The Olympians: HoopsHD interviews 1984 Olympic gold medalist Sam Perkins

Posted on August 1, 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 Sam Perkins about winning an NCAA title in 1982 and a gold medal in 1984. Today marks the 36th anniversary of Sam having 14 PTS/3 BLK in a 104-68 win over Uruguay in Olympic round-robin pool play.

In the 1982 NCAA title game you scored 10 PTS in a 1-PT win over Georgetown: did you think that Michael Jordan’s game-winning shot was going in, and what did it mean to you to win a title? We were so into the game that his shot had to go in: we had no other option besides James Worthy. Jimmy Black found Michael wide-open after the Hoyas’ defense had shifted so much to the strong side. It looked dead-center to me so I felt glad when it went in.

In April of 1984 you showed up for the Olympic trials at Indiana University with 73 other players, and after cutting the squad to 20 by the end of week 1 you saw Charles Barkley/John Stockton/Terry Porter get cut in May and Johnny Dawkins/Chuck Person get cut in June: how difficult was it to impress Coach Bob Knight, and did you think that you would make the final cut after seeing so many other great players being sent home? I was kind of surprised because everyone I had heard about in college was there. We were all on different courts so after seeing those great guys get cut I realized it was a real tryout. I remember CM Newton telling me that I had to pick it up even though I thought that I was playing well so I was fortunate to make that team.

You were 1 of 4 consensus 1st-team All-Americans from that season who made the final roster (along with Jordan/Patrick Ewing/Wayman Tisdale) and you even had another future Hall of Famer as a teammate (Chris Mullin): what was your reaction when you walked into the 1st day of practice and just looked around at all of that talent? It was surreal at the time to be a part of something that I never thought I would. To see so many other great players was a great compliment to our college careers. When Coach Knight showed up he had great applause for all of us so I thought that I was on the right track.

After the final roster was selected you went out on the road for a coast-to-coast tour of 9 scrimmages against NBA players: how were you able to go 9-0 as a bunch of college kids facing a bunch of pros, and what was it like to play at the Hoosier Dome in front of 67,000 fans? It was crazy at the Hoosier Dome. To string together 9 wins was part luck/part skill but we were hungry/focused while playing for team USA. We knew that the challenges would be great and that we would face great competition in the Olympics. We played hard in those 9 games: the NBA guys were trying to stay in shape and we were just trying to get over the hump after beating each other up in practice.

You were eventually named co-captain of team USA and scored 12 PTS in a 96-65 win over Spain in the gold medal game: what did it mean to you to represent your country, and what did it mean to you to win a gold medal? It meant a great deal to me because it complimented my 4 years of college. It was another accolade that I really appreciated. To win a gold medal with guys I had so much respect for was worth the ride. I am glad to have had a hand in that and it was an experience that I will never forget.

On April 12, 1990 you scored a career-high 45 PTS/19-26 FG/13 REB/7 AST for Dallas in a 7-PT win at Golden State: where does that rank among the best all-around games of your career? It was a night where everything seemed to go in. I was ready to play but am not sure what got into me. I almost busted my hand on the rim from slamming the ball in so hard 1 time. I did not realize how many PTS I had until halftime: Coach Dick Motta said he did not realize I was a scoring machine after getting 27 in the 1st half! Nobody would ever dream that I could score that many on that team. Coach told me to just go out and play and not let anyone hold me back. It was all within the flow of the game rather than being a selfish thing.

On January 15, 1997 you scored 26 PTS and tied an NBA record by making all 8 of your 3-PT shots for Seattle in a 44-PT win over Toronto: was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? There is a story behind that game. I woke up late that day and only arrived 1 hour before the game so I did not get to practice my pregame shots. I was worried that I did not have a good stretch/routine as I came into the game off the bench: my 1st shot went in and I could not believe it. The game stayed like that all night long: I only took 8 threes but they all went in. My teammate Detlef Schrempf said “Don’t miss” because he wanted me to get the record but after he told me it was on my mind. I heard Raptors coach Darrell Walker say “Do not let Sam get the ball” but my coach tried to get me the ball before he eventually took me out. Going 8-8 was so special that it became my music production company name: “8 for 8”!

