George Gervin: The Coolest Man to Ever Play the Game

00:00:00
Speaker 1: Welcome back all the smoke. We got a legend in the building today. Twelve time All Star, seven time All NBA, four time scoring champ, one of the original Nike athletes. He's still wearing them to this day. Now the point total is up for debate. Let's talk about your point total because you should have about what twenty six thousand.

00:00:19
Speaker 2: Twenty six and ninety five?

00:00:24
Speaker 1: What do they have you on the books for?

00:00:26
Speaker 2: They only got any books with twenty sometimes.

00:00:27
Speaker 1: Oh coming, they owe you about almost seven thousand.

00:00:29
Speaker 2: Yeah, they ain't gonna get to me.

00:00:32
Speaker 1: Welcome to the show, George Gervin, Man, thank you very much for coming in.

00:00:36
Speaker 2: Thanks for having me man, good job. Good to be a part of this. Man. I've been watching you guys a long time. Man, Thanks for the invite.

00:00:43
Speaker 1: Now, thank you for coming out. You're out in LA for the Big Three. How has that experience been for you? And how you guys doing this season?

00:00:50
Speaker 2: I love the Big Three, Man, I'm here my eighth year with you. Man. I'm so proud of them to had this vision, man, to give these young brothers man another stage to form, man to make some money, and some of them taking advantage of it and having other opportunities, so I enjoy it. We have some struggles this season.

00:01:11
Speaker 1: I lost Joe, probably the best player in the league, arguably, Joe.

00:01:16
Speaker 2: I miss you, man.

00:01:18
Speaker 1: He sounded like a hurt, like a hurt father.

00:01:20
Speaker 2: Yeah, man, you know it's from the hard man. I really do. Man, a beautiful young man, and he loved the game like I did. So you know, you really sorry that things like that happen, you know. And then I just lost juston with another young man I love. He's twenty nine, and man, he played so hard and he has a passion for the game. And you know, you love young men like that. I mean, you love guys that love the game, but they was in love with the game, you know. So that's a different kind of love. And everybody don't understand that. Man. You know, say you love it. I say, okay, but I'm in love with you know. So I put in that extra work, you know, So that put us in a wind to go home situation.

00:02:00
Speaker 1: Yeah, you guys are on the ropes right now.

00:02:02
Speaker 2: Yeah.

00:02:02
Speaker 1: I got to get a win.

00:02:03
Speaker 2: Yeah, I've been there before, man, So you know it's motivation, man, And just after guys come get one hundred percent man, and I got the kind of guys will give.

00:02:12
Speaker 1: Well, good luck with that. Thoughts on the current NBA with the money, the contracts, the player empowerment, you know, guys, superstars, the superstar movement in the game. What are your thoughts on the current NBA?

00:02:28
Speaker 2: You know they turn you know, I look at it exactly like that. You know, it's changed since how I played it. I mean, so they don't play by the same rules that I played. But the game is still growing, you know. You think back in the seventies when I was playing it with four five European players, not a league full of them, you know, so the game went global. I mean I'm a part of that. I'm a part of the foundation to where the game has grown to. I can't help but to be proud of that stuff. You know. I don't care what them guys make. Man make all you can. Man, I always say, it ain't how much you make, how much you learn how to keep.

00:03:05
Speaker 1: Detroit in the sixties, When did basketball become a part of your life?

00:03:09
Speaker 2: Started when I was fourteen years old. Man, I'm seventy three years old today. I love the game, y'all. I mean I really did.

00:03:15
Speaker 1: Man, so Detroit cultural Powerhouse, Motown Records in the late fifties, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gay, The Supreme, the Temptations, name a few. Any truth that you were close with Marvin Gay? Oh yeah, Man talked to us about Marvin.

00:03:30
Speaker 2: Man with Marvin Man just before he passed. Man, Marmin used to come pick me up, Man when I came to LA and go to the studio and see him making some songs. I know the last song he made that I was with him was here, my dear man. Marmin loved the ball Man. You know, Mark couldn't ball the lick. Man. I he love and shoot around and stuff. Man, that's what I love to bother him. But you know he's missed memories. I got all the songs.

00:03:57
Speaker 1: And how did that shake you well?

00:03:59
Speaker 2: I mean, I know we we only hear a short period of time anyway, Man, And it's you know the mark that he left. You know, he left unbelievable Mark Man. I mean, oh Man, you know he's sung about relationships and that's what I believe in. And you know, so again, Man, you know I missed the brother man, but I you know, I put on what's going on? You know, hear my deer you know, I hear the sparrow, and I mean I put on all them things and remember it, and it's like he's sitting over there, you know, looking at me.

00:04:30
Speaker 1: So started at Long Beach State under Jerry tarkanium left due to the don't tell me this is true. You left college because of the Santa Ana winds.

00:04:40
Speaker 2: I left Long Beach because of the Santa Anna.

00:04:44
Speaker 1: I'm at it and ran you out of town.

00:04:46
Speaker 2: Huh, man, I'm inner city Detroit, man. You know, in the city Detroit. Man, I ain't never seen anything like that. Man, Like I went to another country. Man coming over here. Man, So I didn't know, you know, well, seventeen eight ten years old and inexperience.

00:05:02
Speaker 1: What was Tark like?

00:05:03
Speaker 2: Tark was great. I love tart Man. TARGI wants you the gun. Yeah, you know, TARGI wants you to shoot. I mean I was right up my aalty. Man. Hey, man, I brother want me to shoot.

00:05:15
Speaker 1: Man, Well, you can shoot with the best of them, yeah, man, I put the work in.

00:05:19
Speaker 2: Well.

