played0ut
06-18-2014, 08:51 PM
Found an interview of his. Tried to find other links but couldn't. His thoughts on MJ vs Russell, his all time team, Barkley, etc. Interview was before 2000's so nothing on Kobe/KG/Lebron obviously. Keep in mind he's said that he's never one to dwell on the past, but there's probably a little bias towards his Celtics, since he knows their flaws/strengths etc so intimately.
http://lexnihilnovi.blogspot.ca/2008/09/red-auerbach-esquire-interview.html
Interesting excerpts:
On Russell:
"Listen, everybody knows what I think of Russell. what Rusell did for me. I love Russell. He was the premier shot blocker in the history of the game, and it was more than that with the guy--he was also the premier intimidator. He wasn't just the best rebounder I ever saw; he was the best anticipator. And when he got that ball, he wasn't screwing around with it; he was starting the fast break. He was more interested in winning than anybody I ever saw, he was not a self-promoter, and--you go back and look it up--he was a better scorer than people think. This isn't anything against Russell. Out of all the centers who've ever played, I'd pick him first.
On MJ vs. Russell:
If you were starting a team, I ask him, and could pick only one of them, which one would you take?
There is a long pause, and finally the old man says, "Jordan."
"You'd take Jordan over the guy who won the Celtics thirteen titles?
Another pause.
"You gotta be realistic," Red Auerbach says. "Listen, everybody knows what I think of Russell. what Rusell did for me. I love Russell. He was the premier shot blocker in the history of the game, and it was more than that with the guy--he was also the premier intimidator. He wasn't just the best rebounder I ever saw; he was the best anticipator. And when he got that ball, he wasn't screwing around with it; he was starting the fast break. He was more interested in winning than anybody I ever saw, he was not a self-promoter, and--you go back and look it up--he was a better scorer than people think. This isn't anything against Russell. Out of all the centers who've ever played, I'd pick him first.
"But Jordan does things nobody could ever do, including selling tickets. He's electrifying on offense, and he is A pretty damn good on defense, too. The thing I love about Jordan, the thing I've always loved, is that he works. He works, and he makes every single player on the floor with him better, every time he's on the floor. And he's a leader."
On not thinking MJ would win 1997 NBA ring (a different link from Chicago Tribune)
Red Auerbach is one of Michael Jordan's greatest admirers, but thinks the Bulls superstar might be nearing the end of his magnificent run. "I watch all of his games and to me this year is really work for him," said Auerbach. "It has never been that way in the past. He always seemed to be having fun and playing the game wasn't a grind. To me, it looks like this year is really work. Four or five minutes a game he seems to disappear. Just stand around. That never happened before. I just don't think Chicago is going to do it again this year."
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1997-12-04/sports/9712040048_1_nearing-grind-work
Wow. 4-5 minutes a game disappearing is unthinkable for MJ. Think about it. And that's what the more objective people have against people comparing Lebron to MJ. Not his skillset, not his size, but the fact that he doesn't play heart and soul every game yet is called better than MJ.
On Dennis Rodman and his rebounding.
Right out of the box, in fact, I ask Auerbach if Rodman, the most prolific rebounder in the NBA since Bill Russell, would make the team. Auerbach snorts.
"I wouldn't take that guy even if he was good enough," he says. "Come on. I can't take that shit. Besides, why would I want to travel with a team beautician?" (LOL)
On his all time centers:
Auerbach and decide to go with three centers on my all-time team: In addition to Russell, we take Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. In other words, not one of the centers playing the game now is coming off my bench. No David Robinson, no Patrick Ewing, no Shaquille O'Neal, not even the great Hakeem Olajuwon.
I agree, I guess. You honestly can't really go wrong with any 3 of the top centers.
On Wilt:
When asked about Wilt, never one of Auerbach's favorites, he simply says, "You can't leave him off."
On Cousy vs. Magic
"If you're gonna run with this team," Auerbach says, "Cousy has to be on it. Cousy ran the fast break better than any player I've ever seen, and that includes Magic Johnson. Magic could do more things, and you know he's a no-brainer on this team. But if I had to pick between Cousy and Magic to run a three-on-two fast break, I go with Cousy."
