were you able to make the team as a junior and lead it to a state title as a senior?

I just refused to give up. My dad put up a hoop for me in our backyard, and after practicing for two to three hours a day, I was good enough to become the starting center on my varsity team as a junior. It was amazing when I started to receive college scholarship offers. My only ambition as a sophomore was to get a varsity letter.

You were a two-time All American at LSU where you led the SEC in scoring for three straight seasons. How intense were your battles against the legendary Kentucky teams of that era?

We played them three times and they won all three, including by a single point in the 1952 SEC tourney title game. They

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had a lot of talent including Cliff Hagan, who I later played with for nine years in the NBA. After playing center in college, Milwaukee Hawks coach Red Holzman decided to switch you to forward at your very first NBA training camp.

What was your initial reaction, and what made the switch so effective that you were named 1955 NBA Rookie of the Year after averaging 20.4 points and 13.8 rebounds per game?

I was drafted No. 2 overall behind Frank Selvy and then showed up to training camp.

Coach Holzman told me to get outside the paint because he wanted me to play forward. I had a nice outside shot and some good coordination, so it was not a huge adjustment for me. I would occasionally play center when subbing in for our starter, but much preferred playing outside.

You won two MVP awards within your first five years in the league. What did it mean to you to win such outstanding honors?

It means a lot more to me now.

Back then I was pleased, but looking back on it I think it was outstanding. It stands the test of time and means more to me after I had the chance to reflect on my career.

You made the All-Star Game 11 times during your 11-year career and were a four-time All-Star Game MVP, which has only been matched by Kobe Bryant. How were you able to be so dominant for such a long period of time?

I played my very first All-Star Game as a rookie in Madison Square Garden. I think my mindset had something to do with being a four-time MVP. Some players see the All-Star break as a time to relax and have fun, but I wanted to prove that I belonged among the best in the world so I played pretty well.

You won two scoring titles and your 26.4 career points per game average remains in the top-10 all-time. What was your secret for being a great scorer?

It involves a lot of things. You have to be on a team with teammates who are willing to get you the ball and let you do a lot of the shooting. They will only do that if you are a pretty good shooter! I was a very good offensive rebounder, which helped me add several points to my scoring average. You need to have a lot of confidence.

Even if you miss your first few shots you have to continue shooting, and the coach must have confidence in you as well.

Take me through the 1957 NBA Finals. In April of 1956 the Hawks acquired a pair of future Hall of Famers — Ed Macauley and Cliff Hagan — from the Celtics for the draft rights to Bill Russell. What did you think about the trade when you first heard about it, and do you ever wonder how many rings you might have won if you spent the next decade as teammates with Russell in St. Louis?

I think we would have been a pretty tough duo together but I did not get involved with such things at the time. We got a pair of Hall of Famers in return but missed out on the best player to ever walk on the court. Russell was not even the first pick that year. Rochester picked Sihugo Green. I knew Ed and Cliff so I had no problem with us getting two great players.

After going 34-38 in the regular season, you scored 39 points including a pair of free throws with six seconds left in regulation to force OT in Game 7 before ending up with a two-point, double-overtime loss to Boston. What are your memories of what is considered to be one of the most exciting games in playoff history?

It was very exciting but I do not remember a lot about it. It was a tight game and very tense during overtime in Boston. We played very well but they were a great team.

Take me through the magical Game 6 of the 1958 NBA Finals.

You set a playoff record by scoring 50 points — including 19 of

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your team’s final 21 — in a onepoint win over Boston to clinch the title. Was it just one of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”?

Players get hot and it was certainly the best that I ever played. I had huge confidence and wanted the ball every time that we were on offense. I was scoring inside and outside. Everything worked out well and my teammates kept giving me the ball. I did not realize at the time how many points I had but I knew how close the game was.

You became the only team to ever beat Russell in his 12 trips to the NBA Finals. What did it mean to you to win a title?

It means a great deal when you do it, but 50 years later it gains even more importance. Many players do not feel complete unless they win a title, and the older I get the nicer it is!

In 1961 you became one of only five players to ever have a season of 20-plus rebounds per game, and your 16.2 career rebounding average remains No. 3 all-time behind Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell.

What is your secret for being a great rebounder?

I went after every rebound I could on both offense and defense, which paid off over time. I would eventually wear my opponents down and if they could not get the rebound then they would foul me.

