He seems to be solid, but he's a high school kid. "I think this kid is going to be a hell of a player," Auerbach told Carr. Auerbach waxed about Bryant's size and athleticism. Carr raved about Bryant's institutional knowledge of the game. Boldness was no concern.Īuerbach and Carr talked about how well Bryant shot the ball. He punched an opposing team's owner in the mouth, on the court, in a squabble over a referee's call. What's risk to Red? He drafted the NBA's first African-American player, was the first coach to start five black players, the first to hire a black coach. Only a few players had even tried the prep-to-pro jump, namely Moses Malone and Darryl Dawkins in the 1970s, but then the trend went on hold, only starting back up again in 1995 with Kevin Garnett. Bryant was making the leap straight from Lower Merion High School in suburban Philadelphia. He saw the glowing report compiled by the team's scouting director, Rick Weitzman, who declared, "There was nothing the kid couldn't do."īut there was risk. The 6-foot-6 Bryant had wowed the Celtics in his predraft workout, awed them in a sit-down interview that Carr said was the best he had ever seen.Īuerbach had seen footage. Any of these moves would lead a resume in total, they made Auerbach legendary: nine titles as a head coach, six as a general manager, and another as team president, his role when Carr asked for his advice about prospects the Celtics were considering with their top-10 pick in '96, including this guard named Kobe Bryant. Louis in 1956 to obtain the draft rights to Bill Russell, snatched John Havlicek with the last pick in the first round in 1962, drafted Larry Bird as a "junior eligible" in 1978, and orchestrated another lopsided swap that netted the Celtics Robert Parish and Kevin McHale in 1980. There were framed photos, plaques, paintings, plates, citations, trophies, magazine covers, a collage of newspaper clippings from 16 championships, a renowned collection of letter openers, plus maybe two dozen illustrations of the wide-grinned, cigar-chomping architect behind it all, Auerbach, a bona fide institution, who, on the mid-June day that Carr stopped by, sat behind his large wooden desk, on which a sign read, "Think Big." Prior to the draft in 1996, Celtics legend Red Auerbach thought Kobe was going to be a "hell of a player." Greg Forwerck/NBAE/Getty ImagesĪuerbach had a way of thinking big. History covered nearly every inch of real estate along the gray walls of the corner space occupying the fourth floor at 151 Merrimac Street, just a stone's throw from the then-FleetCenter (now-TD Garden). No, Carr says, it was more of a "museum." But this wasn't just any decision and that wasn't just any office. Not every decision merited a visit to Auerbach's office. Red Auerbach had ascended to become the team's president and presiding living legend. CARR served as both head coach and executive vice president/director of basketball operations for the Boston Celtics. "I've never even known that he knew of my existence!"īY 1996, M.L. "That's like the coolest thing I've ever heard, dude, because I grew up watching Red! You know what I'm saying? I read books about Red. He then repeats this message - sparing vulgarity this time - to drive home the point. When it is finished, he calls it "the coolest f-ing story ever - 'cause I haven't heard that story yet." As the story unfolds, Bryant's eyes widen. SITTING ACROSS FROM a reporter in a Denver hotel ballroom recently, Kobe Bryant listens to a story that is nearly two decades old but is new to his ears. The Boston Celtics host the Los Angeles Lakers at 8:30 p.m. Editor's note: This story was originally published on Dec.
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