Scouts honor: HoopsHD interviews NBA scout Bob Ferry

Posted on June 16, 2018 by Jon Teitel

There are only a few days left for the college kids to impress the scouts before the NBA Draft takes place on June 21st. Luckily, the scouts have spent months and months evaluating the stars of tomorrow as they prepare for the next phases of their careers. Bob Ferry knows what it takes to make it to the NBA because he successfully completed the journey: All-American at St. Louis, drafted in 1959, and made it to Game 7 of the NBA Finals as a rookie. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Bob about facing Bill Russell, winning an NBA title as a GM, and his role as a scout for Brooklyn.

You played college basketball for Hall of Fame coach Eddie Hickey in your hometown of St. Louis: what made him such a great coach? I played for Coach Hickey and then 1 year for John Benington. In those days things were a lot different because the head coach mostly ran the show himself: we did not have 3-4 assistant coaches. Our 1 assistant back then was Hank Raymonds. All of Coach Hickey’s drills involved bringing the ball up the court as fast as we could to make things happen.

As a senior you were named All-American: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? There were not that many All-Americans back then so it was quite an honor. There was not as much publicity but it was a great award sponsored by Look Magazine.

In the 1959 NIT quarterfinals you had a 3-PT 2-OT loss to Providence (who was led by Lenny Wilkens and his 30 PTS): how close did you come to winning the game? I recall not winning against Providence a lot: we lost to them in the finals 2-3 times and they were our big nemesis. The NIT was a much bigger deal back then.

You were selected by the St. Louis Hawks as a territorial pick of the 1959 NBA draft (with the only other territorial pick being a guy named Wilt Chamberlain): did you consider that a validation of all your hard work, or the realization of a lifelong dream, or other? It was a combination of both. We did not have the facilities/technology to take advantage of everything we could do. I remember making my own weight rack in order to lift weights: it was unheard of before that era. Future Hall of Famer Clyde Lovellette had his Kansas team create a weighted vest to help him shoot.

As a rookie you played 3 minutes in Game 7 of the NBA Finals before losing at Boston (Bill Russell had 22 PTS/35 REB): what was it like to face that legendary Celtic dynasty with a championship on the line? I was on a veteran team so I did not get to play that much. The series got so competitive that even the owners got upset at the referees! I wish I could have played more. Russell was a great player: he rose to the occasion every single time I played against him. He did not really turn it on until he had to, at which point he would become the force behind the win (rebounding, shot-blocking, etc.). The Celtics only had 1 play back then (“the 6 play”), and you needed someone like Russell who could pass the ball to make it work.

In the 1965 Western Division Finals you scored 2 PTS in a 2-PT home loss to the Lakers in the decisive Game 6: how unstoppable was Jerry West (who scored 42 PTS)? We came home for Game 3 and nobody was expecting us to win, but after we got 2 victories in a row we had to fly all the way to the West Coast for Game 5. I remember Jerry as being such a pure shooter and always a class act.

After retiring as a player you became an assistant coach/GM for the Bullets, where you won an NBA title in 1978: what did it mean to you to win a title? It meant a lot to me and was the highlight of my career. I made a couple of moves toward the end of the season that helped us win it all. I picked up Charlie Johnson as a free agent after he was waived by Golden State and Bobby Dandridge as a free agent from Milwaukee, both of whom helped us with the 1 thing we needed to do in the East: stop Dr. J.

You were a 2-time NBA Executive of the Year: what is the key to being a great NBA executive? The biggest thing you have to do is be prepared as best you can and hope you are lucky. Luck is a huge factor: injuries and other things you cannot control have spoiled so many good teams. We were the team of the 1970s with stars like Elvin Hayes/Wes Unseld.

Your son Danny was 1989 national POY at Duke, played 13 years in the NBA, and later worked in the front office for several teams: how proud are you of all his success? He has been a joy to have as a son. Basketball is just a part of his life: he is a good guy and a great father. He knows everything about the game.

