The Olympians: HoopsHD interviews Sonny Smith about 2-time Olympic gold medalist Charles Barkley

Posted on June 11, 2020 by Jon Teitel

The NBA Finals date back to 1947 (when they were known as the Basketball Association of America Finals) and the very 1st NCAA tourney was held in 1939. Olympic basketball competition is even older: it debuted as a demonstration event in 1904 and the men’s version became a medal sport in 1936, with the women finally getting their chance to go for the gold in 1976. The United States has dominated Olympic basketball competition from the start: the men have won 15 gold medals in the 18 tournaments they have participated in during the past 84 years, while the women have won 8 gold medals in the 10 tournaments in which they have competed during the past 44 years. Those of you who were looking forward to the 2020 Olympics opening ceremonies in Tokyo on July 24, 2020 will have to wait an extra 364 days, as the coronavirus caused a postponement until July 23, 2021. Due to the absence of college basketball since mid-March, HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel decided to fill the void by trying to interview as many prior Olympic players/coaches as possible so that you have something to read this summer while not watching the Summer Games. We continue our coverage by chatting with former Auburn coach Sonny Smith about Charles Barkley winning a pair of gold medals in 1992/1996. Today marks the 27th anniversary of Barkley having 42 PTS/16-26 FG/13 REB for Phoenix in a loss to Chicago in Game 2 of the 1993 NBA Finals.

Barkley grew up in Leeds, AL, where he was a 5’10” player who did not make his high school varsity team as a junior: how did you recruit him to Auburn after 1 of your assistants reported seeing “a fat guy who can play like the wind”? There was a teacher at his high school who was friends with 1 of my assistants (Herbert Greene) when they were both students at Auburn. Herbert was in on Charles 1st because of his size at the time.

He led the SEC in rebounding during each year of his college career and in 1987 he became the shortest player to ever lead the NBA in rebounding with 14.6 RPG: what made him such a great rebounder? I was supposed to be pretty good at post play/rebounding so evidently we taught him well but he taught me as well. He was a touch-and-go guy who did not want to block out but he could pursue the ball on either side of the court better than anyone I have ever seen.

In 1984 he led the Tigers to their 1st NCAA tourney in school history and had 23 PTS/8-10 FG/17 REB in a 1-PT loss to Richmond: how on earth did you lose to the Spiders while having Barkley/Chuck Person on your squad? They were both pretty young at the time but Richmond had a great coach who prepared for us very well. We played a lot of zone defense and they had Johnny Newman making a lot of deep shots (26 PTS/11-22 FG). They had a skinny 6’10” guy who guarded Charles well in the 1st half and we did not get him the ball enough. Charles worked harder to get open in the 2nd half and destroyed them. We had 5 highly-recruited players so I tried to run set plays for all of them. It was not a case of not respecting them: they had as good a team as we did.

In 1984 he was named All-American/SEC POY and he was later was named SEC Player of the 1980s by the Birmingham Post-Herald: what did it mean to him to receive such outstanding honors? I thought that he was going to receive those honors. I think it was satisfying to him but I do not think that he was surprised.

In the summer of 1984 he was drafted 5th overall by Philadelphia: did he see that as a validation of his college career, or the realization of a lifelong dream of reaching the NBA, or other? He left after his junior year because he felt that he was ready. I selfishly thought that he would be even more ready if he spent 1 more year at Auburn but I knew that he would be fine. I was not sure how high he would go because I was unsure how the NBA viewed him but our arena was full of scouts by the time he got rolling.

After being traded to Phoenix in the summer of 1992 he was named 1993 NBA MVP after and leading the Suns to their 1st NBA Finals appearance since 1976: how proud were you to see a player who used to weigh 300 pounds improve enough to be named the best player in pro basketball? I am extremely proud of him. I knew how good he could be: I once told Moses Malone that if he could convince Charles to lose some weight then he would become a great player. Charles never thought that he needed to lose a ton of weight but got some good training to build some muscle. We have a statute of him here at Auburn: I was hard on him back in the day and he told me during the unveiling that if he had an OJ jury then he would have killed me 30 years ago! He also told the crowd that there were some months when he thought his name was “SOB” because that is all I called him. I got on him to lose weight and feared the NBA might not take him due to his height but he could outrun anyone on the floor. There are not many bottom-of-the-pack guys who get to coach superstars: I was an old-school guy who treated everyone the same but superstars need to be treated differently. Hounding them does not get the best out of them: we would have done even better had I treated him like a superstar. When I see star players today in NBA huddles ignoring their coaches I realize that it has become the norm. If you watch a guy like Kentucky coach John Calipari you can see that he knows how to handle his stars.

He won gold medals at the Olympics in 1992 and 1996: what did it mean to him to represent his country, and what did it mean to him to win a pair of gold medals? I think that he understood what he was capable of doing even more than the people around him did. He was very self-driven and did not need to be pushed. Once he got into better shape he became much better: most superstars get better as they get older.

