Who’s the greatest long-range shooter of all time? And yes, you can include yourself.
I would never say myself, no. I think Steph has changed the game; right now, he sits alone. Before Steph, the best I’d seen to that point was Drazen Petrovic. But Steph has revolutionized and changed the perception of shooters. Drazen and I would run off screens, catch and shoot, but Steph can do everything. To me, he sits alone on the mountaintop of shooters.
Is the league too nice now?
Look, it’s a billion-dollar business. I wouldn’t say it’s too nice. But these kids all play together in AAU, and then everyone wants to hop teams so they can form another AAU super-team. And I get it. But that’s not what I was about.
Remember the old Street & Smith yearbooks? That’s how we learned about all the top players around the country. I remember I was down there, guys like Reggie Williams, Reggie Lewis, they were above me. I’d think, “Well, I can play with them.” That’s how you formed the idea of, well, I can’t wait to play against those guys. I can’t wait to play against those guys and show them who I am. Now they all play with each other and not against each other.
I remember in 2007, I reached out to you about the rumors of you joining the Celtics, and you called me back and gave me the scoop, which I appreciated. Why didn’t you chase the ring, especially with a team that would go on to win the title?
Look I knew they were stacked to win a championship, and they did, but it just wouldn’t have seemed right to be popping champagne in Boston when we (Indiana) grew up together, we laughed together, we cried so many tears together because we were so close for so many years. How could I be sitting and cheering and laughing because I won my championship and all I ever wanted to do was win in Indiana?
People don’t understand — and we’ve seen this when LeBron came back to Cleveland, and now Milwaukee — when small markets win like that, and Indiana is in that category, it’s like winning three or four, it is. We’re not the Lakers, Boston, Chicago. When you win in a small market, those fans live and die with you.
And Indiana is such a basketball state, winning there was all I wanted to do. I just knew how special it could be, so I could not in good faith put on another jersey when all my joy and sadness came in one jersey, with one franchise.
I think it’s the military upbringing in me, being loyal, my dad in the Air Force and being a government worker. They (the Pacers) took a chance on me.
Ever regret having never won a ring?
Probably every day. It burns me. It burns me. People always want to talk about all the big shots, against New York, New Jersey, Chicago. I relive the shortcomings. I relive Game 7 in 1994, Game 7 in 1995, Game 7 in 1999. I relive those moments. Yeah, it burns me. It does.
When people say they don’t regret it (winning a championship), they’re lying. I had a great career; I get it, but it probably wouldn’t hurt so much if I’d never been so close. Six times in the conference finals, and to only go to the finals once (in 2000). Then later, with Jermaine (O’Neal) and Ron (Artest, now Metta Sandiford-Artest) the year before the brawl (2003-04), I said it in the documentary, I was trying to tell them, do you guys understand, if we win this series over Detroit, we’re gonna win the whole thing. I remember coming to the locker room at halftime (of Game 6) and I was livid; they (O’Neal and Artest) wouldn’t play on the same page. I told them, the Lakers are waiting, but they don’t play defense like us. Sure enough, what happens? Detroit beats them in a gentlemen’s sweep.
So yeah, it hurts, I’m honored to be part of all these lists, but at the end of the day, I want to win.
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