TBT Preview: HoopsHD interviews Thomas Welsh of Living the Dream

Posted on July 18, 2023 by Jon Teitel

UConn won the NCAA tourney in April and Denver won the NBA Finals in June but there is still 1 more basketball champion to be crowned this summer. The Basketball Tournament (aka the TBT) kicks off on July 19th with 8 regions of 8 teams playing in Dayton/Louisville/Lubbock/Syracuse/West Virginia/Wichita 1/Wichita 2/Xavier. Each region will send 1 team to the quarterfinals, with the championship game taking place during the 1st week of August, and the winning team walking away with $1 million in prize money. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel will spend the weeks ahead interviewing as many TBT participants as possible. We continue our coverage with Thomas Welsh, who will be playing for Living the Dream after becoming 1 of the best rebounders in UCLA history.

In 2014 you were named a McDonald’s All-American: which of your fellow honorees impressed you the most (Devin Booker/Kelly Oubre Jr./Karl-Anthony Towns/other)? At the time I think it was Jahlil Okafor. His spin move was great and he did many things at a high level.

You played for Team USA at the 2015 FIBA U19 World Championship: what did it mean to you to represent your country, and what did it mean to you to win a gold medal? It is hard to put into words but it was special to wear the U-S-A across my chest. I had a chip on my shoulder after missing the squad the previous year and winning the gold medal was a surreal moment.

You were born/raised in California and received scholarship offers from several Pac-12 schools: what made you choose UCLA? Similar to my TBT teammate Isaac Hamilton, I wanted to be close to home. Family is important to me so it was beyond special to have them attend my home games. I wanted a school that was the perfect combination of academics/athletics…and I got that at UCLA.

You only started 3 games as a freshman but still led the Bruins with 1.1 BPG: what is the secret to blocking shots? There are intangible factors such as reading/reacting when the ball goes up. It helps to be a big guy with a big wingspan, but since I did not get much playing time I put a little more emphasis on those defensive plays. I wanted to find different ways to make an extra impact.

In the 2015 NCAA tourney you had 6 REB/4 BLK in a 1-PT win over SMU when Yanick Moreira was called for goaltending on Bryce Alford’s 3-PT shot with 13 seconds left: where does that rank among the wildest finishes that you have ever been a part of? Definitely the wildest. There was a little controversy and it became a headline that drew a lot of eyeballs. The extension of your season can come down to 1 play and I am glad that it worked out in our favor.

As a senior you averaged a double-double and were named 2nd-team All-Pac-12: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? It was special. My dad only played basketball through high school as a 6’2” center but he took a lot of pride after averaging a double-double during his own senior year so I wanted to follow in his footsteps. Being named to any end-of-season list is always a great honor.

Your 1035 career REB ranks #3 in Bruins’ history behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar/Bill Walton: how does it feel to be mentioned in the same company as a pair of legendary big men? It is pretty cool! I would have loved to be #1 but just to be mentioned in the same breath as them is special. I like joking about it and will be able to point out to my kids 1 day that their dad was pretty good at basketball.

In the spring of 2018 you were drafted in the 2nd round by Denver: did you see that as a validation of your college career, or the realization of a lifelong dream of reaching the NBA, or other? I knew that day would be a starting point rather than a finish line. It was cool to hear my name called but my approach going in was that there was still a lot of hard work to be done.

You played 11 games for the Nuggets: what is your favorite memory from your short time in the NBA? I just loved the chemistry of that team, which you could see this past season when they won the title. Their stars like Nikola Jokic/Jamal Murray were not just great players but would go out of their way to treat rookies nicely even though we did not get a lot of playing time. I remember playing Mario Kart a lot on our flights and I was Mario Kart MVP: it was a fun crew to be a part of.

You are playing for the Living the Dream team in the TBT: how is the team looking so far, and what will you do with your share of the $1 million prize money if you win it all? The team looks great: the guys are buying in and we have different pockets of chemistry with guys who have played together in the past. We have a very good chance at making a run. The plan for when we win is to give ½ the money to charity. The team was formed in honor of my dad, who passed away a few years ago due to cancer, so we will donate some money for that cause.

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TBT Preview: HoopsHD interviews Isaac Hamilton of Living the Dream

Posted on July 17, 2023 by Jon Teitel

UConn won the NCAA tourney in April and Denver won the NBA Finals in June but there is still 1 more basketball champion to be crowned this summer. The Basketball Tournament (aka the TBT) kicks off on July 19th with 8 regions of 8 teams playing in Dayton/Louisville/Lubbock/Syracuse/West Virginia/Wichita 1/Wichita 2/Xavier. Each region will send 1 team to the quarterfinals, with the championship game taking place during the 1st week of August, and the winning team walking away with $1 million in prize money. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel will spend the weeks ahead interviewing as many TBT participants as possible. We continue our coverage with Isaac Hamilton, who will be playing for Living the Dream after making a pair of Sweet 16s at UCLA.

