Apr 30, 2015; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Was Marques The Original Point Forward Or Was It More Generally A Bucks Contribution?
AM: Last, but my no means least: It’s clear that the term “point forward” emerged from the Bucks teams you were a part of, and you and some of your teammates helped to define the role further. Paul Pressey claims that he was the man the phrase was coined for, while you’ve stated in the past that you coined the phrase yourself in conversation with the coaching staff. Have you any more thoughts on this, or is it just most important of all that it was a Bucks contribution?
MJ: Oh no, I am reminded of it all the time, every time I hear the term. I have a TV production company named Point Forward Productions.
We played the Nets in the playoffs and a bunch of point guards were hurt. During practice before a game in that series, Nellie altered the offense so that I initiated it from the forward position.
As we were walking through it, I nonchalantly observed to Nellie, “So, instead of a point guard, I am a point forward.” Nellie was like, “Hmm. Point forward, I like that. Yeah you’re a Point forward.”
Rick Barry played the position before that with Golden State in ’75. Robert Reid with the Rockets and Johnnie Johnson with the Sonics in the early 80’s. Paul Pressey was a point guard in college so it was very natural for him after I was traded. But I know for a fact that term wasn’t used until I said it.