In 1970 you were inducted into the Hall of Fame, and in 1996 you were named one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history. When people look back on your career, how to do you want to be remembered the most?

I am proudest of playing as hard as I could during every single minute of every single game. That does not mean I had great games every night, but I do not think that I could have grabbed even one more rebound because I busted my back on every shot. We won some games and lost some games, but I have no regrets.

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LEGENDS of BASKETBALL

LEGENDS INTERVIEW

DON KOJIS

D

on Kojis must be one of the few basketball players who ever majored in philosophy while in college, and it has given him a good background to consider life both on and off the court. After becoming the most dominant rebounder in the proud history of Marquette basketball, he joined the NBA, won a gold medal and started in the 1969 All-Star Game.

After retiring from the sport, he founded a Catholic family camp and conference center near San Diego and has been running it for more than 35 years. He has negotiated with George Steinbrenner, scored 30 points on John Havlicek, and went double-dating with Dave DeBusschere.

You studied philosophy at Marquette. Why did you choose that major, and how did you like it?

I was always thinking about going into a medical profession and becoming a doctor

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or dentist, but after I started playing sports it looked like I could end up having a career in baseball or basketball. I was a power-hitting first baseman who was named the best major league prospect after my junior year, but basketball was also going well. I was worried that premed would be quite a commitment when combined with the time I devoted to sports. After I took a couple of philosophy classes, I found that I liked them, so I majored in it.

You led the team in rebounds during each of your three years on the varsity, and your 1,222 career rebounds remains the most in school history. What is the secret to being a great rebounder?

I loved to rebound and had some pretty good hops. I could leap up and touch a backboard as high as 11 feet, 10 inches.

I had some great battles with Walt Mangham, who was the U.S. high jump

champ. I had enough strength to hold off my opponent and then figure out where the ball was going to come off the rim.

In the 1961 NBA Draft you were selected 21st overall by the Chicago Packers, one spot ahead of Doug Moe. Did you see that as a validation of your college career, or the realization of a lifelong dream of reaching the NBA? My mindset at the time was that I wanted to continue playing basketball. There was an American Basketball League at the time so I was talking to one of those teams as well. I got an offer from the NBA and the ABL, but there were no guarantees for me as an NBA second-round pick.

The Harlem Globetrotters offered me $1,000 a game to play 20 games against them as part of a college All-Star team, but a friend of mine said that if they only used me for a couple of games in the Midwest rather than all 20 games all over the country, then it might not be a great idea. If I went pro, then I would not be allowed to play in the Olympics, which had always been a dream of mine. I played very well in a pair of games against the Pittsburgh Rens, and their owner came to our locker room and asked me if I wanted to play for him. He told me that he would send me a round-trip ticket to visit him in Cleveland, so I flew to Ohio and got into a limo for the first time and was just checking out everything inside. I went to the restaurant where the owner told me to meet him, and when he finally arrived he offered me a 2-year contract for $15,000 a year, which was twice as much as the NBA was willing to pay me. I asked to see the contract and he asked me why college kids always asked so many questions.

He ended up walking away. I thought that he would eventually come back but he never did … and neither did the limo. I was reading a newspaper several years later when I saw his photo: it was

George Steinbrenner! I decided to play AAU ball for Phillips Petroleum and got to travel all over the world with them. I later played for Detroit when the coach instituted a curfew and said that we could not go have a beer after a game. Toward the end of the season five of our guys went to a bar near the coach’s parking spot and toasted him from the bar when he got to his car. After the year all five of those guys were traded to Baltimore!

In the 1963 Pan Am Games, as a player for Team USA, you beat the host country Brazil in the gold medal game. How loud was it with an estimated 30,000 fans jammed inside the 18,500 capacity stadium, and what was your reaction after a scuffle between a Brazilian and USA player late in the game when the crowd threw oranges, ice cream cones and other debris onto the floor and delayed the end of the game?

The State Department told us about the possibility of a riot and said that we should be prepared just in case. We were leading with a couple of minutes left and a Brazilian guy named Mosquito came up and got in the face of our big man, Luke Jackson, who was 6-9, 240 pounds. Luke cocked his arm back and the crowd just went nuts. I got hit in the back with a piece of fruit and we had to hide under our benches. There was stuff all over the court. The State Department ordered Luke to shake hands with Mosquito, but Mosquito turned to the crowd as though he could not believe it and they threw even more stuff onto the court. After we won the gold medal we stayed down there for a month before competing in the World Games, at which time they gave us some doves because they felt like we acted as peacemakers during the Pan Am Games.