In 2013 you were named a McDonald’s All-American: which of your fellow honorees impressed you the most (Aaron Gordon/Julius Randle/Andrew Wiggins/other)? I think Aaron Gordon. I played with him in AAU and he was always impressive/explosive. When you see how he plays now it makes sense: he is a hard worker.

You were born/raised in Los Angeles but began your college career at UTEP: why did you decide to transfer, and what made you choose UCLA? Coach Tim Floyd was a good friend of my family and actually coached my uncle at UTEP (who played with Tim Hardaway). He also recruited my older brother Jordan. My grandmother got sick and I asked the NCAA if I could get out of my NLI so I could be closer to home.

You played for Coach Steve Alford: what makes him such a good coach, and what was the most important thing that you ever learned from him? He just let us play. On offense we would read/react: we are not robots! He is a great guy and I had a great relationship with him because we had similar interests.

In the 2015 Pac-12 tourney quarterfinals you scored a career-high 36 PTS/13-17 FG in a win over USC (just 4 days after your grandmother had passed away): was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? Definitely. I was a gym rat and after my 1st couple of shots went in the rest was history.

In the 2015 NCAA tourney you had 4 AST in a 1-PT win over SMU when Yanick Moreira was called for goaltending on Bryce Alford’s 3-PT shot with 13 seconds left: where does that rank among the wildest finishes that you have ever been a part of? We were down so to end the game like that was crazy! It shocked me at 1st because I did not know what was going on. I was just excited to advance because we had such an up-and-down season that year.

You made a pair of Sweet 16s: what is the key to making a deep run in March? Just playing well together and having guys making shots. You have to emphasize the little things because every game is different. It comes down to doing your best to advance.

You were named 2nd-team All-Pac-12 as a junior: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? We did not have a great season but individually I put in a lot of hard work with Rico Hines (who was just hired as an assistant by the 76ers). I tried to fine-tune my game and he helped me so much with my confidence. To see that end result was a blessing but also a testament to the hard work that I had put in.

You have played pro basketball in the G League and several foreign countries: what is the biggest difference between basketball in the US vs. basketball overseas? The rules are different and the style of play overseas can be a lot slower. There is more strategy/game-planning due to the pace of the game. It is more of a thinking game there, whereas a lot of players here rely a lot on their athleticism.

Your brother Daniel played basketball at UConn, your brother Greg played pro basketball overseas, and your brother Jordan played in the NBA: who is the best athlete in the family? I would have to go with myself, for sure, but we all push each other. All of our games are completely different from each other because we offer different things on the court.

You are playing for the Living the Dream team in the TBT: how is the team looking so far, and what will you do with your share of the $1 million prize money if you win it all? The team is looking pretty good. We are getting to know each other and figuring out what works best for us as a team. We are getting a foundational plan to approach each game. I am a frugal guy so I will probably just save my money.

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TBT Preview: HoopsHD interviews Sam Sessoms of the Happy Valley Hoopers

Posted on July 16, 2023 by Jon Teitel

UConn won the NCAA tourney in April and Denver won the NBA Finals in June but there is still 1 more basketball champion to be crowned this summer. The Basketball Tournament (aka the TBT) kicks off on July 19th with 8 regions of 8 teams playing in Dayton/Louisville/Lubbock/Syracuse/West Virginia/Wichita 1/Wichita 2/Xavier. Each region will send 1 team to the quarterfinals, with the championship game taking place during the 1st week of August, and the winning team walking away with $1 million in prize money. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel will spend the weeks ahead interviewing as many TBT participants as possible. We continue our coverage with Sam Sessoms, who will be playing for the Happy Valley Hoopers after scoring more than 2300 PTS in college.

In 2019 as a freshman at Binghamton you scored 17.8 PPG and were named conference ROY: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? I went to the perfect place: the PG spot was opening up and I had a coaching staff that believed in me and gave me the keys from a young age. It comes down to working hard but the upperclassmen around me were great.

In December of 2019 you set a school record with 40 PTS in a 5-PT win over BU: was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were in the zone? I remember that we went into OT where I scored another 8-10 PTS. The game went back and forth so I was in attack mode the entire game: luckily I got some shots to fall.

