The Ernie Barrett Interview
By:
Michael D. McClellan
|
Sunday, August 22nd, 2004
Red Auerbach was a disciple of George Washington’s Bill
Reinhart, and firmly believed in an attacking, up-tempo
style of basketball – a philosophy also embraced by your
college coach, Jack Gardner. Please compare and
contrast this coaching giants.
Coach Auerbach amazed me with the way he handled the
players, and with how he was able to keep them all happy
and ready to play. He knew which players responded well
to the screaming, and he knew which ones to motivate in
a more subtle way. There really is no comparison
between Red and anyone else. He was extremely
intelligent, a real genius.
Coach Gardner – and Tex Winter, for that matter – were truly instrumental in instilling me with discipline, and for preparing me for the level of play that I needed in Boston. I can’t say enough about either of these men. Coach Gardner loved the up-tempo game. He was an astute coach, and he knew how to attack.
The Boston Celtics held the fourth overall selection in
the 1970 NBA Draft. Legend has it that Red Auerbach was
set to select Sam Lacey, the 6’-10” center from New
Mexico State, but that Red called you at the last minute
to get your opinion. The Celtics then selected Dave
Cowens, who would go on to become one of the NBA’s 50
Greatest players. Did you play a role in changing Red’s
mind?
That’s exactly how it happened. I saw Sam Lacey, so I
knew what he was capable of – not to say that he
couldn’t play, but I just thought Cowens had much better
mobility and could shoot the ball better. Red was
leaning toward choosing Lacey, and he called to ask who
I thought was the better player. To me, Cowens was a
perfect fit in the Celtics’ system. He could get up and
down the court, and he could run all day long. And he
was intense. Red took my advice, and it worked out well
for everyone involved.
Final Question: You’ve achieved great success in your life. You are universally respected and admired by many people, both inside and outside of the Kansas State University and the NBA. If you could offer one piece of advice on life to others, what would that be?
Success is determined by personality, loyalty, and
dedication. Anyone who adheres to these positives will
be successful.
