The Olympians: HoopsHD interviews Kerry Eggers about Olympian Damian Lillard

Posted on July 25, 2021 by Jon Teitel

The NBA Finals date back to 1947 (when they were known as the Basketball Association of America Finals) and the very 1st NCAA tourney was held in 1939. Olympic basketball competition is even older: it debuted as a demonstration event in 1904 and the men’s version became a medal sport in 1936, with the women finally getting their chance to go for the gold in 1976. The United States has dominated Olympic basketball competition from the start: the men have won 15 gold medals in the 18 tournaments they have participated in during the past 85 years, while the women have won 8 gold medals in the 10 tournaments in which they have competed during the past 45 years. After a year-long postponement due to the pandemic the 2020 Olympic basketball tournament is finally underway in Tokyo. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel continues his coverage by chatting with sportswriter Kerry Eggers about Damian Lillard being a great scorer and trying to win a gold medal this summer.  You can follow Kerry’s work at kerryeggers.com. His eighth book, “Overcoming the Odds: Jerome Kersey’s path from Clarksville, Va., to the NBA,” is scheduled for release on September 15. You can sign up for pre-sales of the book at kerryeggers.com or jeromekersey.net.

Lillard was an All-American/2-time Big Sky POY at Weber State: how did he end up there? He changed high schools during his time in Oakland so got a bit of a late start before having a good senior year. He has always been an underdog and wore that badge on his chest.

In the summer of 2012 he was drafted 6th overall by Portland and was unanimously voted NBA ROY: what did it mean to him to get drafted, and how was he able to come in and contribute right from the start? He always set incremental goals for himself. I am sure that he was happy to be picked in the lottery and it was a perfect situation for him to join a young team.

He became the first rookie to lead the NBA in total minutes played (3,167) since Elvin Hayes in 1969: were people concerned that he might get burned out too soon? Coach Terry Stotts never felt that his young guys would get burned out. Portland has not used “load management” with any of their players but I do not think it was damaging to him.

In Game 6 of the 2014 Western Conference 1st round he made a 3-PT shot as time expired to clinch a 1-PT win over Houston, give the Trail Blazers their 1st playoff series win since 2000, and become the 1st player since John Stockton in 1997 to make a buzzer-beater to win a playoff series: did you think the shot was going in (www.youtube.com/watch?v=mejFtEY5faU), and how did that shot change his life (if at all)? I did not think it was going in but I was not going to put it past him given his propensity for making shots when it counted the most. It was the first big “Logo Lillard” shot of his career and exemplified what a clutch player he is.

Take me through the 2019 playoffs:
In Game 5 of the Western Conference 1st round he scored 50 PTS and made a franchise-record 10 3PM including a series-clinching 37-footer at the buzzer in a 3-PT win over Oklahoma City (www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMm5NtXLVDY), becoming the only player besides Michael Jordan to make 2 series-winning FGs during his career: where does he rank among the most clutch players that you have ever seen? He is willing to take those shots, which many players are not. He has missed a few of them but he is on the short list of Portland players who I would want to have the ball in his hands.

In Game 3 of the Western Conference Semifinals he had 28 PTS in 57 minutes in a 3-PT 4-OT win over Denver: what are your memories of the 2nd game in NBA playoff history to go into quadruple-overtime? I remember that team being relentless/persistent. Denver was arguably the better team but Portland was determined to win that game. He will not admit it but it was personal with Russell Westbrook.

In Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals he separated his ribs but continued to play through the pain for the rest of the 4-game series sweep by Golden State: do you think the outcome vs. the 2-time-defending champs would have been any different if he had been healthy? They might have won 1-2 games but I do not know if they would have won the series. He struggled but Golden State was fantastic.

In January of 2020 he scored a career-high 61 PTS in a 5-PT OT win over Golden State Warriors, which started a 6-game stretch in which he averaged 48.8 PPG including his 1st career triple-double: was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot he put up all month long seemed to go in because he was “in the zone”? Yes. Through that period he had a 12-game run during which he averaged 40.3 PPG and 9.2 APG while shooting 52.6% from the field, 49.3% from 3-point range, and 88.2% from the free-throw line. The only player in NBA history to approach those stats over that long of a span was James Harden, and he was not close to Dame’s numbers in terms of shooting accuracy.

