Red Auerbach: The Esquire Interview (Part V)

"How the hell are you going to play for the title without Russell?" he answers.

He thinks about it.

Finally, he says, "I'll take Russell, Tom Heinsohn and Satch Sanders at forward, Cousy and Sam Jones at guard, K. C. Jones and Havlicek coming off the bench."

He does not say which of the best NBA teams he is matching up against, but clearly, in his mind, he is thinking about Jordan's Bulls.

"I'll tell you why," he says. "I think Havlicek, out of everybody, could have done the best job on Jordan. He's just as big, and he's faster. That would have been something to see, don't you think?

"I'd like to see that game," Auerbach says.

So we go over the Roster one more time, my all-time team, our all-time team.

At center are Russell, Chamberlain, Abdul-Jabbar.

Guards: Jordan, Magic, Cousy, West, and Robertson.

Forwards: Bird, McHale, Erving, Baylor, Pettit, and Malone.

"Okay," I say, "what's your starting five?"

"I didn't care about starting fives when I coached, and I'm not going to worry about it now."

"Forget starters. Which five guys do you want on the court at the end of the game?"

"Tell me who the other guys are, and then I'll decide how to match up. against them."

Isn't that just like the old man? Cagey to the finish. Waiting to see the other team make the first move. Waiting to light up his victory cigar.

Red Auerbach: The Esquire Interview (Part III)

"What about Cousy versus Isiah Thomas?"

"Cousy," Red Auerbach says. "Isiah had better all-around skills; Cousy was better at making the other guys better. And people forget, he was bigger than Isiah."

The other two guards we settle on are Jerry West and Oscar the Robertson.

"Because if I don't pick them," he says, "I'm nuts. They could have played at any time, for anybody.

"This game wasn't invented five minutes ago," Auerbach says, "despite what the kids think."

"Charles Barkley?" I ask when we get to the forwards.

"No," Red Auerbach says.

"Why not?"

"There were too many times when he didn't have his head in the game."

"He put up some amazing numbers.

"I don't care, I hate that shit."

Red would have Chosen Jordan over Russell

The Esquire Interview (Part II)

The first two names I offer him are Bill Russell and Michael Jordan.

If you were starting a team, I ask him, and could pick only one of them, which one would you take?

There is a long pause, and finally the old man says, "Jordan."

"You'd take Jordan over the guy who won the Celtics thirteen titles?

Another pause.

Red Auerbach: The Esquire Interview (Part I)

Auerbach would select Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain to be on his all-star NBA team. He would not choose Dennis Rodman or Bill Walton. Auerbach evaluates several of the top basketball players in history.

The old man has done it all. Seen it all. All you have to do is ask him.

"Ask me anything that happened in this league," Red Auerbach growls. "Fifty years ago, forty years ago, thirty--I remember it all. Just don't ask me what I had for breakfast."

Red Auerbach: The Esquire Interview (entire interview)

Auerbach would select Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain to be on his all-star NBA team. He would not choose Dennis Rodman or Bill Walton. Auerbach evaluates several of the top basketball players in history.

The old man has done it all. Seen it all. All you have to do is ask him.

"Ask me anything that happened in this league," Red Auerbach growls. "Fifty years ago, forty years ago, thirty--I remember it all. Just don't ask me what I had for breakfast."