00:05:19
Speaker 1: Obviously we're in a heavy nil period where kids are getting a lot of money. Did you get any kind of package to come play in Long Beach or what brought you to California to begin with.

00:05:29
Speaker 2: Well, I mean George Trapp, George Trapp was playing here and George Trapp is from Detroit, and George Trapped the one introduced me, you know, introduced Tart to my game. And Tart came to Detroit and saw me play, and Tart brought me out money. I mean, you know, I got money and stuff and I don't know where it came from, by no where it went, you know.

00:05:52
Speaker 1: You know, so it's the norm now, yeah, I mean it's hey, what would you have done in an nil era?

00:05:59
Speaker 2: All got paid? I would have got paid. Yeah, I got paid. I mean I'm not gonna get paid. How I could play, you know, I mean I could play. I mean they're paying guys that could play, and so how much I would have got? O know, you know, probably didn't even care, man, because I loved the game. I mean, I was in love with the game. So you know, we all need money, man, but you know I would have played for free.

00:06:27
Speaker 1: You end up transferring to Eastern Michigan University back at home? What was that like and what was that transition like for you? Going back home?

00:06:34
Speaker 2: You was good for me, you know, I got a chance to go back to play with my high school buddy, Garrett Tyson. You know, he was my point guard in high school. And you know, I got to be close to home. You know, it was only forty forty miles from home, you know, I mean, so I could see my mom could see me play, and my brothers and sisters could see me play. So you know, I was good. And then I was under a good coach, Jim Dutcher. You know, Jim Dutcher was another offensive minded coach and stuff. So it was good for me. You know. It gave me a good platform to you know, kind of demonstrate what I can do on the floor.

00:07:09
Speaker 1: Your college career there was cut short due to an altercation with how you say his last name, Jay A Pecola J Pecola, who ended up being a president of Puma. But we talked about this off camera. It was just one of the back and forth games where they were doing shit with the restaurant calling and you lost your cool. And what happened from there, Dang hit Jay hard so hard man man.

00:07:31
Speaker 2: J came over to shake my hand, you know, and I'll be fair to Jay and stuff, because you know, he was just playing. He was just trying to, you know, get me riled up. And it worked, and you know, and then they threw me out and he came over to shake my hand, and I don't know why he did that, and I jumped up, Man, I blanked out Man, and I hit j Man and I knocked him out and probably one of the worst decisions that I made, man as a college ball player. But you know, I ain't seen him for years. And then I found out that he was the president of PILMA, and they called me and asked me to be a part of his retirement, all right, And I was so glad to be able to have that opportunity to tell him. I was sorry. I wasn't able to tell him all the me, me and my brother, hug Man. I know that brother was crying, and you know, I had a few tears, man, But that's what it's about. I got a chance to do that, man. So you know, I put him in my documentary and stuff too, Man, because it was a biblical moment in my life, you know, I mean not just my career. You know, we we lose it and we could lose our life, or we can lose our freedom. Man. Just think, man, I would hit him, you would fell bust his head and died.

00:08:46
Speaker 1: That's said, we never know who you are god man.

00:08:49
Speaker 2: So you know I think of it more in that aspect than anything else, you know, I mean, because you know I'm from Detroit, Man, you know what I mean. You know there's what we do A lot of us in jail called we do that. You know. I mean, you got to think, man before you got split second? Ah you have oh man? So Jay Man, you know, I love you, man, and I appreciate you too. Man.

00:09:10
Speaker 1: I love that you got a chance to, you know, connect with him and get that off your chest. Get it off your heart. Sonny Vakira, When did he come in your life?

00:09:17
Speaker 2: Sonny was my first agent?

00:09:19
Speaker 1: Okay?

00:09:19
Speaker 2: You know what I mean, because you know when I when I left school, you know, after that that incident, I withdrew from school and I went and played semi pro. I played semi pro for a brother man named man Man for PANIEC. I played up there on the weekend, y'all for five hundred dollars a week weekend.

00:09:36
Speaker 1: You know, So what was that? What was that like back then? With five hundred dollars and.

00:09:41
Speaker 2: Seventies on these A lot of these folks. Five hundred dollars man. I was big man. I felt like a pro, you know, and me, come on, I mean five hundred dollars man. And then you know I had my girl with me, who you know turned out to be my wife. Man. That was That was big man. But you know Sonny a friend of mine, Jackson Nunn, who played football with Eastern New Sonny but Carroll and he told Sonny about me, and Sonny came and seen me play, and you know I ended up signing with Sonny. But you know how I got the contract. Johnny red Kurr saw me play our jig, you know, thirty something man. And Johnny red Curtin knew the owner of the Virginia Squires and he called the owner of Virginia Squires and they had me fly into Virginia you know where Doc was and and just told me to shoot, you know. And you know, Sonny always say, man, I made fifty threes in a roll and stuff, and I say, no, I don't think I made fifty.

00:10:40
Speaker 1: Much mm hm. So that was an opportunity. Is that your first time seeing doctor j yep or playing with them? What was that like?

00:10:47
Speaker 2: Looked great man I mean, you know, it's like anything else a young man seeing who you know doc, And you know, once I was on the team, me and Doctor just played one on one all the time after practice. What was that like in timidating? You know, I mean I was, I was, you know, I was timidated.

00:11:01
Speaker 1: And is he older than you?

00:11:02
Speaker 2: Yeah, he was a few years older than me.

00:11:04
Speaker 1: And what age are you at this point?

