Look, I think you should promote the game, but I think you should make it what it ought to be. Not some kind of a side-show.

I'd like to think that the nature of the two teams - Boston being a championship team over the years and the Lakers, same thing - was a lot bigger than Larry Bird or Magic Johnson.

I played on an all-black high school team and we didn't want people saying that we were clowns.

It's like all guys want to do is make a dunk, grab their shirt and yell out and scream - they could be down 30 points but that's what they do. Okay, so you made a dunk. Get back down the floor on defense!

You have to teach now - tell a kid how to box out, tell him how to pass, teach him footwork. Players don't understand that anymore.

Now, I guess, people want stars. People are trying to invent stars.

The players have no real self-esteem when it comes to putting the best image out there in a real competitive fashion.