boutons_
12-18-2007, 11:15 AM
December 18, 2007
Frequent Flier
The Hoops Star, the Movie Star and the Size 22 Feet
By BOB LANIER
http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2007/12/18/business/18flier.650.1.jpg
HAVING played professional basketball for 14 years in the National Basketball Association, I’ve spent a great deal of time on airplanes over the last three decades.
My flying time has increased since my playing days since I’m now special assistant to the N.B.A. commissioner, David Stern (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/s/david_stern/index.html?inline=nyt-per). With this job, I travel the globe as an ambassador for N.B.A. Cares, the league’s social responsibility initiative.
As much as I enjoy traveling, a real drawback is my size. Squeezing my 6-foot-11 frame into an airplane seat has always been a challenge. Finding leg room for my size 22 feet, once the biggest in the N.B.A., is another issue. But I’ve managed and now have my preflight routine down: board early, get my bags placed above me and snag an aisle seat so I can stick my feet out.
Though I enjoy the chance to shake someone’s hand or chat with them about basketball, I sometimes find it embarrassing to show off my big feet to strangers. I remember a few years ago, while flying from Phoenix to Los Angeles to participate in an N.B.A. Cares event and catch a Lakers (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/sports/probasketball/nationalbasketballassociation/losangeleslakers/index.html?inline=nyt-org) game, I was the last to board the plane and couldn’t find a place to put my bags. I was out of sorts, and by the time I got myself settled in, I just wanted the plane to take off. I didn’t pay attention to the young man sitting next to me.
But after takeoff, this fellow made a remark about the Lakers game scheduled for that night. I told him I was on my way to the game. He gave me a look as if to say he already knew that. He then started talking about the N.B.A.’s history and some highlights of my own career. I told him he seemed to know a lot about basketball for a young guy.
All I could think was how familiar he looked. In fact, he was spitting image of the guy who played the lead in a movie I watched a few nights before with my youngest daughter. Finally, it hit me: That’s Leonardo da Vinci (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/d/leonardo_da_vinci/index.html?inline=nyt-per). No, wait, I mean DiCaprio.
Here I am, a pretty recognizable figure in my own right, getting star-struck at meeting this young movie star. I told him I’m a fan but I couldn’t remember the name of the movie I’d just seen. So he had me describe the plot. I told him he was robbing banks and flying planes.
“‘Catch Me If You Can,’” he shouts, like we’re having a game of charades.
When I got off the plane, I immediately called my wife to tell her who I’d just met. The next thing I know, Mr. DiCaprio pops up next to me, takes the phone and talks to my wife for nearly 10 minutes.
After that flight, I turned into a bigger fan, not only of this young man’s work but also of his personal character. And now, whenever I’m feeling a little rushed, I remember how he took the time to talk to me and to my wife.
So if we’re on a flight together and you recognize me, go ahead and ask about my feet. Maybe we’ll wind up talking about basketball. Or movies.
By Bob Lanier, as told to Joan Raymond. E-mail: [email protected]
Frequent Flier
The Hoops Star, the Movie Star and the Size 22 Feet
By BOB LANIER
http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2007/12/18/business/18flier.650.1.jpg
HAVING played professional basketball for 14 years in the National Basketball Association, I’ve spent a great deal of time on airplanes over the last three decades.
My flying time has increased since my playing days since I’m now special assistant to the N.B.A. commissioner, David Stern (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/s/david_stern/index.html?inline=nyt-per). With this job, I travel the globe as an ambassador for N.B.A. Cares, the league’s social responsibility initiative.
As much as I enjoy traveling, a real drawback is my size. Squeezing my 6-foot-11 frame into an airplane seat has always been a challenge. Finding leg room for my size 22 feet, once the biggest in the N.B.A., is another issue. But I’ve managed and now have my preflight routine down: board early, get my bags placed above me and snag an aisle seat so I can stick my feet out.
Though I enjoy the chance to shake someone’s hand or chat with them about basketball, I sometimes find it embarrassing to show off my big feet to strangers. I remember a few years ago, while flying from Phoenix to Los Angeles to participate in an N.B.A. Cares event and catch a Lakers (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/sports/probasketball/nationalbasketballassociation/losangeleslakers/index.html?inline=nyt-org) game, I was the last to board the plane and couldn’t find a place to put my bags. I was out of sorts, and by the time I got myself settled in, I just wanted the plane to take off. I didn’t pay attention to the young man sitting next to me.
But after takeoff, this fellow made a remark about the Lakers game scheduled for that night. I told him I was on my way to the game. He gave me a look as if to say he already knew that. He then started talking about the N.B.A.’s history and some highlights of my own career. I told him he seemed to know a lot about basketball for a young guy.
All I could think was how familiar he looked. In fact, he was spitting image of the guy who played the lead in a movie I watched a few nights before with my youngest daughter. Finally, it hit me: That’s Leonardo da Vinci (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/d/leonardo_da_vinci/index.html?inline=nyt-per). No, wait, I mean DiCaprio.
Here I am, a pretty recognizable figure in my own right, getting star-struck at meeting this young movie star. I told him I’m a fan but I couldn’t remember the name of the movie I’d just seen. So he had me describe the plot. I told him he was robbing banks and flying planes.
“‘Catch Me If You Can,’” he shouts, like we’re having a game of charades.
When I got off the plane, I immediately called my wife to tell her who I’d just met. The next thing I know, Mr. DiCaprio pops up next to me, takes the phone and talks to my wife for nearly 10 minutes.
After that flight, I turned into a bigger fan, not only of this young man’s work but also of his personal character. And now, whenever I’m feeling a little rushed, I remember how he took the time to talk to me and to my wife.
So if we’re on a flight together and you recognize me, go ahead and ask about my feet. Maybe we’ll wind up talking about basketball. Or movies.
By Bob Lanier, as told to Joan Raymond. E-mail: [email protected]