You appeared in 3 NBA Finals with 3 different teams during a 10-year span from 1991-2000: did you get sick of seeing Coach Phil Jackson every June (since he beat you each time)!? Yes. The last time we crossed paths coming off the court and he just shrugged his shoulders. There is no reward for finishing 2nd but it was a memorable experience to get to the Finals so often. There are plenty of guys who could have taken my place but I had fun. I wish that I could have won 1 but that is how it goes. I thought the Lakers were my best chance of getting 1 but we did not fare well against the Bulls. Seattle/Indiana also tried to get over the hump but we could just not get past Phil.

You later became a member of the Board of Directors of the Special Olympics: why did you decide to join the board, and which of your former fellow Olympians impressed you the most (Nadia Comaneci/Donna de Varona/Michelle Kwan/other)? I joined the Board after someone saw that I was doing some work through school at UNC and in the NBA. I always took time out to do something for Special Olympics and they invited me to attend some games. I thought the relationship would be great after I advocated for people with intellectual disabilities. I remain an ambassador for them, continue to promote awareness, and am a conduit to other people to generate more interest. I finally met Nadia but was more interested in meeting Maria Shriver (whose mother Eunice Kennedy Shriver founded the Special Olympics in 1968): I could not believe it when I showed up 1 time and she was actually sitting next to me! I also got to know Michelle Kwan and we talked a lot: she is really tiny (5’2″) and we often sat together at board meetings.

You remain part of the last amateur US basketball team to win an Olympic gold medal: do you think that we will ever go back to using college players, and do you think that we should? The way things are set up they will probably continue to use pro players. The NBA is getting younger and has a lot of talent. There was 1 year that we had high hopes before Argentina beat us in the 2004 semifinals and it just messed up our progress. I do not think that we will use amateur players again because a lot of college players are 1-and-done or have other options so I do not think USA Basketball would want to rely on them. When the stars leave and the remaining players are not ready to be stars it is not the best option.

Are there any thoughts you would like to share about everything that has been going on in our country recently (George Floyd/protests/police/other)? In recent months we have seen surmountable change in everyone’s attitude. The thing that stands out to me was people of many races witnessing such a heinous crime to an innocent Black man. Prior to that we saw a young man get shot while jogging and another woman killed while sitting in her own apartment. It has generated rage in so many people of all nationalities because they took it personally. You see the outpouring of support from state to state and even from some foreign countries. It showed that the paradigm has changed just slightly and the energy is focused on legislative reform. We see so much hate from people who resist but we have no reason not to get along. When you cannot find an answer for why some White people hate Black people, you realize that we have had deluded information for too long and we should just stop and think. We must reflect on our actions and what is about to happen. We have a person in office who is trying to preach hate/separatism and everyone’s soul has been hurt. We have to take a stand and not let it happen over and over again. There is a lot of good will/desire to get along and it will turn around eventually.

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The Olympians: HoopsHD interviews 1996 Olympic gold medalist Carla McGhee

Posted on July 31, 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 Carla McGhee about winning a pair of NCAA titles at Tennessee and a gold medal in 1996. Today marks the 24th anniversary of Carla scoring 2 PTS in a 108-93 win over Japan in the Olympic quarterfinals.

You played for Hall of Fame coach Pat Summitt at Tennessee: what made Pat such a great coach, and what was the most important thing that you ever learned from her? Her knowledge/dedication to detail/ability to hold everyone accountable (including herself). She was always prepared and always followed the rules. She had an “it” factor so we were scared to disappoint her and wanted to make her proud. The most important thing I learned was accountability: it makes you behave a certain way whether people are looking at you or not. She was big on character and taught me to be mentally tough: there is nothing that can break me.

