Former NBA coach George Karl’s recently released book, Furious George: My Forty Years Surviving NBA Divas, Clueless GMs, and Poor Shot Selection, drew much attention.
The book garnered much attention presumably because of the excerpts detailing his relationship with former his former players J.R. Smith of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony and retired NBA player Kenyon Martin.
In Karl’s book, he detailed Anthony saying: “Carmelo was a true conundrum for me in the six years I had him,” wrote Karl. “He was the best offensive player I ever coached. He was also a user of people, addicted to the spotlight and very unhappy when he had to share it.”
Karl who coached Anthony from January 2005 to February 2011, also said of Anthony: “He had no commitment to the hard, dirty work of stopping the other guy. My ideal — probably every coach’s ideal — is when your best player is also your leader. But since Carmelo only played hard on one side of the ball, he made it plain he couldn’t lead the Nuggets, even though he said he wanted to. Coaching him meant working around his defense and compensating for his attitude.”
Karl also made reference to J.R. Smith’s friends as a “posse,” a term that was recently popularized in the press when New York Knicks president Phil Jackson used when describing Maverick Carter and Rich Paul, business partners of Cleveland Cavaliers forward, LeBron James.
Karl also stated that Kenyon Martin and Anthony not having fathers were flaws in their personality. “Kenyon and Carmelo carried two big burdens: all that money and no father to show them how to act like a man,” said Karl.
Karl has made media runs defending his comments, promoting his book and also apologizing. “I said it poorly and I’m sorry that I said it poorly and I’m sorry for the reaction,” said Karl on ESPN’s Mike & Mike. “Because I know Kenyon. The one thing I love about Kenyon Martin: he is a good father.”
Check Out RESPECT MAG’s Brandon ‘Scoop B Robinson discussing the book, Karl, talking Knicks and more on with Justin Spears on the University of Arizona’s 1570 AM KAMP.
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