The Wayne Embry Interview
By:
Michael D. McClellan
| Monday,
January
11th,
2004
Spend a few minutes talking to
Wayne Embry, and it isn’t long
before you realize that
this former NBA All-Star is far more than a link to the
days when legends such as Russell and Chamberlain ruled
the basketball universe.
 Embry is as relevant now
as he was then, only in areas that extend far beyond the
hardwood. Backboards have morphed into boardrooms.
Bone-rattling picks have given way to civic stewardship.
From trading elbows with Willis Reed to rubbing elbows
with Alan Greenspan, Embry is that rare athlete who has
eclipsed his own star power in terms of off-the-court
accomplishments.
Born and raised in Ohio, Embry
began his basketball career at Tecumseh High School before
starring at Miami of Ohio, where his number has long since
been retired. As a pro, Embry was a five-time All-Star
for the Cincinnati Royals, playing alongside such
legendary stars as Oscar Robertson and Jerry Lucas. An
NBA championship proved elusive, however, as the Royals
routinely failed to supplant the Boston Celtics as kings
of the East. In a classic case of ‘If you can’t beat ‘em,
join ‘em’, Red Auerbach acquired Embry in 1966 as a backup
to the incomparable Bill Russell. After being dethroned
by Chamberlain and the Philadelphia 76ers in 1967, the
Celtics – with Embry – were back on top, winning a
league-best 10th NBA championship.
In 1972, Embry became the first
African-American general manager in professional sports
when he was named vice president and general manager of
the Milwaukee Bucks. To even mention this fact is
something of a disservice to Embry, because his
accomplishments as an NBA executive transcend race. Two
major transactions stand out during Embry’s association
with the Bucks: Oscar Robertson’s decision to join the
franchise, this based largely on his close relationship
with Embry (and a decision that helped the Bucks win the
NBA championship in 1971), and the trade of Kareem
Abdul-Jabbar from the Bucks to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Embry was named general manager
and vice president of the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1985. In
1994 he became the NBA's first African American team
president, also with the Cavaliers. Embry’s was honored
as the Sporting News NBA Executive of the Year in both
1992 and 1998. On October 1st, 1999, Embry was both
recognized and immortalized for his accomplishments by
being inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall
of Fame.
Today, Embry serves as a board
member for the Bank of Cleveland, a prestigious position
that reports directly to Federal Reserve Chairman Alan
Greenspan. Celtic Nation was fortunate to spend time
with Embry in September, 2003, and is pleased to share his
story with all of Celtic Nation.
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