George “The Iceman” Gervin Reflects on His Legacy, Kevin Durant, Wemby, and the Power of Connection
George Gervin has seen it all. One of the most graceful and devastating scorers the NBA has ever known, “The Iceman” helped define cool — on and off the court.Decades after his playing days, Gervin remains a thoughtful voice on the evolution of basketball, mentoring the next generation, and the lessons he learned growing up in Detroit. He’s a figure who commands respect not just for his silky finger rolls, but for his humility and perspective on life beyond basketball.
In a world that constantly focuses on what’s next, Gervin stands tall as a reminder of what timeless greatness really looks like.
In a wide-ranging conversation, Gervin opened up about his personal connection with Kevin Durant, the arrival of Victor Wembanyama, the differences between generations of players, and the impact he believes legends still have today.
On Mentoring Kevin Durant and the Scoring Comparisons
There have always been comparisons between players across generations, but few carry the weight of Gervin and Durant.
Both men possess rare scoring ability, combined with a fluid grace that’s hard to replicate. Yet Gervin isn’t one to lazily co-sign comparisons without sharing the full story behind them. He takes pride in seeing younger players study the game, but he’s careful to point out the nuances that make each journey different.
When talking about Kevin Durant, there’s a real sense of mentorship, connection, and mutual respect.
It wasn’t just about style of play — it was about a personal bond built behind the scenes, long before KD became a household name.
“I used to be his mentor,” said Gervin.
“The NBA had a mentoring program early on in his career when he was with Seattle and I went up there a few times and sat with him, ate dinner, talked to him, talked with him about basketball and also did it with him when he was down there in OKC, you know? So I had a personal relationship with KD. People would always ask, Man, who reminds you of you? And I say, ‘He does in a sense because of the effectiveness in scoring.’ But I tell ‘em, ‘He doesn’t score like ME!’ [Kevin’s] tall and slender and I think that’s where people make the comparison but our abilities to score totally different. The effectiveness is the same. We BOTH get it done.”
On Wembanyama and the Rare Blend of Skills
Victor Wembanyama is unlike anything basketball has ever seen — a blend of size, finesse, and versatility that defies tradition. At 7 ‘4″, with arms that stretch seemingly forever and coordination that rivals much smaller guards, he represents the evolution of the modern NBA. But what makes Wemby even more special, in Gervin’s eyes, isn’t just his physical gifts.
It’s the intelligence, the instincts, and the feel for the game that sets him apart from other big men who came before. Gervin knows that size and skill are only half the equation — the mind is the real separator between good and great. And for Wembanyama, the ceiling could be even higher than anyone expects.
“Not at HIS size, NOPE,” said Gervin.
“What he’s able to do with that size… See, Scoop that also breaks down to knowledge. Knowing how to play, you know? I think THAT’S an advantage, you know? Because you can have all those skills all you want but if you don’t know how to think and play… and I think that’s what separates guys I feel. If you can think AND play at the same time versus just play…? You can see the separation and he can think and play and I think for him potential-wise that can take him to a level that he didn’t even realize that he can get to.”
On Player Comparisons Before the Age of Social Media
There was a time when reputations were built on word of mouth, playground legends, and what people saw with their own eyes. Before likes, retweets, and viral moments decided legacies, players had to earn respect the hard way — through consistent dominance.
Gervin came up in an era when your standing was determined by what your peers and fans said about you, not what trends on Twitter. He remembers a time when greatness wasn’t manufactured; it was witnessed and passed down through stories.
Today’s athletes have an unprecedented platform, but Gervin believes something pure has been lost in the process.
The connection between players and the public has changed, and not always for the better.
“The conversations back then were with more people, you know,” said Gervin.
“I always tell people we had one gentleman that we all loved and loved for what he stands for and people LOVED him. Now, the media didn’t love him; papers didn’t love him so he was the people’s champ, you know? I think back then we were the people’s champ, so people talked about us, you know? In this era you sell them with the global and the social media, you know? So if something is said a whole lot whether if it’s true or not, people will believe it because they hear it so much. So I think that era of me playing is more rewarding because the people talked about us, you know? And I think to me that’s the beauty to where in today’s era, you go around the world just sitting right here with me and where you’re at and they’ll still talk about you, you know? So, it’s a big difference man.”
