Tim Legler looks on before the game between the Denver Nuggets and the Minnesota Timberwolves during the 2024 NBA Playoffs.
Tim Legler, a familiar face on ESPN, recently took to Reddit to engage with NBA fans in an AMA (Ask Me Anything) session. He offered candid insights into his multifaceted career as a player and broadcaster, while also providing his thoughts on the upcoming 2024-25 NBA season.
Q: What was your favorite play of your career?
Game-winner I hit against the Sixers. It was a cool moment, playing college in Philly and I was playing in Washington when that happened. To play against that team knowing that so many people were watching that game in the Philly market. People that I knew well from playing in Philadelphia – staking my claim and living there all those years. Hit the game-winning shot with a second left, down 1, ran some action to throw the ball in the post and I didn’t like the look or angle of the pass and put my head down to shoot a floater.
Q: What is the skill that looks so much easier as an observer than it really is as a player?
Inbounding the ball – specifically sideline out of bounds near half court when there’s pressure and in late game moments. You’re in a very difficult spot in that area of the court, and there’s nowhere to go.
Q: Which team will leave the 2020’s with two or more championships?
Boston for sure – and I still think Denver. To me when I saw them win the first one, that was the team that is more than a one championship run team.
I’m giving myself the best odds to be right with those two teams that have already won one.
Q: If you had to pick three teams, which ones would you say will surprise fans the most? Additionally, if you were the GM of the Celtics, how would you navigate the team moving forward with the knowledge of the second apron?
I don’t know if its going to be a surprise but an X-factor in the Western Conference is Memphis. Totally out of the mix last year in a loaded Western Conference, and now you inject Memphis and Ja Morant into the mix. They’ll be a team we can be talking a lot about.
In the Eastern Conference, Charlotte is a team that could take a bump. They were banged up a year ago – now year two of Brandon Miller and LaMelo Ball back at the point.
I’ll go with Sacramento last, with the addition of DeMar DeRozan. He brings an element to the wing spot of a guy that can win 1-on-1 matchups and get you quality shots. He’s a major upgrade offensively.”
Q: Are there any tip-off matchups your excited about?
New York vs. Boston right off the bat is a great one. Knicks coming in healthy and lay claim to who the biggest challenger to the Celtics is. It’s also potentially a series later on down the road.
Dallas vs. Minnesota that first week on October 29th. That could potentially be a really good rivalry in the west. Luka has that way he plays that could make it a good rivalry. Anthony is a young star wanting to take his team to the promise land. That has the potential to be one of the great rivalries we have in the NBA today.
Any combination of New York, Boston, or Philly this year – it can be really special with any of those two teams matching up against each other.
Q: Trailing 95-96, with 8 sec left in the game in Game 7. Coach calls a 1-4 flat for your player who catches it at the nail off the inbounds pass. Who do you want with the ball in their hands?
Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Larry Bird
Q: Do you still think Luka can lead a team to a championship? And if so, what steps does he need to take to push him over the edge?
There’s no question he can lead his team to a championship. He ultimately is a guy that has the potential to win multiple championships and MVP’s in his career. Where he needs to challenge himself is getting himself into max physical condition. True superstars that set the tone in camp, they’re in better shape than anyone there. It builds chemistry in the locker room, that to me is the biggest challenge for him. Everything else he already has.
Q: Who’s your GOAT?
It’s Michael Jordan for me. I preface it with this I played in the 90s. That guy won 6 rings by playing in the 90s, and I got a sense of it playing then. LeBron is another guy, Kareem is another one.
There’s a level of competitiveness that Michael demonstrated every time he played. The era does matter to me too. It’s so impressive that he was able to do what he did in that era with defenses physically designed to stop and impede you.
Q: How have you changed your style of presentation, and how does it change depending on what type of format you’re on?
Good question. I just finished my 23rd year at ESPN. It was analytical based when I got into the industry, and we also have this parallel lane going into the debate form. My mentality is a bit different there than when you go on pregame or postgame with analysis to make people smarter. I know I have to shift gears depending on the format and be ready to be a bit more long-winded and back up points on debate shows.
My view is always the same. My goal is to try to tell you something about the game you just watched that is very important that you didn’t know, and that will make you smarter the next time you watch.
Q: Who is a player that was a really tough matchup for you back in your playing days that not many people talk about today?
Mitch Richmond. I played against a lot of Hall of Famers at the #2 spot. Clyde Drexler was a nightmare defensively because he’s so fast and athletic, and he can beat you at all three levels. Reggie Miller was a nightmare to chase around and was relentless in his pursuit of the ball. And he had length that he could get off over you.
Mitch was a guy that was so strong and powerful – if he got his back on you and wanted to go in the post, or muscle through you in the paint. He was a load to handle. He was a scoring machine as the #1, #2, #3 option on those Sacramento teams. I also played against him in my only NCAA Tournament appearance which was my first taste of going against him. Then he became my teammate later in his career, it was a lot better being his teammate than going against him.
Q: Who is the funniest guy or girl at ESPN?
First off, I have to be up there. Marcus Spears is really funny. Ryan Clark is hilarious on the football side. Richard Jefferson is funny on the basketball side.
You can’t be successful in this era of broadcasting and last unless you have a quick wit.
Q: Do you miss playing? Do you regret not being born to play in this three-point era?
I miss playing badly. Obviously you can’t play forever.
I had a really bad knee injury and I just never really recovered from that. I was 33 and I had a lot more years in the style that I played. My knees just wouldn’t allow it. The grind of what it takes to keep yourself at that level becomes impossible.
Then I transitioned to playing competitive in men’s leagues around Philadelphia. I was MVP in one of those leagues and thought about coming back to the NBA but I didn’t pursue it. I played pickup ball for a long time, and then I was coaching my AAU program. I would jump in those workouts and that’s how I got my fix. I’d pay a lot of money to go play pickup ball for 6 hours one day and be pain free. There’s no better workout and there’s nothing more fun, and I’m just as competitive as I used to be.”
