More from NBA All-Star Game

On one side of the room sat Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Johnson and Julius Erving. On the other side sat Bill Russell, Rick Barry and Walt Frazier.

Here are a few of their comments from the hourlong, once-in-a-lifetime gathering.

"The '70s is really when the league started to become like it is now. You mixed in the ABA. And then you had the high-flyers, the showmen, the watch-me-and-I'll-do-this guys. There was Julius Erving and all the guys from over in that league. There was more freedom of expression."

--Dave Cowens, on the NBA's development

"Hang time is something that's never really truly been explained. I used to joke that I'd go in the air, other guys would go in the air, and I had a little hitch over here so I could put on my brake -- my air brake. I'd hang up there a little longer and when they came down, I'd shoot the shot, release the brake and come down, too."

--Julius Erving, on the illusion of hang time.

"Larry Bird would be my number one choice as to someone I'd like to have played with because he's the pure essence of his position. He played the four position as good as any man."

--Wilt Chamberlain, on the player he'd most like to have as a teammate

"Now, I'm looking at Earl Monroe; I think of the battles. He was my nemesis and then he ended up being my teammate. When I see Wilt Chamberlain, I see him blocking my shot. And when I see Bill Russell, I see how intimidating this guy was. Now, I wish I could get them on the court, because they're older than me and I could get revenge."

--Walt Frazier, on his memories

"Soccer to you is like basketball to us. When we pop out of our momma's stomach, we've got a ball. You've got a soccer ball. We come out shooting jump shots. You come out kicking soccer balls."

--Magic Johnson, on whether the international game will catch up with the NBA

"Take the Rockets, They are Barkley, Olajuwon and Drexler. The supporting cast is a team of CBA players. There are not enough players for the league. You don't have the talent, so the scoring is down."

--Elgin Baylor, on the NBA's lack of talent

"It was always an honor for us to play. And we had a lot of team play. I hear a lot of prejudicial statements about the young guys today. But man, they're fantastic players."

--George Mikan, on differences in the players

"Defense in the NBA in a word is -- dull. Everyone plays modified zones or an imaginative man-to-man."

--Bill Russell, on the state of defense in the NBA

"Dennis is clearly the premier rebounder today. He also has the moniker as the greatest rebounder ever -- and that's not true. Wilt grabbed a few rebounds. Bill Russell grabbed a few rebounds. I grabbed a few rebounds."

--Jerry Lucas, on Dennis Rodman

"A team has to be strong enough to take the position to go ahead and say, 'You don't want to play the game that we are asking you to play that we think is in the best interest of this team and this franchise? Fine. Where would you like your check sent? Because you're not going to play basketball anymore.' That's the way to do it, take the game away from him. Unfortunately, if a team is willing to do that, there's some other team out there ready to take him."

--Rick Barry, on solving the NBA's attitude problems

Compiled by ESPNET SportsZone