When the NBA suspended its season in March of 2020 due to the coronavirus he was averaging a career-high 28.9 PPG/7.8 APG: how is he getting better as he gets older? He has added depth to his 3-point shot. The 35-footer is no longer that unusual; it is within his range. He has a great first step and I think he is better than ever at getting to the basket and finishing. He also has gotten even better at drawing three free throws while getting fouled off a pick-and-roll from behind the 3-point line.

His 2051 career 3PM is #10 all-time and his 89.3 career FT% is #7 all-time: what makes him such a great shooter? Consistency, work ethic, and a great belief in himself. He seems to have nerves of steel. No situation rattles him and no moment is too big for him. I would take him at the foul line with my life in his hands!

He is a hip-hop artist/rapper who goes by the name “Dame D.O.L.L.A.”, has his own record label called Front Page Music, and won the 2019 J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award: what is he like off of the court? He also twice won the Magic Johnson Award, given annually to the player who combines excellence on the basketball court with cooperation in dealing with the media and public. He is a professional in that regard. He understands what the media needs, is great to interview, and is one of the best I have ever seen in the way he deals with the public.

He is 1 of 2 players in Trail Blazers history (along with Clyde Drexler) to become a 5-time All-Star: do you think he will eventually pass Drexler as the best Blazer ever, and do you think he will eventually join Drexler in the Hall of Fame? Dame has not passed Clyde yet but it is not out of the realm of possibility. Dame is 31 and is hitting his peak physical years as a player. If he is able to sustain his level of performance, I do think he will become a Hall of Fame someday.

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2021 Draft Preview: HoopsHD interviews Lipscomb prospect Romeao Ferguson

Posted on July 24, 2021 by Jon Teitel

Now that the NBA playoffs are over it is time to start preparing for next year. The lottery was held on June 22nd, the final deadline for early entry withdrawal was July 19th, and the draft will take place on July 29th. We will spend the rest of the month interviewing as many members of the 2021 draft class as possible. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel continues our coverage by chatting with Romeao Ferguson about playing great defense and what it would mean to him to get drafted.

In 2015 you went 31-1 at the Burlington School and won a state title: how close did you come to going undefeated, and what did it mean to you to win a title? We actually needed to lose that 1 game in order to be state champs. That team was probably one of the best teams I have ever been part of. Having a great coach and playing alongside of childhood friends was priceless. The team we lost to in that Christmas tournament by 2 PTS (Victory Christian Center) was the same team that we beat in the state championship. The feeling was surreal. It was the first time in my life winning something significant. Coach Ron Johnson taught us that with hard work/discipline you can achieve your goals.

You began your college career at Lincoln Memorial & Belmont Abbey: what made you switch to Lipscomb? After having 2 good years at Belmont Abbey I knew that I had an extra year of eligibility. My goal was to graduate from Belmont Abbey and then play at the Division 1 level while getting my master’s degree. In my recruitment I was looking for the right fit. Coach Acuff called me and we established an honest and genuine relationship. I knew that Lipscomb would help me develop as a player and I knew I could impact winning there.

As someone who has played at both levels, what is the biggest difference between D-2 and D-1? I thought the talent level would be a big gap but it was not. A lot of the guys I played both with/against in D-2 could have played at the D-1 level. The biggest difference between the 2 levels is that the D-1 guys are taller/more athletic.

What makes Coach Acuff such a good coach, and what was the most important thing that you ever learned from him? Acuff really cares about his players. He does not yell or humiliate anyone but will always be honest. Even though I only had a short amount of time with him I learned the importance of humility.

Last February you scored a career-high 24 PTS/10-15 FG in a win over Kennesaw State: was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? Yeah, I definitely was in the zone. My teammates knew that I was hot and they trusted me. After the amount of work I put in during the season, I knew that I was destined to have great game like that at some point.

Last spring you made the All-Atlantic Sun 2nd-team and were named conference Newcomer of the Year: what did it mean to you to receive such outstanding honors? To be honest I was so focused on winning games that I did not realize how much I distinguished myself. When the awards come out it felt good to know that my hard work paid off. Before coming to Lipscomb I set out some personal goals and both of those were on my list.

In 2020 you were named Defensive Player of the Year in the Conference Carolinas and last year you were #3 in the conference with 38 STL: what is the key to playing great defense? Defense is all about heart and anticipating what is happening next. I never wanted to be the guy who was only good on offense and a liability on defense. When I play defense I feel like I am more a part of the game.