You are one of three players ever selected in expansion drafts held in consecutive years as well as one of a

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handful of guys who played for three expansion teams. What is the best part of playing for an expansion team, and what is the worst part?

When I first joined the league there were only nine teams. So if you were not a good-enough player after a couple of years, then you were done. It was a break for me to get to play for an expansion team. I worked as a stockbroker in Milwaukee during the offseason after a friend hooked me up with his firm, and I passed all of the exams. My Chicago team was the first expansion team to ever make the playoffs. As the story goes, I was going to be protected until someone had a few drinks on the team plane, crossed my name out, and wrote in the name of one of our subs. That is how I ended up in San Diego. Pat Riley and I were roommates. We went out one night with some girls and stayed out all night and even got to meet some Broadway stars. I was exhausted for most of the next day so I tried to get some sleep in the cab and at the airport and on the plane.

We finally arrived in Boston and somehow I scored more than 30 points while being guarded by John Havlicek! I called the girl who I went out with in New York later that season and said that I was coming back for the All-Star Game. She asked me if I was coming there to watch the game, and I told her no, I was coming to play in the game!

In the 1969 All-Star Game, you were a starter for the West in a loss to the East. Where does that East team featuring 11 future Hall of Famer, including Oscar Robertson, John Havlicek, Bill Russell, Earl Monroe, Jerry Lucas, Billy Cunningham, Gus Johnson, Hal Greer, Wes Unseld, Willis Reed and Dave Bing rank among the best collection of talent that you have ever seen?

Those were some good years in the NBA featuring a lot of great players. It is sad to me where some

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LEGENDS of BASKETBALL of the current TV guys only have a frame of reference that goes back a decade.

When you name your top-5 of all-time, how can you leave out guys like Oscar and Wilt?!

In December of 1969 as a player on the Rockets, you scored 40 points on 17 of 19 from the field in a win over Chicago. Was it just one of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”?

I sprained my ankle one night earlier that year but kept playing, and the following day my ankle just blew up. The team told me to play even though I could not put any weight on my foot, and I told them I would only do so if they agreed to renegotiate my contract at the end of the season. I took a shot in my ankle and played well, and at the end of the year I reminded the team of their promise, but they reneged on their offer. They kept trying to trade me for the best forwards on the opposing teams like Havlicek or Rick Barry and it never worked out. My agent said that I better have a good game against Chicago, and it was the most prepared that I have ever been for a game.

It did not matter who they had guarding me. I was so ready that I would not let up for 48 minutes. We won the game, which made it even better. It is nice when you are in a zone!

Next month the NBRPA is hosting a Legends Family Weekend at the Mohegan Sun that will help raise money for the Dave DeBusschere Scholarship Fund. What is your favorite memory of your former friend and teammate?

I played behind Dave in Detroit for two years. He always reminded me that his family came from Belgium because they were the best beer-drinkers in the world. Dave had a friend who owned a bar near his alma mater at the University of Detroit, and the friend was nice enough to open up the bar for us occasionally after a home game where we could go hang out and enjoy a beer with some girls that we were dating. Ray Scott tried to set up a play in the huddle one time and Dave told him to stop. Ray asked him why and Dave said the he had recently been named player-coach. I told Dave that he needed to get me some more playing time because I

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was doing so well against him in practice, and he said that he could not get up for me because he had to worry about facing stars like Rick Barry! Dave was such a good guy, it was very hard for me to hear of his passing a decade ago at the young age of 62. I ended up hanging out a lot in the Knicks’ locker room with guys like Dave and Willis Reed, who I had been teammates with at the Pan Am Games.

You currently work as director of Whispering Winds (whisperingwinds.org), a Catholic family camp and conference center near San Diego.

How did you come up with the idea more than 35 years ago, and what has made it such a success?

We are Catholics and were invited to a camp in San Bernardino back in the mid-1970s. We had such a good time but I wondered why we did not have something similar around San Diego. One day, over a glass of wine, a doctor friend of mine said that someone should start such a camp, and one hour and another glass of wine later we were still talking about it, and he eventually talked me into building it. It is a Catholic camp but is used by groups from all different religions, and we also bring in special-needs kids. We lost a lot of trees during a fire about a decade ago but received some big donations to help rebuild some of our facilities. We are going to keep building it up, like it should be.

