The Olympians: HoopsHD interviews 1972 Olympic silver medalist Jim Brewer

Posted on June 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 Jim Brewer about being part of the most controversial basketball game in Olympic history and winning an NBA title in 1982. Today marks the 37th anniversary of his nephew Doc Rivers getting picked 31st overall by Atlanta in the 1983 NBA Draft.

You won a state title at Proviso East High School: how good is the basketball scene in the Chicago metro area, and how have the Pirates become 1 of the most successful high school basketball programs in Illinois? We won a title back in 1969 when there was only 1 class of basketball throughout the state before they started breaking it up into Class A/Class AA/etc. It was really rewarding for us because it was a bigger feat than it is today. Coach Tim Millikin built the program after growing up in a rich basketball tradition. We had a lot of players who became coaches themselves and we had a great elementary school “farm system” with players who followed suit, which allowed us to win a few more state titles after that. We were a town of about 26,000 and most of our players came from the Maywood area.

What made you choose Minnesota for college? Coach Millikin produced a lot of solid individual fundamental ballplayers including Al Nuness, who was 1 of the best players to come before me and later helped recruit me to Minnesota. I was very heavily recruited by Illinois: it was close to my home so a lot of my high school friends were there and I could have a lot of family members travel down to watch me play. Al was on the coaching staff of Bill Fitch and Minnesota was a big place where I could get lost in the social scene rather than being in the middle of a city setting. When you have friends around you all the time you might drop what you are doing so that you do not alienate them.

You played for team USA at the 1972 Olympics: what do you remember about Alexander Belov knocking you out of the gold medal game, and who do you blame the most for the controversial loss (Bill Walton for not playing, Hank Iba for using a slow tempo, the Secretary General, the timekeeper, the refs, other)? I think that it was a number of factors that brought us to that moment. We were being criticized leading up to the game. If we won then they would have to take a lot of measures to even the playing field: we were put in a box so that was a factor. Due to the Black September incident the gold medal game was delayed, and once it was finally scheduled the start time was a lot later than our normal time slot. We got off to a bad start and had some interference from outside where Secretary General Jones was telling the refs that they were doing something wrong. I was just all fired-up and was playing okay up to that time. I went up hard for a jump ball and got knocked off balance/hit my head/got knocked out. I was in a daze so it was hard for me to get it together: I still have some memory loss from that game. We had a nice comeback, won it twice, and then the Soviets won it once. You could argue that we were never supposed to be there but that is where we ended up. You can talk about preparation or how we played but for me that was not it. We were successful despite having a player thrown out (Dwight Jones) and several touch fouls called. The game should have been over and we were going to leave the floor but Coach Iba was talked out of it by his 2 assistants. We could have played it under protest but the decision was made by a spectator in the stands rather than someone with authority at the Olympics.

You were an All-American in 1973: how good a basketball player was your teammate Dave Winfield (who later became a Hall of Fame baseball player)? Dave was a raw athlete even though he was not fundamentally sound. He was being looked at by teams in several pro sports but was not even on full-time scholarship during his 1st couple of years on the baseball team. He played a very physical game and helped us win, along with other big guys like 6’9” Ron Behagen. We were so aggressive/physical that we were able to win a lot of games even when we were shorthanded due to some suspensions that left us with a rotation of about 5-7 guys.

That spring you were drafted 2nd overall by Cleveland (1 spot behind Olympic teammate Doug Collins): did you see that as a validation of your college career, or the realization of a lifelong dream of reaching the NBA, or other? I never really looked past college to be perfectly honest. Now there is so much publicity about playing pro but the attention made it worse for me. I just played to win but when they started talking about money it became anticlimactic and I did not have the same zeal/passion. I certainly followed the NBA and was very relieved after living up to expectations because before then the only expectations I cared about were my own. It took a little but of the fun out of it for me. Cleveland traded away 2 guys (John Johnson/Rick Roberson) to get me so I was put into the situation of having to do more because I was replacing a pair of productive guys and the expectation level was way too high that 1st year. If I joined the team while Johnson/Roberson were still there then we would have had a better squad but it was nobody’s fault: I just had to make some adjustments as a very undersized center. It was a little bit too much for me at that point because we did not have a better framework: you just deal with what you are given. Once we started getting guys to fill in those spots we began to have a better chance to win.

