The Olympians: HoopsHD interviews Jack Herron about 1948 Olympic gold medalist Jesse Renick

Posted on August 13, 2020 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 84 years, while the women have won 8 gold medals in the 10 tournaments in which they have competed during the past 44 years. Those of you who were looking forward to the 2020 Olympics opening ceremonies in Tokyo on July 24, 2020 will have to wait an extra 364 days, as the coronavirus caused a postponement until July 23, 2021. Due to the absence of college basketball since mid-March, HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel decided to fill the void by trying to interview as many prior Olympic players/coaches as possible so that you have something to read this summer while not watching the Summer Games. We continue our coverage by chatting with former Oklahoma State player Jack Herron about Jesse Renick winning a gold medal in 1948. Today marks the 72nd anniversary of Jesse scoring 2 PTS in a 65-21 win over France to clinch the gold medal.

(photo credit: hof.chickasaw.net)

(photo credit: teamusa.org)

Renick’s nickname was “Cab”: how did he get the nickname, and how did he like it? He got the nickname during high school and everyone on his college team called him “Cab”. His real name was Jesse Bernard Renick.

He was born/raised in rural Oklahoma and began his college career at Murray State where he scored almost 20 PPG: why did he decide to transfer to Oklahoma A&M, and how did he like playing for Hall of Fame/Olympic coach Henry Iba? He grew up near Murray State and did not have a gym nearby so he played outdoors on dirt courts. He was in his prime by the time he played for Iba and was very strong/tough. His scoring average dropped to around 6 PPG but it was common for most transfers to Stillwater to only score in single-digits. He was a very good defensive player both in college and AAU ball.

He was the 1st 2-time All-American in school history: what did it mean to him to receive such outstanding honors? I do not think that many of Iba’s players tried to be an All-American: it was just the result of being a great player on a great team. I worked hard to get him inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame.

The day after the invasion at Pearl Harbor in 1941 he enlisted in the Navy and served until WWII was over: what impact did his service have on him either on or off the court? He never mentioned the war to me when I used to visit him but he deserves a lot of credit for being a veteran. Fellow Cowboy Bob Kurland called all of the WWII veterans the real heroes.

He was a 2-time AAU All-American with the Phillips 66ers in 1947/1948: how did he like having Kurland as a teammate? I think that was a significant factor in his ability to make the 1948 Olympic team along with several of Adolph Rupp’s Kentucky players. They were good friends and proud to have made the Olympics.

He was captain for team USA at the 1948 Olympics: what did it mean to him to represent his country, and what did it mean to him to win a gold medal? He kept the medal in his pocket and showed it to anyone who wanted to take a look! The other players must have thought highly of him since they named him captain, and it was a big honor as well to represent his country since he was a veteran.

He is 1 of only 3 Native Americans (along with Billy Mills/Jim Thorpe) to win an Olympic gold medal: how proud was he of his heritage, and how proud were his people of him? The Chickasaw nation is very proud of that fact. Renick did not make a big deal out of it himself but all of the great athletes were like that. I am sure he was also friends with Allie Reynolds, who was nicknamed “Super Chief”.

After the Olympics he coached the 66ers to the 1950 AAU national title and later worked as a coach at the Albuquerque Indian School: what made him such a good coach? He lost in the 1949 AAU Finals after winning 6 national titles in a row so I am sure that rubbed him the wrong way but he bounced back in 1950. He had a good record with the 66ers as a coach.

In 1999 he was inducted into the Oklahoma State Hall of Fame: where did that rank among the highlights of his career? Now we are a sports-oriented nation so people look back on his career favorably and give him his due, which is a great recognition that he deserved.

He passed away later that year: when people look back at his career, how do you think that he should be remembered the most? Similar to Kurland: he was a man of integrity and a great athlete. He came from a small poverty-stricken town but was able to become successful and reach great athletic heights. I think that he would simply want to be known as a fine man, which he was. There are only a handful of consensus All-Americans in OSU history and he is 1 of them.