In the 2022 Big 10 tourney as a player at Penn State you made the quarterfinals before losing to Purdue: could you have ever imagined at the time that 7’4” Zach Edey would become the national POY just 1 year later? Not really, to be honest. I did not see him play a lot before then because he was splitting time back then with Trevion Williams.

You were also named Academic All-Big 10 that year: how did you balance your work on the court with your work in the classroom? It was pretty easy: I went to a good high school that was pretty small but we sent a lot of kids to the Ivy League.

You spent your final year of college at Coppin State: what is the biggest difference between a Big 10 school and an HBCU? From a basketball standpoint there was a complete difference in resources/facilities. The Big 10 has a lot of money due to football so Coppin State (a mostly African-American school) could not compete with that. It took me back to my days at Binghamton: every time that we went into the gym we were the underdog.

Last year you were top-3 in the MEAC in PPG/APG/SPG: how do you balance all of the different aspects of your game? I had the ball in my hands the majority of the game. I just tried to hit some shots, make the right plays, and work hard defensively. As a 5th-year player I know how to watch film and play ball.

You finished your college career with 2362 PTS: what is the secret to being a great scorer? Any coach I ever had knows that I am just a hooper. Whenever I finish my workouts I like to go live and play every day.

What is the post-graduation plan? I am deciding between the G-League or going overseas. I have offers from both and am just staying patient.

The Eagles have a new coach this year: how do you think that Larry Stewart will do in Baltimore? I know Larry and think that he will do really well. He had a great career at Coppin State and will provide a new face/fresh start. I think that he will be able to recruit in cities like NYC/Philly and will do really well.

You are playing for the Happy Valley Hoopers in the TBT : how is the team looking so far, and what will you do with your share of the $1 million prize money if you win it all? I am excited to get back with the guys who I have played with before. We are all good players so I will do whatever the team needs me to do. We will put our pride to the side and just pitch in where needed. If I win it all then I will look out for my family in case they need anything, and just put the majority in the bank to give myself a little cushion for the future.

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Happy Anniversary! HoopsHD interviews Stetson legend Divine Myles

Posted on July 15, 2023 by Jon Teitel

The Hatters made a trio of D-2 tourneys from 1967-1971, and although they have yet to make an NCAA tourney they have made the CBI twice in the past 3 years. 1 of the best all-around players in school history was Divine Myles, who remains top-5 in career PTS/AST/STL. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Divine about being a great PG and playing pro basketball overseas. Today is the 3rd anniversary of Divine being named to the ASUN All-Decade team on July 15, 2020, so we take this time to remember his remarkable accomplishment.

In the 2014 Alabama 6A state title game you scored a game-high 23 PTS but missed a 3-PT shot at the buzzer in a 3-PT loss to Mountain Brook: where does that rank among the most devastating losses of your career? All of my family/friends were there so it was a big 1. We were not used to losing so it remains heartbreaking even 9 years later…but that is just life.

You received scholarship offers from some big-time schools including Auburn/Seton Hall: what made you choose Stetson? My relationship with the coach. He said that he would give me the keys and let me drive, which was more convincing than the other coaches who recruited me.

You started 30 games as a freshman and were named to the conference All-Freshman team: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? It is a very big transition as the college guys are bigger/stronger/faster and have a higher IQ. You do not know exactly what to expect at the highest level of college basketball but God has always been with me. I trusted in him and I was able to go out there, play very well, and get a lot of accolades.

In the 2016 ASUN tourney title game you scored 11 PTS but Zach Johnson blocked your shot with 4 seconds left in OT in a 2-PT loss to FGCU: how were you able to make such a great postseason run after entering the tourney with 21 losses? I have never seen such a quick turnaround by a team that had a losing regular season. We won our quarterfinal/semifinal games by 20 PTS each and were just clicking at the right moment. You can win every singe game during the regular season but if you lose just once in the postseason then you are out: that is when big-time players step up.

Your 1845 career PTS are the most in school history: what is the secret to being a great scorer? I did not even think about that even while I was there: I was just playing ball and doing whatever it took for us to win, be it scoring or facilitating. I worked on different moves and turned into a scorer after being a true PG my entire life. I looked up to guys like Rajon Rondo/Steve Nash but when I got to college the game was changing with guys like Steph Curry/Damian Lillard putting up 20/30/40 PPG so I knew that I had to adjust.

You are also top-5 in school history with 159 STL/501 AST: what is the key to being a good PG? You need to have a great feel for the game: some games involved more fast-break action while others have more half-court sets. You have to set the tempo whether it is a strategic or athletic game.

In 2020 you were named to the ASUN All-Decade Team: where does that rank among the highlights of your career? That was big because I did not think that would come until well after I graduated. There were a lot of great players at Stetson who put up big-time numbers and I was proud to have done that at a smaller school.