You were named to back-to-back NBA All-Defensive teams in 1976/1977: what is the secret to being a great defender? Passion, which is also the key to rebounding. I had a lot of teammates who took 20 shots/game but I got a lot of time on the floor due to my defense. In the modern era you can work year-round to stay in shape but back then guys would not work on their games during the offseason: they were working on their beer bellies! Guys eventually started to become more conscientious as the landscape was changing. There have also been a lot of rule changes in the game.

In the 1982 NBA Finals with the Lakers you beat Philly in 6 games to clinch the title: what did it mean to you to win a title? That was beautiful! I always liked practicing but enjoyed it more being around that team because we had so much fun both on and off the court. Every time we took the court we felt that we were going to win. There is an accountability that you want as an athlete: we looked in the mirror to make sure that we were doing things right. We gave it everything we had every day and always tried to improve.

You played 9 seasons in the NBA and then 3 more in Italy: what was the biggest difference between basketball in the US and basketball overseas? Italy had 40-minute games that were very intense: it was like being in a semi-pro league with a bunch of teenage fans who were basketball nuts. They were very enthusiastic so it was validating: the American guys like me played the whole game and they expected us to move mountains. I really enjoyed my 3 years there and it really prepared me for my post-basketball life, as I had a lot of time to think about the future.

In 2007 you were named as 1 of the 100 Legends of the Illinois High School Association Boys Basketball Tournament: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? That was great. The tourney had existed long before I played in it so we had all of this history but if you do not commemorate it then it will be lost. It was very rewarding to be at the ceremony and meet the other players. To be a part of that was a real honor and very satisfying for me.

Your nephew is Doc Rivers and your great nephew is Austin Rivers: who is the best athlete in the family? I think that we are all great athletes. I was 1 of the fastest players on the Lakers…even if the other guys do not agree with that!

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)? I think it is sad that someone had to die for us to look at reforming law enforcement behavior that is sworn to protect/serve. I have been chosen to be part of our local fire/police commission and am just starting out. My brother Grady Rivers (Doc’s dad) was a policeman and had a military background. There is a trust factor that has been breached and when you are wondering whose story to believe (such as a false report) there is a need to address/correct it. Now that we understand what Colin Kaepernick was doing when protesting the treatment of people by law enforcement, we need to do what is right and listen to what is happening. We have been hearing about police brutality for many years before Colin, but now that we have cell phones with cameras we can see pictures of what is going on. It is kind of sad that this is where we are at but if we do nothing else but look at police candidates and make the police accountable when something happens rather than sweeping it under the rug, then we will be in a better position. The crime must fit the punishment.

For more info about the 1972 US Olympic team check out “Stolen Glory” by Mike Brewster and Taps Gallagher at: www.amazon.com/Stolen-Glory-Mike-Brewster/dp/1882383796

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The Olympians: HoopsHD interviews 1972 Olympic silver medalist Kevin Joyce

Posted on June 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 Kevin Joyce about making a game-winning shot in the 1972 NCAA tourney and playing in the most controversial basketball game in Olympic history. Today is Kevin’s 69th birthday so let us be the 1st to wish him a happy 1!

(photo credit: patch dot com)

You were born/raised in New York and went to high school at Archbishop Molloy: what was it like to be at a school with so much basketball talent including future national COY Jim Larranaga (2 years ahead of you) and future NBA All-Star Brian Winters (1 year behind you)? It was a very good school and we had a legendary coach in Jack Curran, who should be in the Hall of Fame. I went to Catholic school my whole life and my family was friends with Frank Rienzo, who was the track coach and later hired John Thompson as the athletic director at Georgetown. It was a great experience to play there.

You played for Hall of Fame coach Frank McGuire at South Carolina: what made him such a great coach, and what was the most important thing that you ever learned from him? He was a different kind of coach then Mr. Curran. I ended up having some free reign to expand my game, especially as a freshman, since we were not allowed to play on the varsity back then. Our freshman coach was Donnie Walsh, who was an assistant to McGuire. He let me bring the ball up on every possession so that I could learn how to play in the backcourt, which helped me a lot. We had a lot of talent on that team. Curran had played for McGuire at St. John’s so it was an easy transition, especially with guys like John Roche/Tom Owens. Brian followed me there the following year and it was a good fit for everybody.