In the 1987 NCAA title game you beat Louisiana Tech to clinch the 1st title in school history: how were you able to dominate a Louisiana Tech team that had beaten the Volunteers in 11 of their last 12 meetings, and what did it mean to you to win a title? Our staff had us prepared and Pat willed us to win. Even though we were not ranked high she had us believing that it was us against the world. Nobody worked harder than us and we felt like a tribe: we were so pumped both mentally/physically. We ran more than our track team and were in the weight room more than our football team. Pat’s big thing was that if you played defense you would be in the right place to win a championship and we bought into it. People talk about the “stare” in her eyes: it was a window into her soul and she was a winner. We would just not be denied.

Later that year you were in a car accident that broke almost every bone in your face and left you in a coma for almost 48 hours, and after waking up your doctors told you that you would never play basketball again: how scared were you, and how were you able to eventually make it back onto the court? I do not know if “scared” is the right word because I did not know how bad it was. I did not look at myself in a mirror until about 2 months after the accident. 1992 Olympian Daedra Charles would jog 5 miles from campus each way to visit me every day and Pat promised me that I would get my degree even I never played basketball again. My doctors said that I might never run/speak again so I just prayed to God to help me become a better person. Before the accident I was gifted athletically so I was a little cocky/lazy and had some attitude issues. God held up his end of the bargain so I held up mine. It was 1 of the best things that ever happened to me because I learned how to be a better teammate/sorority sister/person. Pat’s belief in me made me feel like more than a basketball player: before the accident I was just a player.

In the 1989 NCAA title game you beat SEC rival Auburn to win your 2nd title: how did title #2 compare to title #1? Title #1 was probably the best because Tennessee had been to a lot of Final 4s but had always come up short. I came from Peoria and joked that the Lady Vols needed some Midwestern flavor to get over the hump! It was a huge monkey on our back and was similar to how LeBron felt when he won an NBA title for Cleveland. We were not ranked as high so nobody really expected the 1st 1 but we were supposed to be in the ballpark for title #2: we were ranked in the top-5 of the polls all season long and felt that we were supposed to win. We did not just want to make the NCAA tourney: we wanted to win a title. The 1st 1 made us hungry for the 2nd 1 even though we had a target on our back. We were the new chicks that were going to take over women’s basketball.

As a member of team USA at the 1994 World Championships you had a 3-PT loss to Brazil in semifinals: where does Hortencia Marcari (32 PTS) rank among the greatest players that you have ever seen? She and Paula were 2 of the best. She could come down and take a regular jump shot from halfcourt. She was like a female John Paxson with more flair/athleticism. She had incredible vision/superior ball-handling and was just so tough. You never knew what you would get with Brazil: it was pick your poison…and they could be a little dirty on defense. I missed a big portion of that game after getting elbowed and we were devastated after that loss. After we lost, which was a huge letdown, we shifted to the “Dream Team” model of using professional players in international competition. We lived/trained together in Colorado and traveled the world as sponsors poured in money to help pay us. Rebecca Lobo was the only 1 coming out of college: the other 11 of us were pros, and 6 of us from that 1994 team made the Olympic team in 1996. Moving forward the teams would just train together at minicamps because they all played in the WNBA. People viewed us as trailblazers but looking back I never knew what kind of impact we would have.

You played in the ABL/WNBA as well as several years in Germany/Italy/Spain: what was the biggest difference between basketball in the US vs. basketball in overseas? Basketball overseas was hard: you would not get any calls and would be traveling to games by bus/car. The fans would be smoking/drinking in the stands and the cops would have plastic shields just in case. There were club teams and the diehards would pack the gyms. It was very physical and we would be there for 7-8 months each year. The money was great but you would have to adapt to different kinds of weather and language barriers. It gave me a chance to embrace different cultures and when you are the foreigner the expectations are high: when your team lost the blame was on you so it made me a tougher athlete.