You have spent some time playing pro basketball overseas: how does basketball in the US compare to basketball in other countries? It is different for sure because there are great players overseas. I am entering my 6th year of pro ball: the guys overseas might not be as athletic as Americans but they are VERY physical/strategic. They have been taught fundamentals from a very young age and even in their 30s they are doing the same routine. There are a lot of international players in the NBA now.

Your cousin Todd played basketball at Mississippi State: who is the best athlete in the family? I would say me, of course, but I have nothing but respect for Todd. He paved the way for me and had some AAU/high school connections that helped me out because he was a big-time player himself.

When people look back on your career, how do you want to be remembered the most? Just like a dog/killer. When I hang my sneakers up I hope they think of me as someone special who would not back down from anybody. My teammates often called me that and I lived by that. You do not always need to score the most PTS but you have to be tenacious and do whatever it takes to win on defense, in timeouts, and by calling out the right sets.

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TBT Preview: HoopsHD interviews Chaz Williams of The Commonwealth

Posted on July 14, 2023 by Jon Teitel

UConn won the NCAA tourney in April and Denver won the NBA Finals in June but there is still 1 more basketball champion to be crowned this summer. The Basketball Tournament (aka the TBT) kicks off on July 19th with 8 regions of 8 teams playing in Dayton/Louisville/Lubbock/Syracuse/West Virginia/Wichita 1/Wichita 2/Xavier. Each region will send 1 team to the quarterfinals, with the championship game taking place during the 1st week of August, and the winning team walking away with $1 million in prize money. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel will spend the weeks ahead interviewing as many TBT participants as possible. We continue our coverage with Chaz Williams, who will be playing for The Commonwealth after hosting his annual summer camp.

As a freshman at Hofstra you were named to the CAA all-freshman team: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? Mostly my confidence, but also having a leader like Charles Jenkins helped me flourish. He was my roommate and was by my side and showed me what it takes to be a great player so I just followed in his footsteps.

Why did you decide to transfer, and what made you choose UMass? I committed to Hofstra as a sophomore in high school. When Coach Tom Pecora left to take the job at Fordham I decided to explore other opportunities. I had a few visits lined up: I loved Seton Hall but it was a small campus like Hofstra and I wanted to go to a bigger school and get the full-fledged college experience. Coach Derek Kellogg and I had a great conversation: he told me that he just wanted me to become the best player that I could be.

You are 5’9”: did you consider your size to be an advantage or a disadvantage on the court? When I was younger I always felt like it was a disadvantage because I did not know how to capitalize on it, but as I got older I viewed it as an advantage.

In the 2012 NIT you made it all the way to the Final 4 before a 10-PT loss to eventual champion Stanford: what is the secret to winning games in March? Just staying together and performing as a team. You have to believe in yourself and understand the urgency of the situation when it is 1-and-done. It is time to ball and I tried to lead by example.

In December of 2013 you set a pair of career-highs with 32 PTS/school-record-tying 15 AST (and only 1 TO) in a 9-PT win over BYU: where does that rank among the best all-around games of your career? It was definitely the best all-around game of my college career. It was 1 of my most prestigious games and 1 I will always remember. I was locked in and only missed a few shots that night.

You were named 1st-team All-A-10 for 3 years in a row from 2012-2014: what did it mean to you to receive such outstanding honors? It was an amazing honor since there were so many great players in the conference. I credit my coaches/teammates because without them it would not have been possible. The coaches put me in the right positions and I was able to flourish. I am never satisfied so even after winning it the 1st time I still tried to compete for things like conference POY and conference titles: it is just part of my DNA.

You finished your career with 840 career AST, which remains top-25 for anyone in D-1 since 1986: what is the secret to being a great PG? Just having a connection with your teammates off the floor. I was just mentioning to my fiancee how I have a great off-court bond with 1 of my old teammates. You cannot put your teammates in bad situations so you have to know their tendencies and where they like to shoot from. You just try to make the right reads. Records are meant to be broken but it is a true honor to still be up there with the greats.

You have spent the past decade playing pro basketball in the D-League and several foreign countries: what is the biggest difference between basketball in the US vs. basketball overseas? The physicality, for sure. In Europe there is a LOT more that you can get away with. In the US everybody is fast/athletic: in Europe they might not be as athletic but they make up for it by playing smart.

For the past few summers you have hosted the Make Em Believe Skills Academy: what makes your camp different from other camps? I am not here to talk badly about any other camps but my purpose is to help kids reach their full potential. A lot of the campers have parents who went to UMass or know about my own career. I went to a lot of camps when I was a kid: the main guy would show up for 20 minutes on the 1st day and then return on the last day to hand out trophies, but I am the kind of person who is at the camp the whole time.