In the 1971 ACC tourney title game you tapped the ball to Owens in the final seconds for the game-winning layup in a 1-PT win over North Carolina: how were you able to out-jump 6’10” Lee Dedmon, and what was the feeling like in your locker room afterward? It was a great win for us. I had just come back after having a blood clot in my left leg. That play would probably not happen today due to the possession arrow but I was always a good 2-footed jumper and played against big guys in high school like Len Elmore at Power Memorial. Tom was open because nobody expected me to win the tip! It was probably the biggest win in state history up to that point.

In the 1972 NCAA tourney you scored 12 PTS including the game-winning shot in the final seconds of a 2-PT win over Temple: did you think that the shot was going in, and where does that game rank among the highlights of your career? Bobby Carver was my teammate in high school/college and knew that I was usually the guy to take the last-second shot. McGuire’s rule was to make our move to the basket with 7 seconds left so that we would have time to get an offensive rebound if we missed the shot. Temple coach Harry Litwack had his team stay back in a zone defense: Bobby told me to just make it so I let it fly and it went in. I had confidence in myself to take the last shot and always wanted the ball in that situation.

That summer you played for team USA at the Olympics: what did it mean to you to represent your country, and who do you blame the most for the controversial loss in the gold medal game (Bill Walton for not playing, Hank Iba for using a slow tempo, the Secretary General, the timekeeper, the refs, other)? Growing up I was always enamored with the Olympic ideal: I read “The Jim Thorpe Story” and always wanted to be an Olympian. I was a rising senior so I fell right into their time frame and worked hard to prepare to play in the best shape of my life at altitude at Colorado Springs for the Olympic Trials. As a kid I wrote down for a school assignment that I wanted to become a pro baseball player and an Olympian: my mother later dug up that paper! We were fast and had good shooters and could run/press but Coach Iba had a philosophy that had been successful in the past. I do not think that any 1 person on our team/staff is to blame. It was unheard of for a guy to come out of the stands and put time back on the clock so I blame Secretary General William Jones alone. The game was not decided until the following day after our official protest: I have a picture at home of myself at a press conference with Howard Cosell/Frank Gifford when they told me about the decision. We decided not to accept the silver medals and have stuck by it to this day.

In 1973 you were named an All-American: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? The big award that every kid wanted to win back then was a Parade All-American like Lew Alcindor, which drove me to do all of the hard work it took to get there.

In the spring of 1973 you were drafted 11th overall by Golden State (11 spots ahead of George McGinnis): what did it mean to you to get drafted, and why did you decide to join the ABA instead? Everyone wants to get drafted and making the Olympic team helped my own draft status. The draft did not have the pomp and circumstance that it does now: I just got a call from my agent after it happened! 1st round picks back then got no-cut contracts but Golden State refused to give me 1. I got picked by San Antonio in the ABA draft and they traded my rights to the defending champs in Indiana so I just decided to sign with them that fall. I enjoyed playing for Coach Slick Leonard and with guys like Roger Brown/Freddie Lewis: I had no regrets.

Take me through the 1975 ABA playoffs as a player for Indiana:
In Game 3 of the semifinals vs. Denver, McGinnis had 32 PTS/21 REB/14 AST in a 6-PT win and in Game 7 he had 40 PTS/23 REB in an 8-PT road win: did McGinnis just put the entire team on his back for the whole series, and how were you able to win 3 straight road games against a team that had lost only 2 home games during the regular season? George was an unbelievable player who had the ability to put the whole team on his back. It was a tough series against guys like David Thompson at altitude so it was a great accomplishment for us.

In the Finals you lost to Kentucky: how close did you come to beating a team with such legends as Artis Gilmore/Dan Issel? Artis was great: I ended up joining the Colonels the following year. They also had Louie Dampier/Bird Averitt. Playing in the Finals is something that you dream of but we knew that the ABA would be folding at some point. I was later traded to San Diego…but they folded 3 months later.

