For the love of the game

Sean Hiller

As the aftermath of Game 6 of the NBA finals settles in, former Celtics

point guard Tony Ussery flashes back to 1984, when he and Larry Bird

glimmered in the spotlight of professional basketball.

Although the tables have turned, Ussery, 41, is still in the game, taking

to the sidelines to coach young athletes at the Boys & Girls Club in

Huntington Beach.

Joining the Boston Celtics in 1982, Ussery played as a point guard and

shooting guard until a knee injury ended his career during the 1984 NBA

championships. That season the Celtics went on to the finals to take the

title against the Los Angeles Lakers.

With professional experience under his belt, Ussery shares his knowledge

and skill with his young proteges, transforming them from uncoordinated

and inexperienced players into competitive and aggressive athletes.

Coaching two teams, with members that include his 11-year-old daughter,

Adriana, and 8-year-old son, A.J., Ussery said he is inspired by the

children’s thirst for knowledge.

“To pour out knowledge and to watch it being sucked in and utilized” is

what makes the experience rewarding, Ussery said.

Ussery expects his teammates to get the fundamentals out of what he

teaches.

“You are a student to whatever you do,” Ussery said.

He believes basketball can be a tool to help children succeed in whatever

they do. And teaching youngsters isn’t the same as teaching older

basketball players, he said.

“I have the support of the parents at this level, which is key,” Ussery

said.

Ussery still plays hoops in a men’s league at the Boys & Girls Club, as

well as being a member of the NBA’s Retired Players Assn.