Jabbar, Jerry West, and the New Look Lakers, 1978

“Jerry West is one clever dude,” Abdul-Jabbar said. “He was responsible for making us a unified group. And that was the big difference in this team.”

Cyril Baptiste: The Destruction of a $450,00 Basketball Player, 1973

“He could never conquer the demons,” Baptiste’s mentor and coach Leroy Floyd reflected on his life. “He always gave people good advice, but he didn’t always take it himself.”

Sidney Wicks: Getting Under Rick Barry’s Skin, 1974

When Wicks’ love-taps continued and grew in intensity, Barry blew up and blasted the refs. Apparently, he didn’t phrase his complaint in delicate language, because the refs offered Rick a comfortable seat on the bench for the rest of the night.

Alvan Adams: The Game I’ll Never Forget, 1982

“It’s all like a dream,” said the Oklahoma Kid, rookie Alvan Adams. “I keep thinking I’m going to wake up and it won’t be real.