On Growing Up in Detroit and His Early Heroes
Gervin’s roots are deep, and Detroit shaped much of who he became. The Motor City, tough and resilient, mirrored the spirit Gervin carried into his basketball career. Long before he lit up NBA arenas, Gervin was just a kid admiring local heroes and national icons alike.
The athletes he looked up to weren’t just champions — they were larger-than-life figures who gave kids in Detroit hope. Seeing greatness in others inspired Gervin to chase his own dreams, against all odds. He still speaks with pride about those days and the athletes who paved the way.”The basketball player was Oscar Robertson when I was coming up in Detroit, you know,” said Gervin.
“And as I got older I got a chance to deal with Connie Hawkins and Dr. J. Baseball, I’ll go with Willie Horton, you know? Because I’m a Detroit guy. Football, who would I go with?… back in the Detroit Lions days which I really wasn’t a big time football guy but they had Dick ‘Night Train’ Lane, you know? For me, these are the people that I recognized as a youngster growing up in the inner city of Detroit.”
On Bridging the Gap Between NBA Generations
Even though the NBA has grown into a global powerhouse, Gervin believes something important has been lost between the old guard and today’s stars. He’s quick to say the league itself doesn’t owe him anything — he’s proud of what he accomplished and where the game has gone. Still, he feels more intentional efforts could be made to connect the legends with the young players coming in. For many young stars, a simple conversation or a shared story could be transformational. Gervin sees mentorship as more than advice about basketball; it’s about passing down wisdom that can help players grow as men. In a world so focused on personal brands and individual success, he stresses the importance of honoring those who paved the way. “It’s quite a separation,” said Gervin.
“I can’t say that it’s our whole fault because I don’t think the NBA owes us anything, but we have an NBA Players Association and I think that’s where the connection comes to create and develop programs for us OG’s so we can have a relationship with these new guys coming in, you know? Who better to get one of these young guys attention than a guy that he may have looked up to on his way to his journey, you know? So it creates the separation. They’re harder to get to, you know? When you have guys like KD come and compliment my career and say what I have encouraged and how he respects my game and what I stand for, I think it’s a big part of an understanding that should be understood on a bigger stage. So me, when KD did my forward I was proud to hear how felt about me, you know? I was proud that he put my uniform on in the NBA commercial and stuff and said who I was to him, you know? That made me feel good in a sense — nobody likes to be forgotten, you know what I’m sayin’? But for a young guy who is as dominant as he has been in this league to say, George Gervin was one of those guys that I looked up to…? That’s a SPECIAL honor for me and he told me how it was an honor for him and also for him to be able to express that worldwide.”
On Gary Payton and the Power of Mentorship
One of the most heartfelt examples of that bond across generations is Gervin’s relationship with Hall of Famer Gary Payton. What started as admiration from afar grew into something much deeper — a mentorship built on honesty, toughness, and mutual respect.
Gervin recalls the moment Payton reached out to him not just as a fan, but as someone who wanted him to be part of a milestone moment.
In a league where relationships can sometimes feel transactional, theirs was personal and genuine. Being chosen to present Payton during his Hall of Fame induction wasn’t just an honor — it was validation that his influence endured long after his playing days ended. Moments like that remind Gervin that the real legacy isn’t the points you score, but the lives you touch.
“Years ago Gary called me and asked me to be his presenter in an awards show that he had in L.A.,” recounts Gervin.
“I’m talking about a long time ago, you know? I didn’t know that Gary had felt that way about me like he did and he called me and said, ‘Ice, I want you to be the presenter…’ and you know being the vet that I am and said, ‘I’ll be glad to!’ and that’s when we really had the opportunity to sit and talk and he relayed to me some his feelings about me as a ballplayer and as a person, and it grew from there, you know? I was his Hall of Fame presenter, so for me that’s special, man. He’s a tough young man; he came up in the inner city and it’s good to have that kind of effect on young men coming up and make them want to know you. So I’m thrilled about the relationship and I’m so proud of the relationship that we have and I cherish it.”
