I'm too New York, and I was robbed in my second grade.
Dude, who gets robbed at the age of seven?
I.
The robbery took place in old Brooklyn. Don't imagine not having a smoothie shop or anything like that. That was Crown Heights in the early '80s), you know? They're going to rob kids out there, buddy.
Let me recreate the scene. It was gray and dark. It was cold. I'm sending my younger brother and sister to school – I'm a big brother, so it's always me sending them to kindergarten. This morning, I had a few pieces of change in my pocket, so we stayed at the White Castle (for a while.) I remember having enough money to buy five small cheeseburgers and a small fries.
Listen up, buddy. I hadn't eaten the White Castle before elementary school, even if I didn't come to New York. If you didn't eat fries in the parking lot of White Castle before you went to public school, boy, which New York are you from?
Anyway, we bought three hamburgers and headed for school. The bag was steaming hot, oh my god. It's so hot. These little grilled onion burgers – oh my god. You know that scent, right? We can't wait and just want to go to the playground for hamburgers, can we understandably?
We talked as we walked. Life is so beautiful.
I didn't eat the White Castle in elementary school, even if I wasn't a New Yorker.
After that, a person appeared out of nowhere and walked towards us. He looked curiously at our bag.
He was probably saying, "Hey, boy. Is that... White Castle? ”
He pointed to the bag, just like that... It's interesting.
So I held up the bag, confused, and said, "Huh? This bag? ”
He looked at me kindly and said, "Yes, mind if I smell that bag a little?" ”
I was confused. I was seven years old, boy! I thought, smell my bag?
In the moment of my hesitation, the brother directly grabbed the bottom of the bag, snatched it from my hand, and ran away. He hit me with karate kung fu – snap. Boy.
Before I could figure out what was going on, the guy was gone.
Gone with the wind.
The man was robbing a child on Utica Avenue at 8 a.m.
I mean, imagine it. I stood in the middle of the street, still holding the handle of the white castle bag. My stomach grumbled. I was speechless. My younger siblings just looked up at me, tears streaming down their little faces. They cried.
Life's most miserable scene.
My sister said, "I really want to eat those burgers." ”
The snot is all flowing out.
I? I didn't shed a single tear.
I just looked up at the clouds, oh well. I get it. I know what's going on.
Welcome to New York, boy.
Welcome to the world.
"Gaode-Sam Gaode?"
"It's not true."
I've heard people say this all my life. But it's really my official name.
I'm actually Gaud-Sam Gaud second. My father is the original. When I was a kid, he was a member of five percent of the nation. That was the peak of the time. The Black Civil Rights Movement, Malcolm-X, and the Struggle. And he threw himself into it. But these are not the subjects of our article, and I will not dwell on them here, you just need to know that when I was nine years old, he was locked up and my mother moved us from Brooklyn to Harlem.
Harlem is very different. Harlem is a moment of performance.
Brooklyn is all about fighting. I want to be a "man" Randy Savag jumping off the rope. I don't know much about basketball. So I went to Harlem, like a fish out of water. I'm crazy and want to fight people because that's how we play in Brooklyn. Harlem's kids looked at me like crazy people, "Yo, calm down! Don't break my Kangol fisherman hat. ”
Everyone was in the park talking about hip hop and fashion, but I was like a little barbarian. Just want to have a back fall, understand?
The first kid I played well with was the Mason Beta. Mase is like... You know the kind of kid every school has, right? That's the kind of thing, the teacher will say, "Don't act!" You all have to be like The Mase over there. ”
He was the first person to shove a basketball into my hand. I remember he took me to the pitch and I don't know what's going on. I was nervous, but I was fascinated, and that light, that energy, those nicknames, fascinated me.
Grandmaster Rob.
future.
Dancing God.
terminator.
I remember sitting in the trees overlooking Rock Park and watching them play well for hours, and I was mesmerized by it. I don't know "Magic" Johnson, I don't know Larry Bird. I want to be a legend on the streets. In Harlem, you grew up touching the ball. Madison Square Garden? Same city, different planets. Rock Park is our Madison Square Garden.
