94 Feet and Rising: Playing With Magic Johnson and Charles Barkley

Greg Grant was a short player who overcame long odds: standing just 5-foot-7 and playing college ball in Division III, he was drafted in the second round by the Phoenix Suns in 1989, lasting seven years in the NBA.

Earlier today, FanHouse featured the first chapter of Greg's autobiography, 94 Feet and Rising, written with the help of Martin Sumners and released in July. In the following excerpts, Greg recalls what it was like to play against Magic Johnson and share a locker room with Charles Barkley, two of the brightest stars the NBA has ever seen.

1989 - Phoenix Suns

[One] of the funniest things to happen on the court occurred the next time we played the Lakers and Magic [Johnson]. In early December, we played them at the Forum, and I got my Magic moment. As a backup, I was usually matched up with the other team's backup point guard, which at the time for the Lakers was Larry Drew. But sometimes the rotations of benches don't match up precisely or due to quick foul trouble on one of the starters, the backup could be matched up with the number one guy.

Somehow this happened, and I ended up guarding Magic. I was all up under the greatest point guard ever as he was over a foot taller than me. But I used that to my advantage and stripped him from underneath. Magic went ballistic at the ref, screaming that I fouled him. We converted on the other end for a basket, and a time out was called. As we crossed paths going back to our respective benches, Magic leaned over and said, "Good play Greg."

This was one of the best players in the world acknowledging me out on the court. But that's what makes a player who is very good rise to greatness. Magic knew everybody on the opposing team and how they played, all the way down to the twelfth man.


1992-94 - Philadelphia 76ers

One time before a Bulls game, Coach Jim Lynam was doing a pregame chalk talk in the locker room while Charles [Barkley] was taking a dump in the nearby bathroom stall.

Jimmy starts yelling instructions to Charles saying, "Chuck you got Horace [Grant]."

Charles yells back, "Alright."

Manute [Bol] was a playful guy, but he took his basketball seriously and would often try to unite the team. So he spoke up about Charles getting special treatment.

He said in his thick Sudanese accent, "Jimmy, I think that's messed up that he take a sheeeet while we sit here."

Jimmy response was to try to let it slide and say, "Aw Manute, come on."

Manute was still upset and said, "No way. That's bullsheeeet. He does this all the time. He takes a sheeeet and we have to listen to him in there. How we going to win a game when out best player takes a sheeeet every game."

Then we all hear the toilet flush and the water running. Charles comes out and walks over to the board and erases everything. While he's doing that he's saying, "Forget all that stuff, Jimmy. Just give me the ball."

Jimmy just said, "That's right Chuck; none of that matters. Just go play hard."

We couldn't believe it. But you know what, we actually won that game. We beat the defending champs, which was one of the just the thirty-five we won that season.

94 Feet and Rising was released on July 17, 2009 and is available online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.