On not being the same fan of Magic as before:
Auerbach reflects for a moment and says, "I'm not the Magic fan I used to be, by the way. The guy became so self-serving at the end, it was ridiculous."
Cousy vs. Isiah Thomas
"Cousy," Red Auerbach says. "Isiah had better all-around skills; Cousy was better at making the other guys better. And people forget, he was bigger than Isiah."
Jerry West and Oscar being all-time players
The other two guards we settle on are Jerry West and Oscar the Robertson.
"Because if I don't pick them," he says, "I'm nuts. They could have played at any time, for anybody.
"This game wasn't invented five minutes ago," Auerbach says, "despite what the kids think." (Lol)
On Charles Barkley. He acknowledges his skills, but:
"Charles Barkley?" I ask when we get to the forwards.
"No," Red Auerbach says.
"Why not?"
"There were too many times when he didn't have his head in the game."
"He put up some amazing numbers.
"I don't care, I hate that shit."
On Karl Malone:
"You know why I like Malone?" Auerbach says. "Because he never stops. He never stops playing; he never stops working. He came at you the first day he was in this league, and he's still coming at you. How the hell aren't you going to respect that?
His Celtic Teams vs Jordan (he never specifies who would win, just that he'd love to see it).
He does not say which of the best NBA teams he is matching up against, but clearly, in his mind, he is thinking about Jordan's Bulls.
"I'll tell you why," he says. "I think Havlicek, out of everybody, could have done the best job on Jordan. He's just as big, and he's faster. That would have been something to see, don't you think?
(Note: Havlicek was a speed and stamina freak-- his lungs were significantly larger than a normal human's and his entire life from childhood consisted of running everywhere to get anywhere)
Various Q&A:
ONE JUMP SHOP TO SAVE YOUR LIFE Jerry West
ONE HOOK SHOT TO SAVE YOUR LIFE Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
ONE SET SHOT TO SAVE YOUR LIFE Bill Sharman
ONE BANK SHOT TO SAVE YOUR LIFE Sam Jones
ONE BASKET OF ANY KIND TO SAVE YOUR LIFE Michael Jordan
BEST BALL HANDLER OF ALL TIME Pete Maravich
IF YOU COULD SEE ONE LAST DUNK The Young David Thompson
BEST SIXTH MAN OF ALL TIME John Havlicek
WORST FIRST-ROUND DRAFT CHOICE OF ALL TIME Sam Bowie (over Michael Jordan!)
BEST AGENT OF ALL TIME
BEST ALL-TIME AFROS Artis Gilmore Phil Jackson (lol)
BEST ALL-TIME NAME CHANGE Lloyd Free to World B. Free
WORST ALL-TIME NAME CHANGE Wally Jones to Wali Jones
CURRENT (JORDAN-FREE) NBA PICKUP SQUAD I'D SEND UP AGAINST ANYONE Charles Barkley Hakeem Olajuwon Shawn Kemp John Stockton Penny Hardaway Scottie Pippen (coming off the bench)
THE ALL-TIME HEAD-CASE TEAM Derrick Coleman Isaiah Rider Dennis Rodman Vernon Maxwell Spencer Haywood Fly Williams Marvin Barnes (and anyone else who ever played on the St. Louis Spirits) Coach: Bill Musselman
MOST UNDERRATED TEAM OF ALL TIME 1982-83 76ers
MOST OVERRATED TEAM OF ALL TIME The Bad-Boy Pistons
THE BEST TEAM TO WATCH, EVER The 1969-73 Knicks
SADDEST WASTE OF TALENT David Thompson
MOST ELECTRIFYING PLAYER IN THE NBA (PRE-JORDAN) Earl Monroe
THE ALL-TIME OVERRATED TEAM Shaquille O'Neal Elvin Hayes Dominique Wilkins Sidney Wicks Derrick Coleman Kenny Anderson (I should know--I overrated him). George McGinnis Dennis Rodman (Chicago Bulls version)
THE ALL-TIME UNDDERATED TEAM My friend Paul Westphal Walt Frazier Dave Cowens Nate Thurmond Sidney Moncrief Bob Lanier Adrian Dantley Marques Johnson Dennis Rodman (Detroit Pistons version)
http://lexnihilnovi.blogspot.ca/2008/09/red-auerbach-esquire-interview.html
Interesting excerpts:
On Russell:
"Listen, everybody knows what I think of Russell. what Rusell did for me. I love Russell. He was the premier shot blocker in the history of the game, and it was more than that with the guy--he was also the premier intimidator. He wasn't just the best rebounder I ever saw; he was the best anticipator. And when he got that ball, he wasn't screwing around with it; he was starting the fast break. He was more interested in winning than anybody I ever saw, he was not a self-promoter, and--you go back and look it up--he was a better scorer than people think. This isn't anything against Russell. Out of all the centers who've ever played, I'd pick him first.
