Aug. 11, 2011
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Matt Steinmetz
CSNBayArea.com
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Former Warrior Chris Mullin will be enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday in Springfield, Mass. During the course of his brilliant high school, college and 16-year NBA career, Mullin impressed a lot of people along the way.Here's some of what was said about Mullin over the years:"He plays the game the way I like to see it played. He has good statistics, but they could be much better if he didn't play such an all-around team game. That's what it's all about on the basketball court or in the home." --the late John Wooden, UCLA coach and Hall of Fame inductee as a player (1960) and coach (1970).
"You can't describe him. He scores 30 points a night and you wonder how. I know I'm playing good defense and he's still scoring. People don't want to give him credit because he doesn't have great speed, but he has enough ability to get open." --Dennis Rodman, 10-time member of NBA All-Defensive Team and also a member of the 2011 Hall of Fame class."When God made basketball and said 'OK, I'm going to make a basketball player,' he just carved Chris Mullin out and said 'This is a player.' And he is. I really respect Chris so much. He's in that class. The class of guys who get my respect is hard to get into. I'm talking about guys -- well, I hate playing against them. He's just a great basketball player." --Magic Johnson, 2002 Hall of Fame inductee."He has such great hands in all phases of the game -- shooting, dribbling, passing. I don't know if savvy is the right word. It's just his presence. I really don't think anybody else is as comfortable on the basketball court." --John Stockton, 2009."If we didn't give him the key, he would have snuck in (to the gym)." -- Lou Carnesecca, Mullin's coach at St. John's and 1992 Hall of Fame inductee."It was hilarious. Chris was the only white guy on the team, and we'd be going out against the best competition in the United States, and Chris would be going out there getting his 35 points, winning all the MVP trophies. Ten brothers and Chris, going all over the place and it worked out great. He's a special player --Mario Elie, teammate at Power Memorial High School and the Warriors."People talk about hard work and dedication, but they don't really understand. Chris works like nobody works. He is dedicated like no one is dedicated. And now he's become a once-in-a-lifetime player. I think he's a lefty Larry Bird. You know, people have their Oscar's (Robertson) and Bill Bradley's and now St. John's has Chris Mullin. I don't expect we'll ever have another one like him." --Brian Mahoney, former St. John's assistant coach."Chris has a reason to throw his chest out but he doesn't. I really respect him for that. We talk and laugh. Sometimes he can't understand me, but he never shows that he's above me. I like that --former teammate Sarunas Marciulionis."The rap against Mullin is that he's too slow. If that's true, isn't it funny how nobody can guard him, that he can get off a shot -- whether from the outside or the post area, against any defender. When he misses an open shot, it's cause for surprise. If I had to pick one guy to attempt the last shot with the game on the line, Mullin would be my choice." -- Doug Collins, former player and current coach of the Philadelphia 76ers and 2009 Hall of Fame inductee.