| | San Antonio point guard Avery Johnson, who hit the game-winning shot with 47 seconds left in the Spurs' NBA Championship-clinching game against New York, was guest of ESPN Up Close with host Gary Miller in Los Angeles.
Among other topics, Johnson talked about the criticism he has faced in his career and how the Spurs might have matched up against a Michael Jordan-led Bulls team. Here are excerpts from the interview:
Miller: When you talk about perseverance, you are the embodiment of it. Your picture would be next to the word perseverance, you've been cut a couple of times by San Antonio. You got your first guaranteed contract just about a year ago in July, and you hit the game winning shot (in the Finals against the Knicks). A guy who has been vilified, people saying "this guy can't hit a jumper," how magical is all this? Did it seem like a storybook to you that it's you hitting the jumper?
Johnson: It really has. Just to know the whole process that I've had to take to get to this point, being cut quite a bit, and bouncing around, but a lot of people can get to the top a lot of ways. The Lord chose me to take the route that I've taken. That is why I am so grateful. A lot of guys can play with one team their whole career and maybe or maybe not win a championship. I've had to play with several teams, but that's the route I've had to take and I'm glad because it has developed me into a real solid man and that's what my parents, my wife and my friends like most about me.
Miller: What about that shot? Whenever they mention Avery Johnson people will show that shot. It was perfect, a swish, the form, everything. What was going through your mind when you were left wide open there in the last minute of the game?
Johnson: Well you know, Gary, I think that shot was made the day I met Steve Kerr. The first thing I said to Steve after I welcomed him to the team, I said "Steve, how did you feel when you had to make that big shot against Utah?" And he said, "AJ, the only thing you gotta do is know that you can make it, especially when it's your shot and when you get that opportunity, you gotta just relish it and just salivate over it and just step up to it and knock it down," and I was in that situation and I just tried to step up and make a big shot and Sean (Elliott) gave me a great pass.
Miller: How much did it help the strategies in the earlier rounds against Minnesota and Portland were to leave you open and let you take your shot and you really stepped up.
Johnson: I just think each and every year over the course of the playoffs I felt better and better about playing in playoff game situations, especially in tight situations. Back in '95 we had a relatively good playoff, had a chance to win it, but Houston and Hakeem The Dream knocked us out. And over the course of the other years, Utah has been our teacher. Karl Malone has been a great example to me, even though he is one of the opponents. Just to go out there and be professional and to play hard, so being taught by a lot of different teams and a lot of different individuals have helped us arrive at the point we are now.
Miller: How much does this mean to the city of San Antonio and the organization to get that respect that only a championship can bring?
Johnson: Yeah, you know that's what coach Pop (coach Gregg Popovich) teaches us. It's all about gaining respect and get the respect from each other within our group, and Pop teaches us that all that matters is what we think of ourselves and we want to gain each others' respect. We've learned the hard way over the years -- we had some embarrassing losses in the playoffs that really hurt, and we wanted to just learn from our mistakes and hopefully people will respect the Spurs a little bit more than they have in the past.
Miller: Are there guys that do impressions of you on the team?
Johnson: Yes. Antonio Daniels. He's the best, he does a terrific Avery Johnson impression. A couple of guys from time to try and imitate me but that's the way we have fun.. We're team that gets along really well and we spend a lot of time with each other off the court and behind the scenes.. Mario (Elie) and I, we watch every game that comes on during the regular season all night long on the phone scouting teams.
Miller: How much concern is there that Tim Duncan may not be around with the team after next season?
Johnson: Well, I think Tim is going to stay with San Antonio. Naturally there is a little concern because right now you're talking about the best player in the NBA who is only 24 years old, who is going to continue to get better, because he's tapped in the secret of something really simple. Listening! And he really works on his game. And he is fundamentally sound. He's really tapped into the secrets of success. He has tremendous improvement that's he's going to continue to make in his game and I don't think San Antonio is going to let him get away.
Miller: How were the emotions flowing between you and David Robinson, for him to finally get over the "soft player" title.
Johnson: What can I say. He's a guy that's been behind me my whole career from day one. We have a great relationship, not a good relationship. David is one of the guys I get on a lot because I really expect a lot from David and I've expected a lot from David from the first day I met him. But he expects a lot from me. He gets on me a lot behind the scenes. I always said that he thought I was one of the best point guards in the league even before I believed it. He's my friend, he'll always be my friend. The only time he's not my friend is when he's not really scoring or rebounding like I think he should (Johnson laughs).
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