After joining Kentucky the following season you met Denver in the semifinals: how weird was it to play without a visible scoreboard/clock, and when you found Dampier open in the final seconds did you think that he released his potential game-tying 3 before the clock struck zero? I have no idea why the scoreboard was not working: they had a decent arena.

What have you been up to since retiring from basketball, and what do you hope to do in the future? After I got hurt I returned to South Carolina as an assistant for Frank for 4 years. I did not like the recruiting aspect so I ended up working on Wall Street for 35 years as an institutional sales trader until things went sour in 2008. If you look at the New York Stock Exchange there are hardly any people there now due to all of the computers. I spent some time at a golf course/ski resort and lived in Long Island before moving to Utah to be closer to some of my kids. My wife is a ski instructor at Deer Valley and all 3 of my brothers were golf professionals. I turn 69 this month and am getting up there.

For more info about the 1972 US Olympic team check out “Stolen Glory” by Mike Brewster and Taps Gallagher at: www.amazon.com/Stolen-Glory-Mike-Brewster/dp/1882383796

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The Olympians: HoopsHD interviews Heidi VanDerveer about 1996 Olympic gold medalist Tara VanDerveer

Posted on June 26, 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 UCSD head coach Heidi VanDerveer about her older sister Tara winning a pair of NCAA titles in the early 1990s and a gold medal in 1996. Today is Tara’s birthday so let us be the 1st to wish her a happy 1!

When Tara was shooting baskets at your neighbor’s house growing up your father allegedly told her, “Basketball will not take you anywhere: come inside and do your algebra”, and when Stanford tried to hire her away from Ohio State in 1985 he told her that she was crazy to take the job and that, “You will be unemployed and coming home to live with us in 3 months”: what kind of relationship did they have, and did he finally come around? Our parents have always been supportive of all of us. At the time you want something better for your children so my dad was living in the reality that there were very few opportunities for women and thought that she would be better off as a lawyer. Ohio State was on the tipping point of competing for titles year in and year out while Stanford was a lower-tier program. He supported us wholeheartedly.

She ended up taking the job at Stanford and won 2 NCAA titles during her 1st 7 years on the Farm (in 1990 and 1992): what did it mean to her to win a pair of titles? She was happier for the players who had taken a chance on her, specifically Jennifer Azzi. You have to share your vision with your players and have them buy into it: it is gratifying when it actually becomes a reality.

In 1995 she began a year-long sabbatical as head coach of team USA and went 52-0 in pre-Olympic play against various college/national teams leading up to the 1996 Olympics: what did it mean to her to win a gold medal, and where do you think that team ranks among the greatest in the history of the sport? They did not win a gold medal in 1992 so there was a little pressure to win 1 in 1996. USA Basketball realized what they had to do so she absorbed that pressure and was focused on the task at hand every single day, which allowed her to be so successful. The game has evolved so it is hard to compare the greatest of all-time but for their time they were the best. I think a player like 5-time Olympian Teresa Edwards just had amazing talent that would translate to today.

In the 1998 NCAA tourney she had a 4-PT home loss to #16-seed Harvard: was she embarrassed to become the 1st #1 seed to lose to a #16 seed or was it simply a case of bad timing with 2 star players (Kristin Folkl/Vanessa Nygaard) both missing the game after tearing their left knee ACLs the previous week? She probably did take it personally even though she lost her 2 best players. It was a perfect storm in that Harvard was better than a #16 seed: I recruited Allison Feaster when I was at South Carolina and just look at her almost 2-decades-long pro career. I would not say “embarrassed” but rather disappointed at what could have been. Kristin was 1 of the best players in the country: I later coached her in the WNBA. Vanessa also made the WNBA. It also made her stronger/better and she realized that you can only control what you can control.

In the 2009 NCAA tourney Jayne Appel had 16 REB and scored a school-record 46 PTS (which remains the 3rd-highest point total in NCAA tourney history), while outscoring the entire Iowa State team by herself in the 1st half (27-25): was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot she put up seemed to go in because she was “in the zone”? That might have been part of it: I was at that game. Jayne was making shots right at the rim: it was like a Mikan layup drill! Stanford had really good shooters so they spread Iowa State out and there was no double-teaming the 6’4” Jayne at the rim.

