Seek out people who will teach you the basic fundamentals, and help build your confidence in handling the ball. If you’re not getting what you need from one certain coach or teacher, look elsewhere. Also be prepared to develop your game on your own. Seek out the best possible competition. Competition will teach you the areas in which you need to improve. Then work on those areas of your game. Unfortunately, we’ve gotten away from competitive sports in our parks, playgrounds and schools. The other thing that’s happened is that we’ve become so obsessed with the idea of star players, even at a young age. No one cares about the average kid. So if you’re in organized competition and you see that all the attention is focused on other players, you will have to be willing to put in extra work on your own in order to bring your game up to par. Don’t be discouraged; everyone’s body does not develop at the same rate, nor do your skills. Ask for help. Find someone who can teach you. There’s always a way to get it done.

26. A lot of people think the recent lockout was the first work stoppage in the NBA. But didn’t you lead a players strike at the 1964 All-Star game in Boston?

We had taken a vote and decided not to play the game because the owners were refusing to allow the Players Association, of which I had just become President, to be represented in negotiations by our legal counsel, Larry Fleisher. They finally agreed to negotiate with him and so we played the game. I think we got started about 10 minutes late. Eventually we were able to negotiate the first Collective Bargaining Agreement for professional athletes. Speaking of the lockout, I think that is one of the most harmful things that has ever happened to basketball.

27. How did you become president of the NBA Players Association?

In the 1963-64 season, my 4th year in the league, I was approached by my Cincinnati Royals teammate Jack Twyman and by Tom Heinsohn of the Boston Celtics, both of whom had previously served as president, and asked if I would take the job. They felt they needed one of the premier players in the game in order to have some leverage. At that time the NBA owners could be very vindictive. Players were afraid to speak up. You could be released or traded for being a player rep. I’m glad I was considered a premier player because it strengthened my position. I felt that if I had the leverage, I had the responsibility to use it. So I served as President until I retired in 1974.