Oscar Robertson
Oscar Robertson
Oscar Palmer Robertson, nicknamed "The Big O", is an American retired National Basketball Association player who played for the Cincinnati Royals and Milwaukee Bucks. The 6 ft 5 in, 220 lb Robertson played at point guard and was a 12-time All-Star, 11-time member of the All-NBA Team, and one-time winner of the MVP award in 14 professional seasons. He is the only player in NBA history to average a triple-double for a season. He was a key player on the team which brought...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionBasketball Player
Date of Birth24 November 1938
CountryUnited States of America
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 think that teaching coaches are the norm now.
I think no one has written a history of the great coaches who were around 30 to 40 years ago who taught the fundamentals.
But I like to think an athlete is an athlete.
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.
People say that, but I think the NBA was bigger than Larry Bird and Magic Johnson.
Who do I think was the greatest? This might shock you: Elgin Baylor. He did so many great things. Nobody could guard him, playing in the forward spot. I'd love to see some of today's greats playing against Elgin. They couldn't guard him. Nobody could.
I played when I played, and played, I think, against the greatest players in the greatest time in the history of basketball.
I think that everyone should be able to dribble. Everyone should be able to pass. Otherwise, why are you out there?
Basketball wasn't what it is today, ... Being brought up in the ghetto, my parents were told, long before I came along, that education was the way out.
Pete Newell was the Olympic coach and was a fine person. It was a great honor to play on that team, ... Jack McMahon of the Royals was another coach I enjoyed playing for in the NBA and I got the opportunity to play with and against so many great players.
So many kids think that, ... But when you look at the history of players coming out (of college) early, only a handful really make it.
Of course I think with my 14 years in the NBA I never made a million dollars,
There have been a couple of coaches there, through the years, that I didn't always agree with what was going on, ... Today, a lot of these guys at the university have my cell phone number.