You played for team USA at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta: what did it mean to you to win a gold medal, and why did you later decide to donate your medal to a community center in your hometown of Peoria, IL? Winning a gold medal was everything. We trained for a year and a lot of us took huge pay-cuts because we wanted to restore our country’s faith in our team after losing in 1994. What better time to win when the Games are in your home country?! It was great to play in front of family/friends and was an awesome feeling. We had fun parties and hard practices: all of the memories still flood through me. We went through a war together and won and then went our separate ways: it was huge and we felt so much pride. People had put so much money into that team: housing, 1st-class travel, cars, etc. We had worked our butts off and would not be denied.

After retiring as a player you became an assistant to your Olympic teammate Dawn Staley at Temple/South Carolina: how happy were you when she won the 2017 NCAA title, and how did you like working for the 2020 national COY? Dawn and I go WAY back: we played on every team possible with USA Basketball and she denied me a title in double-OT as a senior. We are more than teammates: we are sisters. We were at a Final 4 in a VIP box several years ago and she said, “Big Red, I want to be down there coaching for a national title”. I said, “Little Bit, if you have good resources and a supportive administration then it will happen”. She told me to try it for 1 year and I liked it. I met back up with her in South Carolina and loved working for her: she is a little Pat Summitt! They might lose some games but she does it the right way: her will is contagious and her kids believe in her. It is hard to explain what she means to women’s basketball: she eats/sleeps/drinks basketball just like Pat and they are both so selfless. Dawn is the epitome of a winner: determined, passionate, etc. I learned a lot working for her, especially the importance of paying attention to details, but she is a little more laid back now. I feel that she deserved every bit of being national COY. I expected it from her because she went out and got it… and I expect her to win it a couple more times before she is done. She is not that funny in general but is hilarious on Twitter!

You currently work for Up With Kids Sports in Georgia: what has the organization been able to accomplish, and what do you hope to do in the future? I did that for a year and then started my own business called More To Hoopz. I do grassroots athletics in Alpharetta, GA, and do AAU/personal training. I used to do a lot of camps before COVID-19 showed up but I still have that hunger to keep it going in the future. I just want to be a vessel to help the kids understand that sports can help pay for your education or just allow you to meet some great mentors. Sports has a way of teaching you discipline. Some of my kids have received scholarships to great schools like Notre Dame/Stanford/Tennessee. I want to continue to develop my little babies and help the older ones take their skills to another level. I will also go to colleges with new staffs and help them mentor the kids they have. I am blessed to share my expertise as a player/coach/businesswoman in this sport and help people become better. When the parents tell me that their children have become more confident that is my greatest reward: I just try to be the best person that I can be.

When people look back on your career, how do you want to be remembered the most? She was a hard worker and a teammate that you could depend on. I had a tenacity that oozed into every aspect of my life: sometimes I came up short but I would always give you the shirt off my back. I was not perfect but would try to make it right. I want to make sure the sport is in great hands and as long as Dawn is at South Carolina I am not worried about it. I was a kid from Peoria with a terrible work ethic but am thankful to all of the people who helped me become a better person.

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The Olympians: HoopsHD interviews Mark Boryla about 1948 Olympic gold medalist Vince Boryla

Posted on July 30, 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 Mark Boryla about his father Vince winning a gold medal in 1948 and an ABA title in 1971. Today marks the 72nd anniversary of team USA’s opening game at the 1948 Olympics, an 86-21 win over Switzerland.

In 1946 he was named an All-American at Notre Dame, then enlisted in the Army: what impact did his military service have on him either on or off the court? He said the only command that he remembered was to “play ball”! His main duty at the Air Force base in Denver was to be in charge of the gym: he never saw any active duty.

He won a gold medal with 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? In later years it meant a lot to him but in 1948 there was no TV so it did not seem a big deal back then. He was very proud to play for the US and win a gold medal: I still have a picture in my office of the team walking off the court after winning the title game. He developed lifelong friendships with many of his teammates.