00:11:06
Speaker 2: Nineteen? Okay, you know, so I was just you know, I would say, coming out of the wound, man in the pro aspect of life and stuff. Man. So Doc, man, boy, he used to beat beat me man every day. Man. You know, that's what I loved about him. Man, he really got me right. You know. He built up my self esteem, and he built up my confidence and you know, and then I could play too. So once I got over the intimidation, Yeah, the timidation it was on. He ain't get the ball much, you know, so you know, because I could score, you know, and stuff. So I still tell him today, Man, he'll see me today. Man, he's seventy five or six and I'm seventy three, and he'll call me rook man.

00:11:49
Speaker 1: And I feel like, when did you kind of feel like you have the confidence to go at him or be on the same court as him. Well, a few days later it didn't take long. Huh, he said, I knew back and when I was supposed to be any truth that you signed your contract on a napkin, big contract on a napkin. How did that happen? You said to sign it away.

00:12:10
Speaker 2: They wanted me, you know, and Sunny you know, you know how Sunday, y'all, Sunny is man. You know, Sonny, get it done, perod done.

00:12:17
Speaker 1: Man.

00:12:17
Speaker 2: So I think, man, I signed for three years for fifty thousand a year, and that was.

00:12:23
Speaker 1: Great. I was.

00:12:24
Speaker 2: I went from bread lines to headline. Yes, come on, yeah, you know, I mean, oh.

00:12:30
Speaker 1: Yeah, y'all gotta be kidd Did you do with your first check?

00:12:33
Speaker 2: I got a bonus folk down down that took it home and split it up with my mom and my brothers and sisters.

00:12:38
Speaker 1: What was your first big purchase Cadillac? What color?

00:12:42
Speaker 2: What year? Elder radaldh triple black with Rose Royce front. Come on, y'all, I'm from the inner city of Detroit, man, I mean, come on. I was impressed with that lifestyle. You know, I have a dad, so you know, he probably told me to get a Chevrolet or something, you know, But I went with how I you know what I mean. I was around you know, Pimpson House, Los and you know Wayward Women back then. I think I paid what six seventh down? Now, oh my goodness, were on seventies y'all. I mean, you know, come on, man, I was in I didn't tell you ship.

00:13:17
Speaker 1: Oh.

00:13:18
Speaker 2: Man, I had the BORCELINI the Gators and music blast. Man. I was leaning. Man, I had eight track, y'all just don't know, Man, I said, y'all, Man, y'all think y'all gotta going over.

00:13:38
Speaker 1: I love it. What was the paint me a picture with the ABA lifestyle was back back? I was travel hotels. Did you travel day of the game?

00:13:46
Speaker 2: Did you like?

00:13:46
Speaker 1: What was the what was it like?

00:13:49
Speaker 2: So in Virginia, you know, we was in Norfolk, played in Northward Scope, played in Hampton Arena, and we played in Richmond, you know, so we had three home courts and stuff. So you know, when we had home games, and whichever arena we're playing, we could drive, you know, I mean we're on the road. You know, obviously we take you know, playing Brandon Fairline and stuff, and we stayed in motels, you know, Motel eight. You know, it was sixers then, you know, But I was the pro.

00:14:16
Speaker 1: Man.

00:14:18
Speaker 2: Man, there ain't none of that bothered me.

00:14:19
Speaker 1: When did you learn, Like when did like the the the aura of the game hit you, the women and the perks of the game and all that kind of stuff. Was it was it with this ABA team or once you got to the.

00:14:29
Speaker 2: Yeah, man, I mean that's you know, shucks, man, that's part of the territory, you know, and stuff. Man, I started making money. Come on, I mean, honey, you know I wasn't married you before I say this. You know, got my son over there too.

00:14:42
Speaker 1: Man.

00:14:43
Speaker 2: I used to go to have to them the two. Man. Come on, I'm in a Cadillac, couldn't tell you. And they was eating college food. Come on, man, I just pull up the man put that top down.

00:14:53
Speaker 1: Yeah, she was used to soda and nuggets. Yeah, I love it, you know, but come.

00:14:59
Speaker 2: On, man, just where god man, that's just part of the style. Y'all are being a pro that I don't know no better like that? Yeah, you know, I ain't know no better, man. I mean whether feeling where the vets back then? Yeah, Doc was a vet. Okay, Fatty Taylor was who named me Iceman. You know he was there.

00:15:19
Speaker 1: I mean, oh ho ho we Wand how did you get the name Iceman?

00:15:22
Speaker 2: Fatty Taylor. Patty Taylor the one gave nicknamed Iceman. And it was my style, man. You know again, man, I was in Borcelini's man, I dressed, I mean in the city. Yeah, I ain't think I was cool, but you know I act like I was, so you know it was it was in you yeah, you know what I mean. So that was part of my style and stuff. And then how I played and stuff. So Fatty Star called he really called me Iceberg slim. You know they might not be old enough. No who Iceberg slam? You know. Yeah, But I told Pat I ain't nothing pimple about me, man, so I you know, I ain't going with that. Man. Then he just started calling me Iceman.

00:16:05
Speaker 1: That's dope.

00:16:06
Speaker 2: So you know, but that was my guy there. Man, he's another one. Man. You know, Doc kind of took me under this wing on the floor, and Fatty Tailor kind of took me on his wing. You know, family, you know, he had a family at that time. They go there and eat and you know, starting off, man, it was. It was wonderful man, to you know now to become a pro.

00:16:27
Speaker 1: You know, what was it like just seeing Doc work from day to day?

00:16:31
Speaker 2: Oh? Man, it's special man, Doc Man. He you know, Doc was the league back then, you know, I mean where we go, we sell out, and you know, so it was good for me to kind of be under him, you know, and just to watch him work, man, and then how he talked to me and just gave me the confidence to do my thing. And he was he was special, man. I mean, he's my favorite all time. You know, when you start talking about greatness, man, you know, I don't put too many over him at all.

