In an exclusive interview with one of the NBA’s greatest players of all time, Clyde Drexler talks with me about everything basketball. Going from the Olympics to comparisons to the Dream Team and his life after basketball, Drexler and I had a friendly 15-minute discussion.
Drexler is an absolute class act and was a pleasure to
interview, talking as if we were old friends. Here is what he had to say:
Elijah Abramson: First
let me say that I really appreciate the time that you are taking.
Clyde Drexler: It’s
my pleasure.
EA: So what do
you see as the significance of LeBron
James’ triple double in the Olympics [first in US Olympic history]?
CD: He is by far
and away the best
player in the game. He does everything all the time.
EA: Definitely.
So with LeBron and Durant doing what they’re doing, how do you think that they’re
going to fair against the rest of the field, in particular, Spain? Is Team USA a
lock for the gold medal?
CD: I’m really
impressed with how well they’re playing. They’re putting it out there on the
line and having great success. I was impressed when I saw them play Spain in an
exhibition game before the Olympics and they beat Spain, in Spain, by 22. Spain really thought they had the US.
That was a convincing moment for me to say that I don’t
think anybody is going to come close.
EA: On that same
subject, there’s been a lot of talk about limiting the Olympics to the younger
guys in the NBA, like Anthony Davis. Do you like that or do you prefer seeing
the best the NBA has to offer going out and representing the US?
CD: You can’t go
wrong either way, but an age limit should be around 30.
EA: You don’t
think Kobe should be playing?
CD: No, I think
he should be allowed to play and it’s a wonderful thing. He’s a phenomenal
player—still the best offensive player in the game. 30 is a good age to have if
you have to have a limit. As long as it’s the same [for all sports].
EA: I wrote an
article comparing
you and the Dream Team to 2012 Team USA. How do you think the two teams
compare and what do you think of Kobe and LeBron’s comments on that comparison?
CD: Those guys
have every right to say the things that they do because they’re very good.
Obviously I’m a little bit biased. It would be close, but at the end of the day
we would beat them by 25 to 30.
EA: So you think
it’s going to be close but you’ll beat them by 25 to 30?
CD: Yeah, that
would be close. (laughs)
Actually…I don’t think there should be an age limit, [the
older athletes] get so much fan support. Why would you want to limit that? I’m
going to change my comment. There should be no age limit.
EA: What about
the NBA fans and owners who are worried about injuries? Teams don’t want their
best players going out there because they are making their money in the NBA.
CD: I can
understand that aspect because you play hard for nine months and your body
needs to rest. By doing the Olympics, your body does not get to rest. Guys have
to gauge where they are and learn how to manage.
EA: Being from
the Bay Area I don’t have too much affection for Bryant and the Lakers but what
do you think about the comparisons that have been made between Kobe, Jordan and
LeBron?
CD: Comparisons?
They are all phenomenal. I’ll take any of them as teammates. (laughs)
And you got someone who might become one of the all-time
greats down there in Golden State. Klay Thompson can shoot it.
EA: Yes, he played
really well last season.
CD: There really
should be no comparison between those guys (Kobe, LeBron, Jordan). I mean, who
is to say which one is better? You could throw about ten other guys into that
mix. Just give me any of those guys. (laughs)
EA: In terms of
age limit, do you like the rule that the NBA made that makes players go to college
and the subsequent one-and-done road that John Calipari has instilled? Or would
you prefer to see guys come out as teenagers?
CD: Like I said,
as long as you keep it the same between all sports that’s good. Education is
worth its weight in gold. Make no mistake about it. But remember we’re only
talking about two or three kids a year.
For the most part, these kids need two to three years in
college before the NBA.
But if you’re such an exception, it should be an
opportunity. One-and-done is not a bad rule. All kids need to figure out how to
manage their time as young adults. But whatever you do [about age limitations],
do it for hockey, baseball, basketball… The double standards are ridiculous.
EA: Talking a
little bit about yourself, what was more important to you: your gold medal with
the Dream Team or your NBA championship in 1995?
CD: Oh, that’s
like choosing what child you like best. (laughs) You’re just trying to do the
best you can. It’s just an honor to play the game and do things of that nature.
EA: Now you’re a color
commentator for the Rockets, how has that been?
CD: It’s been
great, keeps me involved with the game. My son and I go to a lot of the games.
EA: As a former
player, do you ever get that itch to play or are you ready sit back and see
your kids play?
CD: I retired at
35 in ’98 and thought there’s only one place to go and that’s downward. I
retired at a good level. I was at peace after 15 years—I was lucky to play that
long.
I love the game and played from 13 to 35 almost every single
day. Since I retired, I haven’t woken up one morning and said, “you know what?
I’m going to go play basketball!” But I just did the SF Half Marathon last year,
so I still stay in decent shape.
[Basketball] was a job. It was a lot of hard work but I was
glad when it was over—it was like running a marathon.
EA: You mentioned
you retired when you were still productive, so what do you think about Kobe’s
comments about retiring at 35? He said he would retire then when he was coming
into the league.
CD: I think there
is a lot to be said about that because you put a lot of pressure on your
cardiovascular system and it’s tough on your long term health. I think if
you’re lucky enough to make it 15 years, [you need to realize] that’s a lot.
EA: Great, thank
you again for your time.
CD: You are quite
welcome.
If you would like the chance to speak with Clyde Drexler, he
will be chatting live with USA Basketball and Olympic fans in ConnecTV’s Watercooler this
Friday, August 10 at 1:30pm ET.
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