I mean, you probably don't believe it, but when I was 13 years old, the PE teacher always looked at me unfavorably. At that time, I was also a little famous on the street. So I would play crazy tricks with my friends in gym class, always angering the pedi teacher. He's old school. He always wanted to teach me to pass the ball with a neat hit, but I didn't listen.
So that day, he gave me a lesson and said, "Boy, you don't understand real basketball. Take those flowers and go away. ”
Of course, I was young and arrogant. So I turned around and said, "Say what, old man?" You don't know what you're saying. You're nothing more than a waste PE teacher. ”
A chorus of "Oh oh oh!!" Sound.
I'm in trouble. Anyway. A few weeks later I got a roll of VHS tapes. That's a highlight of the NBA's best guards — Kevin Johnson, Jason Kidd, Isaiah Thomas. This is my affiliate entry. In the middle of the tape they have a section that is the old star. I'm someone like "Pistol" Pete (Malawich), Earl Monroe, and I've never heard of anyone.
I was sitting there watching, and suddenly a man named "Dwarf" (Nate) Archibald appeared. Tubular socks. shorts. He's pretty good.
I just wanted to. And so on. No... No. ”
I rewind.
I thought, "This person looks like... No. ”
I rewinded it 20 times.
Finally, I thought to myself. "This dude looks like my PE teacher."
The next day, I was in physical education class, and I kept looking at this Mr. Archibald and thought... Is it him? No, buddy. No way.
I squinted. I looked closely at his hairline. Finally, I plucked up the courage to step forward and say, "Hey, Mr. Archibald, it sounds like nonsense... But have you ever played for the Celtics? ”
He just said, "Yes."
I was completely confused. I said "Oh my God, are you 'dwarf' Archibald?" You're on my videotape! Why don't you say something? ”
He looked at me calmly, like Master Yoda. He said, "Now you're willing to listen to me, right?" Nate Archibald, who played in the NBA for 14 years, was inducted into the NBA's 50 Superstars and Basketball Hall of Fame for the Cincinnati Royals and Kings of Kansas-Omaha (the predecessor of the Kings, who played in the 1970-76 season) and the Boston Celtics (1978-83, who won the championship with the team). According to online sources, he worked as a physical health teacher at Public School 175 in Harlem in the 90s. ）
I said, "Of course. ”
I'll explain it to you again – to young fans – just play with you in your 8th grade PE class, and the next day you say to the teacher, "Yo, Mr. Paul!" Are you really that Chris Paul? ”
Mr. Paul said, "Yes. ”
After that, archibald the "dwarf" changed my life. He taught me to pay attention to possession because in his wise eyes: "If you can dribble, you can always find a job." ”
After that, I dribbled for about six hours a day — without blowing. I carry the ball everywhere I go. It's like an extension of my body. My buddies would pass the park on their way to the street and I would say, "I'll keep up later." ”
I would tie a weight around my wrist and dribble alone outside. I can't even shoot. Just dribble on point. I'm like Nutso in Over The Rim (1994).
I mean, at two o'clock in the morning, my friend would come back from lying down, and I was still under that street lamp. This street lamp casts my shadow perfectly on the sidewalk. Crisp and crisp. That's the one who's defending me. My nemesis.
This summer, my technique became so good that I believed I could shake my shadow down. No blowing. When I said I believed I could do it, I was convinced. I spent about 10,000 hours training until I shook my shadow.
Sam Gaud was born. Not at Providence University. Not in the Great East Division Championship. Sam Gaude was born on the streets.
Everyone knows the legend of the change of direction, but if you're a New Yorker, you know I'll be an adult around 15. Ask Tyrone Lou! He'll tell you.
