This 4-time NBA champion was Shaquille O’Neal’s Udonis Haslem and Kobe Bryant’s first team champion in 1999-00.
The role of a veteran who may not give you big minutes but be a vocal leader on a Championship contending team is just as big as any other role player.
They may not be able to get points on the pitch, but they can tell younger players several ways to get their points when they’re having a tough time.
Neither most coaches nor their assistants can look at everything and find a solution because they haven’t been in that situation at all, or it’s been too long since they’ve been.
Whether it’s Shaquille O’Neal or Kobe Bryant, LeBron James or Stephen Curry, they all need those guys’ home court. And it was John Salley for the Lakers duo during their first Championship run.
John Salley had only one job in the Lakers’ championship success in 2000: making sure Shaquille O’Neal didn’t get into any trouble.
Shaq and Kobe took four years to win their first championship after teaming up in 1996. And there were a lot of things that developed, including the presence of some veteran champions on the team.
Salley and Ron Harper, both three-time NBA champions at the time, were on his list and also freshmen when the The Lakers won the 2000 championship. While Harper was getting significant playing time, Salley, 36, 6-foot-11, was there to mentor the youngsters.
The Bad Boy Pistons member spoke about his role on that Lakers team recently in an appearance on The Byron Scott Podcast.
It must have been tremendous to witness the greatness of Shaq and Kobe blossoming before his eyes, when just 4 years ago he was playing basketball in Greece.
Well into his retirement, he received a call from Phil Jackson to help The Diesel and be the veteran leader of the team. And get paid $1.3 million for it? blessing! The man is humble enough to accept it.
Jokes aside, John must have been good in his time with the Bulls in Chicago in 1996, which is why he got this job over several others who might have.