I ran into you at the A-10 tourney in DC last March: are you still scouting? My exact role in DC was to do some scouting for Brooklyn: I live in Annapolis so it was not a lot of travel.

What was your reaction to the college basketball FBI investigation? I do not know enough about it but what I have read is confusing. As long as there is recruiting there will always be some moves that are questioned, but nothing really seems to come from it. We got more perks back then they get now: there were fewer rules back then and now they look at everything with a fine-tooth comb! As a high school senior I probably had 20 dinners and as many campus visits as I wanted to take, but now the stakes are higher.

When people look back on your career, how do you want to be remembered the most? That I worked hard and enjoyed every minute of it.

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Draft Dreams: HoopsHD interviews draft prospect Hayden Dalton

Posted on June 15, 2018 by Jon Teitel

There is only 1 week left for the college kids to impress the scouts before the NBA Draft takes place on June 21st. We will spend that time talking to the stars of tomorrow as they prepare for the next phases of their careers. Hayden Dalton finished his career in Laramie as a CBI champion and 1 of the best rebounders/FT shooters in the conference. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Hayden about winning a 4-OT game, playing for 2 different coaches, and what it would mean to get drafted.

You began your college career at Central Wyoming: what made you eventually choose Wyoming? I went to Central Wyoming because I did not have many D-1 offers coming out of high school but after my 1st year there I looked at some D-1 schools and Wyoming seemed like the best fit for me.

You played for a pair of coaches in Larry Shyatt/Allen Edwards: how difficult was the transition from 1 to the other, and what is the most important thing that you learned from either of them? I am glad that I got to play for both of them. The transition was easy because Coach Edwards was already on Coach Shyatt’s staff. The most important thing I learned from Coach Shyatt was to have an overall respect for the game of basketball and how to play the right way (especially on defense): he is a good human being. The biggest thing I learned from Coach Edwards was to have confidence in myself.

In February of 2017 you had 21 PTS/career-high 20 REB in 50 minutes off the bench during a 2-PT 4-OT win over Fresno State: what are your memories of that wild game? It was a long hard-fought game but it was 1 of the the most fun games I have ever played because the crowd was so great. To come out on top was awesome.

As a junior you led the team with 8.3 RPG: what is the key to being a good rebounder? My dad always told me from a young age that it is about who wants the ball more, and I have always taken that to heart. It is just about desire.

You also led the team with 83.4 FT%: what is the secret to making FTs? I attribute that to my focus/hard work every day. After every practice I make sure that I am getting my FTs in but not everybody takes it as seriously as I do. I hold my follow-through after each shot I take because they are really important points.

In the 2017 CBI title game you had a team-high 19 PTS/11 REB off the bench in a win over Coastal Carolina: what did it mean to you to win a title? That was a really big step for us both as a team as well as a program. It is not the NIT or NCAA tourney but we still took it seriously and it gave us good experience. It helped me grow as both a player/leader.

You only started 5 games during your 1st 2 years at Wyoming but started all 33 games last season: what is the biggest difference between being a sub and being a starter? I do not really see too much of a difference: you should always be ready to play whenever your number is called. It was frustrating to not start as a junior but I was basically playing starter minutes (including at crunch time).

Your sister Nicole played volleyball at Texas: who is the best athlete in the family? That is a tough 1: she is done playing now so I will say me but she had a great career at Texas. We also have some younger siblings coming up who are great athletes: we are a very competitive family!

You played 6 OT games last year (including 3 that were double-OT games) during a 2-month stretch and won all 6 of them: how do you win games that come down to the wire? You cannot get too emotional: it is just an extension of the game so you should remain consistent with your game plan. You cannot force bad shots: just control the pace and finish the game like you should.

What would it mean to you to get drafted? It would be awesome. That is what I have been working hard for every day for such a long time. It would be really rewarding and just another stepping stone. Regardless of whether I am drafted, the journey will continue.

