Interview with Bob Lanier and NBA Senior VP Kathy Behrens
Hall of Famer Bob Lanier averaged 20.1 ppg and 10.1 rpg in his 14 year career, making the All-Star team eight times and winning the All-Star Game MVP in 1974 (24 points, 10 rebounds, 2 blocked shots). Lanier was also the MVP of the 1972 NBA-ABA All-Star Game, scoring 15 points in the NBA's 106-104 victory over its younger rival. In 1978 he won the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship award, foreshadowing the commitment to community service that has characterized his life since his playing career ended in 1984. Before the All-Star Saturday Night events, Lanier and NBA Senior Vice President Kathy Behrens shared their thoughts about some of the NBA's community service programs.
Behrens: "I'll just talk a little bit about what we're doing here in Denver. We started on Monday with our 'Read to Achieve Caravan.' Bob led a group of former players, WNBA players and family members of NBA players out to visit two schools here and had a great time. We had reading rallies in both schools, reading to kids and talking about the importance of education. We did 'basketball and books' clinics the next day with some members of the Junior NBA and Junior WNBA programs. We had a WNBA fitness day on Wednesday. We did a basketball clinic for wheelchair bound kids who are part of the 'Junior Rolling Nuggets' program. On Thursday we visited the Children's Hospital of Denver and brought them books, teddy bears-beautiful visit with them, very emotional, very moving, more for our guys than for anybody else."
Lanier: "Yeah, all of the people who went there got just emotionally choked up. I think that's a good word for it, because there are so many children and families who are going through very difficult times and we went there to lift their spirits and then you see some of these kids who are so passionate about life itself. It makes you just say that it's all worth it. That to me-with the legends, NBA players, WNBA players, wives and all of the people in our NBA family caravan-was probably the most special thing that we can do for this week. We do a lot of great things in the community, as she said, but I don't think that anything could top that-putting a smile on those young people's faces."
Friedman: "How many schools a year, approximately, do you go to in a year with your program?"
Lanier: "We go to schools, community groups, gymnasiums..."
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