He was named to the NBA’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Team in 1996 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame both in 2006 for his individual career and in 2010 as a member of the “Dream Team”: where do you think that he ranks among the greatest players in the history of the sport? I do not know how to rank him but he is 1 of the best to ever play in the SEC and was a great pro as well.

After retiring as a player he went into broadcasting: are you surprised that he has become 1 of the most well-known NBA analysts ever? No: he was always outspoken and was not afraid of it so I think that after he got in there he was ready to go from the start. His name might have got him there but he remains Charles Barkley and just says what he thinks. I am not amazed at anything that he has done because he is so good-hearted. He is 1 of the few stars who will carry on a conversation with people who want his autograph and is great with kids. If you can get him to your basketball camp then the kids will love him. Growing up in Leeds helped him as well because he did not get the publicity he deserved and it drove him to become better. The 1st time I saw him play I watched him grab a rebound/turn in mid-air/make an outlet pass to midcourt. The only person I ever saw do that before was Wes Unseld. He was also a great shot-blocker for his height but he never got enough credit for that.

When people look back on his career, how do you think that he should be remembered the most? People who are legends know they are before they are: Charles knew it before everyone else did. Everyone knew that he was good but he became a legend because he believed in himself. When my wife was ill earlier this year he was the only player who came by and spent 3 hours with her. The hospital administrator begged him to come take a quick photo with the nurses so that they would get back to work: instead he walked the floor and went into every single room to shake hands with everyone. He loves Auburn and has always given back to the school. He and Bo Jackson ran the dining hall back in the day: they got along so well and loved one another. Bo got more publicity back then but Charles got his later on. I once saw Bo hit a homer into the dining hall and wondered whether he would become a better baseball player than football player!

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The Olympians: HoopsHD interviews Bud Ford about 1976 Olympic gold medalist Ernie Grunfeld

Posted on June 10, 2020 by Jon Teitel

The NBA Finals date back to 1947 (when they were known as the Basketball Association of America Finals) and the very 1st NCAA tourney was held in 1939. Olympic basketball competition is even older: it debuted as a demonstration event in 1904 and the men’s version became a medal sport in 1936, with the women finally getting their chance to go for the gold in 1976. The United States has dominated Olympic basketball competition from the start: the men have won 15 gold medals in the 18 tournaments they have participated in during the past 84 years, while the women have won 8 gold medals in the 10 tournaments in which they have competed during the past 44 years. Those of you who were looking forward to the 2020 Olympics opening ceremonies in Tokyo on July 24, 2020 will have to wait an extra 364 days, as the coronavirus caused a postponement until July 23, 2021. Due to the absence of college basketball since mid-March, HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel decided to fill the void by trying to interview as many prior Olympic players/coaches as possible so that you have something to read this summer while not watching the Summer Games. We continue our coverage by chatting with Tennessee Athletic Department Historian Bud Ford about Ernie Grunfeld winning a gold medal in 1976. Today marks the 43rd anniversary of Grunfeld being picked 11th overall by Milwaukee in the 1977 NBA Draft.

 (photo credit: Bud Ford)

Ernie was a Romanian-born Jewish child of Holocaust survivors who eventually emigrated to New York: what impact did his parents have on him (if any), and what made him choose Tennessee? There were a lot of other teams trying to recruit him as well such as Syracuse/Kentucky/Penn. His parents would come to games from time to time to support him.

He played for Coach Ray Mears and with future Hall of Famer Bernard King: what made Ray such a good coach, and how big a deal was the “Ernie & Bernie Show” back in the day? The Ernie & Bernie Show was huge: they combined for about 50 PPG and made the cover of Sports Illustrated. Coach Mears liked to control the game but after those 2 guys arrived it became a fast-paced game and he changed his philosophy with the “Cinco” offense. They also had some great complementary players.

After winning a gold medal with team USA at the 1975 Pan Am Games he won another gold medal as part of team USA at the 1976 Olympics: what did it mean to him to represent his new country, and what did it mean to him to win a pair of gold medals? I think that it meant a lot to him. I have a picture of him in his USA uniform and he also played in the Maccabiah Games. He represented himself well and also represented Tennessee.

In January of 1976 he scored a career-high 43 PTS/11-11 FT in a 2-PT OT win at Kentucky (Mike Phillips had 26 PTS/28 REB in defeat): was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot he put up seemed to go in because he was “in the zone”? I traveled with the team back then and I went to that game in Lexington. I was the 1st student assistant hired in 1966. He was a very savvy player who understood the game. Kentucky was 1 of our strongest rivals and I think that Ernie went 6-2 against them during his 4 years here. He was not going to be denied that night on offense and was also a very strong defensive player. He was accused of shooting FTs for 2 other guys who got fouled, which led to a lot of Wildcat fans calling him “The Villain”: it was such a savvy move!

