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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TBT Preview: HoopsHD interviews former Syracuse player Eric Devendorf

Posted on June 23, 2020 by Jon Teitel

We have been missing college basketball since March and will not be seeing any NBA basketball until July 31st at the very earliest. The good news is that we can celebrate America’s birthday on the 4th of July with some on-court fireworks courtesy of The Basketball Tournament. The TBT returns next month with a 24-team single-elimination bracket that will be played over the course of 10 days in Columbus, OH with a winner-take-all prize of $1 million. We continue our preview coverage with Eric Devendorf, who was a McDonald’s All-American in 2005 and a 2-time scoring champion of the National Basketball League in New Zealand. He will be playing for Boeheim’s Army along with several other Syracuse alums including Donte Greene/Chris McCullough/Brandon Triche. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Eric about winning the 2nd-longest game in college basketball history and playing for $1 million next month.

You began your high school career in Michigan and finished it at Oak Hill Academy: what was it like to play with a 16-year old Kevin Durant? Kevin was something I had not seen yet. Standing 6’10” and being able to dribble/shoot the ball like a guard: it was awesome to see. What really set him apart was his work ethic: he was in the gym constantly. We would play 2-on-2 all the time just getting shots up in the gym. He was super-competitive as well at a young age so you knew that he was special.

In the 2005 McDonald’s All-American Game you scored 13 PTS for the East in a 5-PT win over the West: which of your fellow honorees impressed you the most (Monta Ellis/Tyler Hansbrough/Louis Williams/other)? Monta/Louis were 2 guards who I played against a lot growing up in high school: in the summertime we played against each other in AAU, summer camps, team USA, etc. They were 2 of the best scorers that I have ever seen.

You played for Coach Jim Boeheim at Syracuse: what makes him such a great coach, and what was the most important thing that you ever learned from him? I was lucky enough to learn from him as a player and also as a coach. He is a super-competitive guy. The biggest thing that I learned from him was how to keep my composure and stay poised in times where other players/coaches might tense up. He was always calm, kept his patience, and never let things fluster him.

As a freshman you scored 12.2 PPG and were named to the Big East All-Freshman team: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? For me it was my confidence: I believed in myself and I knew that I could compete with anyone in the world when it came to basketball. I put the work in and that gave me the confidence to go out and compete with anyone.

In the 2009 Big East tourney quarterfinals you scored 22 PTS in 61 minutes before fouling out in a 10-PT 6-OT win over UConn: what are your memories of winning the 2nd-longest game in college basketball history? My biggest memory was the shot that did not count: www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpDN4bKvyOo. Jumping on that scorer’s table in Madison Square Garden: the greatest arena in the world. There were so many emotions going through me at that moment: it was so awesome to be a part of the greatest college game of all time.

After going undrafted you spent several years playing pro basketball in the D-League and overseas: what is the biggest difference between basketball in the US vs. basketball in other countries? I think that here in America the players are more talented/stronger/faster/athletic so it is more of an up-and-down, pushing-the-pace type of game. In Europe and overseas it is more strategic/tactical: players have to outsmart you a lot of the times. Guys are more fundamental because they are learning how to play the game the right way at a young age. A lot of the time players in America can get by with their athletic ability…but it catches up to you once you get to a high level.

The NCAA tourney was canceled last March: what was your reaction when you heard about it, and what impact has the coronavirus had on you either on or off the court since then? It was sad: I felt bad for the players, especially the seniors and other guys who did not get a chance to finish up. I think that it was a big adjustment for everyone and a lot of stuff is now being done virtually. I believe that the people who have success are able to figure it out and make the necessary adjustments needed to keep going.

Next month you will be playing for Boeheim’s Army in the TBT: why did you decide to participate, and how is the team looking at the moment? I love the game of basketball and am going to keep playing as long as my body allows me to. We have a good squad with a nice mixture of older/younger players. There is a lot of talent and I am looking forward to competing with these guys.

What will your share of the $1 million prize be if your team wins it all, and what will you do with the money? We all get an even split. I have a few different things that I will do, such as invest part of it and take care of a few others things that I have going on.

Are there any thoughts you would like to share about George Floyd/protests/police/etc.? It is very sad and hard to see what is going on in our country with racism and police brutality towards Black people. Change is needed and there has been a need for change for a long long time. I hope that we will see change soon and I will do all I can to stop racism: I will not be silent about it.

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The Olympians: HoopsHD interviews Chris Reinemann about 1948 Olympic gold medalist RC Pitts

Posted on June 23, 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 Chris Reinemann about her father RC Pitts winning a gold medal in 1948. RC passed away in 2011 but if he were still alive then today would have been his 101st birthday.