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Draft Dreams: HoopsHD interviews draft prospect Jemerrio Jones

Posted on June 14, 2018 by Jon Teitel

There is only 1 week left for the college kids to impress the scouts before the NBA Draft takes place on June 21st. We will spend that time talking to the stars of tomorrow as they prepare for the next phases of their careers. Jemerrio Jones only played 2 years in Las Cruces but he accomplished a lot, including a 20-game winning streak, a triple-double, and leading the nation in REB. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Jemerrio about being named WAC POY, having a double-double in the NCAA tourney, and what it would mean to get drafted.

You tore your ACL as a junior in high school: where did you want to go to college, and how did you end up at New Mexico State? I had wanted to go to a place like Arkansas/Auburn but after a couple of years at junior college I got in some trouble and got kicked out. New Mexico State reached out to me through my baby mama and I gave it a shot.

You played for a pair of coaches in Paul Weir/Chris Jans: how difficult was the transition from 1 to the other, and what is the most important thing that you learned from either of them? Coach P was smart/attentive and knew basketball: I was really cool with his assistant coaches as well. I will really miss Coach Jans: he put me on scholarship as soon as he came through the door and was hard on me but he knew how to win and I liked his system/assistants. He knew what he was talking about on defense.

Your team had a 20-game winning streak in 2016-17: did it reach a point where you just expected to win every single time that you stepped onto the court? We came out on fire as a group: we had senior leaders and we just followed them.

You did not start as a junior but started all but 1 game as a senior: what is the biggest difference between starting a game vs. coming off the bench? It was my 1st time that I ever came off the bench but I just ran with it. As a starter you have to bring the same energy every night: I felt like I did when I was a starter back in the day.

Last December you had triple-double with 10 PTS/11 REB/11 AST in a win over Eastern New Mexico: where does that rank among the best all-around games of your career? Coach Jans got on us in the huddle 1 time and I just started hooping.

You led all of D-1 with 450 REB last season (including 3 straight games with 20 REB) despite standing only 6’5”: what is the key to being a great rebounder? You just have to play harder than your opponent and want it more than other people. I just go hard every game.

You averaged a double-double and were named 2018 WAC POY/AP honorable mention All-American: what did it mean to you to receive such outstanding honors? I appreciate that people recognized what I was doing: I wanted it and it showed.

In the 2018 WAC tourney title game you had 15 PTS/19 REB in a win over GCU en route to being named WAC tourney MVP: how were you able to play your best when it mattered the most? GCU brought a lot of intensity to the game and I did not want to lose my final game as a senior.

In the 2018 NCAA tourney you had 13 PTS/14 REB in a loss to Clemson: was it important for you to show the scouts that you can succeed even against ACC opponents? I have been doing it throughout my career and I just keep doing it against every opponent I face.

What would it mean to you to get drafted? It would mean everything to me. It is my dream and I really want it.

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May she rest in peace: HoopsHD celebrates the life of Hall of Famer Anne Donovan

Posted on June 13, 2018 by Jon Teitel

It is only June but we have already lost several Hall of Fame basketball players in 2018: Jo Jo White passed away in January, Hal Greer passed away in April, and we just learned that Anne Donovan died Wednesday of heart failure at age 56. Anne dominated the sport at every single level both on the court and on the sideline: 1979 national high school POY, 1980 AIAW national champ, 3-time All-American at Old Dominion, 1984/1988 Olympic gold medals as a player, 2004 WNBA title as a coach, and 2008 Olympic gold medal as a coach. If you like defense, her 801 career BLK for the Lady Monarchs remains #1 in NCAA history. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel had the honor of speaking with Anne a couple of years ago and we are proud to present the previously unpublished interview below. We also send our condolences to the entire Donovan family on their loss.

As a 6’6″ center at Paramus Catholic High School you were named 1979 national high school POY after leading your team to consecutive undefeated seasons/2 state titles: did it just reach a point where your fans expected you to win every single time that you stepped out on the court? I think that our supporters probably did have high expectations for us but when you are the one competing you know that you are going to get your opponent’s best shot in every game. We were balanced and competitive so we were pretty heady/determined.