In the 1977 NCAA tourney he had 26 PTS/10-16 FG/12 REB in a 5-PT OT loss to Syracuse: where does that rank among the most devastating losses of his career? That was a tough game during Jim Boeheim’s 1st year as head coach. It was an up-and-down game but Grunfeld played his best. We thought that we could make the Final 4 for the 1st time so it certainly hurt. He also scored 36 PTS/13-23 FG in a 6-PT loss to VMI in the 1976 NCAA tourney.

He was named 1st-team All-SEC during each of his 4 years and in 1977 he was named All-American/SEC POY: what did it mean to him to receive such outstanding honors? Things were kind of swapping around as Bernard also was named POY 3 times. It was certainly an honor for him to win all of those awards. They complemented each other so well.

He graduated as the all-time leading scorer in school history with 2249 career PTS: what made him such a great scorer? He is currently #2 on the list behind Allan Houston (2801 PTS). He had some great offensive moves even though he was not the biggest player. He could jump/move and was an excellent dribbler, which allowed him to get to the basket. He was a better rebounder than people believed: he was knocking people out of the way with his torso and was hard to handle, which allowed him to get a lot of put-backs. If opponents tried to stop Bernard then Ernie would be left open to score at will.

He was selected 11th overall by Milwaukee in the 1977 NBA Draft (4 spots behind his college teammate King): did he see that as a validation of his college career, or the realization of a lifelong dream of reaching the NBA, or other? He wanted to play pro ball after graduating so he was excited to get drafted. He might not have had the best scoring career in the NBA but had some great individual games. He later parlayed that into business because he was very smart.

After retiring as a player he became GM of Milwaukee and President of Basketball Operations for Washington: were you surprised that he ended up becoming an NBA executive? Not really. A lot of people in our league believe that Bernard was the best player they had ever seen but I always thought that Ernie was the most savvy player I ever saw. He always was in the right place and made the right choices because he was so smart, which allowed him to become successful. He had a business mind to become an executive.

Tennessee retired his #22 jersey in 2008, named him to its Basketball All-Century Team in 2009, and inducted him into its Hall of Fame in 2016: when people look back on his career, how do you think that he should be remembered the most? Some people call it the Bernie & Ernie Show but I view it as the Ernie & Bernie Show. It was an era of Tennessee basketball that people still remember and they are both well-respected for their historical presence. I think that Ernie cherished his time here and made some great friends.

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The Olympians: HoopsHD interviews 2-time Olympic gold medalist Yolanda Griffith

Posted on June 9, 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 Yolanda Griffith about being named 2005 WNBA Finals MVP and winning a pair of gold medals in 2000/2004. Today marks the 11th anniversary of the final game of her WNBA career.

(photo credit: hoopfeed.com)

You originally got a scholarship to play at Iowa but turned it down after giving birth to your daughter Candace, then after 2 years at Palm Beach CC you ended up at Florida Atlantic where you were named D-2 national POY despite having to support your daughter by working for a car repossession company: how were you able to get through school while juggling so many different responsibilities? I actually attended Iowa before leaving after 1 semester. I graduated from Palm Beach but was settled in the area so I decided to stay in Florida and go to FAU. Having a balance of family/close friends allowed me to keep playing basketball.

After being selected 1st overall by Long Beach in the 1997 ABL draft you were named DPOY in 1998: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? I just had the mentality to play hard and put defense 1st because it wins games/championships. I knew who I was as a player even though my journey was not a straight line: it molded me into the strong person I am both mentally/physically and tried to take advantage of every opportunity that was given to me. I did not want to let my family/friends down so I gave it everything I had.

After being selected 2nd overall by Sacramento in the 1999 WNBA draft you averaged 18.8 PPG/11.3 RPG and were named MVP/DPOY: what did it mean to you to receive such outstanding honors? They only selected a few players from the ABL so I was fortunate to be taken. It would have been nice to go #1 overall to Washington but I was overwhelmed to go to Sacramento because Maura McHugh had coached me in Long Beach. It was awesome to be reunited with her: I also played with Michelle Marciniak in the ABL. They pushed me/motivated me. I would have been ROY as well but I had already played at the pro level so they gave me Newcomer of the Year instead.

You played for team USA at the Olympics in 2000/2004: what did it mean to you to represent your country, and what did it mean to you to win a pair of gold medals? Who would turn down a chance to represent their country?! I participated in some USA trials when I was younger but was just trying to have fun. I was honored to represent the USA: it was a challenge for us to put our egos aside and just come in and do our part. You have to find what you can bring to the table so I just defended/rebounded because we already had strong veteran leaders. The post players around Lisa Leslie would come in and contribute in any way that they could. We were competitive with each other from day 1 and even a bronze/silver medal was unacceptable. The goal was to win the gold, which was embedded in our minds non-stop. It was awesome to blast Australia by 22 PTS in 2000 to get the monkey off our back.