 (photo credit: teamusa.org)

Your father’s 1st name was Robert: who gave him the nickname “RC”, and how did he like it? The legal name on his birth certificate is RC Pitts: his name is initials only. He was the 4th son and his parents took the R from his mother (Rose) and the C from his father (Charles): RC. The government and some companies wanted to give him a name so at times they called him Robert. He never knew why or where they got the name Robert. The only nickname he had was in high school where they called him “Little Pitts” because he had 3 older brothers.

He was born/raised in Mississippi: what made him choose Arkansas? I am unsure why he chose the University of Arkansas. After he helped Arkansas pull out a last minute 21-20 victory over Ole Miss he was mentioned in a local Oxford newspaper called “Rambling Notes Quite Likely More Hollow than Homily”. The column stated, “It was a former Oxford boy who caused most of the trouble: RC (Little) Pitts, who was a whale of a good player for the University High School team a few years back and was allowed to drift away from Ole Miss. He was responsible for throwing for a 15-yard loss and then blocking a kick which another Razorback grabbed and converted into the last touchdown. Unquestionably, the margin of victory was mainly due to Little Pitts.”

He played basketball/football in Fayetteville: which sport was he best at, and which sport did he enjoy the most? He played football and basketball in college and enjoyed them both. He took both sports seriously and worked hard to succeed in both. In the 1942 NFL draft he was drafted in the 17th round by the Brooklyn Dodgers. He was quoted as saying, “I want to look for a coaching job after graduation and if that fails then I will give the pros a try.” He was married so back then he felt that he would make more money if he was coaching rather than playing in the pros. It turns out that he never did either 1 because after graduation he was off to war.

He served in the Army Air Corps in WWII, where he and his crew flew 22 successful missions over Germany: what impact did his service have on him either on or off the court? He is a member of the “Greatest Generation” but the war was not something that he talked about very much. One thing he decided was that he did not want to walk the war so he chose the Army Air Corps, where he became a pilot and flew 22 missions over Germany. He told his grandson that during 1 mission he heard a loud boom under the plane he was flying. He thought that was it and that they had been hit: he was shocked when the plane somehow continued to fly. He faced the fear of death and that was an impact on his life.

He was an AAU All-American with the Phillips 66ers in 1948 and won 3 AAU national titles: what did it mean to him to win all of those titles? It meant a lot to him to win those titles. He was proud of his and the team’s hard work/accomplishments. He always said,” It does not matter the job one does: what matters is that you have done your best.” He did that in all aspects of his life, no matter how small or big the task.

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? It was a great honor for him to represent his country in the 1948 Olympics and for the USA basketball team to win a gold medal. It was an experience of a lifetime and one that he greatly treasured. Gold medals are given to only a small amount of athletes in the world and he was so very proud to be one of those athletes.

After leaving Phillips he became vice president of a railroad company and then owned his own trucking company: how was he able to follow his on-court success by becoming so successful off the court? He took what he had done in sports and used it to become successful off the court too. BellSouth was an official sponsor of the 1996 Olympic Team and put together a booklet called “A Community of Champions,” which featured people throughout the South and their experiences/reflections to inspire people as the Olympic Games in Atlanta approached. His page said, “I think the most important thing I carried from basketball to business was that every day is a new day and you have to succeed that particular day. That does not mean getting a pot of gold every day but you have to keep moving forward and that means dealing with change. Someone comes up with a good/new move and what usually happens at first is that everybody thinks it is strange or even wrong. Then somebody else tries it, maybe refines it a little, and it becomes accepted. It is an evolution whether it is basketball or business. That process has to take place because change is inevitable and you have to learn how to handle it or you will go under.”

He later participated in the Senior Olympics: was he always an active guy? There was a time in his life when he was busy working/supporting his family and he was not as active as he had been while playing sports in college and basketball with Phillips 66. He started playing basketball with a group of friends after he sold his business and retired. They played in Baton Rouge and also traveled to neighboring states to play. He also competed in the Senior Olympics, finally hanging up his basketball shoes at 85 years old! After almost 70 years of marriage his wife’s health was declining and he wanted to be there for her and help with her care.

He was eventually inducted into the Arkansas Hall of Fame: what did it mean to him to receive such an outstanding honor? He was moved and deeply honored to be inducted into the Arkansas Hall of Fame, which highlighted his career at the university. My parents were married when they were seniors in high school so that my mom could travel with my dad to Arkansas. They always held fondly their time in Fayetteville: the college, coaches, players, and lifetime friends. I know it touched his heart to be inducted/remembered at the university that he and my mom loved so much.

He passed away in 2011: when people look back at his career, how do you think that he should be remembered the most? I am glad that his athletic career is remembered. I know it meant a lot to him to have worked hard and for him and the teams he played on to be acknowledged. All of the medals/awards/experiences/people he met over the years led to quite a life for a young man from a small town in Mississippi. I think that he should also be remembered for his love of his family. He supported/guided/encouraged us with a hand to hold and a shoulder to lean on. He was always there for us no matter what was happening in our own lives. Our family was always close and we always felt loved.

