The Hoop Doctors » Interviews

Mourning Tells THD He Wishes Players Had to Stay in College Four Years

Kevin — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:25:34 +0000

April 16, 2012 – Kevin Burke

Each year, Gatorade recognizes high school student-athletes, for excelling both academically and athletically, in the form of a Player of the Year award. Last week, it was time for the Boys National Basketball Player of the Year to be announced and in typical Gatorade fashion, a former recipient surprised this year’s winner. NBA great, Alonzo Mourning who won this very award back in 1988, was in Chicago to present the award to Jabari Parker of Simeon Career Academy by surprising him during Spanish class. Just minutes after the presentation, The Hoop Doctors had the chance to catch up with Zo.

Kevin Burke: Kevin Burke here and I have the honor and privilege to spend a few minutes with Alonzo Mourning. Zo, thanks for a few minutes today. Now, we know that you’re in Chicago at Simeon Career Academy where you just surprised Jabari Parker with the Gatorade Boys National Basketball Player of the Year trophy. I know that you usually try to surprise the winner so was he shocked to see you?

Alonzo Mourning: Yeah, he was surprised and it was an amazing day to be able to present and pass the torch, to present the award to Jabari who is very well deserving of the award. The kid truly has it together both on and off the court. When you think about his on the court skills, compiled with the fact that this kid is a tremendous student, as well as his community service…just the balance that he has in his life…he knows what is expected of a student-athlete and is aware of where his priorities lie. And he’s very active in the church as well. So I’m very pleased to have an opportunity to meet this young man and I’m looking forward to following his career.

Kevin Burke: You won this award when you were in High School. Why is this award so special to you?

Alonzo Mourning: Well, it’s special to me simply because when you think about it, it’s truly a prestigious award. The two individuals that won the award before me, J.R. Reid and LaBradford Smith…by the time I received the award, I followed those two individuals throughout their careers in high school…so when I received the award, I felt like that I had arrived as a player simply because those two players were the number one high school players in the country. So by me receiving the award I felt like I had done something right.

Kevin Burke: You and I spoke this same time last year and the year before. Two years ago we spoke right after you presented the award to Brandon Knight and last year after you presented it to Brad Beal. Brandon, as you know, went on to Kentucky and had a solid freshman year before making that leap to the NBA where he’s now doing his thing for the Pistons. Similarly, Brad Beal had a very strong freshman campaign as well and he too has decided to enter the NBA draft. Recently, both David Stern and Mark Cuban have expressed interest in adding a year to the NBA’s age limit. What’s your take on this?

Alonzo Mourning: I’m a huge fan of that decision

Kevin Burke: The decision to add another year?

Alonzo Mourning: Oh, no doubt. Add the year. I wish they could stay all four years to tell you the truth. But it’s a person’s constitutional right to work anywhere at the age of 18. But at the same, some of these kids aren’t mentally ready to perform at a professional level. Physically, yes. They draft these kids on potential, long term and I’m sure that the benefits of having a head start are there. But also, there are some adverse affects from coming into the League early. Being around these 30 and 40 year old men, who have kids their age, you know. You start gravitating towards the habits of an adult when you’re not even quite an adult yet. So, a lot of these kids get exposed to a lot at an early age and they’re not mentally ready to digest those things therefore, they tend to make bad decisions at an early age. Which in turn, will have an effect on their career, whether it be negative or positive. So, I feel like it’s the social environment that they’re missing out on. Not just the literacy skills and the education that you receive in the classroom that would allow you to communicate. But outside of the classroom, there’s a social life that you’re exposed to which is a huge part of your development. So I’m a huge fan of kids staying in school because they’re missing out on benefits they won’t get in the NBA.

Kevin Burke: Was leaving school early even talked about at all when you were in college at Georgetown?

Alonzo Mourning: I thought about it after my junior year but I knew I would be the first from my family to graduate from college and that alone was just as important to me as playing in the NBA. So staying that extra year was the right thing to do. And I’ll tell you, I was so ready for the next level after graduating that I hit the ground running, and that contributed to my NBA success because I was so seasoned as a college player that it definitely had tremendous benefits in my rookie season. It had me ready to go. That speaks to Tim Duncan and Patrick Ewing and all the other individuals that stayed for four years. Three or four years makes a tremendous difference. You know, Michael Jordan stayed three years. It’s amazing what that extra year will do for you.

