The Greg Kite Interview
By:
Michael D. McClellan
|
Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012
June 19th, 1986 – Len Bias dies from a
cocaine overdose and everything changes for
the Celtics. Where were you when you learned
that Bias was dead? Was Bias ever a topic of
conversation among the team later that fall?
I think I was down in Orlando, I'd go back
down there after the season and play summer
league ball. That was a shocker. I had
a chance to meet him briefly when he came to
Boston during the playoffs. He was on a
business trip. We knew a little about him
from his college days, but Red had seen him
play a lot because he lived in the D.C. area
and Len was from that area as well. Red
would go to most of the Maryland games, and
Red thought that this guy was a 6'-8”
Michael Jordan.
I can remember it being talked about a
little bit when we came back to training
camp, but I don't remember it being talked
about a lot. But Len Bias was a really big
key in the Celtics' transition to the next
generation of players. He was going to
provide that continuity as the Big Three
were starting to get a little older. And
then a few years later you had Reggie Lewis
passing away, so you look at the passing of
those two guys and you wonder what might
have been.
We got into that 1986-87 season, and the
health issues really started kicking in.
Bill only played about 10 games. Kevin
finished the season and ended up with a
screw in his foot after the season and was
never quite the same again. Larry's back and
Achilles issues were hurting him, and Chief
a constant ankle sprain during that playoff
run. Scott Wedman had some sort of leg
injury. So a lot of those key guys were over
thirty with a lot of NBA miles on them, and
their bodies were starting to break down. So
having someone like Len Bias on the team
would have made a big difference for the
Celtics that season and in the future years.
The
Celtics were incredibly banged up during the 1987 playoffs, and you played
some key moments during the run to the Finals. You also battled Kareem
during that run. What memories stand out with you after all of these years?
Playing in the playoffs and in the Finals
was the highlight of my career. The thing
about the NBA is that it's all about
match-ups, so when you get into the playoffs
you may suddenly find yourself playing more
minutes because of the way you match up
against certain teams. That's what worked
out for me, because we were going up against
some of the bigger centers in the league and
my size helped in terms of defending the
post. Most of the times in the playoffs we
wouldn't double-team the post when I was on
the court, because I could do a decent job
of using my body to defend the basket. I
couldn't stop Kareem, but I knew I could
make him work for his shots and maybe make
him take them from spots he wasn't used to.
And that Lakers team was such a great
passing team that you really couldn't
double-team anyone. They'd make you pay.
Whether is was Kareem making a pass out of
the post or Magic from the key on the fast
break, the Lakers were always dangerous and
capable of breaking down the doubles.
That season Bill was unable to play, so I
was logging backup minutes at center behind
Parish and McHale. In the playoffs, not only
is it the match-ups but it's also about
injuries and health. Not that we would have
beaten the Lakers that year, but our health
situation was such an issue for us. The
health of the key guys handicapped us a
little bit. Even at that, it was close.
Magic hit the baby hook, we gave up an
offensive rebound on a missed free throw. I
remember Mychal Thompson playing great
during that series. If we'd had a couple of
things go our way, who knows, maybe it would
have been a different result, but the Lakers
were very deserving to win that series.
A year
after Bias' death, the Celtics drafted Reggie Lewis. Please tell me a little
about Reggie.
I spent just a short time with Reggie before ending up with the Clippers. He was a quiet guy, a very nice guy, not afraid to get out there and assert himself. He had the athletic skills and the body and the length, and you knew right from the start that he was going to be an excellent player. It was just going to be a matter of time and seasoning. It was sad what happened. I was gone by the time he really started to blossom, so I really didn't get a chance to work with him that much.
Which
player were you the closest to on the Celtics? Do you still keep in touch?
I stay in touch with Danny and Fred, because they were college teammates as well. I'll have occasional contact with Rick Carlisle, and will send the occasional Christmas card to Bird and McHale. I saw M.L. Carr this summer at a golf event that we were both at. I have great memories of all of those guys, I wish we could have a reunion or something of that nature.