As a player for Sacramento you lost both of your regular season games against Connecticut in 2005 but beat them 3-1 in the WNBA Finals en route to being named Finals MVP: how were you able to play your best when it mattered the most, and what did it mean to you to win a title? Houston was smoking everybody at 1st but the team that we needed to get by was the LA Sparks. I think there was a concert at the Staples Center during the 1st round so they had to move our games to Anaheim, which took away their home-court advantage. Even though we had the best regular season record some people predicted that we would lose but our motto was “2005: All the way live”. Everyone on our bench could have started for any team in the league: when we stepped onto the court we refused to lose and always had someone stepping in to fill the void. To win the 1st title in the state’s capital was surreal. I knew who I was and what we were capable of: it was a special team.

You are considered 1 of the greatest rebounders/defenders in the history of women’s basketball: what is the secret to being a great rebounder, and what is the secret to being a great defender? Overall you just need to be 100% dedicated to wanting to do it and be the best. It was not a job for me: it was something that I enjoyed doing for our team to be successful. They used to tell me to stop diving on the floor but you just never know if that 1 possession will help you win the game. I took pride in it. I was just talking to 1 of our post players at BC who was voted most improved player: this year she wanted to be better than anyone else and averaged 10 RPG. You need to make everything tough for your opponents. I wanted the ball so I pursued it. Defense is easy: it fired me up and motivated me. Scoring is a plus but my focus was always on defense/rebounding.

In 2011 you were voted 1 of the top 15 players in WNBA history and in 2014 you were inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame: where do these rank among the highlights of your career? There are so many great players out there and it must have been very difficult to select the top-15 so to be mentioned with that group was truly an honor. I never thought about all of the accolades because I had a blue-collar attitude from being born/raised in Chicago. My siblings were athletes and we did everything together: if I did not do my homework then I could not go outside to play. It can be taken away by an injury or your parents so I tried to work hard every day. When I started playing in 8th grade on an all-boys team it was neat: I got teased until I started schooling the boys on the court! I am blessed that I was able to play a game that came so easily to me on the court and to have parents who would discipline me off the court. I never let people buy gifts for me now that I can afford to buy things for myself. Without my teammate TP (Ticha Penicheiro) I would not have had the PTS/championship.

You have been coaching for the past decade and are currently an assistant coach at BC: how do you like coaching, and what do you hope to do in the future? My future plan is to be a head coach. Being at BC has been a great experience: we play in the best conference in the country and it has given me the opportunity to give back and mold the players on our team. I keep it simple and work on the fundamentals, which give you the chance to get to the next level and have the longevity to stay there. There are 3 different levels: AAU (streetball), high school/college (organized basketball), and the pros. You need toughness and have to work hard to adjust to the different styles of basketball. I try to educate our young ladies about the discipline of the game: if you put in 20 minutes in the gym then your self-motivation will allow you to get better.

You went 20-12 last year and made the ACC tourney semifinals before a 7-PT loss to NC State: how is the team looking for next year, and what impact has the coronavirus had on your job either on or off the court? When you instill the right way to do things then it is easy to be a coach. I really wanted to give back even as a player: when I finally retired after tearing my Achilles it was heartbreaking to do all of that rehab. I love coaching: it is the next phase of my life. The coronavirus did not affect us a lot with our recruiting class but it is hard to work from home and not see the girls. My family in Chicago has several people who got hit by it but they are finally healthy even though they are not ready to travel, which is scary. I thank God every day that I get to see another day: basketball comes and goes but I am thankful that we have not had to deal with it as much as other schools have that got hit harder. We call/text our players all the time since we cannot interact with them at school on a daily basis. It will be around for quite some time until we take it seriously by wearing a mask/socially distancing.

When people look back on your career, how do you want to be remembered the most? As a fun-loving caring person who put others before herself and gave it 100% every time that she stepped onto the court. I worked at my craft every day to be the best, helped Sacramento win a title, and helped team USA win back-to-back gold medals.

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The Olympians: HoopsHD interviews 1976 Olympic gold medalist Adrian Dantley

Posted on June 8, 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 Adrian Dantley about playing in 1 of the biggest upsets in NCAA history and winning a gold medal in 1976. Today marks the 44th anniversary of Buffalo selecting him 6th overall in the 1976 NBA Draft.

photo credit (2kmtcentral.com)

You went 117-7 at DeMatha High School and were named an All-American while playing center for legendary coach Morgan Wootten: what made Wootten such a great coach? He was a great communicator and a man of his word. He had great character and you could always trust him.

As a freshman at Notre Dame in 1974 you played in 1 of the biggest upsets in college basketball history (the Irish scored the final 12 PTS in a 1-PT upset to break UCLA’s record 88-game winning streak): how were you able to beat the Bruins, and where does that rank among the most exciting games of your career? It is probably the #1 game of my career. We beat them because we just did not quit. Coach Digger Phelps had a great game plan and we forced our will on them.