Kevin Burke: Very well said. Now let’s talk some current-day NBA and your former team, the Miami Heat. Do you feel like this is a must-win year for them in light of how it ended last season, or do you think they are in just as a good a position to win next year if it doesn’t happen for them this year?

Alonzo Mourning: Everybody wants to win every year. So, as far as a must-win, everybody looks at every year as a must-win. You have to build an organization around winning. If anybody has a mind-set that’s different from that, you have to replace your front-office people. Because, that’s what it’s all about in the NBA: winning. Pat Riley has always been about winning. Micky Arison has always been about investing to win. So yes, they want to win right now.

Kevin Burke: You and I discussed the state of the big man in the NBA before and you told me that Centers want to be Guards. They want to handle the ball and shoot. Because of that, the general consensus is that the two best Centers in the League are Andrew Bynum and Dwight Howard and for the first time, there’s a debate over which is better. Which do you think is better?

Alonzo Mourning: I don’t think you can go wrong with either one of them right now. I think they have similar games, to tell you the truth. But if I had to build my team around a Center right now it would be Dwight because he’s so dominant. But both those guys have the size and talent to carry a team, so either one.

Kevin Burke: Lastly, Zo, a quick game of word association. Tell me the first thing that comes to your mind. Jeff Van Gundy.

Alonzo Mourning: (Laughs) Come on man, that’s a no-brainer. I think of him being attached to my leg.

Kevin Burke: Larry Johnson.

Alonzo Mourning: Well, I think of that situation too. I think of the fight at the Garden.

Kevin Burke: New York Knicks.

Alonzo Mourning: Oh, wow. A lot of words come to my mind, brother. I don’t think you can write any of those words that are going through my mind (Laughs).

Kevin Burke: Fair enough. Thanks for the time, Alonzo.

Alonzo Mourning: My pleasure, take care.

If you’re looking for your everyday, predictable basketball talk, then go somewhere else, because Kevin Burke of The Kevin Burke Project brings provocative, thought provoking content about basketball as only he can. Kevin also hosts The Hoop Doctors weekly podcast show, which you can subscribe to for free on iTunes. Follow Kevin on Twitter and Facebook

Miles Simon Talks NCAA Tourney With THD

Kevin — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 16:00:19 +0000

March 26, 2012 – The Hoop Doctors

This time of year, it’s always fun to reminisce on great memories from years past in the NCAA tournament. It makes the current tournament that much more special because of what may happen. A guy who knows something about special moments in the tournament would have to be Miles Simon from the 1997 Arizona Wilcats national championship team. Can you believe it has been 15 years since that team cut down the nets?

Today, Miles has teamed up with POWERADE, which is official sports drink of NCAA Championships and “March Madness,” and they have launched a new campaign that celebrates the spirit of the underdog. As such, POWERADE also wanted to honor that spirit by looking back at the 15^th Anniversary of Arizona’s ’97 win. They were – and remain – the only team to beat three number one seeds and Miles was named tourney’s MOP.

The Hoop Doctors were able to catch up with Miles over the phone for a few minutes to talk about this year’s tournament and his days as an Arizona Wildcat:

Evan Turner Talks Guinness World Records, Playoffs, and Sneakers

Ben — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 15:00:27 +0000

March 2, 2012 – Ben Berry

After putting on a MVP-like performance myself aiding my team to victory during Li-Ning’s All-Star Media Run, I found time to catch up with Li-Ning Basketball player Evan Turner of the Philadelphia 76ers.

After putting on a MVP-type performance during the BBVA Rising Stars game, Turner ended the game three assists short of a triple-double but that wasn’t even his biggest statistic of the All-Star Weekend. During a practice earlier in the day and with a Guinness World Record official present, ET went after and broke the record for the most shots made from behind the basket in a single minute with 14.

If he was to remain healthy, Evan Turner is definitely a name that will be around the NBA for years. Read thru the interview and let us know what you think in the comments below.

