This past weekend, Kermit Washington joined Fadeaway World’s Nick Mac and Fox Sports 1280 Rochester’s Ryan Verneuille for an exclusive interview to discuss his career before and after that night as well as share stories of his time alongside such NBA legends as Jerry West, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, John Havlicek, and much more. He also gave his takes on some of the hottest topics in the game today as he remains an avid fan of the game 30-plus years after his retirement.

Nick Mac: “At this time, we would like to welcome into the chat an NBA legend and former All-Star, Kermit Washington. Mr. Washington, thank you for joining us today.”

Kermit Washington: “Thanks for having me guys, I appreciate the recognition and being here with you two.”

Ryan Verneuille: “Before we get into your career and some questions, I know we would like to extend some well wishes to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar who recently suffered a broken hip after a fall and is currently being treated at the hospital.”

Kermit Washington: “Kareem was my teammate for three years and I certainly wish him the best. I’ll tell you what. Kareem was the professional of all professionals. Always on time. He never complained. He was a great teammate and very coachable. It’s funny, on my wall for four years at American University was a poster of Kareem, and suddenly a few years later, he became my teammate. One of the best three big men in the history of the game bar none. For me, Kareem was the GOAT until Michael Jordan came along.”

Nick Mac: “What kind of role did he play as a mentor?”

Kermit Washington: “Well, he wasn’t a mentor, he was my teammate. His and my game were so different. All I did was rebound and protect his weak side. A Lot of the time, I checked the other team’s starting center like Moses Malone so we could keep Kareem out of foul trouble. Losing me wasn’t a big deal but losing Kareem would have been the worst-case scenario.”

Ryan Verneuille: “I would like to go here for a second. When talking about how the NBA has changed so much. Recently, we saw what has gone down with Draymond Green. What advice would you give to a guy like Draymond Green?”

Kermit Washington: “Draymond Green would not be getting away with that 20-30 years ago. Let’s be honest here. He’s a good player, a good player on what was a good team. I think Golden State’s time is up now because of age. Draymond wouldn’t dare, I mean you had so many tough guys like Lonnie Shelton, Paul Silas, Clifford Ray, and Truck Robinson. He would have been in the hospital every other week. He would have also understood that the pecking order is different. Guys are now making millions so they don’t want to get suspended and lose $200,000 or $300,00. Back then, it was only $50 in fines for a fight. That is until I got into my altercation with Rudy.”

Nick Mac: “Before we get into the altercation with Rudy, I would like to point out that you had the chance to play with a ton of NBA stars in your career. Jerry West, Connie Hawkins, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dave Cowens, John Havlicek, Maurice Lucas. The list goes on and on. What was it like to share the court with them?”

Kermit Washington: “Yeah I got to play with 12 Hall of Famers. I can’t think of too many guys who have played with that many Hall of Famers in their careers but it was a different game back then. There were only 14 teams so talent wasn’t as widespread, and the leadership aspect of things made a huge difference. For example, Jerry West made big men practice in the paint. There were no three-point shots for big men. John Havlicek and Dave Bing were the same way in Boston. Very old school. Like Michael Jordan was a leader and Kobe was a leader. LeBron James is one of the greatest players ever but he wasn’t a killer like Mike or Kobe were.”

Nick Mac: “You experience switching cities a few times in your career. Nowadays, that seems to be the norm in free agency and such. What was it like back then making all of these moves in a time when it wasn’t so common?”

Kermit Washington: “Well, you never wanted to change. The only reason I got traded from L.A. was because of the altercation I had with Rudy Tomjanovich. And I want to address that for a moment if I may. The funny thing is, Rudy had nothing to do with that night. His teammate Kevin Kunnert, had elbowed me and punched me in the face. I turn around and I see Rudy sprinting at me at full speed. Now what am I going to think? I didn’t know why he was running at me. A year prior, I had been jumped by four players on the Buffalo Braves. I wasn’t a fighter but when I see someone running at me from the corner of my eye, my first instinct is to defend myself. I took a polygraph test years later and passed but nobody cared. They didn’t see Kunnert strike me multiple times.”

Ryan Verneuille: “What about your time in Boston? You went there during a transitional point in their history. What was that like?”

Kermit Washington: “Well I will tell you a story about that. I was fortunate enough to play with some great players in Boston like Dave Cowens and Dave Bing but the man in town was John Havlicek. I was on the court for his final game and it was electric. The locker room was shaking before the game from the fans in anticipation. Red Auerbach came to talk to us before the game. He looked at every one of us and said, “If you guys mess up John’s last game, I will personally kill every one of you.” We ended up winning the game by 17 points.”

Nick Mac: “After Boston, you come back and join the Clippers before joining Portland in 1980 when you became an All-Star for the only time in your career. What was different about that season compared to the others that got you honored as an All-Star?”

Kermit Washington: “That’s very funny because I am not an All-Star. I tell people all the time that it was nice to be honored but I didn’t have that mentality. The real reason I earned that selection is because Maurice Lucas and Mychal Thompson were both injured. All of a sudden, I am a starter averaging over 15 points and ranking second or third in the league in rebounds at the All-Star break. The best part about that All-Star selection was I got to play in front of my home crowd in Washington D.C. where I grew up.”

Ryan Verneuille: “What was it like playing with the late Maurice Lucas?”

Kermit Washington: “So I will tell you a funny story about when he got healthy that same season. Coach Jack Ramsay told me I was going to continue to be the starter when Lucas came back because I was playing well. After about two weeks, I went to Coach Ramsay before a game with the Bulls and said look, you have got to put Maurice Lucas back in the starting lineup because he was beating us all up in practice. Elbows flying and everything. I told the coach he had to give him his spot back and I didn’t mind coming off the bench.”

Nick Mac: “Just one more question before you go, Mr. Washington and I want to thank you for joining us today. Who is your choice as the greatest player in NBA history?”

Kermit Washington: “I want to start by saying this. LeBron James is amazing. I have never seen anyone like him in my life. But he wasn’t a killer like Mike. Jordan was a leader and wanted to go right through you. I just don’t see that from LeBron. Mike made everyone around him better. I don’t know if LeBron does that”.

The Life And Career Of Kermit Washington

In speaking with Kermit Washington this past weekend, I learned a lot about his journey to and through the NBA as well as a time in basketball history that I was unable to witness on my own. Kermit experienced extreme highs and lows as a player during his career and his recollection of events further helps one understand the human element behind basketball players in the NBA.

From a top-five draft pick to being suspended and traded for one of the most infamous fights in NBA history, Washington’s presence in the annals of NBA history is undeniable. At a time when the NBA was trying to repair its image and move further away from violence on the court, Washington was given a second chance and made the most of it by becoming an All-Star and All-Defensive team selection just a few seasons later. Stories such as this need to continue to be told as long as basketball is around.