In the 2010 NCAA tourney title game the Cardinal set a record for fewest FTs attempted in an NCAA tourney game with 4 in a 6-PT loss to UConn: were the Huskies just that good or were the refs just that…less than good? Every game has a winner and loser and once you get to the Final 4 anyone can win it. That being said, 4 FTs is not a lot.

She made 5 straight Final 4s from 2008-2012 and 12 straight Sweet 16s from 2008-2019: has it reached a point where your family refuses to make any special plans in March because you know that you will always be busy watching your sister work her magic, and how did everyone feel after the NCAA tourney got canceled last March due to the coronavirus? When you look at their run it has only been bettered by UConn. Our mom is spoiled and lives in Colorado and cheers for the Buffs…unless they play Stanford. We would invite her to a Sweet 16 or Elite 8 but she would decline because she wanted to hold out for the Final 4! It was disappointing for everyone to have the tourney canceled last March, especially the top seeds: there were probably 8-10 teams who could have won it this year. Just the way it happened was wild: you are playing 1 minute and then going home the next minute. That has not set in yet and probably never will for Tara and another 8-10 elite teams.

She is a 4-time national COY who was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002 and was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2011: what makes her such a great coach, and where do those rank among the highlights of her career? Her ability to evolve over the decades. She has always had a vision/plan, both at Stanford and with team USA, and the only reason it does not work is if you opponent has a better team/plan. She gets a lot of honors and is probably in 10 Halls of Fame. When you are coaching players you get into a rhythm but after they graduate she looks back and see how their success carried over into their lives. Just look at what all of her assistant coaches have done.

You are part of her amazing coaching tree, which includes Jennifer Azzi/Charmin Smith/Charli Turner Thorne: what makes her such a good mentor, and how proud is she of the success of all her former players/assistants? She is extremely proud. Our basketball community is not very big so to have her group be so successful is amazing. As a mentor she gives you a job description but if there are some things that you are really good at then she will let you do those things. If there are things you are not as good at then she will help you and then give you other challenges later on. Some people get pigeonholed into being great at coaching defense or recruiting but the more versatile you are the better off you will be.

In 2017 she joined Pat Summitt/Mike Krzyzewski as the only D-1 coaches with 1000 career wins and she is currently 4 wins away from passing Summitt as the winningest women’s coach ever: when people look back on her career, how do you think that she should be remembered the most? Women’s basketball has evolved so much over the past 40 years. I worked for a great coach in Pat and there have been so many other great coaches like Jody Conradt/Cathy Rush. She just wants the game to continue to grow and she loves supporting the game via clinics or picking up the phone. Cal is her archrival yet she will be a guest speaker for Charmin at postgame booster club events: Nick Saban would never do that for Auburn! There will be a debate between her/Pat/Geno Auriemma but she does not care about that. She worked with a lot of great players/coaches and there is a unique environment at Stanford where they have been great for 30+ years.

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The Olympians: HoopsHD interviews David Grim about 2000 Olympic gold medalist Allan Houston

Posted on June 25, 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 Tennessee associate SID David Grim about Allan Houston winning a gold medal in 2000. Today marks the 21st anniversary of Allan scoring 15 PTS for the Knicks in Game 5 of the 1999 NBA Finals vs. San Antonio.

 (photo credit: Bud Ford)

In 1989 at Ballard High School in Louisville Allan was named a McDonald’s All-American: what made him choose Tennessee, and how did he like playing for his father Wade (the 1st African-American head coach in Tennessee history)? He had signed with Louisville in November of his senior year during the early signing period because his dad was an assistant there. Wade was hired at Tennessee in early April and Louisville reluctantly gave Allan his release. The process was not really finalized until he enrolled in August: it was a long summer to get through the NCAA eligibility committee. Allan was probably the most decorated incoming freshman that we ever had. Our office was in the old arena where Ernie Grunfeld/Bernard King played: Allan was in there all the time shooting baskets and after watching him I began to think that he would shatter the school’s scoring record.

