Tag Archives: 1970s NBA

Raymond Lewis: A Glimpse of The Phantom, 1989

Back in his living room, Lewis shifts in his chair and says, “I still don’t know who the Sixers thought they were kidding. I would never have left school unless I thought I was going to get the millions, not a lousy few grand.”

Norm Van Lier: Stormy Weather, 1978

Even now, as he prepares to join the select circle of athletes who’ve lasted for a decade at the top, Van Lier treasures that advise. “First of all, I was taught to respect my coach and my opponent,” he says. “If a young player can’t learn to do that, he won’t respect himself.”

Norm Van Lier: The Boos and the Cheers, 1978

Van Lier talks about being in the twilight years, but he really doesn’t believe that. He still talks about playing another four years under his present contract agreement with the Bulls.

Joe Proski: Tales of an NBA Trainer, 1975

When the Suns are home, Joe gets to Veterans Memorial Coliseum three hours before gametime. If his wife Jan is going to the game, she’ll drive their Cadillac and he’ll ride the motorcycle, which former Sun Gail Goodrich gave him.

Bill Sharman: The Game I’ll Never Forget, 1972

“I don’t think there’s any way we could have won the title—or even gotten into the final round—if we had not defeated the Bucks in that second game. The last few seconds of that game were among the most unusual and dramatic I have ever seen in my many years in professional basketball.”

Mike Riordan: Bags on the Run, 1973

For the next year, during the 1968–69 season, Mike’s uniform stayed clean and dry; mostly, he just mastered the art of giving fouls, an art now extinct, killed by a rule change.