You received scholarship offers from more than 250 colleges: what kind of recruiting pitch did you get from Penn State football coach Joe Paterno, and how close did you come to becoming a Nittany Lion? I received a phone call from Coach Paterno telling me what a great school Penn State was and that I would never regret becoming a Nittany Lion. Actually, the biggest draw to Penn State was that my sister Mary played there and I really looked up to her. Penn State was on my final list of 5 schools along with Rutgers/Colorado/Kentucky/Old Dominion.

You partnered with fellow future Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman to lead Old Dominion to the AIAW title in 1980: what made Nancy such a great player, and could you have ever imagined a few decades later that both of you would become professional basketball coaches? Nancy was really special on the court: she was definitely a rare talent in those days and was ahead of the curve in women’s basketball. At 5’10” Nancy was a big point guard who could see the floor so well. She was a tremendous passer with uncanny court vision and loved setting us up where we would be successful on the court. Nancy had an aggressive personality along with confidence and a “swag” that many collegiate players did not possess at that time. As for our coaching careers, I did not aspire to be a coach and I do not think that Nancy did either but our passion for the game inspired us to stay in the game.

You were a 3-time All-American and the 1st Naismith national women’s POY in 1983: what did it mean to you to receive such outstanding honors? I was proud to be recognized individually but winning championships was what mattered the most. I was blessed to play with some of the greatest unsung players ever and was coached by the best. Marianne Stanley was a tremendous coach who brought out the best in those who played for her. The Naismith Award remains 1 of my fondest memories because it was well known as the symbol for the best college MALE player! It was a first in 1983 for a female to be recognized and so I certainly was/am very proud of that.

You set school records with 2719 PTS/1976 REB and your 801 career BLK remains the best in NCAA history: what is your secret for blocking shots, and do you think that anyone will ever break your record? Honestly, being 6’8” had everything to do with my record for blocks but timing is definitely a component as well. The goal was always to try and block an opponent’s shot but also to keep the ball in play as much as possible for our own possession. However, every record is made to be broken.

You graduated as a 2-time Academic All-American and were inducted into the Academic All-American Hall of Fame in 1994: how were you able to balance your work on the court with your work in the classroom? In my generation it was never a secret that one day your time as a basketball player would end and that you had better have another career in place. I found myself to be as competitive in the classroom as I was on the court and enjoyed the challenge of “getting it done”.

You made the US Olympic team in 1980/1984/1988: how did you feel about the boycott in 1980, and what did it mean to you to win a pair of gold medals? In 1980 I felt fortunate to be young (18 years old) and knew that if I continued to work hard then I might have another opportunity to become an Olympian. I was well-aware of the timing and that for some of our other tremendous players (Carol Blazejowski/Rosie Walker/Holly Warlick/etc.) there likely would not be another opportunity. Winning a gold medal for the USA is by far my proudest accomplishment as a player/coach. Thanks to USA Basketball events around the world I was able to travel the globe. With every trip I felt a deeper sense of pride for our great country so representing the USA was an absolute honor.

In the title game of the inaugural Goodwill Games in Moscow in 1986 you faced a Soviet Union team that had a 152–2 record in major international competition over the prior 3 decades: what was it like to face 7’2” Uljana Semjonova (who was considered the most dominant player in the world at the time), and how were you able to win by 23 PTS? That summer of 1986 was the turning point for USA women’s basketball. Up until that time the Soviets had dominated competitions so beating them twice that summer (in both the Goodwill Games/World Championships) with both tournaments taking place in the Soviet Union was a major shift in power for international women’s basketball. Our athleticism was superior and our coaching strategy was on point: we dismantled the style that the Russians played. We also went into that summer confident and mentally ready thanks to head coach Kay Yow and our entire coaching staff. Semjonova had been a personal nemesis of mine because we were both post players. She was not the most athletic player but my goodness she was big/strong/efficient! She symbolized the Soviets’ dominance and that summer proved to be her last as the Russians went into rebuilding mode.

In 2004 as head coach of the Seattle Storm you became the 1st female coach to win a WNBA title: what is the biggest difference between male coaches and female coaches, and what did it mean to you to win a title? Winning the championship with the Storm was thrilling. It gave the city of Seattle its 1st professional title since the Supersonics in 1979. It felt good to win as the first female coach in the WNBA simply because I had been given the opportunity to coach. It signified that women were capable/deserving of these opportunities.

You spent more than 25 years as a coach until resigning from the Connecticut Sun in 2015: what have you been up to since then, and what do you hope to do in the future? I have been re-grouping/re-charging while enjoying time with my family/friends during my time away from the sidelines. I felt pretty beat up when I left my last job and have been taking the necessary time to step back and evaluate. I am uncertain what is next but I am enjoying the time/space to figure it out.

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2018 NBA Mock Draft (Version 2.0)

Posted on June 12, 2018 by Jon Teitel

The NBA Draft will take place on June 21st and until then we will do our best to predict where everyone will get selected. Some websites do their mock drafts based on “best player available” but we try to focus on team needs: for example, if a team like Dallas already has Dennis Smith Jr. at the 1-spot then they are probably not selecting a PG with the #5 overall pick. So, please see our 1st round predictions below and then tweet us your comments regarding what looks good and what might need a re-pick.

#.TEAM: NAME, POSITION (SCHOOL OR COUNTRY/YEAR)
1. Phoenix: DeAndre Ayton, C (Arizona/FR)
2. Sacramento: Marvin Bagley, PF (Duke/FR)
3. Atlanta: Mohamed Bamba, C (Texas/FR)
4. Memphis: Luka Doncic, SG/SF (Slovenia/INTL)
5. Dallas: Michael Porter, SF (Missouri/FR)
6. Orlando: Trae Young, PG (Oklahoma/FR)
7. Chicago: Wendell Carter, PF/C (Duke/FR)
8. Cleveland: Jaren Jackson Jr., PF (Michigan State/FR)
9. New York: Mikal Bridges, SG/SF (Villanova/JR)
10. Philadelphia: Kevin Knox, SF/PF (Kentucky/FR)
11. Charlotte: Miles Bridges, SF/PF (Michigan State/SO)
12. LA Clippers: Collin Sexton, PG (Alabama/FR)
13. LA Clippers: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, PG (Kentucky/FR)
14. Denver: Lonnie Walker, SG (Miami/FR)
15. Washington: Robert Williams, PF/C (Texas A&M/SO)
16. Phoenix: Zhaire Smith, SG (Texas Tech/FR)
17. Milwaukee: Donte DiVincenzo, SG (Villanova/SO)
18. San Antonio: Aaron Holiday, PG (UCLA/JR)
19. Atlanta: Troy Brown, PG/SG (Oregon/FR)
20. Minnesota: Kevin Huerter, SG (Maryland/SO)
21. Utah: Chandler Hutchison, SG/SF (Boise State/SR)
22. Chicago: Dzanan Musa, SF (Bosnia & Herzegovina/INTL)
23. Indiana: Elie Okobo, PG (France/INTL)
24. Portland: Keita Bates-Diop, SF/PF (Ohio State/JR)
25. LA Lakers: Mitchell Robinson, C (USA/FR)
26. Philadelphia: Khyri Thomas, SG (Creighton/JR)
27. Boston: Moritz Wagner, PF/C (Michigan/JR)
28. Golden State: Melvin Frazier, SF (Tulane/JR)
29. Brooklyn: Jerome Robinson, SG (Boston College/JR)
30. Atlanta: Omari Spellman, PF/C (Villanova/FR)

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Draft Dreams: HoopsHD interviews draft prospect Jairus Lyles

Posted on June 9, 2018 by Jon Teitel

There are only 2 weeks left for the college kids to impress the scouts before the NBA Draft takes place on June 21st. We will spend that time talking to the stars of tomorrow as they prepare for the next phases of their careers. Jairus Lyles attended a couple of different schools before arriving at UMBC, but he finished his college career with a pair of memorable performances including a buzzer-beater to win the American East tourney and 28 PTS to help upset Virginia in the NCAA tourney. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Jairus about winning a game as a #16 seed, having a 20 REB game as a guard, and what it would mean to get drafted.

