Five-time NBA Champion and the winningest coach in NBA history talks about his childhood in East Chicago and Merrillville, growing up hoping to be an East Chicago Washington Senator, his career at Merrillville and the persistence it took after getting cut in high school and college to earn an invite to the 1972 Olympic Team trials.
Early basketball memories in East Chicago
The influence of John Baratto & East Chicago Washington
Moving to Merrillville
Memories of his high school career
Sectional agony (and injury) in 1966
An unrecruited enrollment at Air Force Academy
Drive & motivation - the 1972 Olympic tryouts
The influence of coaches - Hank Egan & Larry Brown
The reputation of basketball in Indiana
The key to the San Antonio Spurs' dynasty