Latest news with #GaryVitti
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
"They didn't play any of the championship-caliber teams" - Gary Vitti claimed Michael Jordan's era lacked real competition
"They didn't play any of the championship-caliber teams" - Gary Vitti claimed Michael Jordan's era lacked real competition originally appeared on Basketball Network. There was a time when winning championships was the only real measurable metric that NBA personalities and analysts cared about when ranking one player over another. Fortunately for someone like Michael Jordan, he played during an era where stacking titles was possible if the stars aligned and the talent was there. His peak also fell perfectly in line with the decline of some of his greatest competition, allowing him to win while they got old and were forced to watch from the sidelines. Advertisement Of course, he had to lead his team there as the best players in the world. Still, according to former legendary Los Angeles Lakers athletic trainer Gary Vitti, Jordan played against weak competition, which made his path to six rings far easier. Vitti tells it how it is Vitti was regarded as one of the best trainers the league has ever seen, having personally worked closely with the likes of Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, Pau Gasol, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson. He was a key cog in the Lakers' success from 1984 to 2016, which gave him a front-row seat to assessing individual greatness and witnessing the transformation of NBA competition over the decades. Advertisement So when Vitti speaks, it's in everyone's best interest to listen, and he held nothing back when asked about Jordan's six championships and the competition he had to overcome along the way. "When Michael got his first ring in '91 and the five that came after it, there wasn't anybody left," he said. "The Lakers were done because Kareem had retired, and then Magic came up positive for HIV in '91. So he wasn't challenged again by the great Laker team, the ones that, because Kareem had already retired before '91, so he wasn't part of that series against, I don't know what they would have done. They had Bill Cartwright, and they had Cliff Levingston; I mean, what were they going to do with Kareem?" People often claim that Jordan and the Chicago Bulls overcame the legendary Lakers team. However, they weren't the Showtime Lakers everyone knew and loved. At that stage, James Worthy was their best offensive player, Magic had health issues, and Kareem was already retired. In other words, they were running on championship fumes, not remotely close to their prime run. Advertisement Dispelling the myths about Jordan's titles brought out Vitti's competitive passion. He went one step further to highlight that Chicago and MJ also never defeated other contending powerhouses at the peak of their powers. "So he didn't play the Lakers, the Celtics got old very, very fast," he continued. "Bird, Parish, and McHale all got old at the same time, so the Celtics were done. There was no challenge there, and the Pistons were done, so basically when you really look at the six rings that the Bulls won, they didn't play anybody, they didn't play any of the championship-caliber teams of the 80s like the Lakers, the Sixers, the Celtics, and the Pistons." "All four of those teams had basically had their run, and it was over, and so it's not taking anything away from him because he did what he was supposed to do. He dominated, but the game wasn't the same game; it was different," Vitti added. To his credit, he also acknowledged that Jordan did what he was supposed to do and could only beat who was in front of him, but that still doesn't change the facts. Advertisement Jordan never beat Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics in the playoffs. He also only got the better of the Detroit "Bad Boy" Pistons when they were on the backend of their prime, with already two titles in the trophy case. Everyone always remembers the Bulls eventually getting over the hump against Isiah Thomas and the Pistons, but they often fail to paint the full picture that Detroit was their kryptonite before they got older. Related: "He should be holding his head up higher than Michael Jordan" - Dennis Rodman sides with Scottie Pippen over his negative portrayal in 'The Last Dance' The variables of winning Now, no one is blaming Jordan for his fortuitous circumstances, even if there is undeniable truth in Vitti's comments. It would be unfair not to acknowledge that the Bulls also beat the best Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns, and Portland Trail Blazers teams in their respective franchises' histories. Advertisement However, Vitti's comments bring attention to the reality that winning championships is fundamentally situational. There are a vast number of variables that go into winning in any single season, and any one of them not working can throw off your title hopes. Everything from overall competition (as Vitti mentions), health, roster timing, playoff matchups, teams playing their best at the right time of the year and the era a superstar played in will unavoidably factor into winning. Even general NBA rules matter more than the NBA community cares to accept. The Golden State Warriors were only able to sign Kevin Durant in the summer of 2016 because the stars aligned with the salary cap increasing just enough to fit him in. Jordan played at a time when his second-best player, Scottie Pippen, was locked into an underpaid eight-year contract that allowed financial flexibility around him. Pippen's example, in particular, simply isn't possible or even allowed under modern NBA rules, and all these little nuances play a role in ultimately shaping a player's legacy. Advertisement One could argue that Jordan benefited the most from the NBA experimenting with significant on-court rule changes — bringing in the 3-point