Clyde says success isn't accidental

MANILA, Philippines - Basketball legend Clyde Drexler said recently it took a lot of hard work to develop the leaping ability that became his trademark in a 15-year NBA career and ruled out genetics as the factor in evolving his legendary 44-inch vertical jump.

Known as “The Glide,” Drexler was in Manila for six days last week to promote an interactive fan platform called the NBA Madness, featuring basketball clinics, games and fun events. He flew in alone from Houston, his hometown, and left last Sunday. Dancers from the Orlando Magic and the Portland Trail Blazers also participated in the activity.

“It’s all about leg strength,” said Drexler in an exclusive interview with The Star. “I could write a book about leg strength and how to build it up. That gave me my elevation. My ability to dunk was made easy by my big hands because I could palm the ball. It had nothing to do with genetics. My brother, who’s six feet tall, couldn’t jump over a phone book. It’s a lot of hard work – like seven hours a day in the gym. My secret to success on and off the court? Luck, preparation, good intentions and doing the right thing. There are no short-cuts to success.”

Drexler, 49, had a rude introduction to basketball when, shifting from baseball in junior high school, he was cut in varsity tryouts. But he didn’t lose heart. “In every profession, you’ve got to learn your craft and that’s exactly what I did,” the 6-7 star noted. “It’s either you want it or you don’t. I was determined to be the best basketball player I could be. I went on to be named one of the 50 greatest basketball players ever and that’s a tremendous honor.”

There were ups and downs in Drexler’s basketball career, both in college and in the pros. Twice, he played on the University of Houston team that went to the NCAA Final Four only to be waylaid by North Carolina and North Carolina State. Twice, he advanced to the NBA Finals with the Trail Blazers only to be ambushed by Detroit and Chicago. Then, in 1995, Drexler made it to the top, joining collegiate teammate Hakeem Olajuwon, Robert Horry, Mario Elie, Sam Cassell and Kenny Smith on the Houston Rockets team that swept Orlando in the NBA Finals.

“When you get that close to the championship and don’t make it, you can’t give up,” said Drexler. “You work harder, you get more motivated until you get the job done.” That was Drexler’s advice to the Smart Gilas team that recently barged into the semifinals of the FIBA-Asia Championships and later lost a heartbreaker in the battle for bronze.

Drexler said he’d heard about the Philippines from former collegiate teammates who played in the PBA – Michael Young, Rob Williams and Tim Breaux. “They had only good things to say about the Philippines and the wonderful Filipino people,” he said. “Michael was my college roommate and I brought him in as an assistant coach with the University of Houston when I started coaching in 1998-99. He’s still with the varsity. Michael always spoke about how passionate the Filipino fans were in their love for the game.”

Drexler said when he was invited to visit the Philippines, there was no hesitation to fly over. “There’s no other stop in this trip,” he mentioned. “I’ve been all over the world promoting the wellness of the NBA, getting the fans involved in the league. I’ve been to China, Australia, New Zealand, France, Japan, England and many other countries. Everyone wants to be a part of the NBA and the NBA wants everyone to be a part of it. I think the NBA Madness is a great opportunity to connect with the fans. The NBA also has the phenomenal NBA Cares program which touches the lives of kids, teaching them values and good habits like reading.”

Drexler said winning the Olympic gold medal in 1992 and the NBA title in 1995 was unforgettable. “With the NBA title, it was like doing your job as a pro,” he said. “With the Olympic championship, it was doing it for the country. In the Olympics, I played with guys I went up against in the NBA like Michael Jordan. I’d played against him nine years before we teamed up in the Olympics. Anywhere you play, it doesn’t matter whom you’re up against. You just play your game and do what you have to do.”

Drexler said now that his children are grown up, he’s open to pursue a coaching opportunity. He gave up coaching varsity basketball after two years in 2000 to spend more quality time with his family.

“I’d like to coach in the NBA,” said Drexler, one of only three NBA players in history to compile 20,000 points, 6,000 rebounds and 6,000 assists (the others are Oscar Robertson and John Havlicek). “I think it’s a myth that good players can’t be good coaches because they supposedly expect too much from their players. When you’re at war, you’d rather fight with a general who’s got experience than a general who learned from books. Experience makes a big difference. I’ve played for different coaches but I learned the most from Jack Ramsay at Portland. I remember playing for a coach who never played at a high level. We played four games in five nights then he called for practice. We were burned out. That kind of insensitivity is because of lack of experience in playing the game.”

Drexler, inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2004, delivered sage advice in his parting shot: “Don’t be afraid to pursue your dreams … I grew up with a dream; if you work hard and do it right, good things will happen.”