15 Year NBA Vet Kendall Gill Sits Down with Pittstop
Ladies and gentlemen, meet KENDALL GILL. He was recently honored by the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets for being one of the Top 10 players in franchise history. Pittstop had the opportunity to interview him this week, following his celebratory
weekend in Charlotte. But here’s a little background first:
Kendall attended Rich Central High School in Olympia Fields, Illinois, and then went on to play college basketball at the University of Illinois from 1986-90. He was the fifth overall pick in the 1990 NBA draft by the Charlotte Hornets. He played in the NBA for 15 years, retiring in 2005 after playing for several other teams after Charlotte, including the New Jersey Nets, the Seattle Supersonics, the Miami Heat, the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Chicago Bulls, and the Milwaukee Bucks. He holds the NBA record for most steals (11) in a game.
Why were you a part of the halftime ceremony during the Charlotte Hornets game last Saturday on November 17th? “I was a part of the ceremony because I was selected by the franchise and the fans as one of the top 10 players to ever dawn a Charlotte Hornets uniform. It was the 30th Anniversary of the Hornets and it was a special night.”
How does it feel to be voted by Hornets fans across the world as one of the ten best players to ever put a uniform on for the organization? “It feels great because I only played for the Hornets for three and a half years, and I didn’t expect to be one of the top ten players, since I was there for a short amount of time. It was an honor to be recognized for my efforts during my time there. I really appreciated the award and I’m going to cherish this forever.”
Who was the toughest player you had to guard during your NBA career? “Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf was the toughest player I had to guard. He had an awesome crossover dribble, you never knew what he was going to do, and he had an amazing jumpshot. He was Steph Curry before Steph became who he is today.”
Who was your most favorite teammate to play with throughout your career? “Larry Johnson was my favorite teammate to play with. He was an all around teammate, he wanted to win every game, he competed hard every game, and he was also one of the best player I played. A close second to my brother, Keith Gill, who I played with in high school, and we went to the [Illinois] state championship together.”
Is there anything you miss or do not miss playing in the NBA? “I don’t miss the training camps at all. I hated it. It was twice a day, grueling, week and a half time period. These occurred really close to the start of the season. It was a grueling process; I hated it much like Brett Favre (Hall-of-Fame NFL quarterback) used to hate training camps.”
How excited are you that Charlotte will be hosting the 2019 NBA all-star weekend? “I am really excited and they were supposed to have it a few years ago, so I’m glad it came back. This city has changed since my rookie year which was around 20 years ago. It’s just amazing that it took this long to get back into Queen City, but this city can handle it. They have all sorts of things to do downtown. It will be a good time.”
If you could have done one thing besides playing in the NBA, what would it be and why? “I would be a trader like I am now. I trade in the foreign exchange market. It teaches you how to trade and negotiate one-on-one with other buyers which is important.”
Is there any NBA player(s) that you have always wanted to play with but never got an opportunity to do so? “No, I have always been happy with the way my career panned out. I never said I wanted to play with a certain group of guys. I always enjoyed the teammates I already had.”
Since you are now a Bulls analyst, how long until the Bulls make the playoffs in your opinion? “The Chicago Bulls will make the playoffs next year, not this year, because of all the injuries they have had this season. It has put them behind the 8-ball, but when they get another respected free agent or high draft pick, you will see a very good basketball team next year.”