I shared this story with Chad Finn while arguing about a different matter. He quite liked it.
So here it goes.
I was practice squad guy with an NBA affiliate summer league in the early 90s. The league abandoned its Canadian content rule before the season started or I probably play a bit, but this is about John Bagley, not me.
All these guys had been to NBA camps, most had at least preseaon NBA expereince, and all had hopes of returning. The reason to have extra guys like me around was guys were getting flown in to NBA teams for workouts, and the league existed as a place for NBA teams to scout. So these guys were always talking about the NBA. Many, many conversations revolved around how good NBA guys really were. Guys who had played against legends certainly shared their stories, Bird playing left handed until the rookies camp guys were cut loose, etc. But, most of the the talk was about guys who did not deserve to be in teh league guys that were "trash." Guys were always hoping to get calls to teams with a need. For example the shooting guard who got a bulls workout, hoped it would open eyes, but, yeah the Bulls had good players at 2. So Joh Bagley was near the end of his NBa career withj the Cs. He was the bashed endlessly. He was short, fat, slow, not a shooter, and only on the Cs because he went to Boston College, etc. We would watch games in the lockerroom, or a guys houses, and Bagley always got catcalls "fat bitch" "club foot midget" were among the cleaner more PC things said.
One guy who had played against Bagley said the most sought after adjective, Bagley was "tough". "Y'all never played the man, Bagley's tough." He would shake his head and walk out.
So one of the best guys is having a great summer and he gets the call, Celtics workout. He is being treated like he won the lottery. Some of the less sensible guys were talking about which car to buy, and that he should dump his current girlfriend and get an NBA sweety. The player, was not one of the best in the league by being an idiot, was stoic and focused. he had worked a long time for this chance. But the guys were mostly just happy for a guy a with such a great opportunity. He left amid promises to kick Bagley's ass. While he was gone guys were joking they were going to pool their money and buy John Bagley's house. They knew I was a Sox, Celtics fan, and suggested I pitch in go watch games in the summer.
Three days later the guy comes back.
“Yo was Bagley there?”
‘Yes Mr. Bagley was there.”
“Did you kick his fat little ass?”
“Mr. Bagley played very well.”
“What’s this Mr. Bagley shit?”
“When a man kicks your ass that badly, you pay respect, and call him mister.”
So here it goes.
I was practice squad guy with an NBA affiliate summer league in the early 90s. The league abandoned its Canadian content rule before the season started or I probably play a bit, but this is about John Bagley, not me.
All these guys had been to NBA camps, most had at least preseaon NBA expereince, and all had hopes of returning. The reason to have extra guys like me around was guys were getting flown in to NBA teams for workouts, and the league existed as a place for NBA teams to scout. So these guys were always talking about the NBA. Many, many conversations revolved around how good NBA guys really were. Guys who had played against legends certainly shared their stories, Bird playing left handed until the rookies camp guys were cut loose, etc. But, most of the the talk was about guys who did not deserve to be in teh league guys that were "trash." Guys were always hoping to get calls to teams with a need. For example the shooting guard who got a bulls workout, hoped it would open eyes, but, yeah the Bulls had good players at 2. So Joh Bagley was near the end of his NBa career withj the Cs. He was the bashed endlessly. He was short, fat, slow, not a shooter, and only on the Cs because he went to Boston College, etc. We would watch games in the lockerroom, or a guys houses, and Bagley always got catcalls "fat bitch" "club foot midget" were among the cleaner more PC things said.
One guy who had played against Bagley said the most sought after adjective, Bagley was "tough". "Y'all never played the man, Bagley's tough." He would shake his head and walk out.
So one of the best guys is having a great summer and he gets the call, Celtics workout. He is being treated like he won the lottery. Some of the less sensible guys were talking about which car to buy, and that he should dump his current girlfriend and get an NBA sweety. The player, was not one of the best in the league by being an idiot, was stoic and focused. he had worked a long time for this chance. But the guys were mostly just happy for a guy a with such a great opportunity. He left amid promises to kick Bagley's ass. While he was gone guys were joking they were going to pool their money and buy John Bagley's house. They knew I was a Sox, Celtics fan, and suggested I pitch in go watch games in the summer.
Three days later the guy comes back.
“Yo was Bagley there?”
‘Yes Mr. Bagley was there.”
“Did you kick his fat little ass?”
“Mr. Bagley played very well.”
“What’s this Mr. Bagley shit?”
“When a man kicks your ass that badly, you pay respect, and call him mister.”