DJ, RIP
In the summer of 1980, I attended basketball camp at the Phoenix Jewish Community Center, run by Suns center Joel Kramer (a rare NBA Jew), and Suns coach John McLeod. One morning, Coach McLeod came into the gym with some news.
"I want you all to know that we traded Paul Westphal last night."
"Awww, maaaaaan," we all said. Paul Westphal was a player we liked because he shot the ball every time it touched his hands. This is the kind of basketball to which a 10-year-old can relate.
"But we traded him for Dennis Johnson," said the coach.
"Yaaaay!" we all said.
Never mind the absurdity of the situation. Can you imagine, for instance, Pat Riley walking into a gym full of grade-schoolers and announcing a trade like he were conducting a press conference? But this was just before the rise of Magic and Bird, when the NBA was still a pretty homely institution. Regardless, Dennis Johnson, DJ, had just come off a championship season with Seattle. Maybe he could figure out how to get the Suns over the hump into the Finals.
Now, as has been widely reported, Dennis Johnson is dead. He never got the Suns into the Finals, but then again, NEITHER HAS ANYONE ELSE. He played inspiring ball for us until the Suns traded him, in one of the worst deals in the history of the NBA, for Rick Robey. It's a shame Coach McLeod wasn't around to announce that trade to me in person. I really would have given him a piece of my mind.
Anyway, Dennis Johnson was a great player. It was a privilege to have cheered him on for three inspiring seasons at Veterans' Memorial Coliseum. He brought much joy to my boyhood. Aloha, DJ.
Comments
Growing up a Boston suburbanite, I watched DJ, Bird, McHale and Parrish do great things on the court throughout the 80s - unlike today, it was with great pride that I considered myself a Celtics fan.
Posted by: Mr. Big Dubya | February 23, 2007 6:04 PM
I remember when that trade happened as well, only I certainly wasn't cheering. Hearing that my hero was being traded for 'Westy,' I was awfully angry. DJ was tough as nails, and Westphal had feathered hair.
Last night I pulled my old green and yellow classic SuperSonic stuffed toy ball down from the mantle and let my 2-year old roll it around in honor of my childhood hero.
My weimarener then stole it and tore it to shreds.
Posted by: drake | February 23, 2007 6:12 PM
I put my wife on a plane this morning to Boston, and we caught the DJ news on the car radio. A more poignant moment than I can tell, because she's going out to basically say goodbye to her father, another "unlikely hero" who's fixin' to die this week. Plenty weird. Even though I'm from Chicago, and had not met my wife yet in the '80s, somehow I still found myself rooting for those Celtic teams that featured Dennis. (Though "featured" is too strong... he was like Don Cheadle or some Best Supporting Actor nominee who everyone roots like hell for.) Defend the perimeter, DJ. Put in a good word with the Big Man for the Suns, and say hi to Richard Nickerson when he gets there.
Posted by: Mark Nielsen | February 24, 2007 5:34 PM
As a Celtic hater, DJ hating went hand in hand. As I, and they, got older, I really learned to respect their games. I can almost say I've become retro Larry, Kevin and DJ fans. Though Danny Ainge will always be the most annoying NBA player ever.
Happy trails DJ.
Posted by: Mitch McDad | February 28, 2007 8:25 PM