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Nets Talk With Kenny Anderson

Jan 24, 2014

KA
Stage· 92 messages
Jan 24, 2014

NetsDaily.com presents a live chat with former New Jersey Nets point guard and NBA All-Star Kenny Anderson.

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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:00 PM

Hey everyone, welcome to our first tawk! We're really excited to have Kenny Anderson with us.
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:01 PM

Feel free to ask some questions and we'll get the conversation started.
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Kenny Anderson · 4:03 PM

Hi everyone! I'm on!
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:03 PM

Thanks so much for doing this Kenny!
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:03 PM

★ Spotlighted from Luther Clark

“Chibbs what up”

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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:04 PM

★ Spotlighted from CPT Spades

“Hey Kenny, thanks for doing this”

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Kenny Anderson · 4:04 PM

No problem. Anything for the Nets. Its where it all started
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Kenny Anderson · 4:04 PM

Hey Luther Hope your doing well
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:05 PM

Well, let's start with that. We know you started your career with the Nets. Can you tell us what it was like when you were drafted by the Nets. How were you feeling that day?
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Kenny Anderson · 4:06 PM

On draft night 1991 was a very exciting moment. Wasn't sure if i was going to the Sacramento Kings because they had the 3rd pick or to the New Jersey Nets. I was happy that the Nets drafted me so I could be home in the metropolitan area with my
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Kenny Anderson · 4:06 PM

family and friends because Im from Queens, NY
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:06 PM

★ Spotlighted from Francisco F.

“How frustraded were you your rookie year with lack of PT? Bill Fitch drove me crazy!”

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Kenny Anderson · 4:07 PM

I was very frustrated. But I had a good supporting cast being that I was home, They kept me level headed and I waited my turn.
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:08 PM

We talk these days about "Big Three" -- like LeBron, Wade and Bosh in Miami. But how good do you think the three of you, Derrick Coleman and Drazen Pertovic could have been?
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Kenny Anderson · 4:09 PM

Aw man! We were pretty good! Just too bad that Drazen passed away early. I always wonder what could have been.
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:09 PM

★ Spotlighted from John Lindgren

“What is your opinion on the Nets moving from Jersey to NYC?”

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Kenny Anderson · 4:10 PM

I think its great being that Im from NY and that I a big basketball fan. Now we have two NBA teams in one city. I think its awesome for the NBA fans. I feel that NY is the mecca of basketball.
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:11 PM

★ Spotlighted from Francisco F.

“What's the biggest obstacle you overcame to make it to the NBA?”

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Kenny Anderson · 4:11 PM

So many. Thats a tough one. I was just blessed to make it to the NBA so that I could take care of my mother. That was my motivation.
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:12 PM

★ Spotlighted from jason masterson

“Whats your favorite derrick coleman story?”

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Kenny Anderson · 4:12 PM

My favorite Derrick Coleman story is when they implemented a dress code on the team. And Derrick came on the bus and gave them a blank check.
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:13 PM

Haha. That's great!
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:13 PM

How was playing with DC? You two seemed to have a good connection on the basketball court -- did he make things easier for you as a PG?
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Kenny Anderson · 4:14 PM

Oh yeah..He was one of the best players that I ever played with. Very talented and could do so many things on the basketball court. Made my job a lot easier.
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:14 PM

★ Spotlighted from Dezhaun Thomas

“hello Kenny how was it like playing against michael Jordan?”

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Kenny Anderson · 4:15 PM

It was an honor. It was great. I always got up for playing against the Chicago Bulls because I knew we would have a sell out crowd.
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:16 PM

What do you think of the job Jason Kidd is doing as the Nets head coach?
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Kenny Anderson · 4:17 PM

It took a little while.. He is a work in progress, but he is starting to get it. The Nets are playing very good basketball right now. I am happy to see that he got that opportunity.
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Kenny Anderson · 4:18 PM

It was very hard. It was something new. You have so many responsibilities, but all you want to do is play basketball, do your job. You have to have the right foundation so that you can be successful on and off the court.
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:18 PM

★ Spotlighted from D V

“QUEENS STAND UP! Hey Chibbs... glad you're doing relatively well, brother. I know you have a handful of projects... what are you most excited about?”

