It also didn't take me long to decide that Tri-Cities wasn't for me, and that I wasn't going to go there to play basketball.

French was my first language.

We lived in Yorkville, which is located on the East End of Manhattan. It's further east than Hell's Kitchen, and back then it was the kind of place where the roaches and cockroaches were big enough to carry away small children.

These days I smile benignly at the fights that I see in NBA games. There aren't any broken noses or black eyes, which happened quite often when I played.

Do your best when no one is looking.

Sports create a bond between comtemporaries that lasts a lifetime. It also gives your life structure, discipline and a genuine, sincere, pure fulfillment that few other areas of endeavor provide.

Cooper was my road roommate, and also happened to be the first African American player drafted by a National Basketball Association team.