On Today’s NBA, Social Media & Legacy
Gervin’s pride in today’s stars is real, but so is his concern about the narratives modern media creates. He sees brilliance in players like Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Trae Young, the Curry brothers and he loves how family connections now thrive in the league.
Yet he’s wary of how social media can twist perceptions — celebrating surface-level success while devaluing deeper contributions.
One particular myth he rejects is the idea that a player’s career is only valid if they win a championship.
For Gervin, his journey from the streets of Detroit to the Hall of Fame is its own definition of success, rings or not. He urges today’s athletes not to lose sight of the bigger mission: using their platform to uplift others. “I like of course seeing KD,” said Gervin.
“I like seeing the Greek Freak; I like Trey [Young] and my son knows Trey’s dad, you know? And I like Seth and Steph Curry the both of them and I like the family aspect which you know coming up in our days our sons didn’t have the opportunity like these sons have that’s playing today, you know? But you know like you said before, we live in a world with social media now and they drive narratives and with what narratives they keep separate. So when you separate things people will have their own way of trying to get that kind of self-recognition, you know? Instead of enjoying the gift that you have to be able to play the game, you know? So now they got this narrative out now: If you didn’t win a championship, you didn’t have a successful career… For real? I came up from the inner city of Detroit. Single parent from bread lines to have the kind of career that I had; I didn’t win a championship, but one of the NBA’s Top 50 to ever play. And you’re going to tell me that I didn’t have a successful career because I didn’t win a championship? See, I won’t let you play that narrative on me.”
On His First NBA Payday
Every player remembers their first real payday, but for Gervin, it wasn’t about flashy purchases or quick splurges. Growing up in poverty shaped the way he valued money — and family. That first big check wasn’t just for him; it was a chance to give back to the people who supported him when he had nothing.Instead of celebrating with extravagance, Gervin celebrated by sharing what he earned. His story is a reminder that success is sweeter when you lift others up along the way. Even in his earliest moments of financial freedom, Gervin’s character shined through. “Man… when I got my first lick which was back then, $50,000 dollars and I got a $4,000 dollar bonus,” recounts Gervin.
“So when I got my $4,000 bonus, I took my bonus home and I split it up with my brothers and sisters and gave my mom the rest. That’s what I did, you know? Because that was my support group and I was raised in the bread lines, man… and my mom is my hero. We were poor — it didn’t feel like it because of how she supported us. I’ve got wonderful stories man and I tried to tell it in the book and her and my wife are the two women of my life that I say without them, I would’ve failed.”
On His Respect for Gregg Popovich
Even among NBA legends, certain figures earn a deeper level of admiration.
For Gervin, San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich is one of them. What Gervin admires most about Pop isn’t just the winning — it’s the way he empowers players to be themselves. Popovich’s leadership style, blending honesty with structure, mirrors Gervin’s own values.
He also respects how Pop isn’t afraid to use his platform to speak out on larger issues beyond basketball. In an era where authenticity is rare, Gervin sees Popovich as a true original.
“What I’ve always liked about Pop, man, was that Pop always wants you to be you,” said Gervin.
“Pop created a system here that created champions, you know? That’s what I always respected about Pop. Pop used to always tell his guys, ‘Look here. I’ll get you your money, but here’s what I want you to do for us…’ and that’s the respect that I have for him and everybody doesn’t like Pop because he has a voice and his voice ain’t just basketball, you know what I’m sayin’? So I ain’t got nothin’ but respect for Pop. That’s my man!”
At 73 years old, George Gervin’s voice remains as cool — and as vital — as ever. In a world that often rushes toward the next big thing, “The Iceman” reminds us that greatness is built on connection, humility, and passing wisdom forward.
And nobody does it quite like Ice.
