Paul Silas: Shrewdness in Seattle, 1980

“In order to stay in this league for any length of time, you’ve got to be excellent at something,” Silas said. “Rebounding was my specialty, and I just worked at it.”

Larry Johnson: What Else Can I Do? 1993

Certainly not much more than Johnson accomplished in his first NBA season with the Charlotte Hornets, becoming the team’s top scorer and rebounder, becoming the foundation of the franchise for the foreseeable future and the Rookie of the Year by a wide margin. 

Jim Ard: In a Pressure Cooker, 1974

For the time being, Ard is putting all the ifs and buts out of his mind. His wife, daughter, and now nine-month-old son are arriving tomorrow, and, when the furniture gets here, they’ll move into an apartment he’s rented in Peabody.