I dreamed I saw Johnnie Green (the NBA veteran who started out with the Knicks, and died last week) last night, alive as you or me.
Dreamer: Man, could you leap! Miss the bus to Heaven, you can get there on your own. Like Gus Johnson told Sports Illustrated about his storied leaping ability: “I just say ‘legs, jump,’ and they say ‘How high, Boss?’” I first saw you play against Walter Bellamy in 1957 when you were a senior at Michigan State, and Big Bells was just a soph at Indiana.
I remember that game really well. There I was in the hospital recovering from an appendectomy. I was just 14, and it was a different kind of heaven from where you are now. A big TV of my own in that room, until visitors came. Unannounced! Three girls from my high school class. I was watching that game intently, except I was also checking out my equipment, just having had a catheter removed.
Johnnie Green: Outlived Bells, all right. Younger than me, but he checked out at 74. Me, I’m 89. Seen a lot. Saw Mister Russell take his place next to Wilt. Saw lefty Lanier and big Nate who’s here too. Down the block. 14 years I played a game I never learned in high school. Only later when I finally grew — learned to play in the Marines.
I was in the Garden when it all went down. Wilt’s debut, I stuffed one of his jams. Fans went apeshit.
Dreamer: I was there, Johnnie! The crowd loved you, went crazy on that block, just as it was becoming clear the Dipper could do whatever he wanted, and the game had been changed. Irrevocably! That stuff of yours seemed to say “No, an ordinary human being (a very tall one to be sure) can hope to triumph over a giant, forestall the future, even if just for a hot second.”
Johnnie Green: Damn, I knew Wilt from college. Everyone talks about that triple OT NCAA Final in 1957 when North Carolina beat Wilt’s Kansas team, but they forget me and my Michigan State guys also went triple OT in the semis against those Chapel Hill white boys. They’d’ve killed Kansas if we hadn’t taken their legs away the night before.
But, man, Wilt made everything new. I reached up and made that block. Afterwards, he said “Just once, Johnnie! Do not try that again.” I kind of floundered after that; found that I’d go up in the air, and not come down until the play was at the other end of the floor. Had to learn when not to jump too.
But I played 14 years. The same 14 as Wilt. No wonder, they didn’t notice me. 14 years! And my last stretch, when Bob Cousy was my coach, the court opened up all over again, after I’d thought I was through. Even made some all-star games.
Those games against Bells and Dippy meant a lot. I was 6’5″, didn’t weigh too much either. But I went high… Jumpin’ Johnnie! That’s right. Jumpin’ Johnnie Green. I was in the big time. Damn!
Dreamer: Now wake up, dude. See what they’ve made of our league. In-season tournament n’ shit! See you tonite. Later.