3. NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION

Do you believe you could average a triple-double in today’s NBA? (I believe you could even if you played for the Clippers.) -- Charles A. Mathis, Powder Springs, GA

Yes.

Do you think anybody in the NBA today is capable of averaging a triple-double for an entire season? -- James LeMond Jr., Evansville, IN

Apparently not. If Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan or Scottie Pippen couldn’t do it, or if Kobe Bryant can’t do it, I’m not sure anyone will ever do it again.

Who do you feel is the best all around basketball player in the NBA today? -- James A. Pierre, Evansville, IN

I don’t see any one player I could single out as having the complete package of skills.

Who in your opinion was the best defensive player you ever played against? -- Billy Anthony, Evansville, IN

I played against a lot of great defensive players, but there wasn’t anyone who could stop me. I didn’t play head to head against Bill Russell or Wilt Chamberlain, but of course they were there whenever I went to the basket.

(a) Who were the best offensive and defensive players you played
against? (b) Did you have trouble preventing Pete Maravich scoring? Did
you think he was a good ball player? -- Ryan Hills, Evansville, IN

(a) Wilt Chamberlain was the greatest offensive player, and along with Bill Russell, one of the greatest defensive players.

(b) I never guarded Pete Maravich. Certainly he was a great player. He did a lot more scoring in college than he did in the NBA.

If you played Pete Maravich or Jerry West one-on-one 100 times each when all of you were in your prime, how many would you win against each of those players? -- James Bennett, Charlotte, NC

Who knows? Actually, I played against Jerry West more than 100 times, and our teams were probably 50-50 in those games. I played a few times against Pete Maravich but I don't know how the two teams came out. I never thought of basketball as one-on-one but rather as five-on-five. I think the media have emphasized the matchups and the individual aspect of the game way too much. Now, many times in the course of a game you will find yourself in a one-on-one situation, against a shorter player, a taller player, someone the same size. Whatever the other player's size and skill level, you have to feel confident in your ability to beat that person. Otherwise you shouldn't be on the court. I had great ability, Jerry West and Pete Maravich had great ability, and we welcomed the challenge of playing against each other. I would have felt like I would win more often, and I'm sure they would have felt the same way.

Who do you consider the greatest player to ever play the game including yourself? -– Jerry Graupner, Evansville, IN

Elgin Baylor.

What was it like to play with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Lew Alcindor) in Milwaukee when you won the NBA championship? -- John Grantz, Evansville, IN

Kareem was a great basketball player. You need people of that caliber to win championships. I was happy to have the opportunity to play with him.

Was the NBA really better in your days or does it just seem that way? -- Jim Buckman, Grayville, IL

I think it truly was better. There were only eight teams when I started, and practically everyone on those teams was a true All-American. If you had a track team, would you want 100 kids who could run 100 yards in 11 seconds, or 10 who could run it in 10 seconds?

What was your most satisfying accomplishment on the court and what
made it so special? –- Lynn Kimbrough, Indianapolis, IN

No one in particular that was the most satisfying - I just got enjoyment out of being able to play and do well at each successive level of competition. That in itself was satisfaction enough.

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