00:17:02
Speaker 1: Man.

00:17:03
Speaker 2: Just his personality, man, his drive. And you know, because I started with Doc and I finished with Mike, you know, so people always ask me, now, well, who was the best. Both of them were good. You know, I don't really compare who was the best. Man.

00:17:19
Speaker 1: What similarity did they have, whether it be energy or style of play?

00:17:24
Speaker 2: Energy and drive? You know, I mean they drive was just in practice they had the same drive as they played in the game. Man, I mean it was. It helped me see what I needed to do in the beginning with Doc in order to keep up and then with Mike. It helped me see that I had my turn. You know what I'm saying. I mean, if that makes sense, you know what I mean.

00:17:49
Speaker 1: It's like I had a good run.

00:17:51
Speaker 2: I had a good run, you know what I'm saying. God to see him and I got the nuts, man. I mean, but it was a good kind of nuts. You know. He played hard all the time, made like he score on him. I mean, everybody liked to win. Man, But that brother there, man, he I'm glad I had that year with him, you know what I'm saying. I got a chance to talk to him a little bit and stuff. Man. But he was special too, Man, there was two special brothers.

00:18:20
Speaker 1: Man, can you explain how you ended up landing with the San Antonio Spurs.

00:18:23
Speaker 2: They sold my contract Virginia because you know, Virginia was not well, It's say, own the ship. You know. Earl did the best he could, but the league was starting. You need sponsorship, man, it was hard to get sponsorship for the league. We only had seven sevent teams when I got traded, you know, so we played each other fourteen times, you know, a season and stuff. So then they you know, San Antonio just bought my contract and then I became a spur.

00:18:51
Speaker 1: Was that what was the money type with similar money? Well a little I had a little bit better, okay, you know, I mean I had a little bit better.

00:18:59
Speaker 2: Man. You know, they Texas, man, they was, they ain't want to give me what I wounded, but I just took it, you know. But it was the best move I ever made in my life to come to Santon.

00:19:09
Speaker 1: Talk to me about that. Why you feel that way?

00:19:11
Speaker 2: Case? Santon was a small market. You know. I never knew nothing about Santone. I mean, you know, come on, I'm leaving all black going to you know, Hispanic. I mean in the Alamo. And you know I ain't know nothing about San Anton but the Alamo. So it changed the culture again. Man, it was the greatest move I could have made, man for me as a career, you know. And then we had great ownership. You know, they wanted to get better, you know, so they wanted to you know, spend money and you know, and then you know, they wanted to build a winner, you know, and they built it around James Silace first. You know, Jimmy was the I believe and would say he was a franchise guy, you know, and and then Jimmy got hurt, and then you know, I kind of, you know, took in that spot in, you know, and then I became the franchise guy.

00:19:57
Speaker 1: And I just grew with the franchise. What was it like when the a BA and the NBA merged changed the whole NBA? You know, I mean, so how many It went from how many teams to how many teams?

00:20:07
Speaker 2: Okay, we brought four teams in from the ABA, Indiana, New Jersey, Sun, and Tone and then yeah, if you look at the All Star Game after after the merger in seventy six, you'll see ten ABA guys. Damn it changed the face of the NBA. Well now they won't give us credit or not.

00:20:29
Speaker 1: I mean, that's you know, so were you saying that it was? It was said at the time the ABA was stronger than the NBA players player wise.

00:20:36
Speaker 2: Yeah, you man, you know, come on, man, the NBA was going eighty points, man, you know, ninety points. You know, I was a hundred and fifteen fifteen manybody wants you nobody walking up the floor. We started running up the flow, you know what I'm saying. I mean, we brought a new flavor to the League, you know. And by doing that, I mean, I mean, I ain't taking nothing from Magic and Bird, you know, and that era, by no means they went around in seventy six, we uplift the NBA. So you know, we took it to another level.

00:21:08
Speaker 1: Man.

00:21:08
Speaker 2: We gave it a different foundation. We kind of went over the foundation they had they had and put more cement and made it stronger.

00:21:15
Speaker 1: You know.

00:21:16
Speaker 2: So you know they always say Magic and Birds say the lead. You know what I'm saying, all depends what the narrative you want to push, you know. I mean, you wasn't back there to see what my ABA guys did to uplift the NBA, you know. I mean, and the NBA guys knew about us. I mean, come on, man, the NBA guys knew about the ABA guys. Man. We had some real special guys come in.

00:21:43
Speaker 1: You guys, usach other in the All Star Game.

00:21:45
Speaker 2: With yeah, man, we used to you know, I mean, we beat them like a drum man. I mean, we were that good though, you know. I mean me think of something the guys we had, you know, and I talk about a guy man that they don't never get no credit to, man, And that's Alex English. He was a bucket hey, man, Ali Jan has had two thousand points probably for seven eight years in a role in the season. Now, you could do your history and look at in a season, how many guys got two thousand points for that season. You know I did it five times, but that brother did it man eight times. You know what I mean? He was a you know, yeah, I tak walking bucket man. But man, that brother how.

00:22:33
Speaker 1: Tall was he six three six eight?

00:22:36
Speaker 2: Man? He was slow as my losses, was that big man? Man? That brother man was man, you know, and that's good man. I'm glad you said that too. Nobody know about him. Yeah, I played against you, you know, I know you got fifty on me in a few times, but I got you back. But you know, you know you still was real special. Man. I mean, so guys like that, man, I mean, come in the league.

00:23:00
Speaker 1: Man.

00:23:00
Speaker 2: You know Dave Thompson, you know, I mean, you know me and David had all shootout.

