Detroit Pistons assistant coach Dee Brown reflects back on the 1998-99 NBA Lockout
The newly hired assistant coach of the Detroit Pistons, Dee Brown, can certainly not discuss the ongoing labour dispute and the lockout. What he can do though, is to discuss the one that the NBA forced in the 1998-99 season. That
was the first time, the league locked out its players over the Collective Bargaining Agreement and it took nearly two months and 32 games back then.
The situation now is even worse, and what’s more insane is that nobody involved can say a word about it. For if they do, The NBA commissioner, David Stern, will waive his wand and thrust a heavy fine.
The Pistons have had an overhaul in their coaching staff, however, the coaches cannot reach out to the players in any way and this seems to be an innovative way to pass the message on.
Dee was part of the NBA as a player in those days and he is well aware what the players can go through in such times of uncertainties, both financial and professional. Keeping that lockout in perspective, Dee has doled out few
advices for the present NBA players and has stressed upon the importance of fitness on them
Recalling that time Brown said,
“We just tried to stay in shape. We trusted everything would get done. That's all we did. There was no magic formula. When it gets done, it gets done.
“That's all we did in '98.”
The last lockout was at a time when Brown was a newcomer at the Toronto Raptors after breaking a season long relation with the Boston Celtics, which picked him up as 19th overall from the 1990 NBA Draft.
He added,
“You had to be prepared whenever it happened. You were in shape and ready to play, ready to perform. You didn't want to get hurt. Being in a contract year or whatever, you could hurt yourself (not being prepared).
“We were all professionals and wanted to be prepared for when it ended.”
When the last lockout was over, Brown played in 49 of the 50 games played and in those he tallied 11.2 points. However, the Raptors failed to qualify for the postseason, as they went 23-27 in the 50-game season.
Tags: