Interview: Clyde Drexler on NBA’s 2022 All-Star Weekend, Rockets’ rebuild, and beyond

As a promotional event at the NBA’s 2022 All-Star Weekend, beer brand Michelob ULTRA is partnering with NBA JAM and some of the league’s most legendary players from the 1990s to bring the joy of the iconic video game to life — both virtually and on the ground in Cleveland.

The 2022 All-Star Game is being held this weekend as a celebration of the NBA’s 75th anniversary, and it’s been almost 30 years since the iconic game hit the shelves. To that end, Michelob ULTRA is encouraging fans to “Enjoy it Like It’s 1993,” both virtually at EnjoyItLikeIts1993.com and in person at a retro ‘90s barcade in Cleveland, where various NBA JAM legends will stop by throughout the weekend for meet and greets.

Further details are available in the press release.

One of those legends who will be in Cleveland for NBA JAM meet and greets is Hall of Famer Clyde Drexler, who won the 1995 NBA Finals with the Houston Rockets and went on to become a beloved television announcer for the team in the years following his storied career.

Drexler recently sat down with Rockets Wire for an exclusive interview about his partnership with Michelob ULTRA and NBA JAM, as well as a wide range of other Rockets’ topics — including the state of the team’s current rebuild and the prospects for rookie Jalen Green in Saturday’s slam dunk contest. Scroll on for a lightly edited transcript, and the complete interview can be listened to below.

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Drexler on the NBA JAM promotion

Q: Why did you want to get involved with this partnership, and what benefits do you see this doing for the league?

Drexler: Well, Michelob ULTRA is the original NBA JAM sponsor. They’re bringing it all back! They’ve got the “Boom Shaka Lakas” (barcade), and they’re telling people to “Enjoy it Like It’s 1993,” so they’re bringing all the old-school players and legends back. It’s going to be a highlight of All-Star Weekend. To be a part of that is a privilege, and an honor.

Also, there’s the game! There’s the 3-point shootout, there’s the dunk contest, and of course there’s the 75th anniversary — where they’re celebrating the top 75 players in the history of the game (which Drexler is among). There’s something for everyone.

But then the Michelob ULTRA and NBA JAM (events), that’s going to be off the charts. Everybody’s going to be there, and because it’s a throwback — because we were all a part of the original NBA JAM — that’s going to be really special, because you get to see guys from back in the day. That’s always special.

Q: Did you notice that when you were playing, how a lot of people in the younger generation got attached to you guys through the video game?

Drexler: Everywhere you go, that’s all they would talk about it. They would say ‘Boy, you know, you’re that guy who was really incredible in my game.’ Young kids, 7, 8, 9, or 10 years old, would say ‘Did you ever think about playing in the NBA, for real?’ They love the game so much, they thought it was just the game!

Drexler on the young Rockets and All-Star Weekend

Q: I want to ask you about the rest of All-Star Weekend, and specifically stuff related to the Rockets. Friday night, there’s the Rising Stars tournament. The Rockets have Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, and Jae’Sean Tate in it. How important is that? You’ve been in their shoes as a young player, and getting to do stuff at All-Star Weekend for the first time. How big is that for your career, to be on that stage and in front of your peers? What are some of the things that it can do for them?

Drexler: Well, they get they get to showcase their skills. That’s what the All-Star Weekend is all about. It’s about performance. You want to come in and give a good performance and let every NBA fan know that ‘You know what, I’m one of those guys to watch out for, that could be a pretty good player in the future.’

Drexler on dunk contest advice for Jalen Green

Q: You were in the dunk contest five times. You didn’t ever win it, but you had some legendary dunks. What advice would you have for Jalen Green of the Rockets, who is doing it for the first time?

Drexler: Just try not to hurt yourself. A lot of guys go in, they’re so excited, and they’re trying to do things that are too much. I always tried to do dunks that I knew that I could pull off, because you don’t want to try to do something so spectacular that you get hung on that rim and hurt yourself. Right? So, the first thought is do something you know you can make. And then the second thought is to have fun.

Q: What do you think about the trend of these guys in the dunk contest that use props? Not saying he would use you, although you will be there!