A few months ago, we met at the NBA campus, and we met before the game, and a few people stood on the side — a few Clippers, a few lone rangers. Tyrone was joking with them. He pointed at me and said, "Hey, you all want to hear me talk about Iverson?" See this one? We played a game with Sam in high school that would, and we felt like he was an alien. He changed direction and shook us all around. He went this way, and all five of us guarded that side. ”
I shook the whole team in Tyronelu. Bye bye! Hahaha.
In high school, I gradually became a local legend. Street celebrities, to put it this way. You have to know how hot the basketball circle in New York City was back then. My opponents are Stephen Marbury, Jumping Soul (Alstom), Black Widow (Tyrone Evans) (may he rest in peace), people whose future is about to become a household name, when they were just children over there. Gosh, even Cam'ron was great!!
We were little, we were playing in church, I knew them, and all of a sudden Jay-Z, Puff, Dame Dash came -- they all came. Basketball in New York City was so crazy back then.
That day, someone sent me a message on Instagram: It was a photo of old Kodak, and after a high school game, Stephen and I were standing in the tunnel, and the man said, "Remember this?" ”
Oh my God, the third person in the photo is Biggie Smalls. (Note: Biggie Smalls, or "The Notorious B.I.G.", rap legend)
We were all just kids. But then we were the ones who led the cultural trend.
In my senior year of high school, I became famous all over the country, and I received an invitation to ABCD training camp, which was a big deal. So I went, and there was a room with a boy from France,
He always said, "Dude, I'm from Italy. ”
But if you are young and ignorant, everything in Europe will be French for you. So everybody said, "Well, Frenchman, let it be." ”
This guy walks like Jordan.
This guy talks like Jordan.
This guy chews gum like Jordan. The corner of the mouth looked like Jordan, very hostile.
Then he came on and threw every ball in, dude. You can score every goal.
Of course, everyone was laughing at him.
"All right, Frenchman. Do you want to be an MJ? You can't be an MJ!! ”
Then, one day, his father came to see me at the boot camp and said, "Hey, can you please perform a few moves to my son, thank you." He can do anything, but he needs to train under the ball. ”
I still heard in my mind the scene of the kid throwing all the balls, but I said, "Okay, got it." I'll give him a show tomorrow. But I'll be going to the training gym early. So ask him not to be late. ”
Listen up.
The next day I passed around 6 o'clock. The sun is still rising. I don't think the Frenchmen will be there.
I walked in and saw the guy sweating profusely. He sweated like Jordan.
I said, "Okay, Frenchman. What happened to you? ”
He said, "Dude, my name is Kobe Bryant. ”
Hahahahaha. Yes, sir.
Kobe Bryant. My buddy,
I mean, he took off at the time, but in my head, I thought, I've taken off. I'm from here.
We dribbled together in the training gym at seven o'clock, and we all took ourselves seriously. We are crazy and persistent opponents. Nobody blinks, buddy.
We didn't play any 1v1 or anything like that.
We have to kill each other by dribbling.
Let's see who will concede the ball first.
Then the bootcamp tutors finally came in to set up the venue, and when they saw us, they shouted, "Yo! What about hair? ”
If you see two pools of sweat on the floor at that time, you know how crazy we were.
That was the beginning of a great, great, great friendship with Bryant. It's a bond forever. We didn't know how we were going to develop into what we were going to be, what kind of people we were going to be, you know what I meant?
Quite funny dude... Because it's very similar to another unforgettable experience. Mase and I were playing in the park one day and he was mad at me for something. We're getting angry, you know when you're fifteen and you're angry with your friends, we're all going to take each other's lives.
He said, "Dude, do you think you can be Isaiah Thomas?" You can't be Isaiah Thomas. You are nothing. ”
I replied, "Oh, you're going to do rap? Do you think you can be Biggie Smalls? You can't be. You can't get out at all. ”
A few years after that quarrel in the park, Mase and I rode in luxury cars with Puff Daddy downtown. I had just been named to the McDonald's All-American Team, and he was about to sign for Bad Boy. We looked at each other and wanted to say, wrong!! We are all wrong!! ”
Looking back on this, I want to cry and laugh again.