The Bisons’ roster for this fall currently has 1 grad student (Parker Hazen) and no seniors: how do you think they are going to do next year with such a relatively young squad? I think they will exceed their expectations. They have a great coaching staff and players who are hungry and ready to play. Ashan Asadullah and Parker were great leaders last year: we fell short of our goal so I know those guys are hungry to make an NCAA appearance this upcoming year.

You are preparing for the NBA Draft this month: what would it mean to you to be drafted, and what is the plan if you do not get selected? It would be a dream come true. Being able to represent my city and celebrating that moment with my mom would be legendary. If I do not get drafted then I plan to pursue a career in the G-League or overseas.

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Happy Birthday!: HoopsHD interviews Purdue legend Joe Barry Carroll

Posted on July 24, 2021 by Jon Teitel

Last spring Austin Peay’s Terry Taylor became the most recent member of the 2000 PTS/1000 REB club. Another member of that exclusive club is Joe Barry Carroll, who finished his career at Purdue with 2175 PTS/1148 REB. After being named an All-American in 1979 & 1980 he was drafted 1st overall by Golden State and spent a decade in the NBA. He made the All-Rookie team in 1981 and the All-Star team in 1987. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Joe about scoring 52 PTS in 1 game and recording a triple-double. Today is Joe’s 63rd birthday so let us be the 1st to wish him a happy 1!

In the 1977 NCAA tourney you had a game-high 8 REB in a 3-PT loss to eventual national runner-up UNC (All-American Phil Ford scored 27 PTS): how close did you come to winning that game? It is difficult to recall the exact details but I recall being terribly disappointed.

In 1977 you had the 1st triple-double in Purdue history (16 PTS/16 REB/school-record 11 BLK): where does that rank among the best all-around games of your career? It is a great stat line and I am grateful for the distinction. As primarily an offensive player I lean towards my high-scoring games as my best performances. The thing about most of these games is that the accumulated statistics are what you discover after the fact: during the contest all that you can see are the inches before you.

In January of 1979 you had 27 PTS/11 REB and Arnette Hallman made a 25-foot off-balance jumper at the buzzer for a 2-PT upset of top-ranked Michigan State: did you think at that time that the Spartans were good enough to win the NCAA title a couple of months later? It was clear to everyone that they were a great team. That game was a college highlight for everyone, including them. Mackey Arena went CRAZY when that ball passed through the net at the end! We all still talk about it.

In the 1979 NIT title game Butch Carter made an off-balance jumper from the top of the key with 5 seconds left in a 1-PT win by the Hoosiers (the 1st-ever postseason meeting between the in-state rivals): where does that rank among the most devastating losses of your career? The victory was probably redemptive for IU during their controversial season, and it was heartbreaking for us because we had fought so hard to get there.

On March 1, 1980 you came out of your final home game with 49 seconds left, grabbed a box of roses that you had purchased before the game, and ran across the floor to give them to your mother: what did it mean to her, and what was the reaction like from the crowd? I still get mail about that night and it is a popular chapter in my memoir (https://joebarrycarroll.com/joe-barry-carroll-publishing/growing-up-in-words-and-images). As they say: “And the crowd went wild”. My family will never forget that moment. My mother passed away a few years ago so that is the kind of thing that offers comfort to a player: that he may have brought some joy to the people that mean the most to him.

Take me through the 1980 NCAA tourney:
You scored 17 PTS in a 5-PT loss to UCLA: what sort of a home-court advantage did you have (if any) at Market Square Arena? We were the surprise guest, both to ourselves and to others. Nobody expected us to make it that far but we did. It was sort of a blur. A team really improves their prospects during their 2nd time around. The 1st trip is overwhelming, especially back then when the coverage was so great. The loss was very difficult: you dream about this opportunity throughout your entire career…and then it was gone. The arena seating is different by the time you reach the Final 4: the crowd is pretty even so it was not necessarily home cooking.

You had 35 PTS/14-17 FG/12 REB/4 BLK in the consolation game against Iowa and finished your 6 games with 158 PTS: how were you able to dominate for 3 straight weeks against the best teams in the country? The urgency of now.

You graduated as the 32nd player in NCAA history with 2000+ PTS/1000+ REB, and you still hold school records with 1148 career REB/349 career BLK: did you realize at the time how prolific a player you were, and do you think that anyone will ever break your records? I sincerely appreciated the achievement, but am unsure if I realized the magnitude of any of it back then or that I would be chatting with anyone about it now.

You were a 2-time All-American: what did it mean to you to win such outstanding honors? I remain grateful.

In the summer of 1980 you were drafted 1st overall by Golden State and finished your 1st season by being named to the All-Rookie 1st-team: how were you able to make such a smooth transition from college to the NBA? It was not that smooth at all. I had some personal success along the way but my team struggled. In the NBA you are judged ultimately by the success of your team.

In March of 1983 you scored a career-high 52 PTS/22-32 FG in a win over Utah: was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? I had felt that before but never with that high of a scoring result.

In 1984 you left the Warriors to go play in Italy: why did you decide to do that, and what was the biggest difference between the NBA and the Italian League? Actually, the current tempo in the NBA resembles the Italian League back then. I was overwhelmed at times trying to keep up with the running/shooting, not to mention the huge cultural change.

In the 1987 All-Star Game you had 6 REB in a 5-PT OT win by the West: how on earth did you beat an East team with a starting 5 of Moses Malone/Larry Bird/Julius Erving/Michael Jordan/Dominique Wilkins?! Almost anything can happen during an All-Star Game: those were the best players in the world!

Take me through the 1987 playoffs:
You had 24 PTS/6 BLK in a 5-PT win at Utah in the decisive Game 5 of the Western Conference 1st round: what is the key to winning playoff games on the road? Blocking out the crowd and going deep within yourself.

In Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals Sleepy Floyd scored 51 PTS including a playoff-record 39 PTS in the 2nd half (29 PTS in the 4th quarter alone!) in an 8-PT win over the eventual-champion Lakers: did it reach a point where everyone just started passing him the ball and getting out of his way? Since Sleepy played the guard position he started out with possession of the ball and just kept it!

Your career 1.6 BPG is still in the top-50 all-time: what is the secret to being a great shot-blocker? You have to go where the action is going instead of where it was.

You currently work as an investment advisor/businessman: how do you like the job, and what do you hope to do in the future? I like problem-solving and providing solutions for families at their point of need: mostly I just like to help others.

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Happy Birthday!: HoopsHD interviews Lorenzo Romar about former Washington star Brandon Roy

Posted on July 23, 2021 by Jon Teitel

The list of great NBA players whose careers were cut short due to injury is a long 1: Grant Hill/Bill Walton/Jay Williams and many many others. Brandon Roy certainly qualifies after 1st looking like he was heading for the Hall of Fame: 2006 All-American at Washington, 2007 NBA ROY in Portland, and 3 straight All-Star appearances from 2008-2010 followed by Kobe Bryant calling him “the hardest player to guard in the West”. Just before NBA training camps opened in 2011 Roy announced that he would be retiring due to degeneration that had occurred in both of his knees. He later became head coach at Nathan Hale High School and was named 2017 Naismith National High School Coach of the Year after leading his team to a 29-0 regular season record. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Brandon’s college coach Lorenzo Romar about his clutch player and making the NCAA tourney. Today is Brandon’s 37th birthday so let us be the 1st to wish him a happy 1!

After graduating from Garfield High School in 2002 Brandon was an early-entry candidate for the NBA draft before eventually deciding to withdraw his name: how close did he come to going pro, and what made him change his mind? There is a misconception as to why he tried to do that. If he could have been a lottery pick out of high school then he would have done it. He had not yet qualified for college so there was that carrot there. If you see Lebron James standing at the other end of the playground then you want to see how you stand up against the best. Brandon was not an arrogant kid: he just wanted to check it out.

What are your memories of the 2004 NCAA tourney (Roy had 9 REB/7 AST in a 2-PT loss to UAB)? It was a high-scoring game (102-100) that was very exciting. We sat a couple of starters for missing curfew.

In December of 2005 he scored a career-high 35 PTS in a win over ASU (after missing 7 of his 1st 10 shots), followed by another 35 PTS in a 2-OT loss to Arizona (he made a 3-PT shot to send the game into OT and another 3-PT shot at the buzzer to send the game into double-OT): where does he rank among the greatest clutch players you have ever seen? I know that he was clutch: there were not many other players in the country that year who I would rather have the ball in their hands. If you doubled off of him then he would find an open teammate. He was so versatile: he could hit a game-winning 3 or post you up or beat you off the dribble. It set him apart from everyone else in the country.