After the Olympics he transferred to Denver and became the school’s 1st and only basketball All-American in 1949: it seems unthinkable for a player in the current era to be an All-American at 2 different schools but how big a deal was it back then? 1 of the questions in Trivial Pursuit is actually about that and my dad is the answer! Growing up I learned a lot about my dad from other people: he did not make a big deal about it when I was a kid. He made his gold medal into a necklace for my mom but did not talk about his accomplishments a lot or think of himself as a big deal.

After graduating he signed with the Knicks and scored 9 PTS for the victorious East squad in the 1st-ever NBA All-Star Game in 1951: could he tell back then that it was going to become 1 of the greatest annual exhibition sporting events in America? He never made a big deal about that either but I think that I found his old uniform lying around somewhere.

In Game 7 of the 1951 NBA Finals (the 1st ever Game 7 in NBA Finals history) he scored 16 PTS in a 4-PT loss at Rochester: where does that rank among the most devastating losses of his career? I never heard him talk about that.

In the 1953 NBA Finals the Knicks won Game 1 before defending champ Minneapolis won the next 4 in a row: was New York considered a success (due to making 3 straight NBA Finals) or a failure (due to losing all 3 of them) or something in between? I did not know that either.

He became President/GM of the Utah Stars in 1970, followed by 13,260 fans celebrating a 10-PT win over the Kentucky Colonels in Game 7 of the 1971 ABA Finals by mobbing the court for 20 minutes and carrying star players Willie Wise/Zelmo Beaty off the floor on their shoulders: where did that game rank among the highlights of his career? I was courtside for that as a teenager. He was very proud/excited to see Utah win the title in his very 1st year. He was a great negotiator when it came to contracts/trades and a great evaluator of players. I think he was disappointed that he could not recreate that with the Nuggets. He did not want Willie to leave town without a contract so he resigned him to a 2 or 3-year deal rather than taking time to enjoy the title.

He became President/GM of the Denver Nuggets in 1984, traded leading scorer Kiki Vandeweghe to Portland for 3 starters who helped improve the team’s win total by 14 games over the previous season, and was named NBA Executive of the Year in his very 1st season: how did he like being a GM, and how pissed was the city of Denver after learning of the trade? I think there was some criticism at the time of the trade: he actually played with Kiki’s dad Ernie when they were teammates together on the Knicks! I remember him telling me how it was going while he was working on the trade: he also got a 1st round pick for the following year. Portland initially offered just 2 players but later increased their offer.

After getting out of basketball he became a successful real estate developer in Colorado and 1 of Denver’s greatest philanthropists: how did he get into real estate, and why did he decide to give away so much of his hard-earned money? After moving to Denver he met an investor named Harry Roberts who took him under his wing. My dad’s highest NBA salary was around $20,000/year so we would move to New York for 6 months with just our clothes and then move back west every summer. My dad was always worried what would happen after retiring from the Knicks so he made an effort to save a lot of money: $50,000. He started investing in real estate deals with Harry, who was very street-smart, and my dad was very successful at working with various city zoning departments. They speculated on land throughout town and almost every deal was a gold mine. He never had to be in the biggest house and was very religious so he felt the need to give back and help people out as much as he could. He worked with Father Woody to do a Christmastime giveaway to help the local homeless population. I did not know about my dad funding it for almost 15 years but we still do it today. A priest gives a sermon and then they get an envelope with $20: my family attends it every December. He also gave some money to Regis University: he did not want any buildings named after him but they named an off-campus apartment building in his honor. He felt that it was God’s money.

He passed away in 2016: when people look back on his career, how do you think that he should be remembered the most? Due to the fact that he lived until age 89 most people in Denver know him for his career with the Nuggets. The public in general might know him for his philanthropy that went unnoticed while he was alive.

