Milwaukee Bucks: Q&A With Franchise Legend And Broadcaster Marques Johnson
By Adam McGee
What Was It Like To Play For Don Nelson?
AM: The Don Nelson coached Bucks teams you played on were highly influential in revolutionizing the way the game was played on both ends of the floor in the NBA. What was it like to play for him?
MJ: Nellie was in his first full year of coaching during my rookie year. He was learning and so were we.
He approached fresh out of college guys like empty vessels initially, assuming that we didn’t have a clue about “the NBA Way”.
Unbeknownst to him I had learned from playing against great pros all summer at UCLA. Sidney Wicks, Curtis Rowe, Jim Price. Pat Riley taught me a lot when we matched against each other.