I was wrong, Kobe Bryant.
I was wrong, Mase.
You've all done it.
We all did.
Seriously, where I grew up, the kids who went to school together were kidnapped. I've been shot for no reason. I've been shot for something. Where I grew up was the Wild West.
I just want to get out. Look at something different. Earn some tickets for my mother and siblings. It's that simple.
I remember a teacher whose name was Mr. Baker. He used to say to his class, "I know Sam is sitting here and joking with you, but I see his eyes and know his mind is somewhere else." He had big dreams. ”
To be honest with you, I don't want to be another "old" story. In my community, I always hear people say, "Man, this man used to be like this." This dude used to be like that. ”
I don't want to be "before", I want to be famous.
Sometimes I have to pinch myself because I've only played 20 games in the NBA, but my name is still world-famous. Whether in China, South Africa or France, children will come to me and say, "Are you really Sam Gaud?" Sam Gaud was selected by the Washington Wizards with the 17th pick in the second round of the 1997 Draft, but only made 20 appearances, averaging 3.1 points, 0.4 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game, before playing in the American Secondary League, China, Poland, Saudi Arabia and other leagues. During the CBA, he played for Zhejiang Wanma (now Zhejiang Jinniu) in 2001-02, 02-03, 07-08, Shanxi Zhongyu (Shanxi Raptors) in 2006-07, and CBA scoring champion in 2003-04.
They could barely speak a few words of English, and they would say, "Sam Gaud!" Sam Gaud! ”
Then they'll make a one-handed change of direction out of thin air.
YouTube is a really good thing.
As a kid, I wanted to be a street legend. I want to contribute to culture. I know I did. And God's greatest gift to me was to give me a completely different second life.
Somehow, somehow, by the grace of God, I became a teacher.
After I turned 30, my career overseas gradually declined, and to be honest, I was a bit lost. I don't know what to do next in life. I know that many athletes have similar feelings at present, but they are too proud to tell others, even their brothers. You sit there depressed and aimlessly. Your inner focus is like... Dude, I did everything. So what do I do now?
I slowly realized, thinking back to how Archibald the "dwarf" had changed my life, back to me and Kobe, to the people in the league who would have asked me to demonstrate the action — Chris Webb, Shaq, Chansi (Billups), KG — they would all come to me when they were warming up and say, "Sam, do it!" You've got to teach me, buddy! ”
I understood I wanted to be a coach. I want to help the next generation. Honestly, the best day of my life was when I called my mom and told her I wanted to go back to Providence and finish my degree, and I wanted to persuade the basketball coaching staff to let me help the team.
I mean, you want to tell stories...
Just after Providence called me and said they had asked me to be an assistant coach, I went to a block party in Harlem. I went back to my old place and bought a handful of jewelry. wristwatch. Two chains. bracelet. I just felt... To be honest, I think it's fake. I feel like I want to be someone who isn't myself.
Feel the chain on your chest sink.
I said to my buddy Howie, "Dude, I'm 34. I want to be a coach and carry two chains? I can't go on like this. ”
Just 90 minutes later, when Howie and I walked to Eighth Avenue and 142nd Street, two cars blocked us. They jumped out of the car, I said they had guns, and they did show them.
I've been robbed before, but that's a long time ago.
The gun was pointed at my head. The gun was on the back of my head. Two guns were pointed at my knees.
They said, "We know who you are." Give us everything, or you will collapse on the ground. ”
I fumbled for the lock on the necklace, trying to take it off, and my friend shivered.
They said, "Hurry." Or we're going to kill you, buddy. ”
Finally, I took off the necklace. They put the gun down. They jumped into the car and flew away.
My buddy sat on the side of the road and started crying.
Somehow, but I remember laughing out loud.
