Bob Stephens has never forgotten impact Cork basketball community had on his life

It was 40 years since he last rubbed shoulders with his former teammates at Team Britvic but his recent visit to Cork was full of different emotions and memories.

Bob Stephens, the highly rated American, who also played with the North Mon and Burgerland Neptune has many friends still on Leeside as he reflected on his wonderful years in Cork.

“It was funny really in 1981 I went to Germany to replace a guy that had a knee injury, but he recovered in my time there and scored 36 points on his return.

“I then called my agent and told him the player in question was fine, but he told me to hang out in Germany for a week or so and he would find me a team,” Stephens said.

The rest is history as Bob received a call a week later and was duly told that there was a club in Ireland interested in signing him.

“I immediately responded do they actually play basketball in Ireland but one of my best buddies in college called Ed Finn had been in Ireland the year before and he told me I would love the country and the people,” added Bob.

After returning to the States in 1990 Bob returned to work as assistant coach in his former university at Drexel for two years before moving to Atlanta.

“When I went Atlanta, I had two sons and I continued to be involved in basketball as they were very interested and my two daughters who I didn’t coach as they were born in Ireland but were both 6’-2’ when they were attending high school and started getting interested.” 

Bob’s son Quinton had a remarkable record in the sport.

“Quinton went to the Georgia Tech and played at the highest level of college ball and outside of two years as captain he holds the record for the most games played at the college.

“My son was 6' 9" and after a great college career he played in Italy winning the Euro Cup with his club as they had four former NBA players before finishing his professional career in Spain but with a move to Barcelona or Real Madrid, he ended up doing his ACL.” 

The Covid epidemic arrived and after recovering from injury Quinton’s knee continued to swell after games and he decided to take up a job in the NBA working with youth development with the Atlanta Hawks.

Looking back on the eighties when Bob played here, he found major changes on Leeside.

“I thought the Mardyke Arena was state of the art but for me in my 10 years here I actually grew up in Cork as I got married and we had two children and to this day Cork has many of my friends here and it hasn’t left me.” 

Looking back on the standard of Irish players that Bob soldiered with he had glowing tributes to each and every one of them.

The Irish players were excellent but speaking to the former Neptune coach Ken Black we came to the conclusion that the majority of teams had good Americans that would usually cancel one another out.

“The biggest difference in Cork was the standard of Irish players and in Demons we had John Cooney and Mono McCarthy plus many more smart players and that made a huge difference in those years.” 

GOLDEN ERA

In the golden era of Irish basketball there were three Irish players on court at all times and Bob believes that Basketball Ireland should look at the whole structure.

“When you look at all sports typically the teams that do well are the ones with organisation and structures of youth programmes that eventually sees good young players coming through.” 

Bob has a strong opinion about the damage that Basketball Ireland did to the sport back in the day.

“When basketball was thriving the problem in Dublin was that they couldn’t compete with the Cork clubs because they couldn’t pay the Americans and they thought by reducing it to just one professional they would be able to compete better.” 

Bob praised his fellow Americans for the job they did all over the world.

The Americans came in and made it exciting from Spain to Italy and most of Europe that attracted fans to games but for me, the most important thing they did was make the local players better.

“I have always been a believer that if you want to get better you have to play with the best and in my time spreading the gospel in schools for the sport kept the interest out there.” 

On a final note, this was the message that Bob relayed to his former teammates on route back to the USA.

“As I sit on the bus heading back to the USA is filled with gratitude about being able to return to Cork to see so many teammates and friends.

“To marvel at how the city has changed and although we have all changed physically you guys still have the spirit that endeared me to your shores all those years ago.

“You have always shown me love, hospitality and grace which I could never thank you enough.

“God has truly blessed me with knowing in this world there is a group of people that I love, and they love me.

“I hope to bring my lovely wife back to Cork to see for herself what I have seen amongst you all.

“Until then God’s speed to you and may he bless you and keep you safe.

"As my great friend Joe would say: 'Old friends are best'."

I think those words sum up the class of Bob Stephens and the legacy he leaves behind in Cork as a basketballer and a great human being.