What are your memories of the 1974 NCAA tourney (John Shumate had 34 PTS/17 REB, but Campy Russell bested him with 36 PTS/18 REB in a 9-PT win by Michigan)? That was the worst game of my career as Wolverines guard Wayman Britt held me to only 2 PTS.

Take me through the 1975 NCAA tourney:
You had 33 PTS/10 REB in a 6-PT win over Kansas: what did you learn from the 1974 tourney that helped you in 1975? I did not learn a lot but it helped just to have some more experience so I was not as uptight.

You had 25 PTS/11 REB, but John Lucas scored 24 PTS in a win by Maryland: could you tell at the time that Lucas was going to become a star? I knew John when I was still in high school: he actually recruited me to go to Maryland.

You were a 2-time All-American and were named national POY in 1976: what did it mean to you to win such outstanding honors? It showed that my hard work/dedication paid off: I sacrificed a lot every summer. I also have to thank my teammates/coaches because I could not have done it without them.

Take me through the 1976 NCAA tourney:
You scored 27 PTS and Toby Knight made a last-second tip-in to clinch a 1-PT win over Cincinnati: was it extra-special to beat the Bearcats after they had beaten you in the 3rd-place game in 1975? It feels pretty good anytime you can beat a team that beat you before. Anything can happen in the tourney so you have to play out every single second.

You scored 31 PTS in a 4-PT loss to eventual runner-up Michigan: how close did you come to winning that game, and did you know at the time that you had played your final college game? That was a payback game against Britt: I played really well but we did not win. I was preparing to go pro but was not 100% sure.

At the 1976 Olympics in Montreal you were the leading scorer for team USA and you beat Yugoslavia for the gold medal: what was it like to play for Coach Dean Smith, and what did it mean to you to win the gold? It was a great honor to play for Coach Smith: he gave me a lot of insight. I thought about going to UNC because he was a great coach. We had a very good team and were happy to win. We wanted to play Russia for the gold but they were upset by Yugoslavia.

In the summer of 1976 you were drafted 6th overall by Buffalo (2 spots ahead of Robert Parish): why did you decide to leave school after your junior year, and what did it mean to you to get drafted? It was always my dream to go pro. I went to summer school each summer so I only needed a few more credits to graduate.

You were named NBA ROY in 1977 but were traded to the Pacers in the offseason (becoming the 1st ROY in any pro sport to be traded following his rookie season): how were you able to make such a smooth transition from college to the pros, and why on earth did you get traded? I think that I got traded because we had an owner who wanted an ABA player. The key to the transition is to be prepared: when you play against the best guys every night you have to make sure you get proper rest, do your scouting, etc.

In 1984 you tied a NBA record (set by Wilt Chamberlain during his 100-PT game) for most FT made in a regular-season game with 28 vs. Houston: what is the secret to being a great FT shooter, and do you remember your 1 miss? I remember the 1 miss because I did not miss a lot that night. The key is practice but also practicing under different circumstances. Since I liked to run I would focus on making 2 FT or else having to run some sprints.

In the 1984 All-Star Game you had a 9-PT OT loss to the East: how on earth did you lose with a Hall of Fame starting lineup of you/Kareem Abdul-Jabbar/Magic Johnson/George Gervin/Alex English? All-Star games do not mean a lot when it comes to talent, as we saw with Miami several years ago. Everyone gets to play so it takes a whole team effort. I am pretty sure that the East squad had some Hall of Famers as well!

In Game 5 of the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals as a player for Detroit, Larry Bird stole an inbounds pass from Isiah Thomas and passed it to Dennis Johnson for a 1-PT win en route to winning the series in 7 games: how amazing was that play, and how devastating was that loss? It was a great play and a credit to Bird never quitting. It was pretty devastating but it just goes to show that the game is not over until the final buzzer. In pro sports the unexpected can happen.

Take me through the 1988 NBA Finals:
In Game 6 Thomas scored a Finals-record 25 PTS in the 3rd quarter (11-13 FG) despite playing on a sprained ankle: how was he able to battle through the pain and dominate for an entire quarter? He has always been a competitor and has a big heart so he could play through the pain.

In Game 7 Finals MVP James Worthy had 36 PTS/16 REB/10 AST (the only triple-double of his career): were you surprise that it was Worthy who took over the final game, and do you think that Magic should have been called for a foul after knocking Thomas to the ground in the final seconds? I was not surprised by Worthy’s performance: he was a great player. As far as the no-call…that is the referee’s decision.

You averaged 30+ PPG during each season from 1981-1984, led the league in scoring twice (1981/1984), and your 24.3 career PPG (tied with Larry Bird) remains top-20 all-time : what is the secret to being a great scorer? You have to be in great shape, get to the FT line, and shoot over 50% from the field.

You were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2008: where does that rank among your career highlights? It ranks #1: it was a great honor to be recognized as 1 of the best.

