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George Gervin wasn't called “The Iceman” for nothing. The San Antonio Spurs icon always played cool under pressure and at his own pace. According to him, some of today's players could learn a thing or two about keeping their cool on the court.
In a recent interview with HoopsHype's Bryan Kalbrosky, George Gervin was asked about the “archetypal” Spurs draft prospect that the franchise targets.
The Spurs legend gave a poignant take on identifying a player's character, both on and off the court. To Gervin, a player must be able to take slights at his basketball character and not let it affect him as if it were a personal affront. He then went on to call out today's generation for letting outside noise affect them much more than the players of NBA's past.
Via HoopsHype:
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“Guys are sensitive. You see it all over the league,” said the Spurs icon. “Somebody will holler at them from the stands. They’ll talk back. When we came up, I wouldn’t give a guy an opportunity to know I recognized what he said. Now all of a sudden, he’s a part of the game. I wouldn’t give him that pleasure. I ain’t that sensitive. Ain’t nothing you can do to me. I think it’s just so important for guys to recognize that. Just don’t touch me. But say what you want to say. I don’t hear you. Because if I hear you, I ain’t focused on the game.”
While the Spurs legend's words weren't directed at anyone in particular, player vs. fan interactions have ramped up the past couple of seasons.
Just the past week, Carmelo Anthony got into it with a couple of fans during the Lakers-Sixers game. While the fan went overboard with his comments, to Gervin letting any words affect you gives the heckler more power than they deserve.
