This week Steve Serby goes one-on-one with Knicks president Isiah Thomas.
Q: What do you want New Yorkers to say about your Knicks team?
A: A) We leave it on the floor every night, heart and soul; and B) we entertain you and give you a show.
Q: What do you remember about the ’69 Knicks?
A: I would say that’s probably the smartest basketball team ever. I remember the way they passed, the way they moved, the way they cut. When you look at what many of them went on to do as men outside of basketball, I think it backs me up in terms of them being the smartest team to ever play.
Q: Can you use the Red Sox as an example to your team that anything is possible?
A: I don’t use anything positive from Boston (laugh). I had wars with the Celtics, and now that I’m in New York I am down with the New Yorkers.
Q: Did you hate the Celtics?
A: Yes I did. But I respected them, and I learned a lot from them.
Q: What did you learn?
A: How to win.
Q: You hated the Lakers, too, right?
A: Most definitely. I learned a lot from them, too (laugh).
Q: Did you hate anyone in a different-colored uniform?
A: If you weren’t on my team, you were strictly the enemy.
Q: How many Knicks do you have right now who think that way?
A: I’m a different kind of guy probably than most guys, so I don’t know. I can’t say.
Q: How far are the Knicks from a championship?
A: I don’t think you ever know the answer to that question. That’s what makes sports so compelling.
Q: Phil Jackson sounds like he might want to coach your team someday.
A: I can’t imagine that there’s a coach out there anywhere who wouldn’t want to coach the New York Knicks. It’s the premier job.
Q: Your all-time starting five?
A: Magic; Jordan; Bird; McHale; Kareem.
Q: What do you remember about your first game at the Garden?
A: I don’t remember if we won or lost, but I know I was afraid.
Q: Your definition of mental toughness?
A: Having the strength, courage and concentration to stick to your plan.
Q: Coaches in other sports you admire?
A: Bill Walsh, [Bill] Belichick; in basketball, Bob Knight, Chuck Daly and Lenny Wilkens.
Q: Why Belichick?
A: I’m just fascinated right now at his ability to win and keep his team motivated and focused on winning a single game. The most impressive thing to me is every Sunday, when they lace ’em up, they go out with the singular purpose of winning that one game.
Q: Owners in other sports you admire?
A: Jerry Jones; Steinbrenner; James Dolan.
Q: What do you admire about Steinbrenner?
A: His tenacity to go for it; there’s no mistake about what he’s trying to do. He’s trying to win it all every single time.
Q: What do you remember about the day Magic announced he had AIDS?
A: I remember pulling over on the side of the highway crying, Mark Aguirre and I.
Q: Where were you?
A: In Detroit, coming from practice.
Q: You and the Hoosiers were getting ready for the NCAA title game against North Carolina in 1981 when President Reagan was shot.
A: I was watching “All My Children” with Steve Risley, Randy Wittman, Ted Kitchel and James Thomas, and they said, “We interrupt this program …” I’ll never forget Steve Risley saying, “Oh [bleep], the president’s been shot.”
Q: What did Coach Knight say about it?
A: He addressed it in terms of us saying a prayer for the president. In terms of the game being postponed or cancelled, he always led us to believe the game would be played.
Q: What was it like meeting the first President Bush at the White House?
A: It was awesome, being that close to the most powerful man in the world.
Q: Best piece of advice your mother gave you?
A: Listen, and don’t be afraid to ask.
Q: Your worst Christmas growing up in South Chicago?
A: I was 9 or 10 years old. My mother used to always get toys from goodwill and stuff. I was still believing in Santa Claus and she couldn’t get any toys, and my brothers and everybody told me there was no Santa Claus.
Q: Did you cry?
A: Oh, yeah.
Q: Favorite current athlete?
A: Shaq. I’d just like to be him for a day to dunk on everybody, and hang on the rim and shake it and scream (laugh).
Q: How did you motivate when you coached?
A: Every person was different, that’s what made it so much of a challenge; you had to be able to find that special place in each person to motivate him to bring the best out of him.
Q: Word association: Dennis Rodman.
A: Great teammate.
Q: Bill Laimbeer.
A: The best teammate.
Q: Spike Lee.
A: Brilliant.
Q: Knicks fans.
A: Real.
Q: Kobe Bryant.
A: Great player.
Q: Cabrini-Green Projects.
A: Vice Lords.
Q: If Bobby Knight wasn’t a basketball coach, what would he be?
A: Historian.
Q: The successful businessman whose brain you would want to pick?
A: Warren Buffett.
Q: How would you describe your style of dress?
A: I would say traditional … with a touch of pimp (laugh).
Q: You’re a partner in Dale and Thomas Popcorn on Times Square; how do you like your popcorn?
A: Buttered, and heavy with salt (laugh).
Q: If I was president, I would … ?
A: Fight like hell to keep the nuclear ban. No nukes.
Q: Most embarrassing moment?
A: Making a turnover in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals when Bird stole the ball.
Q: What actor would you want to play you in “The Isiah Thomas Story?”
A: Cuba Gooding.
Q: Favorite movie?
A: “Godfather” I and II.
Q: Favorite actor?
A: Al Pacino and Denzel Washington.
Q: Favorite actress?
A: Nicole Kidman and Halle Berry.
Q: Favorite book?
A: “The Precious Present.”
Q: One person in history you would like to meet?
A: Jesus Christ