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The Olympians: HoopsHD interviews 2000 Olympic gold medalist Rudy Tomjanovich

Posted on June 7, 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 Coach Rudy Tomjanovich about his upcoming Hall of Fame enshrinement and winning a gold medal in 2000. Today marks the 25th anniversary of his Rockets’ 2-PT OT road win over the Magic in Game 1 of the 1995 NBA Finals.

(photo credit: nba.com)

Your 1044 career REB remain the most in Michigan history: what is the key to being a great rebounder, and do you think that anyone will ever break your record that has stood for 50 years? I liked to get the ball in the basket so it was elementary to be a rebounder early in my career. When my teammates took a shot I went to the boards every single time. Growing up my friends and I played a game called “Tip-In” and it just became a way of life. In my very 1st game I set a school record with 27 REB vs. Kentucky and later I got 30 REB in Chicago Stadium vs. Loyola. I do not know if anyone will break my record but it does not seem like the game is going that way. I did not think that we were an up-tempo team until Coach Johnny Orr took over in 1968. It is pretty amazing to look back at some of those numbers.

In the spring of 1970 you were drafted 2nd overall by San Diego (1 spot ahead of Pete Maravich): 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 knew that I was going to get drafted but did not realize I would go 2nd. There was pressure from the ABA at the time to have a merger with the NBA soon and a fear that our bargaining power would be gone. I was convinced to see whether we could work something out but I did not trust the guy who gave me that message. Coach Orr had me talk to some corporate lawyers in Ann Arbor who explained that it did not matter. I had a gut feeling and trusted 1 of the lawyers…and it was 1 of the best things that ever happened to me. At the time a draft choice could completely screw up your team’s chemistry if he held out for more money than 1 of your All-Star players made. 1 reason San Diego took me that high is because I already signed with them. It was a great honor and I was very fortunate to be in the NBA.

You made 5 All-Star games during a 6-year stretch from 1974-1979: how were you able to recover from Kermit Washington’s infamous punch in 1977 to become an All-Star in 1979? I did not want the punch to be the end of my career: I wanted to go out on my own terms. I worked really hard and eventually got the okay from my doctors to play. When I played in an exhibition game there was 1 news paper that viewed me as the “same old Rudy” while another paper said I was a “very different player”.

You made the playoffs during each of your 1st full 7 years as a head coach in Houston from 1993-1999: how were you able to make such a smooth transition to head coach after 8 years as an assistant coach? The main reason was a guy named Hakeem Olajuwon! When you get a job you hope to get very great players of his caliber. To win it we had to develop some different strategies such as the way that we spaced the floor after we got the ball to him. It really worked for our team when he got double-teamed: Hakeem was a guy who made defenses pay for double-teaming him by passing the ball out to 1 of our many good 3-PT shooters.

You won back-to-back NBA titles in 1994 and 1995: what did it mean to you to win the 1st 1, and was it easier/harder to win the 2nd 1? Since I had been a player/assistant in Houston it meant a heck of a lot because I considered myself a Houstonian who pulled for the other local teams like the Astros/Oilers. To be part of the team that brought a title to the city was a great feeling. It was hard because none of us on that team had ever won a title before. The 2nd year I did not plan to make any trades because I wanted the guys to have a chance to defend their title. However, we were not playing like the same team and I was worried that we were wearing Hakeem out so I felt that we needed another primary scorer. Clyde Drexler’s name was out there and due to their past history as college teammates I felt that it could work…and it did. No disrespect to Otis Thorpe but Clyde was fantastic for us and helped us regain our edge.

You served as head coach for team USA at the 2000 Olympics: how did you get the job, and how did you divide up the responsibilities with your 3 assistants (Larry Brown/Gene Keady/Tubby Smith)? The USOC came to me about the job and asked me if I was interested and I said of course! When I was a college player in Ann Arbor in 1968 I considered myself a peer of Spencer Haywood who played nearby in Detroit so when he made the team and I did not even get a tryout I felt very discouraged. It was a very conservative type of basketball under 1 of the all-time greats in Coach Hank Iba. To finally get a chance in 2000 was a great honor but it was also an unenviable situation because unless we blew out our opponents it seemed like something had gone wrong. Since my 3 assistants were so good I just asked them to chime in whenever they wanted. I had the college coaches work on our zone offense since they ran it a lot more than we did in the NBA.

Which of your opponents impressed you the most: Sarunas Jasikevicius (Lithuania)/Sean Marks (New Zealand)/Yao Ming (China)/other? They were all good individuals but some of the teams posed a big challenge due to their passing/trick plays. Lithuania had assistant coach Donnie Nelson and did a lot of tricky things: they would play man-to-man defense and then switch to a zone after we passed the ball into the post. We had to make some big adjustments because there were no illegal defense rules: I am surprised that more teams did not use the zone defense more often.