When people look back on your career, how do you want to be remembered the most?

I enjoyed the NBA and had a nice career, but I think my legacy is all of the people who are helped out by the camp. I get letters from people who were on the brink of divorce before coming to the camp and are now stronger than they have ever been. My 10-year-old granddaughter told me about a life-changing moment she had at camp. She was addicted to electronics and told me to never lend her my cell phone again, which just amazed me.

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LEGENDS of BASKETBALL

LEGENDS INTERVIEW

BLUE EDWARDS NBRPA writer Jon Teitel visited with Blue Edwards about having a triple-double and participating in the Slam Dunk contest.

B

lue Edwards proved that he could score even back in college at East Carolina, as his 26.7 points-per-game average as a senior was No. 6 in the nation while setting a school record for most points in a single season.

He was a first-round pick of the Utah Jazz in the 1989 NBA Draft and proved that he was worthy of such a high pick by being named to the 1990 NBA AllRookie Second Team. After being taken by Vancouver in the 1995 expansion draft, he proved he could do a little of everything by recording the first triple-double in Grizzlies history with 15 points, 13

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rebounds and 11 assists in a loss to Dallas on March 1, 1996. He finished his NBA career in 1999 having played an entire decade and averaged 10.8 points per game for a total of five franchises.

Your sister gave you the nickname “Blue� when you were little after seeing you turn that color while choking.

Is that a true story, and how do you like the nickname?

That is a true story, but I did not choke. I just turned blue after getting very cold from being very wet. They did not intend to nickname me that. My siblings just picked on me!

You did not start playing basketball at Greene Central High School until your junior year, but after you could not find a job coach Lewis Godwin convinced your parents that

the sport could help you get a free college education. How afraid were you of getting cut, and how much credit does Coach Godwin deserve for your success?

I give Coach Godwin a lot of credit because I did not think that I was good enough to make the team. I was afraid of being cut because I was unfamiliar with a lot of the terminology. He told me that I could play and become a star if I worked hard. He was the first person to tell me that I had the chance to go to the NBA. After graduation you went to Louisburg Junior College and became a First Team Junior College All-American. How badly did you want to play in the ACC, and why did you decide to go to ECU? I grew up watching ACC games

featuring Maryland and NC State with stars like David Thompson, Tom Burleson, etc. That was the uniform I wanted to wear and the program that I wanted to be a part of. The route I took was the right one for me because it helped me grow and mature as a player.

You and several other players were suspended for the entire 1987–88 season after charges of receiving stolen property in connection with a series of dorm break-ins. How did you get involved in the incident, and were you worried that your basketball career was over?

I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I did not want to get my teammates in trouble and was asked by the cops to tell my side of the story. The four of us all got charged with the same thing, but I do not blame my teammates or the court system; I just made a poor decision that somewhat affects me to this day.

In 1989, you finished sixth in the nation in scoring (26.7 points per game) and were named CAA Player of the Year.

What did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding individual honor?

It meant a lot to me: I felt vindicated after basketball was taken away from me the previous year.

The suspension gave me the chance to grow as a leader on the court, which enhanced my potential to go to the NBA. Winning that award was payback to my school, coaches and teammates for all sticking with me.

That same year you led the CAA with 1.6 steals per game.

How were you able to balance your offense with your defense?

When I sat out for a year I got to watch the action on the court and increase my basketball IQ. I got to see the floor and figure out where I could be disruptive with my intensity. To make it in the NBA, I knew that I would have to do the little things in addition to the big things.

In the summer of 1989, you were drafted 21st overall by

Utah (five spots ahead of Vlade Divac). Did you see that as a validation of your college career, or the realization of a lifelong dream of reaching the NBA? It meant that dreams do come true. I remember telling some friends at age 11 that I was going to play 10 years in the NBA ‌ and that is exactly what happened. I had a lot of naysayers who said that I was too small and went to a small college, but I was determined that it was going to happen.

a great player and great players make big shots. It was a long season but the next year we got back to the playoffs.

In 1993, you banked in a shot against the Celtics while sitting on the floor of the Boston Garden. How on earth were you able to make that shot?

I was so determined to get that shot off! I fell down and the ball came into my hands and I just threw it up and banked it in.

In March of 1996, you had the

What are your memories of the 1990 Western Conference first round when Kevin Johnson scored 26 points and made an off-balance serieswinning jumper with 0.8 seconds left in a two-point win by Phoenix in the decisive Game 5 at the Salt Palace?

