chron: Let's hope Francis gets the Big O's message

What pure wisdom from Oscar Robertson!

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/sports/bk/bkn/rox/1771092


Let's hope Francis gets the Big O's message
By FRAN BLINEBURY
Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle
ATLANTA -- It was a scene like one that was probably repeated thousands of times over the course of the NBA All-Star Weekend. A young fan meets an idol.

"Hello, sir, I'm Steve Francis," said the kid.

"Good to meet you," replied Oscar Robertson.

The game was on.

Questions and more questions. Answers and more answers. Talking, chatting, changing topics as fast as changing direction on a crossover dribble.

The Master, the only man in history to ever average a triple double over the course of an entire NBA season.

The Student, one of the few players currently in the game who possesses all of the raw skills to even dream about that kind of feat.

Long before there was a Stevie Franchise or a Magic or an Air Jordan, there was the Big O, for years regarded as the most complete player in history.

Francis' eyes were as big and round as Spalding basketballs as he sat down in the white leather chair, his voice excited and running like a two-on-one fast break.

"As a guard, you got all those rebounds, right?" Francis asked. "You went inside with the big guys to get them? You must have had tendinitis pretty bad, huh?"

"No," said Robertson. "There are ways to conserve your energy, to not wear out your body.

"Besides, I knew I had to take care of those legs to last me through my career. So I used to wrap my own ankles before every game."

"What?" asked Francis. "I couldn't do that."

"It's easy," said Robertson. "You just use a `figure eight.' You can do anything if you set your mind to it and survive."

They are connected by the same sport but come from different worlds -- the 25-year-old Francis from an era of chartered jets, $90 million contracts and privilege; the 64-year-old Robertson from a rookie season in 1960-61 when there were only eight teams in the league, when you played to make ends meet.

"The most I ever made in one season was $250,000," Oscar said. "I didn't make a million dollars in my 14-year career."

"You mean you never made a million in one season?" asked Stevie.

"No," said Oscar with a smile. "I'm talking about 14 years."

Generation gap.

So much has changed and so much about running a team as a point guard, as being the coach on the floor, the spiritual leader, will always be the same.

Robertson won an NBA championship in 1971 with the Milwaukee Bucks when he teamed up with a gifted young center named Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, just the way Francis is now trying to forge a partnership with Yao Ming.

There are so many similarities. Abdul-Jabbar, like Yao, brought more than just sheer height to the game. There were passing skills, an ability to see over defenses, analyze and break them down.

"But it's your job to be responsible for making him the best player he can be," Robertson said. "It's up to you to get him the ball in the right position. It's your job to make him pass the ball back out and reset if nothing is there. It's your job to make everybody else on the team play up to their abilities.

"My philosophy was, `Always get your weakest player involved.' If you get that guy to score, to make plays, get rebounds, everything else will fall into place."

They spent the better part of an hour swapping stories, exchanging philosophies. But mostly, it was Francis sitting alongside a guru, trying to soak up everything he could.

Francis stood next to Robertson. "Man, I always thought you were 6-8 from all of those stats I've read," he said.

"Nah, man, just 6-5," Oscar said. "But it's not about the size. It's knowing how to play the game."

Francis watches old game tapes. He doesn't just buy the retro jerseys. He studies those who came before.

"Yeah, I can do him," Francis said, motioning toward Robertson. "You know, the backing-it-down move."

"I was always just trying to get into position where I could see what everybody else on the floor was doing," Oscar said. "From what I've seen of Yao Ming, I think he should be a low post center, not out shooting jump shots. Steve, I think you've got to help bring him along, give him confidence that when he gets into position down inside, you'll find a way to get him the ball.

"Even when he doesn't score, the rest of you should be benefiting more from his passing, just from having him on the floor."

Francis sat back and listened and he leaned forward and sought guidance.

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"What about the nights when maybe it looks like Yao doesn't have it?" he asked. "There have been games when he's started out 1-for-5 or 1-for-6. Do you go another way, look for another avenue for the offense? Do we spread things out? Look to get more out of the backcourt?"

Oscar didn't blink. And he didn't let Francis off the hook.

"When your big man starts out the game 1-for-6, a lot of that's probably on you, Steve," he said. "You're just throwing him the ball and then not moving. It's up to you to make the cuts, the rest of you to set the screens and feed off him.

"You don't turn away from a guy who's 7-5. You play off him all of the time. He'll always make it easier for you. But you have to see that. It's your job, Steve.

"I like what I've seen of Yao Ming. I like what you could have started with your team. Now you have to go forward."

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Francis slumped back in his seat and sighed.

"We lose our focus every now and then," he said.

"Hey," Robertson said. "They're all pros out there. Sometimes the worst teams can beat you."

"The worst team just did beat us a couple nights ago," Francis said.

"The idea," Robertson said, "is to be methodical. Just do the basic things you need to do against the lesser teams. Stay within yourself. Stay within every possession. Don't ever let it get out of your control. That's your job as the point guard."

The game is flashier, richer now, even higher, above the rim. But it's still a simple game. What won for Robertson and Abdul-Jabbar can still win for Francis and Yao.

Big words from the Big O:

"The ball is in your hands, Steve. The team is in your hands."

"Yes, sir," said the Franchise.

A prodigy listened to a legend. We'll see if he heard.