The Conner Henry Interview
By:
Michael D. McClellan
|
Thursday, May 6th, 2004
Danny Ainge, your former teammate and the current
president of basketball operations with the Celtics, had
this to say about you following that performance: “He’s
a great shooter. We can use that. We can use his
shooting and his flair with the ball, as Pistol Pete
Maravich had. He reminds me of Pistol Pete, with his
long hair, his outside shooting, and his behind the back
passes.” Looking back, how does it feel to be thought
of so highly by someone like Danny Ainge?
It’s a wonderful compliment. I saw Danny this past
summer in Vegas. We were both there scouting players –
I believe he was there to watch Dwight Howard – and were
able to sit down and have a brief conversation. For
Danny to compare me to Pistol Pete, that’s something
I’ll always cherish. My dad really liked Maravich, and
growing up I had a Pistol Pete poster on my bedroom
wall. I still have the clipping where Danny made that
comment. It means a lot, especially because Maravich
was my idol. I felt my game was similar to his in many
respects (no where that good though)– while I was best
known for my shooting, I considered passing my best
skill. I felt that I did a good job of seeing the
action develop in front of me, and that I instinctively
knew what to do with the basketball.
I’m excited to see Danny back in Boston. He’s received a small amount of criticism in the early-going, and much of it may be unjustified. He knows that the team needs change in order to win another championship, and he’s unafraid to make the controversial move. It’s going to take him time to turn things around but I hope he can bring the Celtics back to the very competitive days.
February 18th, 1987: The Celtics traveled to
Dallas and defeated the Mavericks, 113-96. You were
3-of-4 in that game, including 2-for-2 from behind the
arc. Were you always comfortable shooting from long
range?
Always – I was very fortunate to have good instruction
at a very early age. As a young child I followed the
classic approach, starting close to the basket and
working my way out, but along the way I was taught to
shoot the ball properly. I was taught to groove my
stroke at a certain range, get comfortable and confident
with it, and then move back and start the process all
over again. Naturally, my range increased as my size
and strength increased.
Being so sleight physically – a good breeze could probably knock me down [laughs] – I didn’t challenge the bigger guys underneath the basket. Shooting was the thing that helped me to make a name for myself. And the farther out the better. When I joined the Celtics, KC Jones was very supportive of me in this regard. He gave me his blessing to launch those shots from downtown, as long as they came within the flow of the offense – and as long as they went in [laughs].
Let’s talk music. In 1987, were into rhythm and blues,
soul, and southern rock. Some of your favorite artists
included Lynard Skynard, John Cougar Mellancamp and the
Rolling Stones. Has your taste in music changed over
the years, and what do you listen to now?
My musical tastes have evolved over the years. I still
listen to a lot of classic rock, but my tastes have
grown to include a broad range of music – I listen to
Van Morrison, rhythm & blues, Earth, Wind & Fire, good
country, Train, Creed, too. When I’m in my car I find
myself listening more and more to talk radio, which has
to do with being a father and getting older. Being an
assistant coach I also hear all the current music that
the boys play in the gym. Music still is a big part of
my life.
You once said that if you went to the moon, one of the
people you’d take with you would be Dennis Johnson,
because DJ would keep everybody laughing. Please tell
me about Dennis Johnson.
Dennis was great to me when I arrived in Boston. He
helped me acclimate myself to the team and to the city.
As it turned out, DJ was the first cousin of a good
friend in California, so he sort of took me under his
wing and took care of me. I lived with him that first
month in Boston. He helped me understood what the team
was trying to accomplish within the offensive and
defensive schemes and the overall mentality.
Dennis was a very complex person – he could be funny, serious or encouraging with me, depending on the situation. He showed the same attributes with team, and was very good in his role as a team leader. He had a tremendous amount of character and the players fed off of that. I have great admiration for Dennis Johnson as a player and person.
The Celtics swept past the Chicago Bulls in the opening
round of the 1987 NBA Playoffs. What was Michael Jordan
like in that series?
At that point in his career, Michael Jordan was the most
physically dominating player in the game. He relied so
much on his physical attributes – he simply jumped over,
around or through the opposition, depending on what was
needed to reach the hoop. The Bulls at that time were
still a work in progress – the Celtics simply had too
many weapons for them to overcome – but they were never
out of a game with Michael Jordan on the floor. He
brought that tongue-wagging confidence to the court.
I remember playing in the old Chicago Stadium and facing the Bulls – Kevin McHale was unstoppable in the low post, I think he finished with 52. He was pumped up and Larry told him to play some “D”. It was hilarious because the next time we played the Bulls Larry had 36 at half time and the game was basically over. There was a lot of smack being talked on and off the court which kept all of us loose. Watching Kevin and Larry play that year was as exciting as watching Jordan almost [laughs].