In the semifinals Lithuania missed a 3-PT shot at the buzzer in a 2-PT win by the US: how nervous were you about becoming the 3rd coach to ever lose a US Olympic basketball game? That would have been the 1st for a team of NBA players: the 1972 and 1988 teams were both comprised of college players. Nobody wanted that tag the rest of their lives and it was a factor: we played a little tighter and sometimes it paralyzed us from going out and doing what we had to do. We were down by 1 late in the game and then fouled a 3-PT shooter: my whole life was passing before my eyes and I had a vision into the future of people speaking at my funeral. They were saying “Good guy, good friend…1st NBA coach to lose in the Olympics”! It was a relief for us to win the game, both for me and the players.

What did it mean to you to win a gold medal, and what did it mean to you to see 1 of your players from that team (Kevin Garnett) elected to the Hall of Fame earlier this year? Winning a gold medal for your country is about as wonderful an achievement as you can accomplish in any sport. However, the amount of stress involved means that you do not want to go through it too many times: the rules are different, the foreign teams are getting better, etc. It is a dangerous thing because there is always the chance that you will not win. Until you actually get there you cannot understand how good the other teams are: you cannot be sloppy on defense because they will drive by you and score inside or make shots over you from the outside. You need to respect your opponent’s offensive ability because if they get on a roll then the game can get away from you very easily. Kevin was a wonderful player/person and a leader on that team who would fire us all up. Leadership always brings people together: we would have debates about things and he would ask us which way I wanted us to go and when I made a decision he always agreed with me.

You will be joining Kevin in the Hall of Fame: where does that rank among the highlights of your career, and what was your reaction to Jerry Colangelo’s announcement last month that your enshrinement ceremony will be moved to spring of 2021 due to the coronavirus? It is the highest honor you can receive. I have been on the list for the last several years but had the silver lining that a lot of other coaches spoke up about me, which made me feel fantastic even though I was not getting elected. To finally get it allowed me to stop answering questions about why I was not in there: it is not something you campaign for and it was awkward to talk about it. It is mind-boggling and I am just humbled. This pandemic is a life and death thing so it does not matter when they hold the ceremony. I think it is the right thing to do and I am all for it.

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The Olympians: HoopsHD interviews Ted Owens about 1968 Olympic gold medalist Jo Jo White

Posted on June 6, 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 Coach Ted Owens about his former college player Jo Jo White winning a gold medal in 1968. Today marks the 44th anniversary of Jo Jo being named 1976 NBA Finals MVP after scoring 130 PTS in 6 games while leading the Celtics to a title by beating the Suns in 6 games.

Jo Jo was born/raised in St. Louis: how did you recruit him to Kansas? I was hired as an assistant at Kansas in 1960 and was named head coach in 1964. Someone recommended Sam Miranda as an assistant coach so I met with him and liked him very much. We went over a list of recruits and he mentioned a former St. Louis star who had become a ref. We flew to St. Louis in the summer of 1964 and had lunch with Jo Jo and his parents, which was legal back then. We invited him to attend the Oklahoma-Kansas football game that fall. It was a beautiful October day and we upset the Sooners due to 1 of our good running backs named Gale Sayers. Not many people remember that Jo Jo graduated a semester early from high school. We went back to St. Louis to watch him play in December and he was an outstanding athlete…but it snowed so we did not get to see him play. He came to Kansas the day after he graduated and we could not wait to hold a freshman practice to see how good he was. He was an outstanding all-around player but his best quality was that if a teammate was open he would get him the ball.

Due to his age he was eligible to join the team 1 semester early and with only 1 semester of eligibility left in his final year you opted to have him play for the 1st 18 games of the season during the 1st semester: how difficult was it to bring him in during the middle of the season, and do you have any regrets about not having available during the end of his final season? We had a very good team and knew that we had something pretty special. If a player began his eligibility during the middle of the semester then you had no choice because you had to play consecutive semesters. I talked to our captain Riney Lochmann because there was a chance that he would lose his starting spot to Jo Jo but Riney wanted to win so he agreed that we should let Jo Jo play immediately. We dominated in the 2nd semester and won by an average of 29 PPG. It was a joint decision but it was a real blow to lose him during his senior year.

In the 1966 NCAA tourney he had 19 PTS/11 REB in a 1-PT 2-OT loss to eventual champ Texas Western: how much of a home-court advantage did the Miners have in Lubbock, and do you think that referee Rudy Marich was wrong when he ruled that Jo Jo stepped out of bounds before making a 28-footer at the end of the 1st OT that would have won the game? There were definitely some Texas-enthusiastic fans in Lubbock, as there were when we beat SMU in our previous game. We knew that Texas Western had some wonderful athletes and it was a terrific game. Back then there was no seeding so I think that game featured the 2 best teams in the country. We were tied at the end of the 1st OT and got the ball near mid-court after forcing a charge. We called a play to let Jo Jo penetrate: the Miners pushed him to his left and he nailed it right at the gun. We were celebrating on the floor when the ref came over late to say that Jo Jo had stepped on the line. His heel was hovering over the line but he did not actually step on the line, and the ref was looking at the basket to see if there was any goaltending. Jo Jo landed out of bounds and I think that is what the ref focused on to make his call. You do not get many chances to win a national title and you cannot be 1 of the greatest teams in Kansas history unless you win it all. At his memorial service I said that God would know for sure if he got it right. The movie “Glory Road” had it all wrong: the game was tied so that call did not end the game.