In 1992 he was 1 of 8 college players chosen for the USA Basketball Development Team, and on June 24th of that year he had a 62-54 win over the Dream Team, but Development Team coach Mike Krzyzewski later said that Dream Team coach Chuck Daly “threw the game” (through such tactics as intentionally limiting Michael Jordan’s minutes and making unusual substitutions) to teach the NBA players that they were not unbeatable: how on earth did the Development Team pull off the upset, and how pissed were the pro players?! I do not know how pissed they were but it certainly got their attention. Allan was a big part of that: the Dream Team actually lost by 22 PTS! Chuck Daly told them to turn off the scoreboard so the media would not see it: his players were in a state of shock. The next day the NBA guys drilled them but it remains the only game ever lost by the greatest basketball team ever.

He was a 2-time All-American: what did it mean to him to receive such outstanding honors? It meant a lot to him because he was 1 of the best in his class, which included his friend Shaquille O’Neal. He always played for team USA in international competition. He certainly should have made the 1st team and it was also disappointing that he never got to play in the NCAA tourney.

He graduated as the SEC’s all-time leader with 346 career 3PM, remains the all-time leading scorer in school history with 2801 career PTS, and is the #2 scorer in SEC history to Pete Maravich: what was the key to his scoring ability? He was just a pure shooter and the focal point of our offense even while leading the team in AST during each of his 1st 3 years. He could catch-and-shoot but could also create his own shot and drive to the basket. He was our big gun and got plenty of shots, which we needed him to do.

He averaged 36 MPG, started all 128 games during his college career, and never missed a single game: how crucial was his endurance/stamina to his success? He was in tip-top condition and continued to get stronger as he got older. He probably would not have stayed for 4 years if his dad was not the coach: he always wanted to do well to help his father and I think that there was a lot of pressure there.

In 1993 he was drafted 11th overall by Detroit (3 spots behind Vin Baker): did he see that as a validation of his college career, or the realization of a lifelong dream of reaching the NBA, or other? I would say a little of both. It was always his goal to play in the NBA. He grew up in Louisville and wanted to play for his dad there but we are glad that he came to Knoxville.

In the decisive Game 5 of the 1999 Eastern Conference 1st round as a player for the Knicks he made a running one-hander off the rim/backboard with 0.8 seconds left in a 1-PT win at #1 seed Miami: what are your memories of 1 of the most-famous shots in franchise history? I followed the Knicks while he was there but do not remember that specific game.

He played for team USA at the 2000 Olympics: what did it mean to him to represent his country, and what did it mean to him to win a gold medal? Both of those things meant a lot to him and are just another in his long series of accomplishments. He had talent/hard work so it must have been very gratifying. He was always a great kid to be around and was the hardest worker.

In 2003 he led the NBA with 91.9 FT% and his 86.3 career FT% remains top-40 all-time: what was his secret for being a great FT shooter? There is no secret: he was a great shooter to start with and took a lot of pride in practicing his FTs. He played PG for us as a freshman and anytime we had a lead the opponent was in big trouble down the stretch because he would go to the line and not miss. 1 of his most memorable FTs here was an intentional miss. We were trailing Kentucky by 3 at home late in the game and he had a pair of FTs. He made the 1st 1, missed the 2nd 1 on purpose, and we ended up getting the rebound/getting fouled while making a shot/making the FT: it was a great moment that ironically came from a missed FT!

In 2007 he was named an SEC Legend, in 2009 he was selected to the UT Basketball All-Century Team, and in 2018 he was inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame: when people look back on his career, how do you think that he should be remembered the most? He is obviously on the Mount Rushmore of Tennessee basketball players and is 1 of the best all-around players that we have ever had. I hope we do not lose sight of everything he did, which will probably not happen because his jersey is up in the rafters.

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The Olympians: HoopsHD interviews Mark Stewart and Stew Thornley about 2000 Olympic gold medalist Vince Carter

Posted on June 24, 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 Stewart (author of “The Fire Burns Bright”) and Stew Thornley (author of “Super Sports Star Vince Carter”) about Vince Carter winning a gold medal in 2000. Today marks the 22nd anniversary of Vince getting drafted 5th overall by Golden State in the 1998 NBA Draft.

