NBA hall of famer and basketball legend Robert Parish will be one of the celebrity athletes leading clinics next week at the free Hy-Vee/Sanford Legends For Kids program in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He talked to Sanford Health News about the state of the game, his pick for the greatest player of all time and what he’ll teach kids:
What got you started in sports? Did you always play basketball or did you have another favorite?
I played all sports except basketball. I played football, baseball, ran track and never played basketball until junior high school. I was encouraged to play basketball by my junior high coach that approached me, and I was TERRIBLE. I liked other sports better because I wasn’t any good at basketball. He said I should stick with it because I showed a lot of promise, but I couldn’t catch a basketball, I couldn’t hold a basketball, I couldn’t dribble a basketball. My first two years were UGLY, but one day it clicked and all that practice and dedication from myself and my coach turned it around and everything came together.
How has the development and coaching of young athletes changed from when you started?
Nothing was specialized. We played all sports. Now, I think it’s a good thing to focus on one sport and be really good at that sport. Rather than being just decent at all different sports, I think when you narrow down on one sport you can really focus on getting better every day and be less prone to getting injured.
With the noticeable differences in how the game is played today, how does that affect the youth watching it?
It’s affected the youth in a negative way. The game has gravitated to 3-point shooting. Most kids do not have the strength to perfect the 3-point shot, which leads to bad habits and lack of fundamentals. These guys like Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant have revolutionized the game, but they are so successful because they are elite athletes. Younger kids are not yet, and they shouldn’t try to mimic those abilities.
Bill Walton called you the best shooting big man he’s ever seen. Would you rather be playing in today’s NBA with bigs getting the opportunity to shoot from the perimeter and stretch the floor?
I am happy with my career and when I played. I think I could compete in today’s game because I can shoot the basketball. From 17 feet and in, I could shoot accurately and with consistency. There will always be a place for a center as a defensive position, but in order to be a threat on the floor you have to have an offensive game, too, or else you become a liability to your team.
You were drafted by the Golden State Warriors in 1976 before having a 14-year run with the Celtics in the 1980s and early 1990s, do you have a team you root for?
Warriors. They took a chance on me and that’s where my career started, I will always be thankful for that and love the Warriors. I have love for the Celtics, too, because the trajectory of my career changed, but my first love is the Warriors.
This will be the fourth consecutive year we will have the Golden State Warriors vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA finals, and you played in a similar championship rivalry against the Lakers during the 1980s. Do you think rivalries like this are good for the sport and drive more interest? And at the time did you think about all those great players on the floor at the same time and what impact that would have on the sport?
I did, yes. I always said about my playing career I wish I took more time to fully enjoy that journey. That’s my only regret. But I was aware of the great talent I was with and the talent I was against. We were kind of mirror images of each other. Both teams were extremely talented, both teams were prepared both mentally and physically, and both teams were extremely well coached. These teams were never going to beat themselves and both teams played consistently good defense. You were forced to play defense for the full 24 seconds, it brought the best out in us and the best out in them, and that’s all you can ask for in any sport.
You see guys like Steph Curry shoot today and you assume that ball is going in. How similar is that to when you would play with a guy like Larry Bird?
For me it is enjoyable to watch today’s athletes play at such a high level. You see Steph, Klay and KD, and in my opinion those are some of the best 3-point shooters of all time, and that includes the Larry Birds, Rick Berrys, Reggie Millers and Jerry West. No question about it, those three guys are in the conversation.
Through all the great players you had played with or against, do you have a favorite?
The singular player I revered the most, and respected, and idolized was the one and only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
With all do respect to the writers, commentators and fans that want to debate who’s better between Micheal Jordan and LeBron James, the best of all time is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, he is the GOAT (greatest of all time). Kareem should have been the first 10- or 11-time unanimous MVP in the NBA period. Think about how long his prime was. He played for two decades at an optimum level and never took a night off.
I played against him, I couldn’t do a thing to alter or change what he was going to do. I made sure nothing was easy for him. Hee would have to earn it and work for every point, and that’s all I could do. In 20 years of basketball nobody designed a defense to slow down or stop or contain Kareem.
As a big guy, you had a very long NBA career, which more often than not, does not happen. Did you have any routines or health tips to stay healthy?
I was always focused on getting better. If you do it right, there is no off-season, you are always training to stay on top. I was always aware of what I was doing and what I was putting in my body. After the season I would take a max of two weeks off. I never had any major injuries and never let myself fall out of shape. Playing with guys like Larry Bird and Kevin McHale saved a lot of wear and tear on me.
Both of the last conference finals went into a game 7. What is it like to mentally prepare for a win or go home situation?
Just trying to be consistent, go out and play well and do not turn the ball over. Anything can happen in a game 7. All you can do is control what you can control and DO YOUR JOB and try to do that job at a high level.
What is the one message you would share with a young athlete pursuing sports to help them succeed? And do you have a favorite story to relate to today’s generation of athletes?
I always had the mindset to have unshakable confidence. It’s something I got from my junior high coach that convinced me to play basketball. You are not always going to be rewarded for your success and you are not always going to be rewarded for your hard work, but believe in yourself. There will be a time when you are questioned or doubted. You have to have unshakable confidence in yourself, and the best way to shut up the doubters is to prove them wrong. Unquestioned and unshakable confidence in your ability to get it done. That’s a life lesson that has stayed with me and something I got from my junior high coach. Believe me, I was TERRIBLE and he took the time to believe in me and I then believed in myself.
I know you got the Warriors winning it all, in how many games? And what do you look forward to watching the most?
You know it, I got the Warriors regardless. That’s where it all started for me before anybody else and that’s where my love lies.
I think the Warriors will win in six games or less. It ain’t going to be easy, everybody thinks it might look it easy, it ain’t going to be easy. Cleveland has professionals, too, and, most importantly, LeBron who will put up one hell of a fight. It’s going to make it interesting. They have talent and they have a lot of pride. I think they win one game and maybe two, but the Warriors will win in six. It’s going to be a hard fought four wins, nothing is a cake walk.
More
- Register your child for the free Legends clinics
- Legends clinics: Skills training from celebrities
- Olympic hockey’s Jocelyne Lamoureaux part of Legends
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Posted In Health Information, Orthopedics