The Hoop Doctors (THD): What made you pick Li-Ning when it came time to choose an endorcement?
Evan Turner (ET): They showed a lot of confidence in me. Besides the great offer they gave me, it provided the oppertunity for my brand to grow as they (Li-Ning) grow as a company. The better I do is the better the brand will do basically and I like that type of mentality. Its an equal opportunity thing, the harder you work is the more you’ll get from anything and I like the opportunity they gave me.

THD: How much input say do you have as far as the Turningpoint and all upcoming sneakers under your ET line with Li-Ning?
ET: I talk to Eric Miller a lot, he asks for my input a whole lot. He’s someone that lets me voice my opinion and will send me samples after I suggest something to see if it came out the way I asked. We e-mail back and forth a lot about changes and stuff like that in the sneakers so I’ll always in the loop.

THD: What inspired you to go after the Guinness World Record for most shots behind the backboard in under a minute?
ET: Early that day I shot from behind the backboard and it when it so I said “why not”.

THD: What do you think about Ricky Rubio taking the record from you in the same day by making 18 shots?
ET: Yea that’s crazy I guess I broke another record for the shortest held record ever (laughs).

THD: In a lot of circles you’re mostly known as a shooter, what steps have you taken to make your shot better?
ET: Repetition is key. All you have to do is keep the rhytmn and get a lot of shots up, that’s how I got my shot more fluid over the summer.

THD: With a shortened NBA season where the game schedule is so conjested injury is almost expected, how do you keep yourself healthy ?
ET: Lifting weights definitely stops me from being injured. Stretching helps a lot but sometimes you play hard and you get hurt and sometimes you play hard and stay healthy so I just pray on it and let whatever comes, come.

THD: what do you like to do when you’re not playing ball?
ET: Exactly what we’re doing right now: sit (laughs). I like to sit and sleep man. Especially since during the off-season I like to go to the mall but this season is so compact if you don’t get a rest in you’ll be exhausted.

THD: How do you see the 76ers finishing this season?
ET: If we keep defending the way we do, I see us making a deep playoff run. If we keep defending the way that we do and scoring, we’ll be a tough team to beat.

Derrick Williams Says East Coast Bias is Why He Wasn’t Selected #1

Kevin — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 16:00:15 +0000

October 31, 2011 – The Hoop Doctors

Last week, we mentioned to you that Under Armour invited The Hoop Doctors to their exclusive basketball line event where they unveiled some new products and advertisements. In attendance was their hoops roster of Brandon Jennings, Kemba Walker, Grevis Vasquez and Derrick Williams; all of which we had a chance to speak with.

The #2 overall pick in this year’s draft, Derrick Williams, had some interesting things to share in particular. Heading into the draft, there was much back-and-forth amongst those in basketball circles about who should be the #1 overall pick: Duke’s Kyrie Irving or Arizona’s Derrick Williams. As we know, Kyrie was taken first although many felt as if Derrick would have more of an impact in the League.

We asked Derrick an array of questions, including if he thought he should’ve been taken first in the draft. Check out his answer, where he eludes to how things may have shaken out differently if Arizona played on the East Coast.

Brandon Jennings Speaks Out About His Beef with Kobe Bryant this Summer

Anklesnap — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 12:00:44 +0000

October 31, 2011 – The Hoop Doctors

Brandon Jennings, star point guard for the Milwaukee Bucks, is anything but conventional. He took an unconventional route to the NBA, he had an unconventional NBA draft night, his personality is genuine and unapologetic, and to top it off he is even a left-handed point man to keep defenses guessing.

So we weren’t all that surprised this summer when Jennings called out Kobe Bryant on twitter. Lakers’ fans flooded blogs and forums, spittin’ hate about Jennings to protect their boy. But hey, if you wanna be the best you have to beat the best, right? I’m not saying Jennings should even dream about taking Kobe, but the summer exhibitions have a flavor of street, that can only favor Jennings style of play. Remember, this play at Dyckman? Clowned.

The Hoop Doctors had a chance to catch up with Jennings last week at an Under Armour launch event and we couldn’t help but ask about his beef with Kobe (1:09 of interview), and whether or not Kobe reached out to him. You may be surprised by his response about Kobe…

THD Chats With Kemba Walker at Under Armour Event

Kevin — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 14:26:30 +0000

October 28, 2011 – The Hoop Doctors

Over the past year or so, it’s quite possible that no brand has done more to help their basketball image than Under Armour. They have done a masterful job of forcing us all to now associate UA with roundball. A few nights ago in New York, they held an exclusive event for their basketball line and invited The Hoop Doctors.