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The Olympians: HoopsHD interviews Pat Boushka about 1956 Olympic gold medalist Dick Boushka

Posted on July 29, 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 Pat Boushka about his father Dick winning a gold medal in 1956. Today would have been Dick’s 86th birthday so we are proud to honor his memory.

Your father was born in Illinois and went to high school in Wisconsin: what made him choose St. Louis for college? He was always a big St. Louis sports fan and the university had a strong athletic program.

He played for Hall of Fame coach Eddie Hickey: what made Hickey such a great coach? My dad had a great love for Coach Hickey and credited him for being 1 of the most influential people in his life.

His career scoring average of 19.3 PPG still ranks #2 in school history and he was the highest-ranked geophysical engineering major in his class: how was he able to balance his work on the court with his work in the classroom? The advice he gave to myself and my brothers was to be very organized and have good time management.

He won a gold medal with team USA at the 1956 Olympics: what did it mean to him to represent his country, and what did it mean to him to win a gold medal? He was always proud of that opportunity/experience: it was 1 of the highlights of his life.

He won another gold medal with team USA at the 1959 Pan Am Games in Chicago: how did he like playing with a pair of legends in Oscar Robertson/Jerry West? There were a few legends on the 1956 team as well. He enjoyed playing with some of the best players in the history of the game.

He was drafted by the Minneapolis Lakers but chose to play for the Wichita Vickers of the AAU, and at age 29 he became president of team sponsor Vickers Petroleum: how was he able to make such a smooth transition from player to president? It goes back to balancing academics and athletics in college. He applied that to his work life as well: discipline/focus/etc.

In 1987 he was named President of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame: how did he get the job, and what was the best part? I do not remember much about that but he stayed very close to the game after he stopped playing. He was a big relationship guy and loved the game so much.

In 1976 he was inducted into the Billiken Hall of Fame and in 2015 he was voted to the SLU Men’s Basketball All-Century team: where do those honors rank among the highlights of his career? I know that 2015 was a special moment for him. We had a lot of family around to see his jersey raised: it was special for all of us.

He passed away last year: when people look back on his career, how do you think that he should be remembered the most? He was a very friendly/outgoing guy. The same traits he developed during his basketball career served him well with his family.

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The Olympians: HoopsHD interviews Kevin Bontemps about 1952 Olympic gold medalist Ron Bontemps

Posted on July 28, 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 Kevin Bontemps about his father Ron winning a gold medal in 1952. Today marks the 68th anniversary of Ron scoring 7 PTS vs. the Soviet Union in Olympic round-robin pool play.

1 of your dad’s high school teammates was Johnny Orr, who later became 1976 national COY at Michigan: how close were the 2 of them? They were friends: you grow close to most of your teammates as basketball buddies. They both ended up at Beloit College together and exchanged Christmas cards every year.

They both played basketball at Taylorville High School where they went 45-0 thanks to your dad scoring a game-high 18 PTS to help beat Elgin High School in the 1944 Illinois high school state title game: how big a deal was it for him to be part of the 1st undefeated basketball team in state history? It was a big deal. I remember him referencing it because some team got pretty close about 2-3 years before that. Back then they had less restrictions on scheduling: he would practice 1-2 times/week and played games 3-4 times/week.

After graduating he joined the Army and served in World War II: what impact did his service have on him either on or off the court? He was drafted but by the time he went to the Philippines the war had just ended. It was not completely safe but he was not in the turmoil that others went through just 6 months earlier.

After being discharged in 1946 he joined Orr at Illinois but they transferred to Beloit College after their high school coach Dolph Stanley recruited them both to join him there: was it always going to be a package deal, and they did have any regrets after seeing the Illini make 3 Final 4s in 4 years from 1949-1952? My recollection is that he took some summer classes at Illinois/played some basketball and then returned to Taylorville because he was unsure what he wanted to do. He was not engaged at Illinois so he went to California for a few months before joining Dolph. He met my mom at Beloit and had a lot of other good things happen there so he did not have any regrets.