You are playing for The Commonwealth team in the TBT: how is the team looking so far, and what will you do with your share of the $1 million prize money if you win it all? Our team is looking amazing! I love the group and we all played together before so it is easy to build off-court bonds. I think we have a great chance of winning: we are a sleeper and have been here before as an underdog. I would give some of the prize money to charities that fight cancer/diabetes.

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TBT Preview: HoopsHD interviews Will Cherry of The Gutter Cats

Posted on July 11, 2023 by Jon Teitel

UConn won the NCAA tourney in April and Denver won the NBA Finals in June but there is still 1 more basketball champion to be crowned this summer. The Basketball Tournament (aka the TBT) kicks off on July 19th with 8 regions of 8 teams playing in Dayton/Louisville/Lubbock/Syracuse/West Virginia/Wichita 1/Wichita 2/Xavier. Each region will send 1 team to the quarterfinals, with the championship game taking place during the 1st week of August, and the winning team walking away with $1 million in prize money. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel will spend the weeks ahead interviewing as many TBT participants as possible. We continue our coverage with Will Cherry, who will be playing for The Gutter Cats after winning a bunch of pro basketball titles overseas.

As a senior at McClymonds High School you had 19 PTS/14 REB in the state title game to become the 1st East Bay squad in 38 years to go undefeated: how was your team able to stay focused for 33 games in a row? Our coaching staff was great. There was also a lot of heartbreak after losing it the previous year so we knew that we could not have any letdown. The 1st year it was fun to be there…but the 2nd year was all about business.

You were born/raised in Oakland: what made you choose Montana for college? It just felt right. I signed with them really early because I did not have a lot of colleges calling me at the time. I took a trip and just fell in love with the players/coaches/atmosphere. It was the best decision for me and a great change of pace from Oakland.

In February of 2012 you had 30 PTS/8 STL in a 7-PT win at Northern Colorado: where does that rank among the best all-around games of your career? That is definitely up there. It was a hell of a game. I had forgotten about it but I remember it now: I wish that I would have had 2 more STL to break the conference record!

You were named 1st-team All-Big Sky 3 years in a row from 2011-2013: what did it mean to you to receive such outstanding honors? It meant a lot and showed that my hard work was being recognized/respected. It is always a great honor to make the 1st-team.

You were also a 2-time Big Sky DPOY: what is the secret to playing great defense? Effort! A lot of people think it involves a big skill set but I was taught about the importance of effort from a young age and I took it very personally. If you can stop your man from scoring or score more than him then you will win your matchup. I had a coach who was big on that and helped me improve even more.

You went 8-1 in 9 conference tourney games during your career: what is the key to winning games in March? Just lock in and focus. In any sport you want to up your play come tourney time. Your intensity level/attention of detail has to go way up because there is no margin for error. Our coaches challenged us even more when it came to the postseason.

You won 25 games as a senior before losing to Syracuse 81-34 in the NCAA tourney: what the heck happened?! We got a bad draw! At 1st I felt so bad because I am really competitive but they were a Final 4 team so I cannot feel that bad. We were down by 50 until my walk-on roommate Morgan Young made a 3 to cut the final deficit to 47 PTS. They were the superior team that night.

You played 8 games for the Cavaliers: what is your favorite memory from your short time in the NBA? I had some very good vets on my team in Toronto like Lou Williams/Patrick Patterson/Kyle Lowry who taught me how to be a pro. In Cleveland I played with LeBron James so he was my Michael Jordan: I was a bit star-struck to see how he and Kyrie Irving came into the gym to prepare every day. The 1st game they put me in I was not really prepared. I was so antsy vs. Denver that I remember getting a rebound and throwing the ball on the fast break to…Tristan Thompson. After the game Lebron told me that he understood my 1st-game jitters…but that I should never ever pass the ball to Thompson on the break again!

You have spent most of the past decade playing pro basketball in several countries: what is the biggest difference between basketball in the US vs. basketball overseas? The NBA is a players’ league but overseas it is more of a coaches’ show and they do not let the players do what they do. The 3-second call is another big difference.

You are playing for The Gutter Cats in the TBT: how is the team looking so far, and what will you do with your share of the $1 million prize money if you win it all? The team is looking great top to bottom! We had a great team last year but upgraded this year with some new pieces. We came close last year but gotta win it this year. I will fix up my backyard and put in some play equipment for my kids, as well as a fire pit where I can kick it with a glass of wine.

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