Kareem a nd Mag ic and so on, being as good a player as you a re, is it diffi c ult see ing the "superstars" get most of the endo rseme nts and o utside opportuniti es? A. C.: No, that partic ular "wide-body" is not a real battle for me. I understand how the system, so to speak, works. I don't feel bad if say, an e ndorsement goes to someone else or an opportuni ty goes to ·so meone e lse . I 've a l ways believed that God has complete control over my li fe. So I know the opportunity's going to come that He wants me to have, and no one can keep me from that. KYlf: You've talked about pride and ego as spi ritual c hallenges. Who do you find is the toughest player for you to compete against physically? A. C.: (Silence) I tell you the person I don 't like to play against is James Worthy. (Laughing) He mig ht be on my team, but I sure don 't like to guard him in practice. KYlf: Yet you play inside against some mighty big opponents, and at 6-foot-9 and 224· pounds you 're not exactly the prototype size for a power forward. As the Lakers' top rebounder, you must
'I think toughness comes from within... it's developed over a period of lime.'
take some satisfaction in being able to fight a lot of those people off and to be able to perform well. A. C.: The power forward or the big forward position is not a glamorous position because that's where most of the contact is made. So you really have to get your game down to a scientif ic approach. You have to know what you're doing out the re, and what little things are going to work at what specific times. (Laughing) Normally everyone I play against is taller than I am, they weigh more than I do, and most of the time they' re stronger than I am. In the physical sense, I don't have much going for me in comparison to most of the guys I match up against. So I really have to know how to turn that potential disadvantage around to work in my favor. KYlf: Some people talk about toughness being physical, with the sculptured body and the tough look. Other people would say it's toughness of character, more of a hidde n toug hness. What is your perception of toughness? A. C.: I don 't really feel it's a matter of outward appearance by any degree, because obv iously some of the biggest guys aren't the toughest guys. And some of the g uys who don't look so big are pretty tough. I think toughness comes from within. And I don't think you ' re born with it. It's developed over a period of time. A Jot of my inspiration about toughness has come from characters in the Bible, such as a David or Abraham, different men who have been faced with unbeatable odds, but they hung strong. Hearing those kind of words, and reading and studying those situations gives me the inspiration and the frre in my life, and keeps rekindling that fire. KYlf: What advice might you give to encourage anyone reading this article who's walking their own road in life that calls for a certain level of toughness? A. C.: I believe it all comes from the very beginning of the basics, and I think it always centers around deriving your stre ngth from Jesus. We hea r it sa id so much, but He's my complete st(ength. I don't have any insecurity because my security's placed in Him . He's my best friend; He's the pe rson that I trust I 00-pe rcent. I look at all the guys I have to play against, a nd like I say, being at a physical disadvantage most of the time, I tell myself, "I believe there's no one that's going to o ut-work me, out-hustle me, that's going to get the best of me out there on that court," because God is my strength, He's my ·source, and He's my delight. KYlf: Thank you, A. C. You're certainly a modem-day David among the Goliaths of the NBA, and your example of de riving your toughness from God makes you not only the power force that coach Pat Riley calls you on the court, but also a power force in li fe. • A former pro soccer player and three-time winner of ABC-TV's "Superstars" competition, Kyle is also a TV sports commentator and speaker from Memphis, Tennessee. His interviews with sports personalities appear in each issue of Second Look. SECOND
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