We caught up with former NBA player Robert Horry during his visit to SummerFest in Abu Dhabi, a master class featuring some of the sporting world’s biggest names. See what he thinks of Dwight Howard's move and why the Heat are not a dynasty ...
Who is your favourite current NBA player?
I am a big Rudy Gay [of the Toronto Raptors] fan. He is a better player than I was and he doesn’t get the notoriety that he should. Memphis made a huge mistake [when they traded him to Toronto]. If he had been on that team, they would probably be in the NBA Finals because they probably would have beaten San Antonio [Spurs in the Western Conference finals].
What do you make of Miami Heat as a dynasty?
I don’t consider them a dynasty yet. It takes a lot to become a dynasty. I always say the Boston Celtics of the 1960s were the only true dynasty, because they won nine titles in a 10-year span. If you win six or seven championships in a 10-year period, then you’re a dynasty. People throw legacy and dynasty around a bit too much. In 10 years from now, if they have won six championships, then you can call them a dynasty.
What did you make of Dwight Howard’s move from the LA Lakers to the Houston Rockets?
I started doing broadcasting for the Lakers last year and I, off camera, would say ‘he is not coming back’. You could see from his body language he was not happy. When I played for Phoenix [Suns in 1996-97], you could tell that I wasn’t happy. You could tell he wasn’t happy. Money doesn’t make you happy, I don’t care how much [you get].
How does today’s NBA compare with when you played?
The physicality is a lot different. When I played, you had a lot of enforcers. You would go to the hole, get knocked down and the referee would look at you and say ‘get stronger, get up and keep playing’. Now you go to the hole and [it’s a foul]. I can see why because the game has speeded up so they have to protect the players.
Who is your favourite teammate ever?
I would have to say [former Rockets point guard] Sam Cassell. He was a rookie in my second year and we were the two youngest guys on the team. We had that bond on a team where everyone was aged 25 and up. He stayed in contact. He was a great guy on and off the court.
