(Ep009) Gary Vitti: How Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Demonstrated True Greatness, What It Took To Be A Head Athletic Trainer In The NBA, and The Moment That Forged The Celtics v. Lakers Rivalry of The 80’s
Many fans refer to Gary Vitti as a Lakers legend. He doesn't describe himself that way - but it is well-known that he has worked with many legends over his 32-year NBA career. During his tenure as Head Athletic Trainer, the team won 12 Western Conference Championships and eight NBA Championships. When he started in 1984, he was a one-man show, the first person at practice and games and the last one to leave. Since that time, iconic film and photos dot the media from network highlights to magazine covers. The job went beyond health care to personal relationships with some of the greatest champions to walk the planet.
As a fixture on the first seat of the bench you can imagine, Vitti has seen, heard, and been part of unforgettable achievements and historical defeats. He distilled many of these into his brilliant book, 32 Years of Titles and Tears From the Best Seat in the House: What I Learned About Happiness, Greatness, Leadership and the Evolution of Sports Science.
In this episode, you’ll hear Gary share:
The greatest Kareem Abdul-Jabbar leadership story you’ve never heard
What it was like working for Pat Riley
How he put humility into action by washing player uniforms, coordinating travel, and doing many other things a Head Athletic Trainer in today’s NBA would never have to tackle
What made the Big 3 of Magic Johnson, Kareem, and James Worthy tick
Who his favorite “glue guys” were during his long Lakers tenure
His definition of being physically BASKETBALL STRONG
Why he hired Basketball Strong co-host Tim DiFrancesco to be head strength and conditioning coach of the Lakers
Learn more about Gary’s work by following him on Instagram and buy his book: 32 Years of Titles & Tears from the Best Seat in the House: https://www.amazon.com/Years-Titles-Tears-Best-House/dp/1686866704