At this event, Under Armour execs briefed those in attendance on the direction of the brand from a basketball standpoint, and even treated us to a first-time viewing of their brand new ad, featuring their hoops roster of Brandon Jennings, Kemba Walker, Derrick Williams and Greivis Vasquez. We also had the chance to speak with all four guys.

First up was Kemba, who addressed everything from his now legendary step-back jumpshot against Pitt in the Big East tournament, to whether or not he really thinks he should’ve been named National Player of the Year.

THD’s Coach Godwin Chats With Kemba Walker About Becoming An Elite Scorer

Anklesnap — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 14:36:42 +0000

October 21, 2011 – Coach Godwin

If you enjoyed this podcast and can’t wait to listen to the next podcast from Coach Godwin on The Hoop Doctors ‘Skool’ 4 Ballerz, you can subscribe to his podcast feed by clicking here.

Coach Koran Godwin is the founder of JumpStartHoops.com, a basketball instructional website. He is the All-Time Leading Scorer at the University of North Florida and author of the book “Everyone Hates a Ball Hog but they Love a Scorer: The Complete Guide to Scoring Points On and Off the Basketball Court.” The Hoop Doctors are big fans of Coach Godwin, as we consider him to be one of the leading basketball minds when it comes to taking that step from being just an average player, to becoming the leading scorer. Everyone wants to be the big man on campus, well if you follow the directions of Coach Godwin, we are sure you’ll get there.

THD Chats With Big East Coaches at the Jimmy V Classic Dinner

Kevin — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 13:30:14 +0000

October 19, 2011 – Kevin Burke

“Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up.”

Seven of the most memorable, heart-felt words ever uttered in sports. Naturally, that was famously delivered by Jim Valvano during the 1993 ESPY’s, pertaining to his battle with cancer. Hard to believe that was 18 years ago. However, Valvano’s spirit and memory both remain as strong as they’ve ever been. That is thanks in large part to the Jimmy V Foundation for Cancer Research, which is named in Valvano’s honor.

The Jimmy V Foundation is one of the most recognizable cancer research foundations and routinely stages events to draw awareness. One of those is the annual Jimmy V Basketball Classic, which will take place this year on December 6 for both men and women. As part of the Basketball Classic, the V Foundation holds a dinner auction in advance. This took place a few days ago in New York, and ESPN and The V Foundation were kind enough to invite The Hoop Doctors.

At the event were a litany of prominent figures in college basketball, including coaches namely from the Big East Conference. Given the recent changes that have impacted to landscape of the conference, we spoke with Geno Auriemma from UConn, Jay Wright from Villanova and Buzz Williams of Marquette, to get a sense for their take on the changes, in addition to other compelling topics.

THD Sit Down with WNBA Ambassador Lisa Leslie

Anklesnap — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 14:53:50 +0000

August 11, 2011 – The Hoop Doctors

The Hoop Doctors Kevin Burke recently had a chance to sit down with retired WNBA Superstar Lisa Leslie to talk about the 15th anniversary of the WNBA, and she gives us her picks for the best Starting 5 of all-time:

Untitled from The Hoop Doctors on Vimeo.

A Chat with Florida Freshman Bradley Beal

Anklesnap — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 14:00:34 +0000

August 5, 2011 – The Hoop Doctors

Untitled from The Hoop Doctors on Vimeo.

THD Exclusive: Kevin Love on his Breakout Season, NBA Draft, and the Lockout

Anklesnap — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 12:00:49 +0000

July 18, 2011 – The Hoop Doctors

THD Q&A: Jeff Camarra on his NBA Documentary “Up And Down”

Joshua — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 15:00:00 +0000

July 13, 2011 – Joshua Sexton

Recently THD interviewed filmmaker Jeff Camarra about his NBA D-League documentary “Up And Down”. The documentary details the travels of Los Angeles Lakers guard Trey Johnson through the D-League.

THD: When can fans expect to see the finished product?

Camarra: The film is done and again the only hurdle now is the lockout. We cannot move forward until there is a new cba, hopefully that will be before the season is suppose to start, but I’m not contractually allowed to speak about this.