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The Olympians: HoopsHD interviews Jack McCallum about 2-time Olympic gold medalist Mike D’Antoni

Posted on August 12, 2020 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 84 years, while the women have won 8 gold medals in the 10 tournaments in which they have competed during the past 44 years. Those of you who were looking forward to the 2020 Olympics opening ceremonies in Tokyo on July 24, 2020 will have to wait an extra 364 days, as the coronavirus caused a postponement until July 23, 2021. Due to the absence of college basketball since mid-March, HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel decided to fill the void by trying to interview as many prior Olympic players/coaches as possible so that you have something to read this summer while not watching the Summer Games. We continue our coverage by chatting with Jack McCallum, author of “:07 Seconds or Less: My Season on the Bench with the Runnin’ and Gunnin’ Phoenix Suns”, about 2-time Olympic gold medalist Mike D’Antoni winning a pair of gold medals in 2008 and 2012. Today marks the 8th anniversary of team USA beating Spain 107-100 in the 2012 gold medal game.

(photo credit: cronkitenewsonline.com)

Mike was born/raised in West Virginia: what made him choose Marshall for college? He did not want the pressure of trying to become the next #44 at West Virginia after Jerry West. He knew that he could make a bigger impact at Marshall and his brother Dan was already there so that was a big factor.

In the spring of 1973 he was drafted 20th overall by Kansas City (2 spots ahead of George McGinnis): did he see that as a validation of his college career, or the realization of a lifelong dream of reaching the NBA, or other? It was more of a dream. He had thought about it but from the beginning Mike lacked the confidence to play in the NBA. He was never quite sure if he was good enough or whether he had shown enough in college to get picked.

After a few years in the ABA/NBA he decided to play in Italy for Olimpia Milano where he won 5 Italian League titles, became the team’s all-time leading scorer, and was voted the Italian League’s best PG of all-time in 1990: what made him such a great PG, and how did he like playing with Hall of Famer Bob McAdoo? His Italian coach Dan Peterson said that he had the best court sense of any point guard he had ever seen. He was a tenacious, tenacious defensive player and had good size for a PG. He was a born leader and his teams were always close. He finally developed a workable jump shot a few years into his career and became a very tough guy to guard for most European opponents. He loved McAdoo and thought that Bob was 1 of the most underrated players ever: they remain close to this day.

He became head coach of Phoenix in 2003 and after acquiring future 2-time MVP Steve Nash in 2004 he instituted a fast-paced offense known as “7 Seconds or Less” (which you wrote a book about: www.amazon.com/Seven-Seconds-Less-Season-Phoenix/dp/0743298136): how did he come up with the concept, and what made it so successful? Mike says it was the way that his teams played in Europe. He thought the NBA was boring when he came back to the US. He thought that Nash was the perfect player to conduct an offense that played fast but was also efficient in the half court.

Take me through the 2006 playoffs:
In the Western Conference 1st round he beat the Lakers in 7 games: how on earth was he able to become the 1st coach to ever beat Phil Jackson after trailing in a playoff series (Jackson had won 44 such series in a row)? The Suns were a superior team and they knew it. D’Antoni thought all along that they would win the series even when they got down 3-1. If they could get Kobe Bryant out of his game then they would win the series…and they did exactly that in Game 7.

In the final minute of Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals Amar’e Stoudemire/Boris Diaw were suspended for 1 game after leaving the bench and the Spurs eventually won the series in 6 games: do you think that the suspensions were proper, and do you think that it cost the Suns the series? This game happened the season after I wrote the book. The Suns violated the letter of the law but certainly not the spirit. The 2 players were nowhere near the fight and they should not have been suspended. I do think that it cost them the series but we will never know.

He was an assistant to Coach Mike Krzyzewski at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics: what did it mean to him to represent his country, and what did it mean to him to win a pair of gold medals? It was wonderful, of course, but I do not think that he considers it his greatest achievement because he was not the head man. By the way, he respects Coach K a lot.

He was named NBA COY in 2005 and 2017: what did it mean to him to receive such outstanding honors? It means more than he will say because the way he coaches is constantly doubted by traditionalists. However, he stuck with an up-tempo style and eventually the rest of the league caught up to him so that is validation.

In the 2018 Western Conference Finals he became the 1st Western Conference team to lose Game 7 at home since the 2002 Sacramento Kings were on the wrong end of the Tim Donaghy scandal, and in the 2019 Western Conference Semifinals he lost to Golden State in the 1st playoff series to ever have all 6 games decided by 1-6 PTS: did he just run into the wrong dynasty at the wrong time, and how close did he come to ending the dynasty? Obviously he came very close but the Warriors were really a unique team at that time. The Rockets’ 3-PT shooting completely ran out, and when that happens against a team as good as Golden State it is going to be fatal.

