Biofile Kyle Macy Interview

By Scoop Malinowski

Status: Former 1978 NCAA National Champion guard for University of Kentucky. NBA guard from 1980-1990 for Phoenix Suns, Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers.

DOB: April 9, 1957 In: Fort Wayne, Indiana

First Memory Of Basketball: My dad was a high school coach. When I was born he put a goal in the basement. They held me up and let me put the ball in the hoop. When my dad coached at Indiana Tech I was the mascot who would lead the team out to the court. I had a uniform, thought I was hot stuff [smiles]. I looked up to those guys. They’d play Horse with me. It was a great experience being around that atmosphere.

First Job: Summer job YMCA coaching tennis.

First Car: Camaro (green) with a dark hard top.

Last Book Read: Your’s [laughs]. It was good. I saw Borg play in Indianapolis when he was sixteen. (I gave Kyle a copy of Facing Bjorn Borg at the Bradenton GT Bray Park Larry Turville Super Senior Grand Prix tennis tournament earlier in the month, where we both competed in different age divisions but played a match on adjacent courts.)

Childhood Dreams: Growing up I never thought of being a professional. I just enjoyed playing, competing whatever season – summer basketball, tennis tournaments, baseball and then going to the gym at night to work out. Dad had the keys to the gym. He never said no when we wanted to go.

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Swirl [laughs].

Greatest Career Moment: Basketball – being a team sport – winning the National Championship in 1978 with University of Kentucky. I transferred from Purdue and had to sit out a year but I could practice, first year of eligibility we won the National Championship. I don’t think I could have written a better script.

Most Painful Moment: Biggest disappointment was not being able to play the Olympics when President Jimmy Carter boycotted. I was on the Pan-American Games team that won the gold medal. Not being able to play for my country – I felt like that team, we were one of the best international teams put together – that was before professional were allowed to play in the Olympics. Then I signed with Phoenix (NBA as 1979 first round, 22nd pick overall).

Worst Injury: Broken jaw in Pan-American Games against Cuba.

Strangest Game: One that stands out… playing with Phoenix at the Seattle Kingdome against the Seattle Supersonics. It was the stadium where the Seahawks played, a big, open arena stadium. It was said that it could be hard to see in there. Our other guard Walter Davis missed his first shot and then made seventeen in a row. That blew that theory away [smiles].

Funny Basketball Memory: When I was in Chicago, Michael Jordan missed most of the year with an ankle/foot injury. We went to Boston Garden for the first round game of the playoffs and lost in double overtime. We combined for 70 points – he had 63 and I had 7 [smiles]… One thing I love about team sports is the camaraderie, the events you shared with teammates. To be on a championship team together, to this day fifty years later we still get together and send messages. I cherish that as a person, not just as an athlete.

Fiercest Competitors Encountered: To get to that level of NBA everybody has to have some competitive talent… Michael Jordan, Oscar Robertson.

Funniest Players Encountered: There was one guy on every team. Rich Kelley played at Stanford, seven footer, he had a different take. At Kentucky, Rick Robey was really outgoing. Chicago – Quinton Dailey, Gene Banks, Dave Corzine – one day we were going out to eat and he said he wanted to look at a Porsche. So we happen to drive by a Porsche dealership and he said, Let’s go and look. We went in and he bought a Porsche right then and there. He drove away in a Porsche. He had just signed a big contract.

Favorite Arenas To Play: I always liked the historic arenas – Boston Garden, Inglewood Forum Los Angeles, Chicago Stadium. For cities – the San Diego Clippers arena wasn’t so nice but the weather there was always nice.

Favorite Uniforms: Our college uniform has to be a favorite. I’d say the Suns – the orange and purple combination was unique.

Favorite Artist: LeRoy Neiman. I was in a couple of his paintings in our championship year – I was the skinny, little guy in the background [smiles].

People Qualities Most Admired: People not so full of themselves. They realize we are all in this together. It doesn’t hurt to be nice to somebody who may not be as fortunate.

Career Accomplishments: Scored 5,259 points in NBA for a 9.5 points per game average; 1,214 rebounds (2.2 per game) and 2,198 assists (4 per game); led NBA in free throw percentage; Still holds the free throw shooting percentage record at the University of Kentucky, and his .884 career percentage is second only to Steve Nash (.907) on the Phoenix Suns’ career leaders list.