THD: What is one thing that surprised you about the Developmental League?

Camarra: I think the biggest surprise to me was the family atmosphere among the team. A lot of the players have wives and children in their hometown;Trey has two children in Mississippi. He explained to me; during the season, your D-League team becomes your family. All of the guys live together in apartments a quarter mile from the arena. They workout together, go to the movies together and even grocery shop together. Given the circumstances they get to know each other beyond a professional level, which I think is unique in comparison to other professional leagues where players aren’t as tight nit.

THD: Are you looking to do any other basketball documentaries in the future?

Camarra: My brother Chris, who was an executive producer on this along with Bryan Kobel, and I have a few ideas for other documentaries, not necessarily focusing on basketball but you never know. I am still very involved with this, but I am open to other projects now.

THD: Did your passion for hoops or film making motivate you more for this project?

Camarra: That’s a tough question, can I say it was a tie? I grew up dreaming of playing in the NBA just like Trey and even though I’m 6’6”, I probably have more of a future in filmmaking; I was a poor free throw shooter. Being able to combine my two loves for this project was a dream come true and I hope to continue to take on projects that I feel as strong a connection to as I do with this.

THD: What was Trey’s overall attitude about life in the D-League?

Camarra: Trey always stayed positive for the most part, but I think the uncertainty started to wear on him. Everyone thought he would be the first player called up at the Showcase and when that didn’t happen, I think he got a little discouraged. Some of the other players in the D-League were telling him “I thought you’d be gone by now.” I think that just fueled him even more to go out and prove that he belonged in the NBA, and I think he proved that with the Lakers.

THD: What was Trey’s initial reaction when asked to do the project?

Camarra: I think Trey was a little reluctant at first, but understandably so. To get a real feel for the D-League life I wanted to live with Trey throughout the most important week of his life, the D-League Showcase, when he played in front of NBA scouts and GM’s. So when I called him, I basically asked if my crew (Dan Zinn, Nayim Saati and Jonah Quickmire Pettirgrew) and I could sleep on his couch and stick a camera in his face all hours of the day for a week. That would be overwhelming for anybody, but he handled it well. We did everything with the team; watched film, worked out, and traveled on the bus. After the second day or so we felt a part of the team and that was really special.

THD: What was Trey’s reaction to being called up by the (then) defending champion Lakers?

Camarra: We weren’t around for that, but we were able to get some great footage of Trey
playing with the Lakers. I was actually finishing grad school and I was in class when I saw Trey texted me. He simply said; “I’m a Laker,” I couldn’t believe it. I immediately called him back and congratulated
him. Living with Trey for a week, we developed a friendship and have stayed in touch. It’s crazy to think the night I met him we watched the Lakers play the Hornets in a regular season game. A few months later he was playing for the Lakers, against the Hornets, in the NBA Playoffs. We couldn’t have written a better ending.

THD: Can a documentary such as this possibly give the D-League more of a following and/or respect from fans?

Camarra: I think fans will follow D-League more closely, hoping their team can find the next Trey Johnson. With 20% of the NBA coming through the D-League, fans should definitely respect the quality of play. I think more than anything, fans will see firsthand how much is at stake for these players. The players bounce around from team to team, sometimes playing overseas, and rarely get to see their families, while not making a ton of money. The transient lifestyle would be hard for a lot of people to handle; but its all for the dream.

To learn more about the movie “Up and Down” follow their facebook page.

Joshua Sexton is a lifelong basketball fanatic, who watches as many games as possible. In addition, He has played and coached the game at the high school level. He has recently started writing about the game of basketball.

Charles Barkley Talks about Dirk Nowitzki’s Legacy with THD

Joshua — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 15:24:45 +0000

June 10, 2011 – Joshua Sexton

By and large, Dirk Nowitzki has been the best player in this year’s postseason. Nowitzki has averaged 28 points, eight rebounds and two assists, leading Dallas to the NBA Finals. After Dallas’ Game 5 victory over Miami, led by Nowitzki’s 29 points, the team is one win away from its first championship.

Prior to the Mavericks’ deep playoff run this spring, Nowitzki has been criticized for his past playoff shortcomings, despite being one of the game’s top players. Whether it was the meltdown in the 2006 NBA Finals, or losing to Golden State in the first round in 2007.

