Seven-time NBA titlist Robert Horry isn’t taking any chances with his sizeable collection of championship keepsakes.
‘I keep my rings in a safe deposit box,’ the former Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs forward told DailyMail.com. ‘I’m the only one with a key.’
Horry has good reason to be cautious. Although he didn’t mention Derek Fisher’s five stolen championship rings, the 2020 burglary at his former Lakers teammate’s home serves as a cautionary tale for athletes. In total, Fisher allegedly had more than $300,000 worth of jewelry and other goods stolen from his home, according to TMZ.
Similarly, Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing had two Olympic gold medals and the NCAA championship ring he won at Georgetown stolen from his New York home, the former Knicks center told The Dan Patrick Show in 2020. Fortunately for Ewing, someone tried to sell his NCAA championship ring online, and he was able to get it back.
The discussion of Horry’s seven rings surfaced as he was promoting his upcoming role on the second season of ‘Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test,’ a Fox reality show that involves celebrities undergoing military special-forces training. The new season begins on September 25.
Robert Horry recently took part in the second season of Fox’s ‘Special Forces’
To his surprise, the intensity of the competition as well as the camaraderie among contests compared favorably with his former NBA teams.
‘I don’t think it was a thing like a normal show where you win, you just want to finish and we wanted everybody to cross the finish line together,’ he told DailyMail.com.
‘And I think for us, I’ve never seen a group of people come together. I’ve been on a lot of teams and I think this team rooted for each other more than any team I’ve ever been part of. And it was just an amazing experience to see a bunch of people.
‘… I thought they all knew each other,’ he said of the other contestants. ‘They’re like, ‘No, we don’t know each other.’ And it was so cool: not to know one another, but to come together and push and root for each other, try to get through this whole competition.’
Horry won two rings in Houston, three in Los Angeles, and another pair in San AntonioÂ
The first season of the competition was one by one athlete, former US soccer player Carli Lloyd, and a Bachelorette star, Hannah Brown.
It also included former NBA star Dwight Howard as well as Hall of Fame catcher Mike Piazza.
The Season 2 cast includes former Dallas Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant, actress Tara Reid, model Blac Chyna, and Ozzy Osbourne’s son, Jack.
Horry is known to basketball fans as ‘Big Shot Bob’ for his clutch shooting across 16 playoff runs. Within the league, the 6-foot-10 forward was also known for his steady defense and reliable inbounds passing, which ingratiated himself to Hall-of-Fame teammates like Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, and Hakeem Olajuwon.
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Lakers teammates (from left): Tyronn Lue, Brian Shaw, Horry, Shaquille O’Neal and Ron Harper
As for the upcoming NBA season, Horry likes Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks, due largely to the Greek Freak’s versatility and durability.
‘If you look at the way the league is made up and health is a big issue, so many guys get injured, and I still like the way Giannis plays,’ Horry said. ‘I just think if you watch him play, you think about the season is only three weeks away. He plays so hard each and every night, and he’s able to change a game defensively and offensively.
‘So, I just think Milwaukee always has that edge because they got on their team, they got three of the best defensive players in the league.’
Horry didn’t specify which Bucks players he believes are the best defenders, but he was likely referencing veteran guard Jrue Holiday and center Brook Lopez, both of whom were named to the All-Defensive First Team in 2023, as well as Antetokounmpo.