Drexler: Well, if you use a prop, and I think it’s great… but if you do, don’t hurt your prop! (laughs)

It’s dangerous! I mean, you’re jumping up in the air, your feet are going everywhere. You could kick someone in the head with all that force. So, it’s dangerous to use props. I’ve always thought that. I’ve never use props because of that. Human props, that is!

Drexler on the evolution of the dunk contest

Q: One of the interesting things about Jalen doing the dunk contest is that while he’s not a star yet, he’s certainly a big name, as the No. 2 overall draft pick. One of the ways the dunk contest has really changed from your day, it was so electric because the big names like yourself, like MJ (Michael Jordan), like Dominique (Wilkins), were doing it almost every year. Whereas now, it feels like all the big names aren’t doing it.

Maybe Jalen is the start of a trend where they start doing that again. But why do you think over the last 10 to 20 years that the dunk contest has, unfortunately, evolved to where the big names don’t do it anymore?

Drexler: It used to be the best players played, and they participated. We were not afraid of our “brand,” you know.

It’s one of those deals where if you still consider yourself a good dunker, the fans want to see it. So, go out there and participate! Have a good time! Show them what you’ve got. And it’ll be what it’ll be. If you lose, that means you need to get better. Challenge yourself at all times.

Drexler on Jalen Green’s rookie season

Q: From one legendary Houston Rockets shooting guard to someone in Jalen that people hope will be a legendary Rockets shooting guard, what have you seen from him in his rookie season, and what are the things he should be working on to get better as he heads toward the offseason?

Drexler: He’s so young. He’s still not even legal to drink a Michelob ULTRA! (laughs)

At the end of the day, he’s got tremendous potential, but he’s still got to prove that he can be a solid starter on a good team. It’s bad when you’re a young player and you’re on a bad team, because everybody just gets to do what they want. There’s no expectation of winning.

But as the team gets better, and you have to be more consistent, I think he will make that jump. I think he’ll make it easily. He’s got size, he’s got skill. He’s a good young man, very nice, just easy to talk to. I think his future is very bright. But he’s got to get bigger, stronger, and faster. If you don’t do that, year after year, you’re going to fall behind.

With young guys, if they fall into that and put in that work, they’re going to have pretty good results. But that’s what you don’t know about some of these young guys, are they willing to put in that work? I hope and think he is, and we’ll see what the results will be.

Drexler on the Rockets’ rebuild

Q: Generally speaking about the Rockets, we talked about Jalen (Green), Alperen Sengun, and Jae’Sean Tate and the Rising Stars event. Obviously, a lot of fans aren’t happy with the record, but I think people understand how young they are. What do you think about this rebuilding process that they’re on? Are they heading in the right direction?

Drexler: You need some guys who can carry a team. You had James Harden and Russell Westbrook, it’s hard to replace those guys. They are generational players. For you to think that you can just get some young guys and it eventually clicks… I don’t know that it’s ever worked (in that way). You’re always going to need some seasoned veterans to teach those young guys how to play the game.

Drexler on retiring broadcast partner Bill Worrell

Q: I know a lot of fans around here miss you from your broadcasting days. What did you think about Bill Worrell’s big farewell night a couple of months ago, when the Rockets honored him and his 40 years as a broadcaster? How nice is it to see him getting the recognition that he’s gotten over the past few months?

Drexler: It was great to see that. Bill’s always been the voice of the Rockets, and a good voice. Bill’s fair to everyone. He pumps up all the home guys when they come to town, talks about their families. Bill is beloved from everyone. We hate to see him go, but we all think it was time. Bill put in enough time, and now he gets to enjoy his life. But certainly a beloved figure in Rockets’ folklore.

Drexler on his former coach, Rudy Tomjanovich, making the Hall of Fame

Q: How nice was it to see Rudy Tomjanovich, your old coach, getting that Hall of Fame recognition last year?

Drexler: I think he deserved it. He was very close to getting in as a player, and he certainly should be in as a coach, with the back-to-back world champions! Rudy is getting his just due, and it’s about time.

This interview was lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

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