Hello Steemian. The fact that you opened this post with the intention to read it says that you know enough about the basketball to understand what am I going to say here (Trust me on this, you know enough). Now, free your imagination and let's go:
Imagine the NBA league in the '80 &'90. Probably the toughest era of basketball, with strong, psychical players going to war for every ball, back to back. The era of Bad Boys Pistons with Dennis Rodman leading the league in dirty plays, the era of Shawn Kemp, David Robinson, Hakeem Olajuwon, young Shaq, Gary Payton, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and many more tough guys. The ere when the world saw a couple of the greatest athletes ever in sports.
Now imagine a white guy with 185 cm height and barely 80 kg on the same court with them. Looks funny, does it? Like a kid playing with grown men. Well, that guy not just dominated the game, but he entered the history as
probably the best pure point guard that game of basketball ever had. Top 50 players of ALL TIME. Member of the Hall of Fame. All-time assist and steals leader. The man who played 19 years for the same team - Utah Jazz.
Born in Spokane, Washington (1962.), raised by hard-working parents, John was always trying to be an ordinary guy, in his own hard-working ordinary world. For decades, his father owns a Tavern in Spokane, without any of John's photos in there. When asked why, he answered: 'When John opens his own tavern, then he can put his photos in there'. Maybe that can tell us something more about his upbringing. He was taught to earn everything with his own effort. Gonzaga Prep High School & Gonzaga University had the honor to watch John Stockton play in his early days, where he's set his mark to reach the basketball immortality.
Let's travel back in 1984. We are standing with thousands of the Jazz fans in Salt Palace, and the announcer is informing us that the Utah Jazz select John Stockton, as the 16. pick in the NBA draft. Silence, complete silence, nobody knows about this guy. Nobody knows his potential. Nobody ever imagined that they just witnessed history. After the draft, he asked for all available VHS tapes of the Jazz games. Remember, we are in 1984. and the scouting is still Science Fiction for most of the teams. The result? Upon his arrival at the training camp, he was completely ready for the NBA. Stockton knew every offensive move of every player in the league and every defensive setup. John was supposed to be a backup point guard for the All-star player Ricky Green.
"During the first season, I was expecting to be waived. That's why I came so ready. There was no relaxing for me. I'm probably the player who spent the least amount of money in one season ever, with renting the cheapest possible apartment. I didn't buy anything in it, not even the heating system."
He was the master of the pick n roll game in times when it was a novelty in the league. Later on his career, he will become immortal by perfectly executing every pick with his teammate Karl Malone (The Postman is the second-best all-time scorer with almost 37 000 points!!!). When one of the best pure shooters in the league, Jeff Malone (not related to the mentioned Karl) came to Salt Lake City, Stockton set him aside and talked with him over half an hour about what kind of passes he likes, preferred positions and moves. Jeff once said that he never got a bad pass from John, every time he only needed to shoot the ball. His game has reached perfection.
We will continue this time travel with John Stockton in the second part of the story where I'll talk more about his career in the '90 & the great Utah Jazz team. About Stockton's superpower(s) & may more interesting details from the life and career of this basketball legend.
Let the force be with you, citizens of Steemit.
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