Photo: Brian Drake/NBAE/Getty
NBA legend Clyde Drexler is ready for some nostalgia.
One of the defining features that madeNBA Jamso popular is that it featured the likenesses of real players, including Drexler, James Worthy, Dikembe Mutombo, and Dominique Wilkins.
Now, all four will be together again in Cleveland for All-Star Weekend with Michelob ULTRA.
Fans in Cleveland will be able to meet the Hall of Famers and experience otherNBA Jam-inspired activities, and online, the beer brand is launching “EnjoyItLikeIts1993.com.” The website will featureNBA Jammerchandise including a custom arcade console.
The weekend will be a celebration of both a classic video game and the 75th anniversary of the NBA, Drexler says.
PEOPLE spoke with Drexler about his participation in the campaign and about the current NBA season.
PEOPLE: Speaking ofNBA Jam, have you ever played it?
Drexler:I playedNBA Jamwhen it was first introduced. What was that? ‘92 or ‘93. And it was phenomenal. Back then, it was cutting-edge technology. And so, to be able to bring back all those legends and all those great memories, in Cleveland, for the Michelob Ultra Jam. So, it’s something for everybody. Michelob even has a limited edition. They’re bringing out limited edition Michelob ULTRA cans that were available back in the day. And so, there’s a lot of nostalgia, lots of good things happening. Michelob ULTRA is making it happen.
PEOPLE: So you’re a part of this campaign with Dikembe, James, and Dominique. What’s your relationship with them in retirement?
Drexler:Oh, it’s good. Dominique’s a really good friend. James, I see him every now and then on the golf course. Dikembe, I’ve seen him a lot more. But all great guys, and everybody’s looking to have a great time at All-Star Weekend in Cleveland. Cleveland’s a great host city. And when the old … Mutombo’s a little young, but when the old school guys get together, we have a lot of fun memories.
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PEOPLE:I like to imagine that all the old school NBA guys hang out and call each other up to talk about the game. Is it like that?
Drexler:That sounds good, but that never happened because when you’re on the other team, you don’t really like those guys. You may respect them, but you don’t like them, especially if they’re beating you, right? But sometimes we do get together, maybe once every two to three to four years, and on the phone and just talk about old times and laugh because it’s always… Very few people understand what the NBA was like back in the ’80s and ’90s. It was real.
It was about putting in the work and competing and being the best teammate that you could be. And it’s pretty much the same today, but it’s just on a different level. We didn’t make a whole bunch of money, but a lot of our guys played because they just loved to compete. And so that’s what made it so special.
PEOPLE:It would have been nice if the players of the ’80s and ’90s made as much as the players are making today.
Drexler:It would’ve been nice. We’re just a little bit before our time, but I wouldn’t change the era of competition for anything in the world because our guys are real. They came to play. They’re going to give you their best, each and every night. There was no load management. There was none of that crap because you didn’t let your teammates down like that. When we came to compete, every game counts in an 82-game season, and you want to do your best each and every game.
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PEOPLE: What do you think of the game today? Some fans complain about how easily fouls are called.
Drexler:Well, I think it’s still a good product. I don’t want to beat the product up. I love watching the games. And so, I’m not a hater, but I think the game was a lot more physical. I mean, you couldn’t trick the official into getting fouls back in the day. You had to actually make a real move to get to the free-throw line. That’s changed a little bit, but they’ve gotten better with that this year. And I’d like to see that continue because that means the integrity of the game is going to be intact.
PEOPLE: And that’s important.
Drexler:It is important. We went up and down a little bit more. We hustled a little bit. We’re going to run it. That’s why the game was so much fun because they were full of action. We didn’t walk it down every time. We walked it down, and other teams scored sometimes, maybe, but very few times. We’re going to push it every time. And so the hustle factor was a little bit better, but some great players in today’s game. Love watching. The quality of the games is second to none. When you get two good teams going at it, it is still the best ticket in the world.
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PEOPLE: You played for 15 seasons. What do you think of players like LeBron James andTom Brady, who performed at a high level for about two decades?
Drexler:Mind-boggling. But it’s all individual. It’s all about the want to. If you have to want to, then go ahead and get it done. But you got to know, if you’re playing professional sports for a living, it does take years off your life. So you got to keep that in mind more.
PEOPLE:Do you miss playing? And if you had a chance to play in this era of the NBA, would you want to?
Drexler:I loved the era I played in, and I had the best time. I left everything on the court. I retired in ‘98, at the age of 35. And I led the team in scoring and assists that year, which means you probably could have played some more. But I thought after 15 years, I’m lucky to be healthy. Got all my faculties in check. My cardiovascular system is okay. I think it’s time to live life and do something else and let somebody else have it. It didn’t mean I didn’t love it. I just left everything I had right there. I played for a long time, and I enjoyed every moment of it.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
source: people.com