Recently, I was able to take part in a media conference call for the American Century Championship Golf Tournament. One of the participants in the conference call was Charles Barkley. I had a chance to talk to Barkley about Dirk Nowitzki’s great postseason performance, and how it could change the perception of his overall legacy.

The Hoop Doctors: If Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks go on to lose the Finals, has Dirk still gone along way with his outstanding postseason in changing the way people look at his career?

Charles Barkley: “Well, it depends. Anybody who didn’t think he was one of the greatest players all time was an idiot. But unfortunately I’ve been very torn for this series, to be honest with you, because Dirk and Jason and LeBron are really the three guys that have something to lose. Because the loser of this series is still going to be on that list that I’m on, and I always feel bad for those guys.”

Barkley also went on to say:

“Listen, Dirk is one of the greatest players. He already was before this year. But unless he wins a championship, he’s going to be on the same list with me. And until LeBron wins, he’s going to be on the list with me. These guys are both–Jason Kidd also–all three of these guys are Hall of Famers; they’re legends. But until you win a championship, you got to stay on the list with me and Karl [Malone] and Patrick Ewing and John Stockton, all those guys. That’s just the way it is.”

If Nowitzki does end his career without a ring, there is no doubt he will be on the list of best players with no championship hardware. With that being said, I still think Nowitzki has gone along way this postseason in silencing his critics. Before his current playoff run, Nowitzki was not only a great player without a ring, but his leadership and toughness were often questioned.

Now, he is just one win away from the ultimate prize.

Alonzo Mourning Relives the Old Heat-Knicks Rivalry With THD

Kevin — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 17:56:56 +0000

April 6, 2011 – Kevin Burke

Each year, Gatorade recognizes high school student-athletes, for excelling both academically and athletically, in the form of a Player of the Year award. Last week we told you that Lisa Leslie presented the Girls National Basketball Player of the Year award to this year’s winner, Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis. This week it was time for the Boys National Basketball Player of the Year to be announced and in typical Gatorade fashion, a former recipient surprised this year’s winner. NBA great, Alonzo Mourning who won this very award back in 1988, was in St. Louis this week to present the award to Bradley Beal of Chaminade College Preparatory. Next year, Bradley will take his 6’4″, 205 lb. frame to Gainesville and play shooting guard for Billy Donovan at Florida. Just minutes after the presentation, The Hoop Doctors had the chance to catch up with Zo.

Kevin Burke: Hey Zo, Kevin Burke from The Hoop Doctors here. How are you?

Alonzo Mourning: I’m doing fine, thanks. How about yourself?

Kevin Burke: I’m not doing as well as Bradley Beal. I know that you just surprised him with this years award for Gatorade Boys Player of the Year for basketball. Last week, Lisa Leslie surprised the girls winner and she told me how she went about surprising her. So how exactly did you go about surprising Bradley and was he truly shocked?

Alonzo Mourning: Oh yeah, he was definitely shocked. The way it happened was, I was acting as if was going to be a guest speaker in his Global Issues class. So when his teacher introduced me, I was supposed to talk about how the NBA has transcended globally and how that relates to the lessons being taught in that class. So I did that for a while, then I eventually said that I’m also here to present Bradley with the Gatorade Player of the Year award and everyone went crazy. Bradley was surprised, but also seemed somewhat confident. Almost as if maybe he was expecting it when he first saw me. But it was a great scene.

Kevin Burke: From what you know about him, what type of kid is he?

Alonzo Mourning: Oh, he’s a great kid. Very humble, extremely well-spoken. He’s active in community service, which I admire. He’s also church going and comes from a great family where both of his parents played basketball as well, ironically enough. On top of all of that he’s an outstanding student and a perfect kid to represent Gatorade, which stands for excellence and high quality, and Bradley is a good representation of that. I’m very proud of him.

Kevin Burke: About a year ago, I spoke to you for the very same reason. You were surprising Brandon Knight with this same award. Brandon’s Kentucky team was eliminated in the Final Four last weekend but how would you rate his performance in his freshman season and specifically in the tournament given the fact that he replaced the most talked about player last year, John Wall?

