Terry Pluto > Quotes

“The ABA was like basketball’s Wild West, and Julius Erving, George Gervin, James Silas and all the other ABA stars were the gunfighters. They are men of legend known to millions, but whose actual deeds were seen by few.”
― Terry Pluto, Loose Balls: The Short, Wild Life of the American Basketball Association

“Right after we signed {George} Gervin, I took him to one of our games and he sat in the stands next to me. After it was over, we walked down to the court. George was wearing a T-shirt, jeans and tennis shoes. He said, 'Why don't they use the 3-point shot more?'

I said, 'Coach [Al] Bianchi doesn't think it's a good percentage shot unless we're behind at the end of the game.'

George said, 'Suppose you could make 15-of-20.'

I said, 'George, that's a really long shot.'

He said, 'But say you could make 15-of-20.'

I said, 'Then Al would probably change his mind.'

The game had been over for a while and the lights were dimmed. It wasn't dark, but it wasn't easy to see the rim, either. George wanted a ball and someone threw him one. He went behind the 3-point line and starting shooting. He took shot after shot and swish after swish.

Then he said 'That's 18 out of 20.'

I said, 'Hey George, let's go make sure that the ink is dry on your contract.'

-Johnny Kerr”
― Terry Pluto, Loose Balls: The Short, Wild Life of the American Basketball Association