It was a great atmosphere and we were well-prepared. Phoenix had been our big nemesis throughout the season. KJ was

first triple-double in Vancouver history in a game against Dallas. Where does that rank among the greatest accomplishments of your career?

It has to be in the top-10. I had been close on several other occasions. I was not shooting the ball well that night, but Dallas was running up and down the court so I was able to do a lot of different things.

In April of 1996, you had 24

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points, six steals and made the game-winning shot from the top of the key with 0.8 seconds left to clinch a two-point win over Minnesota and end the Grizzlies’ 23-game losing streak (which prevented your team from tying Cleveland’s then-record for most consecutive losses). Did you think that your shot was going in, and

make no excuses about my poor showing, but right before the contest I learned that one of my daughters was having emergency surgery, so I just tried a couple of dunks and then got out of there as fast as I could.

After retiring in 2000, you played two years in Greece. Why did you decide to go abroad, and how did you like Greece?

ters. They tried a lot of different sports and settled on basketball.

I tried not to put any pressure on them, but as their coach I told them I would push them hard because that is how I learned to play. Once they started to get older and see that my teaching methods worked, they became selfmotivated and wanted to play in college. It is rewarding to see all of

what was the feeling like in your locker room afterward?

Of course I thought it was going in! I love being in those situations.

You take the particular moment and see the shot going in even before you take it. I remember one game against the Timberwolves where I told my teammates that I was going to make the winning shot, and I did. We were really tired after the long losing streak.

We celebrated quite a bit but were more relieved than overjoyed.

You finished sixth in the 1991 NBA Slam Dunk Contest.

What was the greatest dunk you have ever made, and how amazing was winner Dee Brown’s “no-look” dunk?

Dee Brown’s dunk was amazing.

I remember some of the guys talking about Brown in the locker room before the contest after watching his practice dunks. I

I played for Miami the previous year and had a broken hand. I knew that if I did not play, it would be the end of my career. Since I could not pass the physical, I just went to Greece to show that I could still play. Europe has good talent, but fewer games, so it seemed more like college. There were only two games per week, but it was a great atmosphere. I was a fan favorite wherever I went.

There are no better fans than in Europe. They have a crazy, unbridled passion!

You coached your twin daughters, Britny and Whitny, on the nationally-ranked Tennessee Flight AAU team, and they ended up attending your alma mater. How proud are you of their success, and do they credit at least some of their success to genetics?

I am very proud of my daugh-

their hard work paying off as they earned college scholarships.

You and your son were involved in one of the most public child custody cases in Canadian history (which included a ruling by the Supreme Court of Canada and a made-for-TV movie on the Canadian TV Network). How difficult was it to see such a personal thing played out in public, and what relationship do you now have with your son?

I have always had a very good relationship with my son, but I do not get to see him all the time. It was a chance for me to show the strength of both my family and my character. For me it became a fight, not about my reputation, but about my family because we were under attack. My wife and kids showed me a lot of love and we were able to get through it.

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OBITUARIES

STEVE CHUBIN REMEMBERS MEL DANIELS Flip Saunders

PHILIP DANIEL “FLIP” SAUNDERS – (February 23, 1955 – October 25, 2015) was an American basketball player and coach.

During his career, he coached the Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons and Washington Wizards.

“The National Basketball Retired Players Association and I are very saddened to hear of the passing of Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Flip Saunders. I began my professional sports career with Flip in the Continental Basketball Association, and Flip was not only an outstanding basketball coach but also a terrific person. His CBA championships with the LaCrosse Catbirds energized an entire community and he brought that same level of excellence to all his subsequent NBA positions,” said NBRPA President & CEO Arnie D. Fielkow. “The NBRPA sends out its condolences to the entire Saunders family.”

NBRPA MEMBER DAVE MEYERS – (April 23, 1953 – October 9, 2015), a former five-year veteran of the NBA, has passed away.

Meyers played college basketball at UCLA, where he helped lead the Bruins to a NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Championship in 1973 and 1975. He was a consensus

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first-team All American pick in 1975. Meyers played five seasons in the NBA – all with the Milwaukee Bucks. During his professional career, he averaged 11.2 points and 6.3 rebounds in 281 games.

Meyers is the brother of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Ann Meyers.