His father Lewis was a high school coach who is in the West Virginia Sports Hall of Fame and his older brother Dan was Mike’s assistant in Phoenix/New York/Los Angeles and is in the Marshall Athletics Hall of Fame: who is the best athlete in the family, and who is the best coach in the family? This is only my opinion but I think both Dan/Mike would say that their dad was the best athlete: he was a very good baseball player along with being a basketball player. Next would be Dan, and I think they would all agree that Mike would be 3rd as far as athletes. Dan/Lewis were both great high school coaches and Dan has also had some success at Marshall…but as a coach it has to be Mike. He changed the game and the way that people thought about it at the highest level and was also a big winner in Italy.

Last February the Rockets became the 1st NBA team to play an entire game without anyone listed taller than 6’6” since the Knicks in 1963 and they currently have the 4th-best record in the West: it is obvious that “small ball” can win regular season games but do you think that Mike and his MVP backcourt of James Harden/Russell Westbrook can eventually win a championship? I do…but things are so confusing right now that it is hard to make an accurate assessment.

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2020 Draft Preview: HoopsHD interviews Arizona prospect Dylan Smith

Posted on August 11, 2020 by Jon Teitel

On May 1st the NBA’s Board of Governors voted to postpone the Draft Lottery and Draft Combine in Chicago due to an abundance of caution regarding the coronavirus pandemic. In addition to all of the seniors who have wrapped up their college careers, the early-entry deadline for underclassmen was August 3rd and the NBA deadline is approaching on August 17th. The lottery has been postponed until August 20th and the draft itself is scheduled to take place virtually on October 16th. We will spend the upcoming months interviewing as many members of the 2020 draft class as possible. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel continues our coverage by chatting with Dylan Smith about working out with NBA players and what it would mean to him to get drafted.

In 2016 you led UNC Asheville in scoring with 13.5 PPG and were named to the Big South All-Freshmen Team: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? I just believed in myself and Coach Nick McDevitt and the rest of the staff gave me confidence as well. They trusted me with the ball in my hands, especially in clutch situations.

In the 2016 NCAA tourney you scored a team-high 14 PTS in a loss to Villanova: where does that NCAA title-winning Wildcat team rank among the best that you have ever seen? Actually, if you re-watch that game you will see that I had 18 PTS: the announcers often got me and my teammate Dwayne Sutton confused. I thought they were pretty good but I feel like the best team top-to-bottom that I have seen was the 2017-18 Arizona Wildcats. Although we underachieved, I believe that down the road we will have at least 10 pros/5 NBA players.

Why did you decide to transfer after that season, and what made you choose Arizona? I just felt like I should have been recruited at a high level during high school, but due to the fact that I got into AAU ball late it slowed my recruiting process.

Last season you led the Wildcats with 57 3PM: what is the secret to making shots from behind the arc? I always try to get as much arc when I shoot as possible. That way even when I shoot the ball a little flat I still have enough to get it over the rim.

On Senior Night you scored 19 PTS in a 6-PT loss to Washington: how were you able to keep playing after suffering a broken nose in the 1st half, and how is your nose doing at the moment? Honestly that is just how I am built. I knew from the second that Isaiah Stewart hit me that my nose was broken: I was more pissed than anything. Once our trainer told me that I could play I just told them to get me some ice whenever I subbed out. I wish we could have won that game: the whole memory is bittersweet.

In the rematch 4 days later in the Pac-12 tourney you scored 14 PTS in a 7-PT win over the Huskies but had your postseason cut short after your quarterfinal game against USC was canceled due to the coronavirus: what was your reaction when you 1st heard the news, and do you think that it was the right decision? I have to add that I had 8 assists in that game as well! When I heard the news about COVID-19 and the cancellation of the season I was just shocked. I knew from that point that I had to get prepared to be a pro because I had played my last college game. I think it was the correct decision…but I wish that we could have finished the season in an NBA-type bubble or something like that.

