Getty NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 23: Kevin Durant #7 of the Brooklyn Nets reacts during the second half of their game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Barclays Center on October 23, 2019 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
Kevin Durant a two-time NBA Champion,two-time NBA Finals Most Valuable Player, ten-time NBA All-Star and the league’s regular season MVP back in 2014.
He’s a beast and has the respect of NBA legends already.
Just ask Kareem Abdul-Jabbar who recently indicated that if he’d played in this era of NBA baketball, he’d love to have teamed with KD because of his ability to draw the double team.
Appearing on the Scoop B Radio Podcast, I asked Nets legend, Kenny Anderson how Durant would fare in the 90s era of basketball.
We also discussed the NBA lockout from the 90s and his role as head coach at Fisk University.
Check out a snippet from our dialogue below:
Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: Kenny Anderson is the head coach at Fisk University Basketball on the line…you talk about working out and getting on the track – I got a question and you are more than qualified to answer this, quite sure… with the current state of the NBA. Does this coronavirus (COVID-19) and this stoppage remind you of the first lockout back in the 90’s?
Kenny Anderson: A little bit. Now you’re just dealing with – we’re not dealing with, so much basketball, we’re dealing with life in general. You know, your family and stuff like that. You gotta pause and check it out. It’s not just sports, it’s everything that life is about and we have to take it serious.
Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: Your school Fisk University shut down. What kind of things are you doing? Is it a text message exchanging with the team? How do you keep the guys motivated and moving?
Kenny Anderson: So right now I’m talking to each of them over the phone and we’re going to do Zoom once a week, and try to reach out – phone conferences of that nature to see if these guys are working out. You can always work out on your body and things like that at home and get things squared away with your body. And my trainer is putting something together for them also.
New Jersey Nets Chris Morris (L) and Kenny Anderson (R) fight for the ball with Cedric Ceballos of the Los Angeles Lakers (C) during their 25 January 1995 game in Los Angeles. Ceballos scored 33 points as the Lakers defeated the Nets in overtime 120-116. (COLOR KEY: Lakers wear yellow.). AFP PHOTO (Photo by VINCE BUCCI / AFP) (Photo credit should read VINCE BUCCI/AFP via Getty Images)
Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: That’s awesome. That’s awesome. I want to circle back. We talked about the lockout and I remember that as clear as day. You guys were sometimes doing a back-to-back-to back games back then. What were the conversations like during the lockout with players like – were people hanging out? What were the conversations like back in the 90’s during the lockout?
Kenny Anderson: Personally I thought you know, I thought I could handle it. But I knew it just couldn’t be that way. I had to work out extremely hard and I didn’t and I paid for it with hamstring problems and things of that nature. And just working out man, it was tough – it was tough on the body, getting back into shape after the strike…it can real trying for you if you don’t know that it’s coming and eating and everything has to be on point. If it’s not, then it’s really – the two teams and the guys that handled it best was the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks because they were in the championship at that time! They handled it pretty well.
Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: Yeah! Yeah. Avery Johnson hit that big time shot against Latrell Srpeewell and Marcus Camby and lived their best life on that Knicks squad. Kenny Anderson 1994 NBA All-Star on the line with the Scoop B Radio podcast – New York City basketball legend, Georgia Tech legend talking everything basketball…Kenny, when you look at the Nets, you and I spoke during the offseason when Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving signed with the team. Kevin Durant chose your #7 the number you wore with the Nets in New Jersey. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar recently said that if he had to play in this era of basketball, he would love to play with Kevin Durant because he draws the double team and so did Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the post. If KD played in your era in the 90’s, what would that look like?
Kenny Anderson: I think it would be the same for him. He’s a talented player that can score, put the ball on the floor and he’s 7 feet tall so he’s multiple – he’s so talented man. He can pass, he can shoot, he can lay it up…he can do it all. He’s one of those ‘diamonds in the roughs.’ He’s a great player.