NBRPA MEMBER MEL DANIELS – (July 20, 1944 – October 30, 2015), a former 10-year veteran of both the ABA and NBA, has passed away. Daniels played college basketball at the University of New Mexico before being drafted by the Cincinnati Royals in the 1967 NBA Draft and the Minnesota Muskies in the 1967 ABA Draft. Davis chose to play in the ABA, where he was named a seven-time ABA All Star and won the Most Valuable Player twice (1969, 1971). Daniels led the ABA in rebounding average in three different seasons and is the ABA’s all-time leader in total rebounds.

After nine seasons in the ABA, Davis played one season in the NBA before retiring. Davis was selected as a member of the ABA All-Time team. In 2012, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame. Davis is one of four players to have his jersey retired by the Indiana Pacers.

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s you know, we lost Mel Daniels recently. Our great friend, teammate of mine, I have told my Mel Daniels story for over 40 years to young athletes.

As you know, Mel was great player and a great rebounder: the toughest player ever. In the locker room before every game Slick Watts would say, ‘The ball goes into Mel right at the beginning of the game.

Mel has to be happy early, he will then have all your backs for the whole game.’

Knowing this we would all play twice as well and twice as hard. We would always win.

Mel was a killer on the court. Off the court he was the kindest, most caring person ever. He would smile, laugh loud and hug everyone. He loved every player and every player on every team loved him.

When the Pacers honored him into the Hall of Fame, he made sure the Pacers brought all the old guys there that weekend. When you got to the hotel, there was Mel to greet you and asks that everything is ok for you, and not him. Many can tell great Mel loving stories. He was a great, great hero. Thank you.

FORMER SUNS CENTER NEAL WALK DEAD AT 67

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eal Walk, a tough center on the early Phoenix Suns teams who became an inspirational speaker after losing the use of his legs, has died at age 67. The Suns confirmed his passing in a statement on Monday. “We were saddened last night to learn of the passing of Neal Walk, an integral member of the most successful Suns teams in our franchise’s early years,” the Suns said in the statement. “The Suns will always remember and appreciate the many contributions Neal made, both on the court with his scoring ability and tenacious rebounding, and later as a community ambassador and photo archivist with the team.”

Walk lost the use of his legs in a surgery to remove a tumor from his spine in 1987.

Phoenix drafted Walk as the No. 2 pick overall in 1969 after losing the coin flip with Milwaukee to draft Kareem AbdulJabbar (then Lew Alcindor).

“My answer to the coin toss,” he once told AZCentral Sports, “was always, ‘I didn’t toss it and I didn’t make the call. I just play basketball.’”

Walk averaged 20.2 points and 12.4 rebounds in the 1972-73 season. Charles Barkley is the only other Sun to top the 20-point, 10-rebound average.

The 6-foot-10 Walk also played for the New Orleans Jazz and New York Knicks in his eight-year NBA career.

Walk, who had a standout college career at Florida, averaged 12.6 points and 7.7 rebounds in his NBA career. In five seasons with the Suns, he averaged 14.7 points and 8.9 rebounds.

Then-Suns owner Jerry Colangelo, who as general manager had drafted Walk, created a community relations job for him.

Walk gave inspirational talks and established camps for disabled athletes.

“No matter how a person came across their malady, people with maladies have hearts and souls and feelings, and they’re capable,” Walk said in one of his speeches.

In 1999, Walk became as photo archivist for the team, a job he held until 2012.

According to an obituary on AZCentral Sports, Walk received the Gene Autry Courage Award in 1995 and was invited to the White House after being named “wheelchair athlete of the year” in 1990.

He was inducted into the Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2006.

Walk is survived by his wife, Georgia, and a brother.

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OBITUARIES NBRPA MEMBER LUTHER “TICKY” BURDEN – (February 28, 1953 – October 29, 2015), a former two-year veteran of the NBA, has passed away.

Burden played college basketball at the University of Utah. In 1974, he played for the United States men’s national basketball team in the FIBA World Championship where he averaged 20.2 points per game. He was drafted by the Virginia Squires of the ABA and the New York Knicks of the NBA. He played one season for the Squires before joining the Knicks.

Following his basketball career, Burden became an active teacher of the game of basketball at local YMCAs for several years.

NBRPA MEMBER JOHN “HOT ROD” WILLIAMS – (August 9, 1962 – December 11, 2015) has passed away.