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The Olympians: HoopsHD interviews Kerry Eggers about 1992 Olympic gold medalist Clyde Drexler

Posted on June 22, 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 of 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 Kerry Eggers, the co-author of “Clyde the Glide: My Life in Basketball”, about Clyde winning a gold medal in 1992. Today is Clyde’s 58th birthday so let us be the 1st to wish him a happy 1!

As a college player at Houston Clyde made back-to-back Final 4s in 1982/1983: how big of a cultural phenomenon was “Phi Slamma Jamma”? We had never seen anything like it in terms of their athleticism. Akeem (now Hakeem) Olajuwon was as good as any center that we have ever seen (although he was still developing) and Clyde definitely earned his “Clyde the Glide” nickname.

The Cougars entered the 1983 NCAA title game on a 26-game winning streak but a buzzer-beater by Lorenzo Charles gave NC State a 2-PT upset: where does his performance rank among the most devastating of his career (he picked up 4 fouls before halftime and scored only 4 PTS/1-5 FG)? I did not cover him until 1989 but I know that he was disappointed with the loss.

In the summer of 1983 he was drafted 14th overall by Portland (1 spot behind Ennis Whatley): was he thrilled to get drafted in the 1st round, or unhappy that he dropped so low, or other? I think that he was disappointed. He made it a challenge because he thought he was better than the 13 guys picked ahead of him but he was happy to go to Portland.

On January 6, 1989 he scored a career-high 50 PTS/19-28 FG in 49 minutes during a 5-PT 2-OT win over Sacramento: was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot he put up seemed to go in because he was “in the zone”? He had so many incredible games but Sacramento was not a good team back then.

In Game 5 of the 1990 NBA Finals Detroit’s Vinnie Johnson made the title-winning jump shot with 0.7 seconds left in a 2-PT road win, and in Game 6 of the 1992 NBA Finals Chicago overcame a 15-PT 4th quarter deficit to win its 2nd straight title: while it was obvious that he was good enough to lead his team to the Finals, was he worried that he would never actually win a title? He is the reason that they got there and remains the best player in Portland history. They were simply not the best team in either of those series. The “Bad Boys” were a very tough team and deserved to win, although there were no blowouts during the series. In 1992 they were facing 1 of the best players of all-time in Michael Jordan. Clyde thought that he was the best player in the league and was absolutely disappointed to not win it. The 1991 team made the Western Conference Finals before losing to the Lakers: THAT was actually the team that should have won it all.

He won a gold medal with the “Dream Team” at the 1992 Olympics: what did it mean to him to represent his country, and what did it mean to him to win a gold medal? In 1991 the USOC chose 10 NBA players and decided to add 1 pro and 1 collegian the following year. Clyde was not 1 of the original 10 and had a fantastic season: he played so well that they could not keep him from becoming the 11th pro. It was certainly deserved: Jordan was the 1992 MVP but Clyde was runner-up and had a tremendous All-Star Game as well. He had a great time on the Dream Team but was not 1 of the star players. At night he would have beers with Larry Bird and in the morning he would play golf with Patrick Ewing/Charles Barkley. They knew that they would win the gold: it was a done deal.

Take me through the magical 1995 NBA playoffs with Houston after Portland honored his request to be traded to a contender that February:
In Game 4 of the Western Conference 1st round he and Olajuwon became the 3rd set of teammates to each score 40+ PTS in a playoff game in a win over Utah: do you think the fact that they were college teammates allowed them to play so well together in the same city more than a decade later? It may have played a small part that they had some chemistry.

Despite being the #6 seed in the West they swept Orlando in the Finals thanks to some poor FT shooting by Nick Anderson and some great clutch shooting by Robert Horry: what did it mean to him to finally win a ring after coming so close so many times in both college and the pros? It meant everything to Clyde because he wanted to prove that he could win a title.

In 1996 he was named 1 of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA history: where does that rank among the highlights of his career? I do not know where it ranks but is certainly meaningful to him. It was quite a scene when they all gathered together at the All-Star Game that year.

Despite declaring for the NBA draft after his junior year his 268 career STL remain the most in school history, in the 1996 NBA season opener he tied a record with 8 STL in the 2nd half of a win over Sacramento, and his 2207 career STL remain top-10 in NBA history: do you think that he gets enough credit for his defense? I talked about that with him. He always took pride in his defense and was so quick that he could anticipate where the ball was going. Many people think that Damian Lillard is the greatest Blazer ever: he might get there some day but Clyde is still the best in my opinion.

He was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in both 2004 for his individual career and 2010 as a member of the Dream Team and was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006: when people look back at his career, how do you think that he should be remembered the most? I think that he should be remembered as a graceful superstar and a very nice person who was kind to fans. He could not walk 1 block in Portland without a fan coming up to him and he was always gracious. He is the greatest player that I ever covered.

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