He won 3 straight Midwest Conference titles from 1949-1951 and even played in the 1951 NIT: where does he rank among the greatest players in Beloit history? Speaking without bias I would say #1! He held the school’s career scoring title for more than 50 years until someone broke it about 15 years ago. He was certainly a big gun there but he was a modest guy. They were beating up on everyone in the conference back then. 1 year they played DePaul at Chicago Stadium: they won the game and set the Stadium scoring record with almost 100 PTS. I went to the NIT Final 4 as a freshman at Illinois and they gave me a watch. When I brought it home he showed me his own watch that he had received back in 1951. The NIT was a lot bigger deal back then.

In the spring of 1951 he was drafted 22nd overall by the Tri-Cities Blackhawks: why did he choose to not turn pro and instead play for the AAU Caterpillar Diesels in the National Industrial Basketball League? My older brother and I played basketball throughout high school: we could not understand his decision back then and asked him about it. He said that pro basketball was not the same: the money was not as big so guys would have to get jobs during the offseason. He worked at Caterpillar for 38 years and we did not want for anything. He kept the letter showing that he got drafted and my mom still has it packed away in a scrapbook.

After winning the 1952 AAU title and then beating NCAA tourney champ Kansas 62-60 he was 1 of 5 members of the Diesels who made the 14-man Olympic roster and won a gold medal as the captain of team USA: what did it mean to him to represent his country, and what did it mean to him to win a gold medal? He was very proud of that and we heard lots of stories about it. He went to the Olympic trials in Denver and then the 2 best teams squared off in Kansas. It was a close game in the final minute: they held the ball, All-American Clyde Lovellette went down for the game-winning layup…and missed it. My dad got the ball, passed it ahead, and then someone made the game-winning jumper. Caterpillar coach Warren Womble got to bring his starting 5 (including my dad) and the rest of the team was made up of Kansas players. He took some photos and even had some film of the opening ceremonies. The gold medals back then were 2/3 the size that they are now but it was still pretty fun to bring it to school for show-and-tell! Every 4 years the local Peoria newspaper would call him for an interview and put his picture in the paper.

He was a 2-time AAU All-American in 1953/1954 and then spent almost 4 decades working for the Caterpillar Tractor Company: what did it mean to him to receive such outstanding honors, and how did he like his off-court gig? I talk smack to my own sons about how great a player I was but my dad was a very humble guy. My mom had his Helms Hall of Fame award hanging on the wall and he even won a national POY award. He would answer questions if asked but never bragged about it. He won some other honors as well that we got to attend celebrations for, which was fun after just hearing all of the old stories. He always spoke highly of Caterpillar after working there a long time and never spoke a bad word about them. He retired with a pension that made life easier on us.

Just like your father you played basketball at Illinois and were later inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame: who is the best athlete in the family? I think that he was. We would play basketball out on the driveway all of the time and my dad was out there as well. Even when I was in high school I do not recall ever beating him 1-on-1. He played basketball well into his 60s but I had to quit in my late 40s due to some injuries. He even played tennis into his 70s. We would have open gym during school and dad would stop by: it was so much fun to play with him.

He passed away in 2017: when people look back on his career, how do you think that he should be remembered the most? He was a modest/humble guy who worked really hard at the sport that he loved. However, his family/church were the priorities in his life after college, which always impressed me. He had very high integrity up until the end a few years ago and was a solid example for his kids. I still miss sitting around and talking to him.

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The Olympians: HoopsHD interviews Leesie Guthridge about 1976 Olympic gold medalist Bill Guthridge

Posted on July 27, 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 Leesie Guthridge about her late husband Bill winning a gold medal in 1976 and making 14 Final 4s. Today marks the 44th anniversary of team USA beating Yugoslavia 95-74 to clinch the gold medal AND it would have been his 83rd birthday so we are proud to honor his memory.

