Episode 20: Spencer Haywood

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Today on the Games People Play podcast, Bernie talks to a man whose contributions to the game of basketball go far beyond his sizeable on-court resume, which includes an NBA championship, an Olympic Gold Medal and an ABA Most Valuable Player Award. Please join us in welcoming four-time NBA All-Star, Spencer Haywood, to the program to chronicle his remarkable journey from the cotton fields of Mississippi to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. You’ll hear about the extraordinary collection of talent that surrounded Spencer at Pershing High School in Detroit before he became the youngest US Olympic basketball player in history and an instant sensation in the ABA and NBA. Bernie and Spencer also discuss the challenges and dark times Spencer faced, including legal battles over fraudulent contracts, an anti-trust suit against the NBA that went all the way to the Supreme Court and his long road back to sobriety following a crack cocaine addiction. Finally, Spencer talks about his new book The Spencer Haywood Rule and expresses gratitude at being recognized for all that he sacrificed for future generations of NBA players.