I started playing professional basketball in 1971, and I played professionally for five seasons before going to Philadelphia.
My role models in the business were the older guys on my team when I first got there: Gray Scott, Adrian Smith, Roland Taylor. These were the guys who took me under their wing, and really schooled me in terms of what the business was about.
In a lot of areas of my life, particularly in my teenage years, I began to think about the world, and to think about the universe as being a part of my conscious everyday life.
When handling the ball, I always would look for daylight, wherever there was daylight.
Right up until the time I retired at age 37, I felt like there were still things that I could do better.
One of the commitments that I personally have now is to a diverse approach to buying businesses, and the operation of those businesses.
Every team that I’ve played on, I’ve either been the captain or co-captain.
Because of the makeup of the NBA, it cannot afford for the public to turn on them.
And I continued to grow until I was 25 years old.
One of the things in the back of my mind is that, after my sports experience, I never want to be, totally consumed by any one endeavor, other than my family life.
When I went to Philadelphia I was 26 years old and really sitting on top of the world. Family life, a professional career, plenty of friends and associates, and a good reputation, a wish list that could be the envy of many.
The first professional game that I ever played remains, to me, the most exciting moment of my professional career.
I think I was chosen by basketball, although I never really physically got drafted to any team that I played for.
I liked the game, I enjoyed the game, and the game fed me enough, and gave me enough rewards to reinforce that this is something that I should spend time doing, and that I could possibly make a priority in my life, versus other sports.
I grabbed 19 rebounds in my first professional game, and somehow found a way to score 20 points. I felt real good about it. I felt that this was the beginning of something good.
It’s better to stay too long than to leave too soon.
I am very proud to be featured, especially when you consider the outstanding champions who have had this honor. It is great company to be in.
Attitude is altitude.
I wanted to undertake the challenge of daring to be great.
And from the first time I picked up a basketball at age eight – I had a lot of difficulty when I first picked up a basketball, because I was a scrub – there were things that I liked about it.
That was just my own personal program: I didn’t want to get too high over the good moments because I didn’t want to be saddened and depressed when things didn’t go as I had planned.