Gill wants to play for the Lakers

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/cs-050622hirsley,1
,5117841.column?coll=cs-home-headlines&ctrack=2&cset=true

"This is not just testing the water," Gill, 37, said of his scheduled bout
Saturday against Trevor Biley at the Aragon Ballroom. "I'm ready to be a
fighter."


"I wanted to be a boxer before I wanted to be a basketball player," he said
of his childhood in Chicago. "Even as a kid, my real passion was boxing. But
all my friends played basketball, and there was no one to feed my interest
in boxing."


He has dabbled in mixed martial arts, and since he has focused on boxing, he
said, "I respect fighters more than any other athletes.

"The NBA lifestyle is more pampered. In boxing, I see these guys go through
punishment in training just to have a life in this sport."


"My conditioning is far beyond what I'd do for basketball, so I'm in the
best shape of my life," Gill said. "When I get to the NBA, I'll be a
monster."

He would like to reach his goal of 15 seasons by playing for coach Phil
Jackson with the Lakers next season.

"I love the triangle offense," he said.

His goal as a boxer is less certain.

"It takes many years to be a champion," he said. "Maybe I'll have a handful
of fights, maybe more. As long as my body says it's OK, I'll be there. I
know it's a risky sport, and I don't intend to stay in it until I slur my
words or anything like that."

s_knight8 wrote:
> http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/cs-050622hirsley,1
> ,5117841.column?coll=cs-home-headlines&ctrack=2&cset=true
>
> "This is not just testing the water," Gill, 37, said of his scheduled bout
> Saturday against Trevor Biley at the Aragon Ballroom. "I'm ready to be a
> fighter."
>
>
> "I wanted to be a boxer before I wanted to be a basketball player," he said
> of his childhood in Chicago. "Even as a kid, my real passion was boxing. But
> all my friends played basketball, and there was no one to feed my interest
> in boxing."
>
>
> He has dabbled in mixed martial arts, and since he has focused on boxing, he
> said, "I respect fighters more than any other athletes.
>
> "The NBA lifestyle is more pampered. In boxing, I see these guys go through
> punishment in training just to have a life in this sport."
>
>
> "My conditioning is far beyond what I'd do for basketball, so I'm in the
> best shape of my life," Gill said. "When I get to the NBA, I'll be a
> monster."
>
> He would like to reach his goal of 15 seasons by playing for coach Phil
> Jackson with the Lakers next season.
>
> "I love the triangle offense," he said.
>
> His goal as a boxer is less certain.
>
> "It takes many years to be a champion," he said. "Maybe I'll have a handful
> of fights, maybe more. As long as my body says it's OK, I'll be there. I
> know it's a risky sport, and I don't intend to stay in it until I slur my
> words or anything like that."

He had his chance and went for the money instead and that was ages ago.
Good riddance.