NBA commissioner Adam Silver joined Mike Trudell during the third quarter of L.A.’s season opener against Minnesota on the Time Warner Cable SportsNet broadcast. Below is a transcription of the interview:
MT: Looking out on the court, you see Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant, who have been in the league since 1995 and 1996. What have they done for the NBA?
Silver: First of all, also to see the composition of these teams: two of our longest standing veterans both with championship pedigree, and with a lot of young players out here as well, of course the No. 1 and No. 2 picks. It’s great to see teams built that way. In terms of Kobe and Kevin, it’s what haven’t they done for the league. I say that they’re globally famous, they’re both high character guys, high energy guys, and I think both of them are in the positions they are because they love playing with the younger guys and mentoring them and bringing them along.
MT: You see the transition here with D’Angelo Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns, the numbers 1 and 2 picks, facing off in the opener. How do you feel about the future of the league with all the incredible young talent that’s out there?
Silver: I’ve never felt better about the league. I’ve been a fan my whole life. I’ve been with the league for well over 20 years now, and I can’t think of a time when we’ve had more great players on the floor. Again, guys who are just diverse, just like they learned from the legends. Strong character, really care about the history of the game … it’s a great time for NBA basketball.
MT: As Julius Randle scores here, it was so difficult for him to go out (with a season-ending injury) in the first game last year. What have you made of his comeback, and how he looks tonight?
Silver: He looks fantastic. I’m really enjoying seeing the Lakers. Great chemistry on a young team, we’re seeing it already, and the Timberwolves aren’t so bad either.
MT: Finally, I want to ask you, Jeanie Buss has been involved with the (Lakers and the) NBA for so long and now making the big decisions for the Lakers. What’s that relationship been like between you and her, and Jeanie and the league?
Silver: One, it goes back since the day I started in the league. I’ve had a wonderful relationship with her whole family. Her dad was a mentor to me – I learned so much about the business, basketball and the game from Dr. Jerry Buss. And now Jeanie has stepped right into his shoes. She’s very active in league matters; she’s not very public about it, but for example, she was on our labor relations committee last time and is on the committee again. She speaks up in a lot of board meetings, and she gets a lot of respect in the room, especially from this next generation of owners, many of whom are older than she is, but know that she’s been around the league her entire life.