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Kenny Anderson · 4:20 PM

HEY I have just been casted on The Wakeup Call with the Rock Johnson on TNT. I am so excited about that. I am also excited about my book and my documentary coming out soon. Lots going on!
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:20 PM

★ Spotlighted from jason masterson

“Who was the 1 guy you owned in the NBA and the 1 guy who gave you fits?”

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Kenny Anderson · 4:20 PM

i don't know who i owned. You would have to look at the numbers. But the guy that gave me the most fits was Kevin Johnson from the Phoenix Suns.
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:21 PM

Is there a point guard in the NBA today who you like watching, or who you think has a game similar to yours?
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Kenny Anderson · 4:22 PM

I like watching Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, Deron Williams, Brandon Jennings. So many young good point guards now a day. The NBA is really big right now.
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Kenny Anderson · 4:23 PM

I think Brandon Jennings reminds me of me when I am watching him
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:23 PM

It does seem to be a point guard heavy league, with so many talented PGs.
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:23 PM

★ Spotlighted from jason masterson

“what are your thoughts on Deron Williams volunteering to come off the bench after returning from injury/”

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Kenny Anderson · 4:24 PM

Oh thats great! Its the sign of a leader.
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:24 PM

★ Spotlighted from Starbury Captian Jack

“What is one thing you would change during your NJ tenure? Any regrets that still bother you?”

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Kenny Anderson · 4:25 PM

I don't have too many regrets. I would like to think of the happy moments. I was blessed to be drafted by them.
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:25 PM

★ Spotlighted from GlueGuy GlueGuy

“Any personal stories of the late, great Drazen Petrovic?”

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Kenny Anderson · 4:26 PM

Drazen didn't like to take too many showers, because he said his opponents would stay away from him if he smelled bad.
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:26 PM

That is great! Was Drazen the best pure shooter you played with?
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Kenny Anderson · 4:27 PM

Oh Wow. Yes he has to be one of them. I played with Dennis Scott, Reggie Miller, Glen Rice, Del Curry . So I played with many great shooters.
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:28 PM

★ Spotlighted from Starbury Captian Jack

“What was it like learning from Chuck Daly? Where do you rank him as best coaches all time, past and current?”

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Kenny Anderson · 4:28 PM

Chuck Daly was my best NBA coach that I played for. I played for some very good coaches.
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:29 PM

We've heard Kobe Bryant say that the NBA is much less physical today than it was years back. Do you think that's the case? Has it become less physical?
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Kenny Anderson · 4:30 PM

YES! so true. It was very very physical in the late 80's and early 90's. They had to change the rules. Guys were getting into fights and brawls every night. It is a little soft nowadays.
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:30 PM

That's the hand-checking and rule changes, right? You think those have contributed to softening the game?
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Kenny Anderson · 4:31 PM

Yes definitely. How are you going to try to keep a quick guard in front of you without hand-checking a little bit
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:32 PM

For sure. And that was one of the changes David Stern made in his 30 years as commissioner. Overall, how do you think David Stern has fared as commissioner?
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:32 PM

He is retiring February 1st
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Kenny Anderson · 4:33 PM

David Stern has been a great commissioner for the NBA for 30 years. Im proud to have been a part of it while he was the commissioner. I have hanging in my office a picture of me and him on draft night.
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:33 PM

★ Spotlighted from GlueGuy GlueGuy

“Who was the hardest working player, during your Nets tenure?”

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Kenny Anderson · 4:34 PM

PJ Brown. One of the hardest working players when I was with the Nets.
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:34 PM

★ Spotlighted from Chris L

“Kenny, why do you think the Nets couldn't make it in New Jersey? Why do you think the state couldn't generate enough fan support for the team?”

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Kenny Anderson · 4:35 PM

I really believe its the location of the arena. We had some good teams there.. My era, Jason Kidds era- they won 2 eastern conf championships. I really can't put my fingers on why they couldn't do more.
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:36 PM

★ Spotlighted from Luther Clark

“Chibbs, What are your thoughts with only 5 or 6 true centers in the NBA.”

