ELK GROVE, CA (MPG) - In the world of basketball, former NBA star Bill Cartwright has done it all. 

As a prep star for the Elk Grove Thundering Herd, Cartwright earned two California Mr. Basketball distinctions and in 1975 led his squad to a Northern California high school boys’ basketball title under coach Dan Risley.

He then went on to play basketball at the University of San Francisco, where he was a three-time All-American and twice named Northern California Player of the Year, ending his career as the Dons’ all-time leading in points, field goals and free throws. 

In the NBA, Cartwright continued that tradition of excellence, winning three NBA Championships as one of the defensive anchors of the 1991-93 Chicago Bulls three-peat dynasty before earning another two rings as an assistant coach under Phil Jackson in 1996 and 1997. 

Now, Cartwright is taking on a different challenge: an autobiography. 

In “Living Life at the Center,” the 7-foot Cartwright explores his childhood, his transition into sports and his collegiate and professional basketball career, as well as his stint as a coach, both stateside and overseas in Japan and Mexico.

“My story is not one of tragedy, drugs and alcohol,” Cartwright said. “It’s not like that. It’s just a reflection of my family, friends, coaches and what you are able to accomplish. The trophies and all that stuff, that is nice, but it is more about my coaches, my teams and my teammates, because that would not have been possible if not for them.”

Cartwright, who is now the director of university initiatives at his alma mater, sat down with the Elk Grove Citizen on Jan. 2 to discuss the book, his life and what he hopes younger athletes might pull from the 5-time NBA Champions life, both on and off the hardwood. 

Sean P. Thomas: What drove you to write your autobiography? What was that moment that spoke to you and said, ‘Hey, I should sit down and get this on paper?’ Was that something that you always wanted to do?

Bill Cartwright: “It was interesting because without the pandemic it would not have happened. It is something that I had been thinking about, and it's really interesting because I am such a reflection of the people I grew up with, parents and coaches. So, I thought it was a great opportunity to do this reflection of my journey. I’ve really been all over the place, so it really made you start questioning a lot of things. It made me question my parents, and how well I knew them. You really find out that, ‘Hmm, I have known them my whole life, but I didn’t know a whole lot about them.’”

ST: With this being your first step into writing, did you look to any other sports autobiographies for guidance?

BC: We had no clue. That was the hardest part because we had to start over about three times to kind of format this and how we wanted to start and finish. As you know, every single person has their opinion, so it was kind of nightmarish.

ST: As you are reflecting on your upbringing, you kind of noted the hard work that was instilled in you from a young age. Is that something that you had reflected on prior to starting this autobiographical journey? Or something that became apparent as you worked through your past growing up and working in Lodi, Sacramento and playing in Elk Grove? 

BC: That is who the Cartwrights are, but that is also who Elk Grove was. We are a working community. A lot of farmers, but you worked. There were not a lot of affluent people around. Everyone was kind of in the same boat: white, black, Hispanic, Filipino, Portuguese, Asian, we were all kind of in the same boat, but you know one thing, is that you could work.  

That was the time, too. Elk Grove High School was not the reflection of Ivy League education; it reflected work. 

During the summer, the whole family picked tomatoes. If you could imagine a bunch of kids running around picking tomatoes for eight hours a day. People go, ‘Hoeing sugar beet fields?’ Oh yeah…” 

ST: I’m sure basketball practice couldn’t really compare to that. 

BC: Oh yeah, after we moved to South Sac, probably a year after that that all stopped because of school. But that transfer of work went into sports. 

ST: What other lessons did you pull from your time as a player? 

BC: In college and the NBA, you learn to be able to adapt, to be able to adapt to different coaches and listen to them. Everybody has a different vision for you. I’m like, ‘But I’m a shooter.’ ‘Well, not now you are not.’”

ST: Which is interesting because now in basketball it’s positionless almost. 

BC:  You said that perfectly; I mean, there is (the Sacramento Kings' Domantas) Sabonis bringing the ball up. 

ST: To piggyback on that discussion about evolution, what was that transition from player to coach like as you wrapped up your career and how did you approach covering it in your autobiography? 

BC: I had never intended to coach. Period. It’s genius that my next career worked out. For all my brilliance, I was going to be a McDonald’s operator. Throughout my 16-year (career), I thought what could I do so that I could be successful?

Then I got a phone call from Jerry Krause, and he asked me to coach. I was coaching an eighth-grade girls’ team up in El Dorado Hills; it was really fun. But then Jerry calls me up and says, ‘Do you want to coach?’ And I’m thinking ... no.”

I knew there were a few guys up there who wanted to coach, and I didn’t want to step over them, and I told him that. That was kind of my way out. 

He called me back later and told me, ‘Man that shows a lot of character,’ Oh great, now he thinks I have character. I was trying to get out of this thing. 

So, I thought, that is where I was being led and I talk about this in the book as well. The decisions you make in your life, you think you are making them, but they are kind of making them themselves. 

ST: Is there a lesson that you hope younger players take from your experience? 

BC: If you are a kid, a high school kid, or a college kid and you have ambition, just do more. 

Do more; more is always better. If that is what you want to do. I didn’t shoot more because I was ordered to. I shot more because that is what I liked.

It just becomes a part of you and what you like. If you don’t want to play, that is all right as long as you are doing something.

“Living Life at the Center” can be pre-ordered at bill-cartwright.com.