In 2006 he was named conference POY/All-American: what did it mean to him to win such outstanding honors? He was not even all-conference as a junior and was not our most recognized player but he finally got the recognition as a senior when it all came together for him.

Take me through the 2006 NCAA tourney:
Roy scored 21 PTS in a 3-PT win over Illinois: how were you able to overcome an 11-PT deficit with 13 minutes left? He had a lot to do with that. We really clamped down defensively to force some missed shots. He had 1 great play down the stretch where he went 1-on-4 to score a tough basket.

Roy scored 20 PTS in a 6-PT OT loss to UConn: what impact did his foul situation have on the game (he went chest-to-chest with Rudy Gay in 2nd half and got called for both a technical and a personal foul, giving him 4 fouls and forcing him to the bench for several minutes)? I think it changed the entire game because we were up by several points at the time he went to the bench.

In the summer of 2006 he was drafted 6th overall by Minnesota (4 spots behind LaMarcus Aldridge), then immediately traded to Portland for Randy Foye: was it hard for him to separate the personal side from the business side of professional sports? It did not hit him at that point: I think he was just excited to be in Portland, which was the next best thing to being in Seattle. I think it hit him more after he became a free agent.

In 2007 he was named NBA ROY: how was he able to make such a smooth transition from college to the pros despite a left heel injury that limited him to 57 games? I talked to an NBA administrator that year and I said that his team would be helped if he drafted Brandon. The administrator said he needed veterans…and I said that by January Brandon would be a veteran! He is an old soul with a very high basketball IQ. He was fundamentally sound so he was ready to become the face of the franchise right away.

In the 2008 All-Star Game he scored a game-high 18 PTS in 16 minutes for the West off the bench in a 6-PT loss to East: how was he able to play his best against the best? I do not know if he was that surprised: he felt that he belonged.

In December of 2008 he scored a career-high 52 PTS (with no turnovers) in a win over Phoenix, and the following month he had a career-high 10 STL in a win over Washington (1 shy of the NBA record): how was he able to balance his offense with his defense? He is such a well-rounded player. As a senior for us he did a little bit of everything.

In 2011 he underwent arthroscopic surgery on both his knees, then announced his retirement at age 27 due to a degenerative knee condition, but decided to return to the NBA in 2012 before being waived in 2013: how good do you think that he could have been if he had been able to stay healthy? I think he could have been a Hall of Famer.

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We Want the Funk: HoopsHD interviews former TCU star Lee Nailon

Posted on July 21, 2021 by Jon Teitel

The NBA Finals are all done but you still have a few opportunities to see some basketball in the months ahead: Olympics, NBA Summer League, and The Basketball Tournament. The TBT is an open-application, single-elimination tourney featuring 64 teams and offering $1 million in winner-take-all prize money. There will be 4 regionals during July in Columbus/Illinois/West Virginia/Wichita, followed by the semifinals/final during August in Dayton. We commence our coverage with Lee Nailon, who was 1 of the best scorers in the nation for 2 straight years at TCU in 1998/1999 before spending 15 years playing pro basketball in the NBA/overseas. He is the coach of the Fort Worth Funk, who played Team Arkansas last week. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Lee about being a great scorer and running a catering company.

After high school you attended a pair of community colleges: what made you choose TCU? My dream was to play in the NBA like my Indiana hometown hero Shawn Kemp. I did not have great grades coming out of high school so I chose to go to junior college for a couple of years. Coach Billy Tubbs was honest with me and won me over. He said that he would help me reach the NBA and he kept his word.

Coach Tubbs passed away last November: what made him such a great coach, and what was the most important thing that you ever learned from him? He was hard on us and held us accountable. He taught us to work hard and put family 1st.

In 1998 you were named All-American/WAC POY: what did it mean to you to receive such outstanding honors? I did not play the game for honors but I was humbly excited.

In the 1998 NCAA tourney you scored 32 PTS/12-22 FG in a 9-PT loss to #12-seed Florida State: why are those 5-seed-vs.-12-seed games such a toss-up? Thanks for reminding me: I am still mad about that 1! It was a great experience and that was probably the best college team I played for. After that season it seemed like a lot of 12-seeds started upsetting 5-seeds so I think we started it. We went 16-0 in conference play and Coach Tubbs knew exactly how to get the best out of us in every single game. I fouled out with 5 minutes to go against FSU and that was the ball game.