line, expanding to different markets which diluted overall competition and trying to find its way on the business side of the game. Another school of thought, of course, is accepting that any particular superstar can only compete in the era they fall into and that we can only judge them based on the cards they were dealt. Each theory is worthy and has compelling arguments. Considering how we judge a Hall of Famer's career if we take everything into account is an interesting thought exercise. Another factor in all of this could, of course, be Vitti's association with the late great Kobe Bryant, with whom he grew personally close throughout his career. Perhaps he has an underlying resentment toward Jordan for having one more championship, but that's a conversation for another day. Related: "Michael strategically talks. Once you get GP started. Forget about it" - Jim Jackson on difference between Michael Jordan and Gary Payton as trash-talkers This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 12, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
"He lost all the people that he loved" - Ex-Lakers' trainer on what led to Lamar Odom's near-death brothel experience
"He lost all the people that he loved" - Ex-Lakers' trainer on what led to Lamar Odom's near-death brothel experience originally appeared on Basketball Network. On October 15, 2015, the NBA community and the sports world were rocked by the news of two-time NBA champion Lamar Odom being found unconscious in a brothel in Las Vegas. Advertisement For many, it was a shocking and heartbreaking moment, as Odom had been known for his incredible talent on the basketball court and his marriage to celebrity Khloe Kardashian. But for those who were close to him, this incident was not entirely surprising. Gary Vitti, the Los Angeles Lakers' former trainer, shed light on the struggles that Odom had faced in the years leading up to this event. While the latter never failed to be there for others, always helping anyone on his team in need, he also faced many demons and chose to fight them by himself. Trade led Odom down a dark path Odom began his career on a strong note. Selected as the fourth overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Clippers, he quickly made an impact, finishing third in the Rookie of the Year voting. He went on to have a productive five-year tenure with the Clippers, followed by a successful one-season stint with the Miami Heat. Advertisement However, his career took a drastic turn when he was part of the package the Heat sent to the Lakers in the massive deal involving Shaquille O'Neal. It was with the Purple and Gold that Odom hit his stride, playing a key role in their back-to-back title wins in 2009 and 2010. The following season, Odom won the prestigious Sixth Man of the Year award. However, in December 2011, his stint with the Lakers came to an end when he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks, a move that ultimately marked the end of his NBA career. "Obviously, we've known Lamar has been struggling emotionally," Vitti shared. "Ever since he was traded from the Lakers, he went downhill. You just couldn't seem to reach him." "He wasn't returning text messages or phone calls. He just sort of dropped out. So when this happened, it was shocking when we heard this news that Lamar was practically dead. But at the same time we weren't surprised because we knew how he struggled in life. People have to understand that just because he's got fame and money, that doesn't mean anything. He lost all the people that he loved," he added. Advertisement Related: Pau Gasol on how difficult it was to tell Kobe Bryant he would leave the Lakers: "He was very supportive and he understood" A life full of pain Beyond the glitz and glamour of being a famous professional basketball player, Odom faced many demons growing up. From his mother passing away when he was only 12 to his infant son dying when he was just six months old because of sudden infant death syndrome to his divorce from Kardashian, he endured one tragedy after another. According to Cherry Ryder, one of the women Lamar spent time with at the brothel, the latter was just in a lot of pain, and not the kind a physical therapist could heal. Advertisement "He was a very sweet man," she said. "We talked about all the screwed up things that had happened in his life. All of it. Just pain." Luke Walton, Odom's former teammate on the Lakers, revealed that the writing was already on the wall. Despite his best efforts to support his comrade, Odom remained surrounded by an impenetrable wall, shutting out anyone who tried to connect or offer assistance. "We had those talks on the phone, but you can only get so real on the phone. Our talks were always positive. He was trying to get better. He was working out. But when you're face to face with someone and I can look him in the eye, it's different," Walton revealed. "That was the hard thing about it. Lamar was always the guy who was there for you," the son of former NBA great Luke Walton continued. "I'd be depressed about my back and maybe never being able to play again or I was frustrated about being out of the rotation, but if he saw me in a bad mood, he wouldn't even let me leave the practice site without messing with me so I'd go home in a good mood." Advertisement Fortunately for Lamar, he recovered from that ordeal and even shed light on his near-death experience. Related: "They didn't play any of the championship-caliber teams" - Gary Vitti claimed Michael Jordan's era lacked real competition This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 14, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
"I really had to put a lot of traction on that bone to put it back into place" - Gary Vitti said he was stunned Kobe Bryant kept playing after dislocating a finger