My buddy said, "What's wrong with you, Sam?" ”
I couldn't stop laughing. I said, "Yo, we're still alive. We're still alive. Hahaha. Dude, we're still alive. ”
My buddy was out of control. He was sobbing.
But I didn't shed a single tear.
Just like when I was seven years old.
I just looked up at the clouds and thought, I see, I've got the message. I understand.
God is taking away everything from me.
If I want to be born again, I have to let go.
Over the next decade, I went from Providence to becoming a player development coach for the Dallas Mavericks. It was funny, because in retrospect, I didn't even want to listen to what the PE teacher said nonsense. Now I'm a waste teacher, and I want these boys to listen to me talk about the basics.
"It's a matter of footwork! Hurry up! The hand is an illusion!! ”
Hahaha. Crazy, buddy.
I was really lucky.
It's a privilege to work with a great player like Dirk (Nowitzki).
It's a privilege to work with Luca, a player who is about to step into greatness.
She has also been fortunate to work with Gigi Bryant, and she has also been on the road to greatness.
I used to teach Kobe Bryant dribbling at ABCD training camp, and 25 years later, he suddenly came to me and said, "Sam, I want you to come to Los Angeles and teach Gigi's team how to dribble." ”
Going round and round, right?
That week, Bryant took me on a plane to Mamba Academy, and I won't forget the schedule he gave me.
He said, "Okay, we're going to practice from 8 to 10." Rest afterwards. Then it's 12 to 2. ”
I said, "Kobe, you want me to teach for two hours?" ”
He said, "Yes. ”
I said, "Keep dribbling?" ”
He said, "Yes, just like before us." ”
I looked at these girls and thought, Kobe,, buddy, we were 17 years old too!! The Lone Rangers players practiced for 45 minutes and then lost their minds, and that was their job.
But I didn't say anything. I understand him! I said, "No problem, Kobe Bryant. Listen to your arrangements. ”
We played, and then...
The girls didn't want to stop. They don't even want to go to lunch!! I only practiced dribbling for those two hours.
They said, "We're not hungry, Coach Sam!" We were fine! ”
I remember they said they were going to go to a college together one day. This is their dream. I still remember the smiles on their faces, I can feel the energy, I can feel the love of the game.
I heard their voices.
You see, the first time I met Kobe Bryant, I don't think I've ever seen anyone like him in my life. I think he's the only one.
Then I met Gigi Bryant.
Same people. Mini Mamba, really. She is a beautiful soul. Those girls are all right. The days spent with them. I'm happy just because I was able to share those days with them.
I won't forget the next morning, when they came back, gigi dribbling, with the brightest smile on their faces. She said, "Coach Sam! Isn't it better? See my footsteps? A little better, right? ”
I looked at the girl and I saw similar souls.
Better, Coach Sam?
I felt as if I had seen her practice all night after coming home.
That's a little better, right?
I felt as if I saw her alone under the street lamp, convinced that she could do it.
I seemed to see her trying to shake her shadow all night.
I will not forget this, and I will never forget it for all eternity.
You see, I've felt like God is guiding me since I was a kid. I know he's guiding me to the moment of spending time with those girls, for reasons I don't have to understand. I'm proud that I'm not content to be a street legend. I'm proud of my evolutionary growth. I'm also proud to be Coach Sam.
I knew that after I died, Sam Gaud would pass on. My name will be spread on the pitches around the world because of my change of direction. Thirty years later, after someone is shaken away, they won't say, "Oh grass, he shook him away with Frank!" ”
No, no, no.
They'll say, "He shook him away with Sam Gaud!" ”
That's not bad for a kid on 142nd Street in Harlem, see?
People always ask me, "How come you dribble so well?" ”
Listen, it's no secret.
I was born in a cold world.
They're going to rob the little kids there, buddy. They'll grab my burger.
The little sister was crying. Nasal discharge DC. The stomach grumbled.
I made a decision that day. I swore to myself that I wanted to be a legend.
Never, never, never let someone else steal my stuff.