You were 1 of the best scorers in nation for 2 years in a row (24.9 PPG in 1998/22.8 PPG in 1999): what is the secret to being a great scorer? In 1998 I lost out by a couple of PTS to Charles Jones from LIU. A lot of guys are great 1-on-1 players but what turned me into a great scorer was trying to score so that I could hear my name called out loud by the PA announcer.

On January 16, 2005 you scored a career-high 32 PTS/14-20 FG for New Orleans in a 3-PT loss to Toronto: was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? I do not even remember that game but I guess I was on fire that night!

In 2007 you were named Israeli League MVP and led Bnei HaSharon to the Israeli Cup final before losing to Hapoel Jerusalem: how big a deal was it to upset Maccabi Tel Aviv in the semifinal? When I 1st came to Israel I was told that we had to beat Maccabi Tel Aviv but I had not followed the league that much in the past. People on the streets would tell me that they were the best team and it pissed me off that every other team in the league had been written off. We had already beaten them 2-3 times during the regular season and our coach/GM really wanted to beat them in the playoffs. They had a pretty good team but we had a better coach. I did not think that I would win MVP: I was just trying to get a better job but looking back on it now it was huge to win that award.

After spending several years playing pro basketball overseas you moved back to Dallas with your wife and opened a catering company called Dough & Tips (www.facebook.com/groups/636365830293158): how is the food business treating you so far? We are doing really well and it took off really fast. We got our 1st deal with Ronald McDonald’s and it just snowballed after that. We are giving back and feeding really good soul food to people all over the DFW area.

You also created an AAU team and work with unsigned seniors to help them get college scholarships: are we going to see you become a college coach in the future? I would love to coach at TCU but some dreams do not come true. My passion/focus is to give back to Fort Worth because the city embraced me so I will always give them my best. My goal is to share all of the knowledge with players that I got while playing overseas.

You coached the Fort Worth Funk in this year’s TBT: how close did you come to beating Team Arkansas last week, and what were you going to do with your share of the $1 million prize money if you had won it all? We were 1 possession away. What the players do not understand is that you have to get together early: we only had a few weeks to put the team together because we got a late start and only held a couple practices. Hopefully we can get together sooner next year to build some chemistry/trust, which are the most important things. After we win next year I will give some of the proceeds to the foundations that are near and dear to me.

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Happy Birthday!: HoopsHD interviews Kevin Baggett/Don Harnum about Rider legend Jason Thompson

Posted on July 21, 2021 by Jon Teitel

Last spring Austin Peay’s Terry Taylor became the most recent member of the 2000 PTS/1000 REB club. Another member of that exclusive club is Jason Thompson, who finished his career at Rider with 2040 PTS/1171 REB. After being named 2008 MAAC POY he was drafted 12th overall by Sacramento and spent almost a decade in the NBA, and has played pro basketball overseas for the past several years. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Coach Kevin Baggett and AD Don Harnum about Jason’s amazing career. Today is Jason’s 35th birthday so let us be the 1st to wish him a happy 1!

Jason grew up in New Jersey: what made him chose Rider? Kevin Baggett: He had some other options. There were a lot of schools that wanted him to redshirt or go to prep school for 1 year but he had an opportunity to come here and play right away. Don Harnum: He is a family-type of kid who did not want to go far away from home. We recruited him the hardest and his parents were at every single game but he was not a lottery pick when he 1st arrived here.

As a senior he was named conference POY: what did it mean to him to receive such an outstanding honor? KB: I think that it was a great accomplishment but he cared more about winning championships. Unfortunately we had some injuries in the MAAC tourney. DH: People act like he was 6’3” when we recruited him and that he just ended up growing to 6’11” but that is not true. The narrative is that he was 6’7” when we started recruiting him and 6’8” when he committed to us. He also grew as a player who was driven to get into the gym all the time. I was his coach as a freshman and we played him early on: at a bigger school he would probably not have played until his junior year.