00:23:05
Speaker 1: Chase the scoring title down, oh Man, late seventies, early eighties. The NBA has labeled this too black, too drug field. What did you see? You know, what did you witness at that time off the court with guys well, I mean I.

00:23:17
Speaker 2: Ain't able, too Black. I mean, but we had drugs, you know what I mean, you know, the cocaine and stuff. It was, you know, it was a part of the you know, the league at that.

00:23:27
Speaker 1: Time, like a pregame, like an energy drink.

00:23:29
Speaker 2: Well you know probably you know, everybody probably had their own routine, right, you know what I mean, But it was it was tough. I mean, you know, I mean a lot of us got effected, you know by it and stuff. And it's sad, but you know that's that's the way that the enemy work. Man, He gets you when you ain't paying attention, you know. And too black, I ain't, you know, that's what it was. A label there was, yeah, I mean, but you know we all put labels on things. I mean, it was entertainment, you know. I mean, so they could have said, man, you know, too much soul in there instead of black, you know, I mean that probably would have even sound better. And stuff. It was a lot of Marvin Gaye, you know, temptations. I mean, you know, groups that sunk about relationships and stuff. Man. So I never really got into that. You know, too Black, I heard that yea four to what you said, I heard that, but drugs was ABIs part of it. Well, I think we'd always been around, you know. I mean we was used for different you know, I mean to eat and go sleep, you know, I mean think about it. You play in the game and you build up that drenaline and then you know, after the game, I mean drenal going away, So you needed something to relax. You know. Some took pills and some smoke weed, both from work.

00:24:54
Speaker 1: You know, so that was something something that was something I would Yeah, definitely post game sleep take the pain focus.

00:25:03
Speaker 2: I mean, because yeah, I went sleep.

00:25:04
Speaker 1: You know.

00:25:05
Speaker 2: I always read for a game, you know, I mean you know, yeah, you know, I ain't never been no cornball man, but you know I used to look listen to the stories before I went to bed, you know, took a break, you know, all my children and all that. I used to watch that stuff. Man, three o'clock and then I rest to five thirty and then I go play. So we had our routine. You know what I'm saying. And I ain't saying I was smoking, y'all. And I ain't saying I what neither. I ain't saying I was, Yeah, I mean, yeah, I mean, you know, man, come in front of your choice. Man, you don't tell on yourself.

00:25:39
Speaker 1: I can't do it, won't do it.

00:25:41
Speaker 2: Yeah.

00:25:42
Speaker 1: Nineteen seventy eight, the scoring title duo you and David Thompson. On the last day of the season. Thompson dropped seventy three to take the lead. You respond with sixty three and didn't even play in the fourth quarter. So you knew going into the game what you needed to score.

00:25:58
Speaker 2: Yeah, I need you know. They called me, you know, because I led the league. So you know, they playing in Detroit, mon. What do you guys averaging? What are you averaging? At that time, we were about twenty seven something. Okay, yeah, I think I got him by some pretentage points.

00:26:10
Speaker 1: So he scored seventy three, brother.

00:26:12
Speaker 2: Man man, but you know he was a giant killer. Yeah, David was special man. So they called me. I was in New Orleans and stuff, and he played in the afternoon and then I played that night. So they called me and said, man, David scoring fifty nine, I mean seventy three took the scoring title from you. I said, oh yeah, and they said you need fifty nine in order to get it back. I said, okay. Fortunately for me, I had a coach man, that really appreciated me, Doug mo, you know, and Doug knew and Doug's friend was Larry Brown, and so you know, him and Larry was best friends. So he said, all that little shit out, don't cuts yall. I'm sorry man, but that little shit man, he set David up to take the title from George. So we went to the arena and stuff, man, and coach said, man, look at you, hey, guys, I want you know, I want I usually get this scoring tighter back and stuff. Man, what you guys think? And they say, yeah, you know, and tell you I couldn't have done it without them, you know. And they set it up, man. And so we started playing and I missed my first six shots and called time out. I said, man, I don't even worry about it. Man, you know, I was really kidding and said, see what they say and stuff, you know, because I was, you know, I was nervous. I needed fifty nine. So then you know, they went back, come on, I used to go ahead and man. So we went back out there, man, and I got rolling, you know, and I got twenty that first quarter. I was filling it then, and then second quarter I got thirty three.

00:27:40
Speaker 1: So you got so got fifty three and a half. I had fifty three, and you need a fifty nine for the game.

00:27:45
Speaker 2: Yeah, man, the guy said, well, I actually got fifty three and stuff. I said, okay, so then you know it was third quarter and stuff, you know, jacking it up then, you know, I mean, you know, I kind of knew I had it. I got fifty nine. He said, yeah, you got fifty nine. I said, okay. I said, let me get a couple of more, man, just in case they miscalculated. So I ended up getting sixty three and thirty three minutes. Didn't play in the four. Yeah, I ain't.

00:28:08
Speaker 1: Either could have scored eighty.

00:28:09
Speaker 2: But you know, man, hindsight, and this is with all of us, man, hindsight. I should have kept playing.

00:28:14
Speaker 1: I was about to say, you could have got ain't no telling.

00:28:16
Speaker 2: But I wasn't. My purpose. Yeah, my purpose was to get it.

00:28:19
Speaker 1: That's it, you know what I mean.

00:28:21
Speaker 2: But you know I want to slop myself, man, because you know, I remember Cody got Cody Kobe got eighty. You know, I said, man, I might have could have got even that much real, you know, but again, it wasn't.

00:28:31
Speaker 1: Yeah, it wasn't the goal.

00:28:32
Speaker 2: It wasn't the goal, man. I mean, you know, my goal was to win my first and then I got hooked.