 (photo credit: jockbio.com)

Carter attended Mainland High School where he played QB on the football team, was named the Volusia County volleyball POY as a junior, and was offered a saxophone scholarship to Bethune-Cookman: was he just 1 of those people who did a bunch of different things and succeeded at all of them? Mark Stewart: Vince was 1 of those people who was good enough at almost everything he tried that he would want to see just how good he could be. It was a combination of talent, curiosity (which is something that very few athletes have), and a willingness to work hard/focus on getting better. Stew Thornley: He might not have succeeded at all of them but had enough talent to do well at everything. He was a little like Bo Jackson in terms of being an athlete who could do everything. Vince liked to challenge himself as well.

He played for both Dean Smith/Bill Guthridge at North Carolina and made back-to-back Final 4s in 1997/1998: how did he like playing for these 2 Olympic coaches, and how close did he come to winning a title? MS: As a freshman he split time at small forward with Antawn Jamison/Ademola Okulaja. The team was not particularly strong: they lost to Texas Tech in the 2nd round of the NCAA Tournament. Obviously UNC had a lot more talent during his last 2 seasons on the team but they relied on freshman point guard Ed Cota to trigger the offense, which hurt them in the Final 4. Vince was trying to do a little too much in the loss to Arizona and that hurt them as well: he could not buy a 3-pointer. As a junior he lost in the tournament to Utah in the national semifinal. Vince had a decent game but the Tar Heels had a crappy 1st half and it cost them. I think that they were the best team in the country by far and would have killed Kentucky in the title game. If I were a Carolina fan (which I am not since I went to Duke!) I would consider that the most disappointing outcome imaginable…ever. ST: I was in Indianapolis for Dean Smith’s last game. I guess you could call it an upset that Arizona beat them, although the Wildcats did end up winning it all. His high school coach told him to shoot more because he was such a good team player. Part of it was that his coach knew that he had a great career ahead of him. He admired Coach Smith but he was still benched a little bit as a freshman due to too much offensive freelancing. It might have been frustrating but by his sophomore year they made the Final 4: Smith called him the most improved player on the team.

He was drafted 5th overall by Golden State in 1998 (ahead of guys like Dirk Nowitzki/Paul Pierce) and then traded to Toronto with cash in exchange for his former Tar Heel teammate Antawn Jamison: what did it mean to him to get drafted, and what did it mean to him to get traded? MS: I am sure that he would have preferred San Francisco over Toronto but both are great cities. In Toronto he had the chance to develop into a superstar without the press/fans criticizing his every move. ST: What made it easier with the trade was that his distant cousin Tracy McGrady was already a Raptor. They ended up becoming really good friends and it was cool for him to get drafted so high. Carter was close to Jamison as well but he reminded me of Jordan in terms of a guy his size who could put on a show. Making people forget about Jordan was not on his agenda: he remained focused on school even after going pro because he had promised his mom that he would eventually graduate. Some people criticized him for returning to campus to get his degree but I thought that it was a great thing.

He scored 18.3 PPG that season and was named NBA ROY: how was he able to make such a smooth transition from college to the NBA? MS: I actually think that his coach (Butch Carter) had a positive impact. He had been an assistant in Milwaukee when that team was full of talented head-cases who squandered their talent. That was not Vince, of course, but I bet that Butch kept him on an even keel. ST: He had 3 years of college so it was not like he was an 18-year old 1-and-done guy. He rebounded well for a small forward and could pass/block some shots. He was pretty grounded due to having a good upbringing/good coaching. Smith would sometimes put his foot down and Carter would respond because of his maturity.

He won the Slam Dunk Contest at the 2000 NBA All-Star Weekend with 1 of the most acrobatic performances that anyone has ever seen: how did that dunk contest change his life (if at all)? MS: It showed the world that he could do extraordinary things with a basketball. People who watched SportsCenter had seen his highlight dunks and knew how good he was but a lot of casual fans had not. Remember, there was no YouTube/Facebook back then so the outlets for video of players were somewhat limited. ST: In some ways I think that it changed people’s perceptions of him. He was never trying to be Jordan or anything like that: it was just a fun event where he could put on the moves. It was an opportunity for him to show off and get people to ooh and aah like at the Home Run Derby. He was not trying to prove anything but also had a couple of dunks during the All-Star Game.