(photo credit: usab.com)

Bill made the 1958 Final 4 as a player at Kansas State for Hall of Fame coach Tex Winter and the 1964 Final 4 as an assistant to Tex: what made Winter such a great coach, and what was the most important thing that Bill ever learned from him? Bill thought that Tex was a great coach but I hardly knew him. He developed an offense called the Triangle which was used by his college team and later the NBA championship teams of the Bulls/Lakers.

He graduated with a degree in mathematics and later got a masters’ degree in education: how much importance did he place on academics? He felt that academics were VERY important. His mother/father had both been teachers and his father later became Superintendent of Schools in Parsons, KS. He was unhappy when players began leaving school early and would hate the situation today when players only stay 1-2 years before going to the pros without getting a college education.

He spent 30 years as an assistant to Hall of Fame coach Dean Smith at North Carolina: why did he stick around for so long rather than try to become a head coach elsewhere, and what kind of relationship did the fellow Kansas natives have after working side-by-side for 3 decades? Bill & Dean were both from Kansas and had known each other for many years before Bill came to Chapel Hill. They had very similar backgrounds: Dean’s parents were also teachers in Kansas. They made a good team: Bill did things that Dean did not like doing while Dean did some head coaching things that Bill did not like doing. Even though they had different personalities they thought alike on many issues. Bill had many opportunities to become a head coach but turned them down after exploring them. His goal was never to be a head coach. He seriously considered offers from Penn State/Arkansas/Georgia Tech but in the end he decided that he already had the best job possible at UNC.

He had many roles in Chapel Hill including recruiting, coaching pivot play to the big men, serving as shooting coach, and overseeing summer basketball camps: did he have a favorite role, and how was he able to take on so many different things? Bill was very organized and was able to accomplish a lot. He liked all of his roles in coaching.

He served as an assistant to Smith for team USA at the 1976 Olympics: how much pressure was there on the team to win it all after the USA’s controversial loss to the Soviets in the 1972 gold medal game? I do not know about the pressure to win that game: he mainly talked about the total experience. He really liked Montreal and enjoyed having John Thompson as 1 of his fellow assistant coaches.

What did it mean to him to represent his country, and what did it mean to him to win a gold medal? Bill loved participating in the Olympics: he was very patriotic and felt that it was an honor to represent his country. UNC always played to win games, tournaments, and of course the Olympic gold medal.

After Smith retired in October of 1997 Bill took over, led his team to the Final 4, set a record for 1st-year coaches by winning 34 games, and was named national COY: how did he feel about replacing his former boss, and what did it mean to him to receive such an outstanding honor? They had many discussions about retirement but Bill was already 60 so knew that he would not coach many more years. When Dean retired their team was gone. Bill took on Dean’s former duties but there was not really anyone to take on Bill’s former duties so he did both jobs: it was very exhausting for him!

He finished his career with 14 Final Fours on his resume (1 as a Kansas State player, 1 as a Kansas State assistant, 10 as a North Carolina assistant, and 2 as a North Carolina head coach), which remains the most in NCAA men’s history: do you think that anyone will ever break his record, and did it reach a point where the family just stopped making plans every spring because they assumed that they would be attending the Final 4?! Records are always broken at some point so his will probably be broken. He felt very honored to receive the Coach of the Year Award. March/April were never vacation months for our family: we always had kids in school and whenever Bill finished a tournament it was still a recruiting month for him.

In 1994 he was inducted into the Kansas Basketball Hall of Fame and in 2013 he was inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame: where did these rank among the highlights of his career? Bill felt very honored by the Hall of Fame Awards but I would say that they were not the highlights of his career. Tournament wins, Final Fours, National Championships, and Olympic gold medals were more important to him.

He passed away in 2015: when people look back on his career, how do you think that he should be remembered the most? I think that Bill would like to be remembered as a good/honorable person. He was a good coach who always wanted the best for his players: to become good people 1st and good players 2nd. I have had many people tell me how much they miss him and his manner on the court.

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