You have a couple of former teammates in the NBA including Deandre Ayton/Allonzo Trier: have you talked to them about what it takes to make it to the next level? Yes: I talk to both of them often and we hang out all the time. I am in Phoenix while training and I work out with Zo every day. I have not necessarily talked to them about what it takes but I am around them and see the work they put in so I am putting in that same kind of work.

You also have 3 teammates who are projected to get drafted this year in Josh Green/Nico Mannion/Zeke Nnaji: which of them do you think will turn out to be the best pro basketball player, and what is Coach Sean Miller going to do next season after losing all of you guys? They are all good players but I think that Nico could be the best pro. His skill set for his age is pretty advanced and he has a high IQ. If he plays in a system that fits him well then he will be a long-time pro. I think highly of Zeke/Josh as well and believe that they all will have long careers.

What is it like to be an African-American man/basketball player in 2020? I have been an African-American man playing basketball all my life so it is pretty normal.

What would it mean to you to get drafted, and what is the plan if you do not get drafted? If I get drafted then it would be a dream come true, although I know that is unlikely. I am okay with going the undrafted route because I feel that I am good enough to play in the NBA. I believe in myself and know that all it takes is for the right team to believe in me.

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The Olympians: HoopsHD interviews 2012 Olympic gold medalist Marynell Meadors

Posted on August 11, 2020 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 84 years, while the women have won 8 gold medals in the 10 tournaments in which they have competed during the past 44 years. Those of you who were looking forward to the 2020 Olympics opening ceremonies in Tokyo on July 24, 2020 will have to wait an extra 364 days, as the coronavirus caused a postponement until July 23, 2021. Due to the absence of college basketball since mid-March, HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel decided to fill the void by trying to interview as many prior Olympic players/coaches as possible so that you have something to read this summer while not watching the Summer Games. We continue our coverage by chatting with Marynell Meadors about winning a gold medal in 2012. Today marks the 8th anniversary of team USA beating France 86-50 in the final game to clinch a gold medal.

(photo credit: pbs.org)

You were raised in Nashville: how did you make the decision in the 7th grade that you were going to become a women’s basketball coach even though there were no teams in city schools back then? I just loved the sport. The county schools had sports for girls but my PE teacher really inspired me to get into it.

You went to college at Middle Tennessee State: was it weird to begin coaching women’s basketball while still a student in 1963 even before it became a varsity sport? No question about it. I was able to play 2 years for Hall of Fame coach Sue Gunter, who later did many great things at LSU. When she left there was nobody else left to help people who were interested in playing so they all got together and decided that I should become player-coach. I just liked to compete: I grew up with 3 male cousins and 1 brother and was always competitive with them.

In 1970 you became head coach at Tennessee Tech: how did your job change after the passage of Title IX, and what did you do with your 1st annual budget of $100?! The money did not go very far! We held yard sales/bake sales/car washes: anything we could do to raise money to compete. Back then we had “play days” where we would load up, travel to another school to play, and then sleep 4 to a room in the dorms. The main thing I spent the money on was gas to get us to the other gyms. After graduating from Middle Tennessee I had a degree in kinesiology.

You won 6 consecutive Tennessee state championships with the Golden Eagles, were a 2-time OVC COY, and became the 1st major women’s college coach to win 350 games at 1 institution: how were you able to have so much success for such a long period of time? Tennessee was/is a hotbed for women’s basketball. We had a lot of great women’s coaches/athletes and I was fortunate to be in the center of the state near Nashville.

In 1997 you became 1 of the WNBA’s original 8 head coaches when you were hired by the Charlotte Sting: how big a deal was it at the time, and what has been the biggest change in the league over the past quarter-century? I attended the 1996 Olympics and in Atlanta ended up sitting right behind David Stern and his staff who were in charge of creating the WNBA. That Olympic team was the springboard for women’s basketball. Players/opportunities have both gotten better over time.

In 2008 you became GM of the Atlanta Dream: could you have ever imagined that Angel McCoughtry would become a 2-time Olympian when you drafted her 1st overall in 2009, and how were you able to convince Hall of Famer Chamique Holdsclaw to come out of retirement? I did not even have to go watch Angel play because I knew that she was a tremendous player who would help us win games. We put the ball in her hands and it changed everything for Atlanta as we improved from 4 wins to 18 wins in just 1 year. It helped that Chamique had a home in Atlanta so I talked to her team in LA for about 18 months until we agreed to a trade. She was such a good player and also a mentor to Angel on how to be a professional athlete. Chamique is right with Sue Bird/Diana Taurasi among the greatest players ever and helped put fans in the stands.