In the 2008 MAAC tourney title game he had 22 PTS/12 REB in a loss to Siena: where does that rank among the most devastating losses of his career? KB: It probably ranks up there because we were having a really good year. We lost 3 starters in the semifinals including Jason’s brother Ryan. I am sure there were some other tough games along the way. DH: In the semifinals he played 1 of his best games ever but by the finals we had lost 3 starters to injury and Siena double-teamed him all over the court.

He averaged 16.7 PPG/9.6 RPG in 122 career college games: how was he able to balance his scoring with his rebounding? KB: He was just willing to do whatever it took for us to win. He could bring the ball up against the press, guard the other team’s best player even if it was not a center, etc. We have not had anyone else who made the impact that he did. DH: He was always able to rebound right off the bat: NBA scouts told me that rebounding was always a skill that consistently transferred to the next level. He was quick/mobile and was simply the biggest dude in the league. He was long and could run the court.

He graduated as the all-time leading rebounder/shot-blocker in school history: what was his secret for being a great rebounder/shot-blocker? KB: Being 6’11” helped: he arrived here at 6’7” but left with a size-19 shoe! The MAAC is more of a guard-oriented league but he altered a lot of shots while being a 2-time conference DPOY. DH: He was long, quick off his feet, and had a good level of alertness.

In the summer of 2008 he was selected 12th overall by Sacramento in the NBA draft (2 spots behind 2021 NBA champ Brook Lopez): did he see that as a validation of his college career, or the realization of a lifelong dream of reaching the NBA, or other? KB: It meant a lot to both him and his family and said a lot about his work ethic/dedication. There were many times we had to kick him off the court because he was always working on his moves. We tried to protect him as much as possible but he wanted to be out there for every single possession to show his teammates how committed he was. To come out of a mid-major school and get drafted was a great day for everyone: he still sleeps/breathes Rider and has donated more than $1 million to our university. DH: He was not even on the NBA’s radar until late in his junior year so he is kind of a unique case. We did not even discuss the NBA when we signed him but I thought that we stole 1 when he came here. I give him and his coaches credit for that but late in his senior year the scouts started showing up. He was almost giddy to discover that people were looking at him because he was not a top-5 recruit coming out of high school.

As a rookie he played all 82 games while averaging 11.1 PPG/7.4 RPG: how was he able to make such a smooth transition from college to the pros? KB: He stayed within himself and never tried to do anything he was incapable of doing. He was a glue guy who would rebound/defend/run the floor. Watching him play by giving up his body/taking charges reminded me of how he played in college. He was never a problem off the court and still works harder that most players I have ever been around. DH: Part of it was that he was physically mature. He was not just a low-post player: he could shoot/drive and was more ready as a 4-year guy. He was in Chicago training with his agent, who put a lot of pressure on him not to return for graduation, but he insisted on returning to campus to walk across the stage and get his diploma.

He made the 2016 Eastern Conference Finals with Toronto and has spent the past several years playing pro basketball overseas: how proud are you of all his success? KB: I tell people this all the time: I am happy for him to live his dream but am prouder of the person who got his degree in 4 years and continued to stay humble. He never changed even after making some money: he is committed to his craft and could still probably play in the NBA. The fact he was willing to travel abroad for the love of the game says a lot about him. DH: He is such a good guy. We just built a new practice facility and he comes back to work out with our guys every single summer. His name is on that court and he also helped us renovate our locker rooms. He has given back and is proud of having gone here. He brings his friends and we have quality pickup games all summer long in our gym.

1 of his college teammates was his younger brother Ryan, who also played pro basketball in Europe: who is the best athlete in the family? KB: Ryan is: I think that he should have played in the NBA as well. At 6’6” he could play 4 positions for us and his basketball IQ was as high as anyone who ever played for me. If Ryan really decided that he wanted to be in the NBA then I think he could have made it. DH: You are not getting me into that 1! Ryan is 6’6” and can probably play 4 different positions. He is 1 heck of an athlete but Jason had 5″ on him, which makes a huge difference.

When people look back on his career, how do you think that he should be remembered the most? KB: A great person. When he comes into a room people light up and gravitate toward his presence. What separates him from a lot of people is his ability to be “different”: he has a work ethic and is willing to commit himself to what he wants to accomplish. He has great character and great parents and congratulates our team all the time: I cannot say enough about him. DH: The best way to say it is that he is 1 of 2 retired numbers that we have ever had. His name is on our court forever, which is a pretty good legacy.

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