00:28:38
Speaker 1: You got a little taste of it as a great score, such as yourself. How did you break down? Did you have any if I got a certain amount of layups, a certain amount of free like, did you have any kind of just method to your manners or just go out there and get it whatever they gave you would take?

00:28:51
Speaker 2: Yeah, man, you know, because they were wanted to guard me. Man, they knew I could score. So guys coming at me, you know, they had they had teams setting up defenses.

00:29:00
Speaker 1: There was no three in the key back, so you know, I ain't worry about that.

00:29:04
Speaker 2: Man. I could score period. Come on, man, I mean, you know you think about it. Many say fifty one percent career, you know. I mean, so I could score, and you know I had all kinds of shots, you know, I mean, And I feel good to be able to say that, man, because you know, we label guys as scores and shooters, and I'm saying, man, hw guy's good shooter. He's shooting forty percent, you know, I mean, or high? Is he a good scorer and he's shooting thirty times to get thirty, you know what I mean. So that's how I break it down. You know, I get thirty shooting twelve times, you know, cause i'mna get ten free throws. I mean I can make a you know, I can make her three. But you know threes came later on in our career.

00:29:46
Speaker 1: You know, so three's actually started in the ABA, though, didn't they.

00:29:49
Speaker 2: Yeah, I ain't shoot money them media, I get and one. That's what three? Huh?

00:29:54
Speaker 1: Yeah?

00:29:54
Speaker 2: I mean because I can go to the hole. Yeah, you know what I mean, you go the whole guy hits you and I can still score that. I like that kind of three. You know, it's kind of like getting a four in golf. You know, I like chipping it close.

00:30:06
Speaker 1: Where did your craftiness from your finger rolls to your floaters, to your level different levels on the backboard with your spinning, your touch? Where did all that crafting practice from practice, imagination? You know, I practice, y'all. I mean I put the time in, you know, I go work out by myself. I ain't need nobody.

00:30:25
Speaker 2: Man, you know, they got all these shooting machines and all that, and now man, I just shoot that thing. Make a comeback. You know, I have to chasing much, you know, because you're going through net. I mean, so you know then I like left hand hook right hand hooks, and you know, all that gave me a variety of shots, you know, so I can pretty much score it.

00:30:43
Speaker 1: Will They call it a bag now, I think kids call it.

00:30:47
Speaker 2: Yeah, Man, they got a bag. Yeah.

00:30:52
Speaker 1: So four time scoring champs seventy eight, seventy nine, and eighty and then eighty two. Only Jordan Wilt one more I ever sent in Durant also have four. When you hear yourself in that kind of talk, what's the first thing because of mine? Hey, I could do it?

00:31:08
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, you know that stuff a good company, man, you know, you think about it. Man, Will had a record for points in a quarter for a long time, and then David broke it, you know, and then I broke it five hours later, you know. I mean it's you know, it's something to be thankful for, you know. I mean I don't have to brag about it or nothing. I mean I knew I was capable, you know, but I had to still have to help from my guys to do it.

00:31:36
Speaker 1: Man.

00:31:37
Speaker 2: I was just able to do it, man, So that put me in a in a space and place, man, where I just stay humble man and say, man, I'm glad I was able to do it. Man, that's quite accomplishment.

00:31:51
Speaker 1: Absolutely. There's a handful of guys that used the finger roll, Will, Connie, Doctor j. But can any of them mess with your finger roll?

00:32:01
Speaker 2: You know, because I you know, people always say I was the inventor of the finger roll. I wasn't nowhere in the vent.

00:32:07
Speaker 1: You know.

00:32:08
Speaker 2: I took a piece from Doc, I took a people from Connie and Will, and I developed my own. I just one made it famous. I mean, they they did it, you know, we just all had our own version. And the only one I thought of finger roll better than me was my son G Jr. You know, he he could do it left hand and I couldn't do it left hand. So he's about the only one that I ever saw, you know where I got a little envious.

00:32:30
Speaker 1: About Top five best pure scores in your opinion?

00:32:36
Speaker 2: I was English one me it's two all kareem, you know, definitely there.

00:32:44
Speaker 1: What about Bernard King, Oh.

00:32:46
Speaker 2: Bernard King, you know it's another man. There's somebody I'm missing. K You know, he's very efficient and he's one of my favorite today. You know KD. You know they always say, you know we're similar. You know, we're similar only because of our size. And he was six six ten. You know, he don't score like I did, you know. I mean I had variety, you know, k fishing and shooting at mit range and shooting at three and stuff. But he very efficient at it and stuff. So I think me and him more so on just size. You know that they kind of compare us.

00:33:25
Speaker 1: March seventy seven, he became one of the earliest NBA players to signed with Nike. How did that come about? What was it like working with Phil Knight in those early days?

00:33:33
Speaker 2: Real good man? You know I started off when I started off with the Virginia Squires, y'all. I signed with Adidas. I signed five thousand dollars contract with Adidas and stuff. And then here come Nike and Phil cane to me and say we'll get one hundred and fifty fifty. So I called the Didas and stuff and say, man, I'm going with Nike. Man. You know, we got a contract with your eyes. I said, man, I'm gonna give you five thousand back they we give you. I'll get your five thousand back. Man, I'll go over to d and he knew he couldn't do nothing with him.

00:34:05
Speaker 1: You know, you getting the five thousand back the next thing. You know, we got this right here. Take a look at that with you. Who's that right there? How old are you in this picture?

