Former No. 1 draft pick and NBA All-Star Kenyon Martin joined Adrian Wojnarowski on this week’s episode of The Vertical Podcast with Woj. The always-candid Martin discussed the source of his famous intensity, helping lead the Nets to a pair of Finals appearances and more from his 15-year NBA career. Martin also talked about his basketball ability being overshadowed by his rambunctiousness, including one on-court feud that nearly combusted off the court.
Long one of the NBA’s most intimidating and confrontational players, Martin explained that his passion stemmed from a childhood battle with stuttering. After being teased by classmates, Martin stood up for himself and carried it over to the basketball court.
“It just came to a point to where one day I just drew a line in the sand,” Martin said. “‘I’m not going to get picked on no more about this.’ And if you do, we going to fight. And that’s when it started. That’s when the aggression — when I drew the line in the sand — I don’t know how old I was, but I was just like, ‘I’m not taking it no more.’ Win, lose or draw, we going to fight. So that’s when it started and just transferring all that inner — going on at home, getting picked on in school and the streets and stuff like that, taking all that onto the court.”
Martin, who was a late bloomer in recruiting circles, talked about his path to earning a scholarship from legendary coach Bob Huggins at the University of Cincinnati. After earning an invite to the prestigious ABCD Camp in New Jersey, the Dallas native didn't have the money for a plane ticket or a sponsor to pay for one so he took a Greyhound bus across the country. After some standout play at the camp, Martin earned a plane ticket for his trip back to Dallas.
During his time at Cincinnati, Martin went from averaging 2.8 points as a freshman to becoming national player of the year as a senior. An ankle injury, the first of several major injuries in his career, ended his senior season early. He recounted a terrible pre-draft workout for the Nets that ended abruptly because he was still recovering from the injury. Despite the bad workout, the Nets still made him the No. 1 pick, but head coach Byron Scott publicly questioned Martin’s work ethic early in the season.
“I went and talked to Byron,” Martin said. “I went in his office, closed the door. 'Listen, this is what it is, man. I’m out here busting my *** for you, for this organization. I’m not healthy right now. Work with me. Like, don’t go to the media. Like, why you going to them, f---ing talking to them? They ain’t in here doing this s--- with us.’ ”
After clearing the air with Scott, Martin quickly became a core piece for the Nets. He told Woj about his experience playing with Stephon Marbury, the trade for Jason Kidd and the difficulty of playing second fiddle to the New York Knicks. The rivalry with the Knicks escalated when Tim Thomas called Martin “fugazi” during the 2004 playoffs. At the 26:22 mark of the podcast, Martin talked about his reaction to Thomas’ comments and how there was nearly a confrontation during the offseason at a nightclub in Dallas.
Martin also went into detail about how close the Nets were to winning the 2003 Finals against the San Antonio Spurs, saying if they won Game 5, they would have won the series. Following a change in ownership, Martin told Woj the Nets didn’t even offer him a contract following the 2004 season. After Jason Kidd told him to go get his money, Martin signed a long-term deal with the Denver Nuggets.
Martin and Woj also discussed how his reputation impacted the way he was viewed as a player.
“Do you think people did not give you the credit for that basketball IQ, for how you thought the game?” Woj asked. “For whatever reason: was it they had preconceived ideas of who you were? Stereotype you? It felt like you never did.”
“When you throw a few f-bombs or a few four-letter words in between a statement, people tend to block out the statement and the message,” Martin said.
0:55: Martin talks about the current NBA, players he enjoys watching and why he thinks the game has become soft
3:53: Martin discusses his battle with injuries, including his famously brief pre-draft workout for the Nets
9:00: How his childhood battle with stuttering led to his on-court demeanor
11:05: His journey from Dallas to New Jersey for the ABCD Camp on a Greyhound bus
13:26: Playing for Bob Huggins at Cincinnati
19:45: Playing with Stephon Marbury on the Nets
23:40: The Jason Kidd trade and their chemistry
26:21: His feud with Tim Thomas and the offseason meeting that nearly turned violent
32:02: Nets ownership change and his resulting free agency
38:35: Joining the Nuggets
45:07: Curbing his intensity and being called into David Stern’s office
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