On MJ vs. Russell:
If you were starting a team, I ask him, and could pick only one of them, which one would you take?
There is a long pause, and finally the old man says, "Jordan."
"You'd take Jordan over the guy who won the Celtics thirteen titles?
Another pause.
"You gotta be realistic," Red Auerbach says. "Listen, everybody knows what I think of Russell. what Rusell did for me. I love Russell. He was the premier shot blocker in the history of the game, and it was more than that with the guy--he was also the premier intimidator. He wasn't just the best rebounder I ever saw; he was the best anticipator. And when he got that ball, he wasn't screwing around with it; he was starting the fast break. He was more interested in winning than anybody I ever saw, he was not a self-promoter, and--you go back and look it up--he was a better scorer than people think. This isn't anything against Russell. Out of all the centers who've ever played, I'd pick him first.
"But Jordan does things nobody could ever do, including selling tickets. He's electrifying on offense, and he is A pretty damn good on defense, too. The thing I love about Jordan, the thing I've always loved, is that he works. He works, and he makes every single player on the floor with him better, every time he's on the floor. And he's a leader."
On not thinking MJ would win 1997 NBA ring (a different link from Chicago Tribune)
Red Auerbach is one of Michael Jordan's greatest admirers, but thinks the Bulls superstar might be nearing the end of his magnificent run. "I watch all of his games and to me this year is really work for him," said Auerbach. "It has never been that way in the past. He always seemed to be having fun and playing the game wasn't a grind. To me, it looks like this year is really work. Four or five minutes a game he seems to disappear. Just stand around. That never happened before. I just don't think Chicago is going to do it again this year."
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1997-12-04/sports/9712040048_1_nearing-grind-work
Wow. 4-5 minutes a game disappearing is unthinkable for MJ. Think about it. And that's what the more objective people have against people comparing Lebron to MJ. Not his skillset, not his size, but the fact that he doesn't play heart and soul every game yet is called better than MJ.
On Dennis Rodman and his rebounding.
Right out of the box, in fact, I ask Auerbach if Rodman, the most prolific rebounder in the NBA since Bill Russell, would make the team. Auerbach snorts.
"I wouldn't take that guy even if he was good enough," he says. "Come on. I can't take that shit. Besides, why would I want to travel with a team beautician?" (LOL)
On his all time centers:
Auerbach and decide to go with three centers on my all-time team: In addition to Russell, we take Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. In other words, not one of the centers playing the game now is coming off my bench. No David Robinson, no Patrick Ewing, no Shaquille O'Neal, not even the great Hakeem Olajuwon.
I agree, I guess. You honestly can't really go wrong with any 3 of the top centers.
On Wilt:
When asked about Wilt, never one of Auerbach's favorites, he simply says, "You can't leave him off."
On Cousy vs. Magic
"If you're gonna run with this team," Auerbach says, "Cousy has to be on it. Cousy ran the fast break better than any player I've ever seen, and that includes Magic Johnson. Magic could do more things, and you know he's a no-brainer on this team. But if I had to pick between Cousy and Magic to run a three-on-two fast break, I go with Cousy."
On not being the same fan of Magic as before:
Auerbach reflects for a moment and says, "I'm not the Magic fan I used to be, by the way. The guy became so self-serving at the end, it was ridiculous."