00:34:13
Speaker 2: Oh? Man, I'm probably a little older. Twenty something Okay, yeah, man, that's you know, it's amazing. I mean so many people tell me they had this posters. Yeah man, it really is. Man. I mean, and Nike just gave me the silhouette so I can take the silhouette off that and put it on shirts. Oh, they just gave me the rights to do it. They gave me the right, okay, you know and stuff. But you know, I've been Nike forever, man. I mean, you know, you know, they don't give me no money or nothing. But you know, I've been with them a long time, man, and I just appreciate them.

00:34:51
Speaker 1: I need a shirt when you start printing them out.

00:34:53
Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm gonna print something out, man. I you know, if you want something, man, contact ice Man forty four ice Man Voka forty four. Man. I'll get you. I'll get you one of them shirts.

00:35:04
Speaker 1: I need it. I needed playoffs Eastern Conference Finals in nineteen seventy nine. Talked to us about that.

00:35:10
Speaker 2: Who were playing Washington. Doctor j oh yeah, we bumped Doc them all. But I had a good team, man. I mean, you know how guys say man that they had better guys around them, they could win the championship. I ain't never down my guys like that. Man. I had enough to win it. We just didn't, man, you know, because we got through Doc and them, and I think then we played Washington Washington Bullets, and we went up three to one on Washington, you know, so we had a chance to win it. Took the play end up Seattle for the championship. Just didn't work out. You know, we made history backwards. You know, them brothers walked us down. Man. I remember Coach Martin used to say it ain't over to the fat lady, saying, dang man, that chick sung man.

00:35:51
Speaker 1: Game seven, you dropped forty two.

00:35:53
Speaker 2: Man. I wish I would have just got twenty five and played it different. You know what I'm saying. I mean, because you know, you got to learn how to win. You know, I ain't need forty two. You know, I could have spread it out. Un lets, some of the other guys got it and stuff man. You know, but I go over this on hindsight. You know, hindsight ain't no good. But you know, I mean I look at it, man, and I think about it, man, because that was my only chance, man, really to win a championship, and it didn't work, you know, and then we have, you know, we come against the Lakers. Yep. I just couldn't be magic in them, man.

00:36:26
Speaker 1: I mean, how good was the young Magic?

00:36:28
Speaker 2: I mean, you know, I've been doing magic man since the fourteen. I saw him come up and he knew how to play at fourteen, you know, and stuff man. So he's always been one of the special guys to me.

00:36:39
Speaker 1: Man.

00:36:40
Speaker 2: He loved for the game and how he played the game. He made people better. So we start saying point guards and stuff man. You know how you miss him, you know, and stuff man. I mean, you know, you think about it, man, when I came up that you know, one two one didn't play. You know, you dribbled a lot and I shot a lot.

00:37:00
Speaker 1: You know.

00:37:01
Speaker 2: I mean it's we didn't have that point guard. And you know, me and my son was talking about that earlier today and stuff man, it wasn't as you know, as vivid as it was, as it is today. How they sell it today, you know one, two, three, four, And you know, because you don't really have a center today. You know, all the center shoot jump shots, you know centers. I came up through hooks and muscled you.

00:37:24
Speaker 1: And inside out. Yeah, Larry Bird.

00:37:26
Speaker 2: Talked more stuff than the Man in the Moon, but backed it up. Man. I love Larry Man. Larry, he used to come tell me all the time, Man, Danny's scared of you. Man, so killing You know that he only team man. He was a man. He was killing man. He's scared of you. Ain't no problem. I get him, you know. But Larry was special man. He my brother. Man knew how to play, he knew how to win, man. I mean, he was special man. He was in love with the game too. Man. He wasn't scared nobody.

00:37:55
Speaker 1: Man.

00:37:55
Speaker 2: You know, you couldn't fear him. Man, That's what I loved about him.

00:38:00
Speaker 1: Miss Freeze out All Star game in eighty five.

00:38:03
Speaker 2: Oh you talking about with MJ.

00:38:06
Speaker 1: What's the truth behind that? Forty years later?

00:38:10
Speaker 2: As a joke, Man, I almoa freeze y'all, and I'm playing against you. Was another team I'm on another team, you know what I mean? So you know that's again we'll tell you about media, right, you know what I mean? They said our ice and magic, and you know I'm grown, y'all. I mean, I had my doubt my last All Star game. I wanted to bust him up because he was a rookie, you know, and stuff. So I freeze him out. Man, I might know. I want to bust you up, man, you know and stuff. Man, before you get you know, before I get out of here, man, I want you to have a touch eyes. And you know they went't with all that rap.

00:38:47
Speaker 1: Man.

00:38:48
Speaker 2: I was disappointed, man, because you know I told Mike, I said, Man, you didn't believe that stuff, did you? Man? Come on, man, I'm a grown man. Man, what I'm gonna freezer kid out? He was a kid then, man, you know, and now you know he got a lot of tensions souse. You know, I was getting dressed and stuff. Man. They came in and asking me to mo man, you know how I feel playing against Mike? I said, Man, you're gonna ask Mike I feel playing against a shot a jumper yet? Come on, man, But that was media, right, you know, So that's you know, man, that was just go show you, man, just blown out of blown out of proportion. Man, Come on, man, I had my turn. Man, and then he proved took me when I played with him, that I had my turn.

00:39:28
Speaker 1: You know, So the next the next year, you're going to go and joining him? And what did what I mean? Obviously you touched on early. He saw similarities with the drive and the work ethic as doctor J. But seeing that day to day, what was that like?

00:39:40
Speaker 2: You know? For me? Man, I knew I had my turn. You know, my turn was over. Man. I was with a franchise for twelve years and I was the man, you know and stuff. So I'm coming to another franchise that he the man, you know what I mean. I got common sense, you know what I mean. So, but what happened is he got hurt, so that brother got hurt. So I kind of took that role for a minute. I said, you know, I was old.

