Before there was Michael Jordan there was Magic Johnson and before there was Magic Johnson there was Oscar Robertson. Known simply as "The Big O," Robertson was a three-time college player of the year, NBA rookie of the year, MVP and was also named to 12 all-star teams in his 14-year career. During the NBA's 50th anniversary season in 1997, Robertson was named to the top 50 players of all time team. Don't expect Robertson to elaborate on any of his achievements, though, because as accomplished as he is, The Big O is just as humble.

Robertson will be bringing a group of retired NBA players, called the American Legends, to China for a four-game exhibition series against the national team in October [of 1998]. Among the players accompanying Robertson will be recent stars like Moses Malone and Adrian Dantley.

"As great a player as Oscar was on the court," says Mark Blacker, Director of Thakral Corporation, sponsor of the Legends tour, "he was even more prolific with his contributions off the court. Clearly, Asian players can still learn a great deal from him."

OSCAR ROBERTSON (OR) took time to speak to TIM NOONAN (TN) during the ABC All-Star Extravaganza in Taipei in April 1998.

TN : You have been out of the NBA since 1974. What sort of projects have you been involved with since?

OR : I have been working with the Retired NBA Players Association. What we tried to do is get players from the past equal parity in their pension benefits. Some of the players who played prior to me, and before 1965, do not have good pension benefits at all. We worked out a situation with some hospitals where they get good diagnostic care, things like that for some of the older players who have been left off the gravy train. This is apart from the NBA; they stepped forward to help us but it took a while to get it done and it should not have taken that long.

TN : Making sure that their future is secure is not a thing that today's multi-millionaire players need to worry about. Are you bitter that the real big money came after you left the game?

OR : No, not at all. Mega-bucks mean nothing to these young people playing and the owners are willing to give it to them and then complain about it. It's an interesting system. I am not bitter about it at all, it's just the way life is today. America itself does not revere history and a lot of the players don't understand the history of basketball. Look at baseball, most of the players, especially the black athletes, did not quite understand who Jackie Robinson was (NOTE: Robinson was first black man to play professional American sports in 1947). A season is dedicated to an individual like Jackie Robinson and the majority of players still don't know who he was, it is pretty discouraging but understandable. Our education system (in America) is not the best in the world but when you come from a poor background into instant riches, there is no time for character or spiritual growth.

TN : Did you always feel it was a privilege to play in the NBA?

OR : Oh absolutely. Very few people get to do something they enjoy and earn 10 million dollars a year to do it, of course it's a privilege.

TN : Should players be held to a higher standard in society?

OR : Not a higher standard, equal standards. They can play for themselves but as a man, or even a woman now, they should try to carry themselves professionally.

TN : Are the players of today familiar with your career?

OR : I don't have much interaction with them and I am sure a few of them may know me, but that's not the point whether they know me or not.

TN : Do you watch much of the NBA these days?

OR : Occasionally, I will start to watch some games but I often turn them off if I see too many mistakes. To me it's not about how many points you score or what kind of show you put on, it should be about knowing the basic skills and playing within a team concept.

TN : Do you like to watch Michael Jordan play?

OR : I enjoy watching Michael and the Bulls and I also like to watch Utah play occasionally. But sometimes the games get so stagnant and boring. They can't score 80 points in a game anymore? One of the main reasons for the low scoring is that they are walking the ball up the court and taking their time. The tempo is often lacking.

TN : We have never seen an athlete with Jordan's universal stature. Do you admire the way he carries himself?

OR : Michael Jordan does everything right. I am sure he has opinions on greater social issues but he does not articulate them because any controversy may affect his business life. He's playing it safe to appease his sponsors. That's just the way it is these days.

TN : There have been some problems recently with NBA retired players touring Asia, most notably Magic Johnson's South Korea fiasco when the group of players he brought failed to co-operate with promoters and even fought with local players. How will the team you bring to China in October be different?

OR : You have to know how to conduct yourself properly and it has nothing to do with whether you are playing or not. Those problems that they had, I don't think will happen with us. The Retired NBA Players Association feel that we can help show programs like China’s what is needed to become part of the upper echelon of world basketball. Again, no one has the pool of talent that Asia does. Unearthing and training the talent is the real challenge.

TN : What steps are necessary for Asian basketball to become world class?

OR : You have to play when you're young and you have to expose yourself to the world's best players, no matter how bad you lose. Years ago the Europeans did these sort of things and basketball talent and popularity grew because of it. The talent in Europe is no further along than Asia. However, they have had exposure to the NBA for a long time in Europe, whereas in Asia they have not. I know the NBA is doing a number of things on the marketing front, but as far as getting Asian talent over to the United States, it is just not happening.

TN : How about your reception in Asia? Do people know you when you travel?

OR : I have been pleasantly surprised by the all the people who know me in Asia. In fact the players we are bringing over have been requested by the Asian associations and I think they will definitely be surprised by the reception they receive. The future is in international basketball and the NBA has always gone to Europe but there are far more people playing basketball in Asia than in Europe. The numbers are incredible over here but you can never get any sort of press or p.r. for Asia in the United States. Countries like Indonesia and Pakistan are now getting press, and not for all the right reasons, but they have been ignored by the American media. Basketball is just an extension of that. Asian countries simply do not get the recognition from Americans that European countries get. I think and hope that will change very soon.