That summer he won a gold medal with team USA at the Olympics, which included 1 of the most memorable dunks of all-time when he jumped over 7’2” French center Frederic Weis: what did it mean to him to represent his country, and what did it mean to him to win a gold medal? MS: American pro athletes really value Olympic gold: not because it says that they are the best (they know that already!) but because many of them grew up in situations where people felt disconnected from the “American Dream.” Beyond the pride of winning and the unique experience of the Olympics, I think that winning a medal strengthens an athlete’s connection to his/her country. ST: It was an honor for all of them to play for the US. After not winning the gold medal in 1988 it was no longer a given that they would win a gold so they took it pretty seriously. It reminded me of the Bulls going to Paris in the fall of 1997 and being pressured to win the McDonald’s Championship.

In Game 3 of the 2001 Eastern Conference Semifinals against Philadelphia he scored 50 PTS and set a playoff record with 8 3PM in a single half: how was he able to change his skill set from dunker to 3-PT shooter over the course of just 1 year? MS: Practice, practice, practice. ST: I had kind of forgotten about that but he was a pretty good shooter. He was not simply an inside scorer like Darrell Griffith.

In December of 2005 he tied his career high of 51 PTS and set an NBA record for the most FTM in a single quarter with 16 in the 4th quarter of a 7-PT win at Miami: was it just 1 of those scenarios where every FT he put up seemed to go in because he was “in the zone”? MS: Miami had a lot of talent that year but nobody who had the specific ability to guard Vince in isolation. My recollection is that Vince got a ton of points after halftime and the Nets had a double-digit lead in the 4th quarter so he just kept going 1-on-1 and attacking the basket and then made his free throws. ST: He was a pretty good FT shooter but what is more amazing than making them was just getting to the line that often. When I think of the “zone” I think of Jordan making 6 threes in the 1992 Finals vs. Portland. He was so dangerous that nobody wanted him to hurt them with a 2 or 3.

He is the only player in NBA history to play 22 seasons, the only player to play in 4 different decades, and played in 60 of Atlanta’s 67 games this season before the NBA was postponed due to the coronavirus: what has been the key to his longevity, and do you think we have seen his final game yet? MS: I bet he plays another year if he feels that his health is not at risk. He is just 1 of those players whose body was built perfectly for his sport and he has avoided any major injuries. Think about guys like Nolan Ryan/Tom Brady/Wayne Gretzky. Vince did so many valuable things well in his prime that even though his skills diminished his experience/wisdom increased so he was still able to maintain an acceptably high level of play. ST: I remember when he played in Minnesota earlier this season. He looks a little different than he did 20 years ago but he has stayed in shape and still looks solid. Every year that I have seen him it was incredible to see that he was still playing. You have to be committed to working out and staying in shape. He might not have been the marquee name because he moved around from team to team. I hope Vince (1541 career games) comes back next year and can pass Robert Parish (1611 career games) for the all-time record.

He made 8 straight All-Star games from 2000-2007 despite dealing with several knee/hamstring/ankle injuries: do you think we will see him in Springfield whenever he decides to hang up his sneakers? MS: Absolutely: I know the folks at the Hall of Fame very well and I think that he goes in on the 1st ballot! ST: I definitely do based on everything that he has accomplished.

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The Hoops HD Report: 353 Jerseys 4 Hope

Posted on June 23, 2020 by David Griggs

Chad and David are joined by our good friend Bryan Black.  Bryan discusses his experience in living with epilepsy and his 353 Jerseys 4 Hope project which is geared toward raising awareness in regards to epilepsy.  To date, he has collected 256 of the 353 (soon to be 357) Division 1 jerseys, and he shares some of the stories of how he has collected them and the relationships he’s built.

MORE ON BRYAN IN THE MEDIA

NCAA.com

Bryan’s GoFundMe Account

 

And for all you radio lovers, below is an audio only version of the show..

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