You played 58 minutes as a freshman at VCU in 2014, then transferred to Robert Morris but did not play for them, then transferred to UMBC in 2015: why did you leave the Rams, and what made you choose the Retrievers? I left VCU because I did not feel that I was getting the opportunity I wanted and they were bringing in some more guards the following year. UMBC was 1 of the only schools that could offer me a mid-semester scholarship. It was close to home and they welcomed me with open arms.

In December of 2016 you had 32 PTS/20 REB in a 9-PT 2-OT win over the Citadel: how on earth were you able to do that as a 6’2” guard?! That game was funny: I did not realize I had 20 REB until someone told me afterward. Rebounding was an area of our team that was a weakness so all of our guards tried to focus on that.

You received your undergraduate degree from UMBC with a double major in psychology/sociology in May of 2017, then enrolled in graduate school and had a 4.0 GPA in your 1st semester while continuing to play for the Retrievers: how much importance do you place on academics? There is always life after basketball and if you are not 1 of the top players like LeBron/Steph/KD there is no guarantee of how long you will play. You could get hurt tomorrow and you need something to fall back on.

In the 2018 America East tourney title game you were named tourney MVP after scoring 27 PTS including the game-winning 3-PT shot with 0.5 seconds left in a 3-PT win over Vermont: did you think the shot was going in, and what was the reaction like when you got back to campus? Once the ball left my hand it felt good. My coaches/teammates had confidence in me and it is a shot that I had been working on all season. There was real love all over campus: we had not beaten Vermont in almost a decade so it was a big deal.

In the 2018 NCAA tourney you scored a game-high 28 PTS/9-11 FG (despite cramping up in the 2nd half) in a 20-PT upset over Virginia: how on earth were you able to become the 1st #16-seed to even beat a #1-seed, and how has that game changed your life (if at all)? I could tell during our practices leading up to the game that we had a different level of focus. Virginia was a great defensive team but struggled offensively, so we knew that if we pressured them we would have a chance. Their ACC Sixth Man of the Year (De’Andre Hunter) was injured and our confidence showed on the floor. Winning that game was bigger than just me: our school has undergone a change and the program going forward will have a bigger platform to showcase what it can do.

Your 20.4 career PPG is #1 in school history and you finished #1 or #2 in the conference in STL during each of the past 3 seasons: what is the secret to being a great scorer, and how do you balance your offense with your defense? I have been a scorer all of my life: I think it was something I was just born with. I took some of my moves from my teammates’ games and have watched a lot of video of players whose styles I like. I love scoring so I take a lot of pride in that. We made it our mission last season to lock down and make it tough for our opponents when they were on offense. Sometimes it is about being at the right place at the right time when your teammates deflect passes.

You played high school basketball at DeMatha with guys like Quinn Cook/Victor Oladipo and AAU basketball for Team Takeover with guys like Josh Hart: have you had a chance to speak with any of them about what it takes to make it to the NBA? Everyone says it involves putting in hard work every single day because everyone at the next level is good. You need something to separate you from the rest of the players: how good is your defense, are you willing to watch film with the coaches, take care of your body, stay out of trouble, be a good man off the court, etc.

You turn 23 next month: what are your plans for the big day? Hopefully I will be busy in the gym playing on someone’s team in the summer league: that would be a great birthday blessing!

Your father Lester played 7 years in the NFL and your sister Symone played basketball at Ohio University: who is the best athlete in the family? I would say I am! My brother does not play football/basketball any more but he was a tremendous athlete: he could dunk back in the 7th grade. I have the edge in terms of longevity.

What would it mean to you to get drafted? That is what we play the game for when growing up. I have dreamed about getting drafted and hearing my name called. Just to have the opportunity is humbling so it would be a dream come true.

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