You made the WNBA Finals in 2010 and 2011 as coach of Atlanta: how close did you come to beating Seattle (all 3 games decided by 3 PTS or less)/Minnesota? All 3 games with Seattle were close so it was a very competitive series. Minnesota had all of the star power but for a franchise as young as we were to make it to the Finals in back-to-back years was incredible. We had such good chemistry between our players/coaching staff.

You were an assistant to Geno Auriemma at the 2012 Olympics: what makes Geno such a great coach, and what did it mean to you to win a gold medal? That is the peak of your coaching career: to represent USA Basketball/win a gold medal. A lot of people find fault with him but he is an excellent coach who knows what he is doing. I enjoyed every moment of it because his pregame talks were always geared toward something without calling anyone out by name. He was so inspiring to me and the players would then use it to their advantage. His work ethic is incomparable. The USA Basketball people are the best at what they do: Carol Callan has remained a close friend of mine since the Olympics and I cannot say enough good things about them. I worked with Doug Bruno, who is a super guy and a great coach.

You have been inducted into many Halls of Fame including Tennessee Tech and the OVC: where do those rank among the highlights of your career? Those are always nice to have but I do not put them right at the very top. They are great honors but it goes back to the way that I tried to help my players chase their dreams. If I had to do it over again I would do the same thing.

When people look back on your career, how do you want to be remembered the most? I was a fair/honest coach who did things the right way and tried to help my players become the best that they could be. I still miss it because I worked with so many nice people and made so many great friends. I got a letter from Tennessee Tech the other day that they will be celebrating 50 years of basketball this year at homecoming. It was very difficult for me to leave but I knew that I would have to make a move to accomplish all of the goals that I still had left. I helped Florida State get back into the NCAA tourney, which was always 1 of my goals. I have been on a tremendous journey and enjoyed every second of it.

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2020 Draft Preview: HoopsHD interviews Prairie View prospect Devonte Patterson

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Jon Teitel

On May 1st the NBA’s Board of Governors voted to postpone the Draft Lottery and Draft Combine in Chicago due to an abundance of caution regarding the coronavirus pandemic. In addition to all of the seniors who have wrapped up their college careers, the early-entry deadline for underclassmen was August 3rd and the NBA deadline is approaching on August 17th. The lottery has been postponed until August 20th and the draft itself is scheduled to take place virtually on October 16th. We will spend the upcoming months interviewing as many members of the 2020 draft class as possible. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel continues our coverage by chatting with Prairie View prospect Devonte Patterson about winning back-to-back regular season championships and what it would mean to him to get drafted.

You were was home-schooled during junior high school: how did you like it, and what was it like to enroll at Bridgeport High School after moving in with Neal Hawks (Mark Cuban’s brother-in-law)? Being taken in and homeschooled by the Hawks family essentially saved my life. I grew up in a bad neighborhood with really hard family circumstances. Most days I either did not go to school or would get into trouble at school. Once I started homeschooling with the Hawks I realized that school was not as impossible as it had been for me in the past. The one-on-one attention I received with homeschool was what I needed to become successful in my studies. I learned differently than others and through homeschool I was able to learn more efficiently with teaching that was specific to me. Through that environment I learned more than I had ever given myself the chance to be taught. That situation taught me a lot of things about life and how to make something of myself: it gave me control of my life in a way I never had before. After enrolling at Bridgeport I still was able to study with a personal tutor and the size of our school helped me in not feeling lost in the classroom.

In 2015 you helped led your team to a Class 4A state championship: what did it mean to you to win a title? Winning state that year meant everything to me: especially to do it with my brothers. That is what we had become: all of us had sacrificed so much and worked so hard, and having all of that come to fruition through a state title was incredible. At that point I did not realize just how much we all had worked for that moment. Looking back now I can see how all of the practices/games/conscious and unconscious decisions we made led us to that win.