He won gold medals with team USA at the 1967 Pan Am Games and the 1968 Olympics: what did it mean to him to represent his country, and what did it mean to him to win a pair of gold medals? It was an extra-special gold medal in Mexico City. Some players refused to go to the Olympics as a protest but Jo Jo had dreamed of making it his entire life so he proudly went. Henry Iba was the coach of the team and was very well-regarded. Iba took guys like Jo Jo/Spencer Haywood/Charlie Scott and they returned to the US as heroes. When Jo Jo was introduced at road games after returning to college he would get a standing ovation.

He was a 2-time All-American: what did it mean to him to receive such outstanding honors? His teammates loved him because he played hard at both ends of the court and was unselfish. 1 night at Oklahoma State he only scored 3 PTS and I surprised the players because I said that it was 1 of the finest performances by a PG I had ever seen because he dominated with his defense/passing. He had great humility and led by example (as great leaders do). He was not very talkative about his accomplishments even though he was proud of them. I had the great privilege of attending a game with him in Boston before he passed away and seeing his jersey hanging in the rafters. He would come back every summer and help out at our basketball camp: the kids loved him.

In addition to getting drafted by the Dallas Cowboys and Cincinnati Reds, in the spring of 1969 he was drafted 9th overall by Boston but did not join the team until 1st completing his service in the Marines: how excited was he to join a Celtics team that had won 10 of the previous 11 NBA titles, and what impact did his service have on him either on or off the court? He was graduating in the middle of the term and the draft board was hot on his heels. Back then we did not have sophisticated agents like David Falk so he came to me because he did not know what to do. I called 1 of our former players who was a judge in Kansas City and told Jo Jo that we would negotiate his contract for free. We went to a hotel at the Kansas City Airport and had NBA executive Carl Scheer in 1 room and an ABA guy from Dallas named Max in another room. We went back and forth and Carl made the best offer at the time for a guard entering the league: 3 years for a total of $225,000. 1 reason the Celtics could get him at #9 is that they could afford to let him serve in the reserves for 6 months. Jo Jo loved the Celtics and Red Auerbach loved him right back.

In Game 6 of the 1974 Eastern Conference Semifinals he scored 18 PTS and made his only 2 FTs of the game with no time left in a 2-PT win at Buffalo to clinch the series (en route to winning the 1974 NBA Finals over Milwaukee), and in Game 1 of the 1977 Eastern Conference Semifinals he scored 21 PTS including a buzzer-beater in a 2-PT win at Philly: what made him such a great clutch player with the game on the line? He had a super belief in himself and was a fanatic when it came to preparation. He worked on all of his skills and had an inner confidence that you see in great athletes. We had some other outstanding players in 1966 but in the final seconds we always got the ball to him even though he was the youngest player on the team. I remember his very 1st game against Oklahoma State and feared that he might be nervous. I was apprehensive about starting a freshman in an important conference game so when I sent him onto the court he slapped me on the leg and said, “I am okay: do not worry”!

Take me through the magical 1976 NBA Finals:
In Game 5 he scored 33 PTS while playing 60 minutes in a 2-PT 3-OT win over Phoenix: what are your memories of what is often referred to as “the greatest game in NBA history”? He was absolutely exhausted: I think that he just sat down right on the court after the game. It was a truly great game that kept going after Garfield Heard made a shot at the end of the 2nd OT.

He was named Finals MVP: how was he able to play his best when it mattered the most? He was in terrific physical condition so he could sustain his energy much longer than most people. Every once in a while a guy comes along with the right talent/mindset/confidence and he had that, as well as a great desire to succeed.

His streak of 488 consecutive games played remains a franchise record and his 35.8 MPG remains top-50 all-time in NBA history: how crucial was his endurance/stamina to his success? It was very crucial: I do not recall him ever missing a minute in college due to injury. I asked him once about guys not playing hard every single day due to having a long season but he said that he and the other players in Boston like John Havlicek/Dave Cowens brought it all the time and took great pride in that. I am a fan of Russell Westbrook because you can never criticize the effort that he brings.

He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015 and passed away in 2018: when people look back on his career, how do you think that he should be remembered the most? As a wonderful human being who was loved/admired/respected by his teammates and coaches. He represented all of the good qualities in sports and was just as kind to a random kid as to an important man. When he came to our camps he was like the Pied Piper and would just talk to the kids for hours and hours. I asked 1 of my former teammates what he wanted to become and he said “a good man”, which is what Jo Jo was.

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