"I really had to put a lot of traction on that bone to put it back into place" - Gary Vitti said he was stunned Kobe Bryant kept playing after dislocating a finger originally appeared on Basketball Network. It didn't matter how bad it hurt. If Kobe Bryant could stand, he would play. Advertisement That was the unspoken rule in the Los Angeles Lakers locker room, an understanding that became a legend over two decades of grit, pain and legacy. And on Feb. 19, 2016, that legend added one more scar to its story. The Lakers were up against the San Antonio Spurs, chasing a win that never came. Midway through the fourth quarter, Bryant went after a rebound. That's when it happened — his right middle finger bent unnaturally. On live TV, fans saw the shock ripple across his face. It wasn't just jammed. It was badly dislocated. Putting it in place Trainer Gary Vitti, the man who had been with the Lakers since 1984 and had seen every kind of injury imaginable, was called in fast. This wasn't new territory, but even for someone as hardened as Vitti discovered Bryant's pain was something else. Advertisement "If you can see my face, I really had to put a lot of traction on that bone to get it back into place," he said. "That's how dislocated it was. As tough as he was, he was writhing in pain. If you see Kobe writhing in pain, you know it hurts." Bryant gritted through it, jaw locked, eyes burning. Vitti yanked the finger back into place with practiced brutality. The crowd winced. Bryant didn't. He exhaled and kept it moving. This was the same player who had played through fractured fingers, sprained ankles, bone spurs, a torn rotator cuff and more than one busted knee. The same player who refused to let time, or pain, or age, or even a shattered Achilles stop him. Advertisement Against the Spurs that night, he finished with 25 points. The Lakers lost 119-113, but no one talked about the score. They talked about Kobe, the pain and how somehow, he just kept going. Related: "When you start endangering people's health, it's taking away from the beauty of the game" - Michael Jordan criticized how the Pistons and the Knicks played the game Bryant's pain tolerance Vitti had been courtside for every version of Bryant — from the teenage rookie in 1996 who wanted to dunk on everyone to the 81-point scorer in 2006 to the battered 37-year-old who could barely walk without flinching in 2016. Advertisement No trainer in the NBA saw more of Bryant's war with pain than Vitti. And no one understood how rare his pain tolerance really was. Even when his finger was broken, he wanted to get on with the game as soon as possible. "I put it in and as soon as I did, you could see that his pain went away," Vitti said. "Anybody else would have still been in pain." Bryant wasn't anybody else. By then, he'd already torn his right rotator cuff and was using his left hand in games. He'd already played through broken fingers, including a right index fracture in 2009 that had to be taped into a splint — he shot through it anyway. In the 2010 NBA Finals, he had to drain fluid from his knee between games just to be able to walk. Advertisement Years later, he ruptured his Achilles, stood up and walked to the free-throw line to sink two shots. He pushed until his body broke and even then, he patched it together just to buy a few more minutes on the hardwood. Even at 35 and 36, he still carried the Lakers team for a postseason push, averaging high minutes despite being in pain. Before his Achilles injury in 2013, he had played 78 games, logging 38.6 minutes per night. Related: "I don't even know what he was thinking" - Former Lakers trainer recalls struggling to convince Kobe Bryant to leave the court after Achilles tear This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 20, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
09-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Gary Vitti on how much greater Shaquille O'Neal could've been
Gary Vitti on how much greater Shaquille O'Neal could've been Shaquille O'Neal was one of the most dominant big men to ever play in the NBA, and most of his prime years came with the Los Angeles Lakers. In eight seasons with them, he averaged 27.0 points,11.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks a game, and along with the late great Kobe Bryant, he led them to three straight championships in the early 2000s. During the 1999-2000 season, O'Neal put up 29.7 points, 13.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 3.0 blocks per game and won his first and only regular-season MVP award. When comparing eras, it was quite possibly the greatest individual season anyone has ever had in the history of basketball. But there is also a feeling that he left a lot on the table and that he could've had several seasons in a row that would've been as dominant as that 1999-2000 campaign. Former longtime Lakers athletic trainer Gary Vitti saw O'Neal up close and personal, and he said during an episode of "Fair Game" with Kristine Leahy that the big man was an underachiever and could've been an even greater player than he was. "My dream for Shaq was for him to be the best of all time," Vitti said. "That wasn't his dream. That's a problem when you want something from someone more than they want for themselves. "... He could've been the greatest of all time." Instead, said Vitti, O'Neal wanted to "inspire young people to follow their dreams," and indeed, O'Neal has done plenty off the court to help children and the underprivileged. But when it came to his craft, he was notoriously lazy, and there was a sense that, attitude-wise, he simply wasn't as serious or focused as many of the other all-time greats. Still, O'Neal was and is a legend, and he has nothing to feel bad about when it comes to his accomplishments. Along with Bryant, he restored Lakers mystique at a time when the franchise was struggling years after Magic Johnson's stunning retirement. The two transformed the franchise from one that was lucky to have one great dynastic era into one that became the gold standard of basketball.