You began your college career at Ranger College: why did you decide to transfer to Prairie View in 2018? When I went and visited I spoke with head coach Byron Smith and assistants Landon Bussie/Wendell Moore, I realized these guys wanted to win and wanted to establish a legacy not only for PVAMU but for HBCUs across the country…and we knew that it would all come from hard work. I wanted to go somewhere where people recognized and appreciated the fight I had in me for the game, and they did. It meant a lot to me to go to an HBCU and I have a lot of pride when I look back on my time at PVAMU.

You were named 1st-Team All-SWAC as a junior: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? Hard work and dedication. No matter how many minutes I played or what end of the court we were on I played every moment as hard as I could, and doing that resulted in every accolade I received. I did not play for the good of myself and my stats: I played for the good of the team and played to win more than anything.

In the 2019 NCAA 1st 4 you scored 17 PTS in a 6-PT loss to Fairleigh Dickinson: how close did you come to winning your only NCAA tourney game? That win felt really close, but ultimately it did not happen and was devastating to me. However, I took that loss and used it as a lesson and fuel for my fire for the next season. I wanted redemption: I wanted to get right back there and change the outcome.

Last March you scored a career-high 33 PTS and had 10 REB in a 9-PT loss to Alcorn State: was it just 1 of those situations where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? For me that was a moment that I knew I had to get up on another level. In that game my teammates needed me to do more so I did. It was a moment where I knew this was the time that I had to go even harder. Ultimately my career-high was bittersweet: adding to the win column was my biggest concern.

You finished last season (your 2nd straight year on the all-conference 1st-Team) by being named SWAC POY: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? Awards are nice for your own personal work but to me what mattered most was that we had maintained our back-to-back regular season championships. We as a team were still the best in the SWAC. Obviously being POY meant a lot to me but it did not happen without my team doing all that we did together to be the best as a whole and myself as an individual. Every time that I stepped onto the court I worked hard in playing the most unselfish ball I could. I played for the whole rather than the part, and I think that is what made it happen.

In the 2020 SWAC tourney you scored 15 PTS in a 4-PT win over Alabama A&M in the 1st round but had your postseason cut short after your semifinal game against Jackson State was canceled due to the coronavirus: what was your reaction when you 1st heard the news, and do you think that it was the right decision? It was really hard that it was cut short. I was very excited to play and to take another run at March Madness, but ultimately after the NBA shut down I knew it was serious/necessary. Now that I have seen all that has happened I do believe it was the right decision. As much as I wanted to play I would never want to jeopardize the health of others. Once again, no part is greater than the whole. Just like with any loss I took the season being shut down as an opportunity to keep going, keep studying, keep working hard, keep practicing, keep shooting. In a time that it would be easy to slack off, I took it as my time to get better, get a leg up by doing the work and working when maybe other people were not.

What is it like to be an African-American man/basketball player in 2020? Being a Black man who plays basketball comes with a lot of expectations/scrutiny. However, it comes with so many opportunities that mean a lot to me and my bigger purpose. Basketball is a tool that I can use to do good and make a difference off the court. I want to help the ones who need it and inspire those who think it cannot happen for them. For young kids it is important to realize that it is not where you are currently: it is where you believe you can go. I want to instill being a good man and working for your future: choosing it rather than letting circumstances choose it for you. That is what being a Black man/basketball player is like for me: it is about giving back to our communities and helping kids just like myself realize that whatever dream they have is not bigger than their current situation.

What would it mean to you to get drafted, and what is the plan if you do not get drafted? Getting drafted would be a big moment for me and a huge accomplishment. Getting recognized for me is not a pat on the back, but more of a nod that what I have done and how hard I have worked has been seen/noted by others. Getting drafted is not my end game and is not the biggest thing that will happen to me in my basketball career. I know that, which is why I know I will be successful, because I am working towards more. I am working on beating every single odd that is against me: I have so far and will continue to do so.

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The Olympians: HoopsHD interviews Martin Newton about 1984 Olympic gold medalist CM Newton

Posted on August 10, 2020 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 84 years, while the women have won 8 gold medals in the 10 tournaments in which they have competed during the past 44 years. Those of you who were looking forward to the 2020 Olympics opening ceremonies in Tokyo on July 24, 2020 will have to wait an extra 364 days, as the coronavirus caused a postponement until July 23, 2021. Due to the absence of college basketball since mid-March, HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel decided to fill the void by trying to interview as many prior Olympic players/coaches as possible so that you have something to read this summer while not watching the Summer Games. We continue our coverage by chatting with Samford athletic director Martin Newton about his Hall of Fame father CM winning an NCAA title in 1951 and a gold medal in 1984. Today marks the 36th anniversary of team USA beating Spain 96-65 in the gold medal game.

