Second Maloy interview

On the phone from Vienna, on April 22, 1999, for the old book:

“I didn’t believe in the turn-the-other-cheek method because it doesn’t work. I felt if blacks just sat back and waited nothing would come of the situation.”

“For blacks in America it’s gone downhill. It’s back to the ‘50s, like the ‘60s never happened, less and less of the population controlling more and more money. After Reagan it was ‘I’m rich and you ain’t.’”

“The situation at Davidson was probably the best years of my life. I loved it there. I loved the weather. I loved the school. There’s something to be said for a campus when you can walk around barefoot.”

“I was happy to be there. I probably enjoyed Davidson a little bit too much.”

“I look back on that now and grades weren’t that important to me. I don’t think that was a conscious decision. I just didn’t know exactly where to go. My goal had always been to get out of New York alive. I didn’t mind just getting by. This was fun. I probably could’ve made A’s but it wasn’t about that.”

“I left late in my senior year. There was a lot of bad shit going on. I didn’t want to play pro ball. That wasn’t even on my list. But there was really nothing on my list. I didn’t think I was that kind of player. I was a 6-7 center. You don’t have 6-7 centers in the pros. One of the reasons I was so good was because I was playing with such a good team.”

“I was actually spoiled at Davidson. When I got open, I expected to get the ball, and I did get the ball. The pros were me, me, me. One of the reasons I played basketball was that it wasn’t me, me, me. I wasn’t happy at all in the pros. It just wasn’t for me.”

Why did he leave at the end of his senior year? “I don’t know. There was a real phase there where I got really, really down. I was playing hurt all year. Some friends of mine died at home. One day I was at Davidson. The next day I wasn’t.”

“I drove around. I think I was in Florida and then New York. I really couldn’t tell you where I was, what I did. I ran out of steam.”

“I thought it wouldn’t be bad to see some of Europe while I was still young. Europe kind of suits my mentality. One of the nice things about Europe is that you get in a plane for an hour in any direction and you’re in some place completely different. Plus, Austria was something different, something I always wanted to do. And got back into basketball too. I started to enjoy it again.”

“It wasn’t about the money. It was about chilling out and getting my head straight. Going over here was a typical Maloy move. Some might say that.”

“Europe’s been good for me. I just kept saying, ‘I’ll stay another year,’ and I’ve been doing that for 25 years now.”

“I cut ties because that’s just the way I am. It wasn’t a conscious decision. I’m absolutely the worst person I know about staying in touch. Fortunately I’m back in touch with my family now.”

“I didn’t realize people were looking for me. I had no idea. It surprised the hell out of me.”

“The only thing I’d do differently is probably stay a little longer. I played on great teams. Everybody doesn’t get to do that.”

Does he regret leaving early? “Yes and no. You say you can do that later. Don’t say that. It’s something that is unfinished business for me. I do regret that in that sense.”