00:40:01
Speaker 1: You know, average was seventeen that year, though, right, Man, I was old though, Man.

00:40:06
Speaker 2: I mean, you know seventeen, I always say I was old. But the iceman of old kind of showed up every now and they and ten you know, oh were you at that point, I think I was thirty five. Okay, I know one game other than dollars the stuff. Man, you know, I got what thirty three and a half or something. Man, you know, thirty five at half and I end up with like forty something. And that brother said, hey, he's what happened. I said, Man, I was just kind of showing you how it used to be. Now. I had a good relationship with him, and it proved that when he was in my documentary and I didn't know some of the things that he felt about me that he told me in my documentary, and I telling him, I'm forever thankful. And when we all man, you know, you got to go to the source when you got a problem, you know, and a lot of us, don't, you know, a lot of go with that hearsay stuff, man, and it end up killing you. Man. I mean, if you a man, may't go face another man say, man, you got a problem with me, you know, let's.

00:41:08
Speaker 1: Work it out.

00:41:08
Speaker 2: Yeah.

00:41:09
Speaker 1: Mike once said, when you think of great basketball players of all time, if you're not talking about George Gervin, then you haven't watched enough of the game of basketball.

00:41:16
Speaker 2: And look who said it that The statement in itself. So you know, with me, I ain't gotta never sell me. No, I could play, like I tell me, I could play because I put in the work too, you know what I'm saying. I mean, man, he ain't gotta sell me at all. But when people like yourself and Doc tell people who this guy is, that's enough for me. That's all I need.

00:41:43
Speaker 1: You guys, ever have any one on one battles?

00:41:46
Speaker 2: No, no, no, I ain't want none of him. I been honest. I mean you know I had my turn, man, Now, he probably wouldn't have want none of the old ice man, you know, but I I ain't want nothing, mic Man, I mean, now I shoot with you. I think at that time I still could a better jumper. Well, I was pretty effective, you know stuff. So Mike, Mike had to learn how to shoot. You know, y'all know early on his career he was a scorer and he became a scorer and the shooter you know and stuff. So but I ain't saying I could beat you, Mike, don't you know? But I didn't mind try.

00:42:26
Speaker 1: When you look back on your run, I mean, obviously in the moment you never really have an opportunity to But when you look back, what are you most thankful for for this whole journey?

00:42:34
Speaker 2: Man? I'm very thankful man that you know. Man, I met my wife, you know what I mean, and she gave me three beautiful babies. You know, I just had my forty knife your anniversary. You know, she went through this journey with me. I used to borrow money for her and for her to support me, be my number one fan. You know, That's that's the journey. I to look at, man, the ball man, it's temporary, you know, me and her forever. You know, I think for me to be able to understand that after all these years, just the most beautiful part about my NBA career.

00:43:09
Speaker 1: Man.

00:43:10
Speaker 2: She she was there from the beginning and I love her to death. And you know, so that's the beauty for me. You know about ball, I love.

00:43:16
Speaker 1: It quick hitters. First thing to come to mind. Let us know one album you can listen to with no.

00:43:21
Speaker 2: Skips once go and on, you know, because kind of talk about life. Man, Marvin knew about that, talked about things that didn't happen, was going to happen. That was one of them. MJ.

00:43:33
Speaker 1: Kobe Bron How do you have them ranked in your opinion.

00:43:36
Speaker 2: Oh, man, I played against MJ. I adn't played against Kobe Lebron, So I go with you know, Mike Kobe because I played against his dad.

00:43:45
Speaker 1: And the end of brun five dinner guests, Dead or alive, you plus five at the dinner table talking about whatever.

00:43:52
Speaker 2: Oh well, man, Bill Russell because he's just crazy is I don't know what? Miles Davis because I, you know, love his music and stuff. And obviously you know Marvin gay Well my dad because I never really got a chance to, you know, to knowing my oldest son. Man, because he mean the world to me. Man, he's here and he's seen all the things I went through to get here.

00:44:21
Speaker 1: Beautiful childhood crush.

00:44:23
Speaker 2: Oh man, my childhood crush. Man, shucks. Man, I didn't get into girls, y'all young.

00:44:29
Speaker 1: You know, wait until you got that triple black.

00:44:31
Speaker 2: Yeah, I got triple black.

00:44:32
Speaker 1: N Yeah.

00:44:35
Speaker 2: Yeah, So you know that's a hard one for me.

00:44:37
Speaker 1: Had a lot of making up to do.

00:44:38
Speaker 2: Yeah, Man.

00:44:39
Speaker 1: So, funniest teammate you.

00:44:41
Speaker 2: Ever had, Gene Banks, the funniest guy you ever want to meet. Man, Gene Banks is my funniest team.

00:44:47
Speaker 1: What team do you play with them on?

00:44:48
Speaker 2: Spurs.

00:44:49
Speaker 1: One guest you'd like to see on all the smoke.

00:44:51
Speaker 2: Oh wow, one guess Kat Williams. Oh I mess, y'all love on that one. Then, brother y'all, Hey, God, beautiful brother y'all. Let me tell you, man.

00:45:04
Speaker 1: Cast the homie, that's a good call. Well, we appreciate you, Georgie and all the greatness you brought to us and and and what you meant to the game. You know your greatness will never be forgotten. And thank you for spending some time with us.

00:45:15
Speaker 2: A man appreciate you, Matt.

00:45:16
Speaker 1: That's a wrap, the Great George Gervin. You can catch us in all the Smoke productions in the Draft Kings Network. See y'all next week.

00:45:27
Speaker 2: M hm.

00:45:32
Speaker 1: Mm hmmm

00:45:43
Speaker 2: Mm hmm.