(photo credit: usab.com)

Your father was born in Tennessee and raised in Florida: what made him choose Kentucky? He was all-state in baseball/basketball/football and had an opportunity to play for the premier program in the country. Kentucky also gave him a chance to play baseball as well as basketball.

In the 1951 NCAA title game as a player for Hall of Fame coach Adolph Rupp he had a 10-PT win over Kansas State: how did he like playing for Rupp, and what did it mean to him to win a title? He learned so much from Coach Rupp, as well as from football coach Bear Bryant, who are 2 of the greatest coaches ever. Coach Rupp was very fair but very tough. Winning a title with his close friends was 1 of the greatest highlights of his life.

He became a lieutenant in the Air Force after graduating: what impact did his service have on him either as a father or as a coach? His older brother was a West Point grad: I believe that uncle Newt retired as a colonel and his son retired as a general. He idolized Newt so serving his country was something that was important to him. He also coached in the military. There was an “SEC Storied” show about my dad and they had his brother narrate it, which was very cool.

He recruited Wendell Hudson to be Alabama’s 1st African-American scholarship athlete in any sport, was the 1st coach in SEC history to start 5 African-American players, and is credited with hiring the 1st African-American men’s and women’s basketball coaches at his alma mater: how big a deal were these decisions at the time, and how did he deal with the negative public reaction (such as the Klan burning a cross in his front yard)? He never really addressed it as an issue of people of color: he just looked at their character. There was no preconceived notion about being the 1st to do anything: he just wanted to win and all 5 members of that starting 5 were from the state of Alabama. It was very significant during the 1970s but he just saw people rather than color.

He served as an assistant to Bobby Knight for team USA at the 1984 Olympics: how did he like working for Knight, and what did it mean to him to win a gold medal? He was a little bit like Forrest Gump: he was always at the right place at the right time. He was the yin to Knight’s yang so they balanced each other out very well. The experience of picking a team rather than just a group of superstars was important: he really enjoyed coaching guys like Michael Jordan before they became superstars.

He went 4-20 during his 1st year at Alabama in 1969 but was a 6-time SEC COY from 1972-1989 and won more than 500 games as a college basketball coach before retiring in 1989: what made him such a great coach? When he took the job at Alabama he actually took a pay cut after leaving his prior job at Transylvania. It was a football school in a football state (unlike Kentucky) but he always saw beyond the short-term and envisioned what the program could be. He signed so many great local players and the state really took pride in its home-grown talent. He built it for the long-term, then went to Vanderbilt and took advantage of the 3-PT shot once it was instituted: he was very visionary.

After getting out of coaching he spent more than 2 decades in various administrative roles including chairman of the NCAA Rules Committee: why did he decide to have the NCAA adopt the shot clock/3-PT line? He had a great ability to listen to people/ask questions/gather information. He had a passion for protecting the game while also trying to make it better. He saw how the international game had grown with 4s and 5s who could shoot from long-range so he knew that we needed to adapt. TV was starting to become a major player and watching teams stall the basketball did not make for great ratings.

As president of USA Basketball he oversaw the reformation of the Olympic basketball team from college players to pro players: did you like the idea at the time, and do you think that we will ever change back to using amateur players? I do not think that we will ever go back. He was always looking forward: other Olympic teams in the US were using pro players so it was men against boys. When he came back from some of the 1st Dream Team tryouts he mentioned how unbelievably blown-away he was by the pick-up games: it was something that he had never experienced in his life. We had so much pride/fun.

He was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as a contributor in 2000 and the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006: where do these rank among the highlights of his career? The Naismith Hall of Fame was the highlight, without a doubt. When he passed away I learned that he had made a donation to the Hall: he loved having an impact on the game.

He passed away in 2018: when people look back on his career, how do you think that he should be remembered the most? First and foremost as someone who truly loved the game and the people within the game. He was a people person who built relationships: I am 59 and have yet to meet anyone who said anything negative about him. It was never about self-promotion: it was about promoting the game.

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