4. PERSONAL AND LIFESTYLE

What has been your biggest challenge in life? -- Brent Raibley, Evansville, IN

Just staying alive is a challenge. Everything in life is a challenge - sports, education, family, religion, politics. I can’t single out any one area.

I just saw you on “Sports Locker” [Channel 8, Indianapolis]. You are a fine representative of Indiana and the sport of basketball. Have you coached before?-- Doreen McGuire Crenshaw, Indianapolis, IN

In the fall of 1998 I took a team of retired NBA players on an exhibition tour in China against the Chinese National Team. Previously I had worked with high school kids in and around Cincinnati taking them on tour a week at a time. Now the AAU has changed its rules. It seems they no longer want youngsters to have the experiences these kids had. So I’m not really involved in coaching on any organized basis.

(a) Do you miss basketball as you get older? (b) What are your hobbies now? (c) Are you still in good health? [I hope so!] -- Joe Adkins, Tell City, IN

(a) Not as far as playing is concerned. I try to watch it as much as I can. (b) Not a lot of hobbies - some woodworking, that’s about it. (c) Fairly good health. I’d like to be in better shape but I am where I am.

How have you kept in shape since retiring from professional basketball? --Phil Berce, Racine, WI

Not as well as I would like. I run, I do exercises--I was never very big on weightlifting, but I do some just for toning.

Do you plan to expand minority involvement in business by promoting entreneurship in the Indiana area? -- Gregory W. White, Royal Oak, MI

The way I can promote that is to be successful with the companies I already have, one of which is in Indianapolis. I don’t plan to set up any new companies as I already have six which keep me quite busy.

How do you maintain such a connection to the game when players today seem only focused inward, far different from [the way it was] in your heyday? -- John Bach, Milford, OH

Basketball is part of my life. I remain connected because of the dedication and hard work I put into becoming the best player I possibly could. Whatever other people do today doesn't change that. Even though there are some things today's players do that I don't particularly care for, and some things about the game itself that I don't like, I can look past those things. I was fortunate to play at a time when the NBA was at its peak in terms of talent and the overall quality of play. I think all of us who played in that era take pride in what we accomplished and have a great deal of respect for each other, and that feeling continues today.

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