On Thursday former NBA player Stephen Jackson was asked about players having the leverage/empowerment to force trades in the wake of the Anthony Davis situation.
Ole boy said that he loves the fact that these young boyz playing in the league can pretty much pick and choose where and who they want to play with. However, he says that they don’t have the same love for the game that cats had when he played.
Well here’s exactly what he said, “I love the fact that players have control of where they want to play. But at the same time, guys got to be professional, too. I would be the first to say these guys these days, they’re spoiled. A lot of them are spoiled.”
He goes on to say, “And I was talking to a Hall of Fame football coach and he said one thing he sees about basketball from the outside looking in, more players today are interested in what the game can do for them. They don’t actually love the game like we did. I’m 41 years old and I still play the game every day. And I can see that the love for the game is not there, but I’m happy that we had a hand in for these kids to be able to get the money that they’re making and the game is going I’m happy [about] that, but at the same time they got to be professional and continue to show fans that they love the game too because it can get away from that.”
That all sounds good Jack but it’s no different today than it always been. When I started covering the NBA in 2010 one of the OG’s of the game, Donnie Walsh, the former president of basketball operations for the New York Knicks and current front office advisor for the Indiana Pacers, told me that there are two types of people in the NBA. “Those that love the game of basketball and those that love what the game of basketball can do for them.”
So it’s always been cats that love the bread, fame and wealth and not the necessarily the game. However, to even suggest that boyz don’t love the game because they’re asking to be traded out of terrible situations is asinine. How is that equivalent to being unprofessional? Players have been forcing trades for more than 50 years in this league bruh. Stop it!
Wilt Chamberlain forced his way out of Philly to get to the Lakers in 1968. He played for the 76ers for eight years and won four MVP’s. However, in order for boyz to give him the respect on the streets he was looking for as far as being the best center ever, at that time, he had to win more championships so he went to LA.
Kareem forced his way out of Milwaukee in 1975 to go to the Lakers too. He actually demanded the trade in ’74. Ole boy was upset over the fact that they loss to the Celtics in the Finals. He’d already won a ring with the Big O in 1971. He won three MVP’s and averaged 30 points per game in six years with the Bucks but the dun wanted to play for a bigger franchise in a bigger market and be an even bigger SUPERSTAR!! What better place to do that than in LA? And guess what playa? He won 5 more championships!!!!
This ain’t new bruh! Barkley forced his way out of Philly to Phoenix in 1992. Chris Webber forced his way out of Golden State to get to Washington in ‘94. Stephan Marbury forced his way out of Minnesota to New Jersey in ‘99. Jason Kidd did the same thing to get out of New Jersey to Dallas in 2008 and Chris Paul did it in 2011 from New Orleans to go to the Lakers but the league stopped it and he ended up with the Clippers.
Please don’t let me forget that Shaq forced his way out of LA to Miami after they loss to the Pistons in the 2004 NBA Finals. That Summer the Lakers traded him to Miami for Lamar Odom, Caron Butler, Brian Grant and a first round pick and the rest is history.
So don’t even try to tell boyz that players forcing their way out of bad situations is new. Anthony Davis is simply following the lead of the OG’s that came before him. Stop me I start lyin’!