As usual, sports legends were strolling through the red carpet at the 14th annual Harold and Carole Pump Foundation Gala, honoring broadcasters Vin Scully, Hall of Famer Jim Brown and boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard.
Lakers Nation caught up with tons of athletes and celebrities at this year’s event, about everything ranging from Lakers talk, sports advice, the Pump brothers and plenty more. Check out our video and photo gallery of the event!
Ozzie Smith on Vin Scully: “He’s such a unique talent and the fact that he’s been around and is going to be around 66 [years], that speaks to his staying power and his excellence as a broadcaster. I don’t know if anybody could really replicate what he’s been able to do over his long career and the way he does it. If there’s one thing that I’ll always remember, it’s his ability to tell a story. You can close your eyes and visualize what he’s saying.”
Marcellus Wiley on this year’s Lakers: “People don’t know, coast to coast Jeremy Lin goes and get it! It’s a glue team, it’s one of those teams, it’s the nameless all-stars, they’re going to play together, have tremendous chemistry, have some dog in ‘em, surprise some people. I’m saying 40+ wins and I could be convinced of 45, and fighting for that 7th, 8th seed, we’ll see.”
Chris Tucker: “The Pump brothers are doing great work with cancer and it’s really great what they’re doing.”
Roy Jones Jr. on Sugar Ray Leonard (an honoree of this year’s Pump Foundation): “He could hit you so fast you wouldn’t even know you was hit yet. You would just feel the effects afterwards.”
Matt Leinart on the Lakers, Nick Young, and Byron Scott: “My man, Swaggy P is here, my college buddy. I’m a Laker fan. I always will be. They’ve been struggling a little bit, but I’ll always root for him. I love Byron Scott. I grew up watching him with my dad, Showtime Lakers, Magic and them. We’ll see how he does here. He’s a Laker at heart, that’s always important and what’s most important is Kobe likes him.”
Matt Leinart on Kobe Bryant: “I love Kobe Bryant. I’ve had a chance to know him over the years. He’s the most competitive person, I think as an athlete. When you look at other athletes, you’re like wow, you envy that. We’re all competitive in our own right but what makes him the greatest to play besides, maybe Michael and LeBron obviously is getting there, is his competitiveness to win and work. I love him. He can be tough at times, I’m sure but that’s what separates him and you have to respect that.
David Pump (a found of the Pump Foundation): “For six months, my brother and I kill ourselves. But, evenings like tonight are gratifying in what we can do to help fight this disease. All the celebrities and guests here, there’s a story behind everyone. My brother and I always say its tough to say no to us. We’re very persistent, we try to get the wow factor, try to get people here that are going to be wows for people to come see, Jamie Foxx, past participants like Hank Aaron, Muhammad Ali, Denzel Washington. It’s all part of the wow factor.”
Sugar Ray Leonard (2014 Pump Foundation honoree) describes a knockout: “It’s almost indescribable. It happens so quick. It’s an impact that once you land that punch, it generates throughout your arm a signal to let you know that it’s over. It’s indescribable.”
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