Cousy vs. Isiah Thomas
"Cousy," Red Auerbach says. "Isiah had better all-around skills; Cousy was better at making the other guys better. And people forget, he was bigger than Isiah."
Jerry West and Oscar being all-time players
The other two guards we settle on are Jerry West and Oscar the Robertson.
"Because if I don't pick them," he says, "I'm nuts. They could have played at any time, for anybody.
"This game wasn't invented five minutes ago," Auerbach says, "despite what the kids think." (Lol)
On Charles Barkley. He acknowledges his skills, but:
"Charles Barkley?" I ask when we get to the forwards.
"No," Red Auerbach says.
"Why not?"
"There were too many times when he didn't have his head in the game."
"He put up some amazing numbers.
"I don't care, I hate that shit."
On Karl Malone:
"You know why I like Malone?" Auerbach says. "Because he never stops. He never stops playing; he never stops working. He came at you the first day he was in this league, and he's still coming at you. How the hell aren't you going to respect that?
His Celtic Teams vs Jordan (he never specifies who would win, just that he'd love to see it).
He does not say which of the best NBA teams he is matching up against, but clearly, in his mind, he is thinking about Jordan's Bulls.
"I'll tell you why," he says. "I think Havlicek, out of everybody, could have done the best job on Jordan. He's just as big, and he's faster. That would have been something to see, don't you think?
(Note: Havlicek was a speed and stamina freak-- his lungs were significantly larger than a normal human's and his entire life from childhood consisted of running everywhere to get anywhere)
Various Q&A:
ONE JUMP SHOP TO SAVE YOUR LIFE Jerry West
ONE HOOK SHOT TO SAVE YOUR LIFE Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
ONE SET SHOT TO SAVE YOUR LIFE Bill Sharman
ONE BANK SHOT TO SAVE YOUR LIFE Sam Jones
ONE BASKET OF ANY KIND TO SAVE YOUR LIFE Michael Jordan
BEST BALL HANDLER OF ALL TIME Pete Maravich
IF YOU COULD SEE ONE LAST DUNK The Young David Thompson
BEST SIXTH MAN OF ALL TIME John Havlicek
WORST FIRST-ROUND DRAFT CHOICE OF ALL TIME Sam Bowie (over Michael Jordan!)
BEST AGENT OF ALL TIME
BEST ALL-TIME AFROS Artis Gilmore Phil Jackson (lol)
BEST ALL-TIME NAME CHANGE Lloyd Free to World B. Free
WORST ALL-TIME NAME CHANGE Wally Jones to Wali Jones
CURRENT (JORDAN-FREE) NBA PICKUP SQUAD I'D SEND UP AGAINST ANYONE Charles Barkley Hakeem Olajuwon Shawn Kemp John Stockton Penny Hardaway Scottie Pippen (coming off the bench)
THE ALL-TIME HEAD-CASE TEAM Derrick Coleman Isaiah Rider Dennis Rodman Vernon Maxwell Spencer Haywood Fly Williams Marvin Barnes (and anyone else who ever played on the St. Louis Spirits) Coach: Bill Musselman
MOST UNDERRATED TEAM OF ALL TIME 1982-83 76ers
MOST OVERRATED TEAM OF ALL TIME The Bad-Boy Pistons
THE BEST TEAM TO WATCH, EVER The 1969-73 Knicks
SADDEST WASTE OF TALENT David Thompson
MOST ELECTRIFYING PLAYER IN THE NBA (PRE-JORDAN) Earl Monroe
THE ALL-TIME OVERRATED TEAM Shaquille O'Neal Elvin Hayes Dominique Wilkins Sidney Wicks Derrick Coleman Kenny Anderson (I should know--I overrated him). George McGinnis Dennis Rodman (Chicago Bulls version)
THE ALL-TIME UNDDERATED TEAM My friend Paul Westphal Walt Frazier Dave Cowens Nate Thurmond Sidney Moncrief Bob Lanier Adrian Dantley Marques Johnson Dennis Rodman (Detroit Pistons version)