FULLY STOCKED
Oklahoma City Thunder coach Billy Donovan says Jeff Van Gundy once said Donovan could ace out John Stockton for a Jazz roster spot.
“Listen, man. I’m telling you. You’ve got a chance to make this team … They’ve got a guy there that’s in, like, his third year named Stockton that I’m not so sure about,” Van Gundy said when he was a Providence grad assistant. “He hasn’t played very much.”
Donovan went on to tell The Oklahoman that after the first day of practice he called Van Gundy and said, “Hey, Jeff, remember that comment you made about you’re not sure about Stockton? That’s the best guard I’ve ever played against in my entire life.”
Van Gundy’s recollection of the tale: If he said it, the 20-hour workdays under head coach Rick Pitino are “the only explanation for such a ludicrous statement like that.”
Here’s to wondering if Van Gundy’s also the guy that recommended the Blazers take Sam Bowie over Michael Jordan.