Williams, best known to everyone as “Hot Rod,” played his college basketball at Tulane University where he left as the school’s second leading all-time scorer. Williams was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 1985 NBA Draft, where he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team during his rookie season. He played nine seasons in Cleveland, became a fan favorite and one of the franchise’s all-time great players. He then spent three seasons with the Phoenix Suns before ending his career with the Dallas Mavericks in 1999.

NBRPA MEMBER DOLPH SCHAYES – (May 19, 1928 – December 10, 2015), a former 16-year veteran of the NBA, has passed away. Schayes famously led New York University to the NCAA Final Four as a 16-year-old freshman center. He played his entire 16-year professional career with

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the Syracuse Nationals, later relocated to Philadelphia and renamed the Philadelphia 76ers.

During his professional career, Schayes was named an NBA All Star 12 times, and named to the All-NBA First Team six times. He made the playoffs 15 of his 16 seasons as a pro, highlighted by him leading the Nationals to the NBA Championship in 1955.

Schayes was elected to the Naismith Hall of Fame in 1972 and named one of the 50 greatest NBA players of all-time in 1996.

Following his playing career, Schayes went into coaching, where he was named NBA Coach of the Year in 1966.

NBRPA MEMBER JIM LOSCUTOFF – (February 4, 1930 – December 1, 2015), a former nine-year veteran of the NBA, has passed away. Loscutoff was selected with the third nonterritorial pick of the first round in the 1955 NBA draft by the Boston Celtics. Nicknamed “Loscy” and “Jungle Jim,” Loscutoff played his whole basketball career with the Boston Celtics where he was a part of seven championship seasons. He is the only Celtics player to have his name, and not uniform number, retired. Upon retiring, Loscutoff and his wife opened a children’s day camp.

John "Hot Rod" Williams

NBRPA MEMBER AND BASKETBALL HALL OF FAMER MEADOWLARK LEMON – (April 25, 1932 – December 27, 2015) has passed away.

Lemon is a legendary member of the Harlem Globetrotters known by many as the “Clown Prince.”

While serving two years in the Army, Lemon applied to be a Harlem Globetrotter in 1954 before he was chosen to join the team in 1955. He went on to play in over 16,000 games for the Globetrotters and was awarded the John Bunn award by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000, which recognizes outstanding lifetime contributors to basketball. He was named a Hall of Fame inductee in 2003. In 2001, Lemon received a Globetrotters “Legends” Ring and had his jersey number 36 retired.

Along with his basketball career, Lemon was also an actor, appearing on shows such as ABC’s Wide World of Sports, CBS Sports Spectacular, The Ed Sullivan Show, The Harlem Globetrotters Popcorn Machine and Scooby Doo. Following his hugely successful basketball and acting career, Lemon served as an ordained minister and motivational speaker.

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CENTER COURT

ARTIST FRENCHY SHOWCASED AT LEGENDS FANTASY WEEKEND

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he NBRPA held a philanthropic fundraiser – the Legends of Basketball Fantasy Weekend – at Mohegan Sun, November 20 to 22, in Uncasville, Conn.

The NBRPA and basketball legends Jalen Rose, Lenny Wilkens, Rick Barry, John Starks, Dave Cowens, Calvin Murphy, Spencer Haywood, Teresa Weatherspoon and Jo Jo White converged on Mohegan Sun for a three-day weekend of exciting events Friday, November 20 through Sunday, November 22 as part of the Legends of Basketball Fantasy Weekend. Other non-basketball luminaries were honored including USTA President Katrina Adams and legendary chef Leah Chase.

On Saturday, November 21, 2015, the NBRPA held its Legends Philanthropy Awards Gala as part of the three-day

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weekend of events, featuring a starstudded line-up of remarkable players who made the game faster and more exciting. The special evening was commemorated by renowned artist Frenchy, who was on hand to live paint throughout the gala. His paintings were auctioned off live at the gala.

Frenchy has done live paintings at many famous occasions such as National Football League games, music festivals, charity showcases, celebrity events and more. Frenchy brought his creative spirit to this special weekend and many watched him captivate legends, members, and attendees with his dynamic work.

The Legends of Basketball Fantasy Weekend is a charitable event to raise funds for the NBRPA’s Dave DeBusschere Scholarship Fund and other charitable partners. This amazing weekend honors philanthropists and legends from the world of sports, while raising funds for the children and grandchildren of professional basketball players to have access to higher education.