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Kenny Anderson · 4:37 PM

Game is changed a lot over the years. They are going with the athletic 4's and there are not too many true centers in the league nowadays. My favorite center in the league now is Brook Lopez.
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:37 PM

★ Spotlighted from Andrei Berman

“Do you remain in close contact with Bobby Cremmins? Also, what made Cremmins so successful with landing great guards while at GA Tech (you, Price, Travis Best)”

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Kenny Anderson · 4:38 PM

Yes I stay in touch with Coach Cremins often. I am going to see him the first week in February down at GT
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Kenny Anderson · 4:38 PM

I recruited all of his guards for him .. Thats why!
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:39 PM

Haha. And a great job you did there!
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:39 PM

★ Spotlighted from CPT Spades

“Kenny--with the Knicks and Nets how they are, with their ownership situations, can you see the Nets overtaking the Knicks as the city's main team?”

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Kenny Anderson · 4:40 PM

I can see as far as the best team in the city.. the Nets could be. But for fan base there is so much tradition with Knicks, the fans, the face of NY will be the Knicks.
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:40 PM

★ Spotlighted from Steven LaSala

“What was the highlight of your North Korea trip?”

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Kenny Anderson · 4:41 PM

getting home to be back with my family..
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:41 PM

★ Spotlighted from Dezhaun Thomas

“what would you say is the biggest difference between the time/era you played in the NBA and the way nba is played now/current era”

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Kenny Anderson · 4:42 PM

I think now is a lot of athletic young guys in the league. And of course the rules have changed. Its a little softer now the way you play defense. But the stars , the ambassadors of the league are top heavy.
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:43 PM

So, I suppose I can ask -- and it's a no lose situation -- but if you could choose to play with either LeBron or Kevin Durant, who would you have wanted to play with?
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Kenny Anderson · 4:43 PM

I love both of them. But i would choose Lebron James to play with.
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:44 PM

★ Spotlighted from John Lindgren

“Do you agree with Gary Payton that defense is non-existent in the NBA today and that it is an inferior product from when you guys played in the league?”

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Kenny Anderson · 4:44 PM

The bad teams don't play any defense. But the good teams in the league do play defense.
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:45 PM

It does show, right? There's a reason why the Pacers are so good and it's, for the most part, their defense.
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Kenny Anderson · 4:46 PM

Yes the defense, 5 guys on the five on the Pacers are on a string. And they trust each other.
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:46 PM

★ Spotlighted from Francisco F.

“I know you have kids, do you enjoy teaching them basketball? One of the best bonding experiences with my son is basketball.”

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Kenny Anderson · 4:47 PM

Yes i love teaching kids the game. I have done a lot of clinics and camps for kids. Something that I love doing and i love being in the gym.
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:48 PM

★ Spotlighted from CPT Spades

“Hey Kenny, agree to disagree on the Nets' ceiling in NYC! You came into the league right before the Dream Team and the explosion of intl players. Now there's like 100 intl players on rosters. How did you find that changed the game & its culture?”

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Kenny Anderson · 4:49 PM

The International players in the league would never have made the roster. Some of them. Now they are doing it for global purposes. And the NBA is a big business . I think its doing great for the NBA economically.
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:50 PM

Alright, a couple more, but of course DV has to ask...
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:50 PM

★ Spotlighted from D V

“What happened to your Cowboys? Ha! For real, who you got winning the Super Bowl?”

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Kenny Anderson · 4:51 PM

My Cowboys are killing me .. every year! But i really don't care who wins. I would like to see Peyton Manning win.
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:52 PM

Who were some of the better trash talkers you played against?
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:52 PM

Maybe not "better" but biggest
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Kenny Anderson · 4:53 PM

Gary Payton talked a lot.
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:53 PM

Alright, well, thanks so much for taking the time to answer the fans questions. We know you've got a lot going on -- the book and the documentary. We'll be sure to look out for those.
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:54 PM

And follwow you on Twitter: https://twitter.com/chibbs_1
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Kenny Anderson · 4:54 PM

thank you so much and GO NETS!!
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:54 PM

★ Spotlighted from CPT Spades

“Thanks, Kenny! much appreciated”

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Kenny Anderson · 4:54 PM

Yes I need more followers!
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NetsDaily SB Nation · 4:55 PM

HAha... we'll help ya get there!