Alonzo Mourning: I think he had an excellent season. As the Point Guard, he was able to stretch it and get other teammates involved. He had a tremendous impact on his team this year. He exemplified leadership and made some big shots for them, and even carried them for a stretch in the tournament. I actually see some similar leadership qualities in Bradley who will be going to Florida next year. I also expect him to step in next year and make an immediate impact for them as well.

Kevin Burke: Do you think Brandon’s game is ready for the NBA or would returning to school help?

Alonzo Mourning: Going back to school would help him. Knight has parents who instill the value of education so I know they’re most focused on school first and basketball second. That’s very important today. From what I know so far, Bradley parents have similar views too, but it would be nice to see Brandon back at Kentucky next year.

Kevin Burke: Zo, let’s shoot over to the NBA now and talk about the team in which you won a championship with and are most closely associated with: the Miami Heat. With the addition of the players that they acquired, they came under much scrutiny this year. Do you think it was justified?

Alonzo Mourning: (Laughs) I think alot had to do with the media because you guys have a tendency to sensationalize things.

Kevin Burke: (Interjects, laughing) Oh, come on. I never said a bad word about them.

Alonzo Mourning: But, many teams benefited from free agent acquisitions and Miami was just one team that did. Even though they’re one of the best teams in the league, I guess they didn’t live up to expectations of some so that adds to the scrutiny as well. But the best is yet to come. It takes time to truly develop chemistry as a unit but even so, they’ve accomplished alot already because they’re one of the best teams in the league. I think if they can stay together they have the talent to win multiple championships.

Kevin Burke: (Interjects) Do you think they can do it this year?

Alonzo Mourning: I think this year’s certainly a possibility. With those three guys (Wade, Bosh and James) fully healthy, you can’t count them out or eliminate them from the conversation.

Kevin Burke: If the playoffs began today, the Heat and Knicks would play in the first round, which of course makes me think of the old Knicks-Heat rivalries from back in the mid-90′s. Why were those battles so intense?

Alonzo Mourning: (Laughs) Pat Riley. Plain and simple, Pat Riley. He created the mentality for both teams. He was the architect for both. He instilled the defensive mentality in both teams and we were cut from the same mold. We knew each others plays and tendencies all because of Pat Riley. He created the culture for both teams that mirrored one another so much that we clashed as a result of that. But those were certainly fun times to relive as a player.

Kevin Burke: (Laughs) The most memorable moment to me from those days was Jeff Van Gundy clinging to your leg during that altercation with Larry Johnson. Do you see Jeff often and if so do you guys talk about that?

Alonzo Mourning: (Laughs) Every time, man. Every time we see one another we laugh about that and Jeff has been a good sport about the whole thing. It’s something I’ll never forget.

Kevin Burke: What went through your mind when he was on your leg?

Alonzo Mourning: (Laughs) At first I didn’t even realize he was there. Then, when I looked down and saw him, I was just trying to get him off of me because I had no idea what was going on.

Kevin Burke: Zo, the playoffs begin in less than two weeks. Who’s going to be the NBA Champion?

Alzono Mourning: Well, I’m kind of biased so I’m going to have to go with us (the Heat). Again, those 3 players together is something special, and great players always elevate their play in the postseason and that’s what I expect to happen.

Kevin Burke: Good enough. Zo, it was a pleasure as always. This now makes two years in a row chatting with you about the Gatorade Player of the Year. Hopefully we’ll catch up again same time next year. Thanks for your time. Have a good one.

Alonzo Mourning: Sounds good. Take care.

THD’s Kevin Burke Chats With Former Georgetown Head Coach, John Thompson

Kevin — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 18:58:03 +0000

March 25, 2011 – Kevin Burke

A few days ago, former Georgetown head coach, John Thompson, returned to familiar surroundings – the sidelines, for the first time since he retired 12 years ago. Wearing his signature white towel draped over his shoulder, the legendary coach was back to teach dozens of high school basketball players the fundamentals of the game and life as part of a “POWERADE game science clinic.”

Coach Thompson kicked it off by talking to the group about the importance of training and hydration, the science behind the game, work ethic, education and character. Then Thompson and his staff led the group through some drills as well. Prior to all of this, The Hoop Doctors had the privilege of chatting with the Hall of Famer about a bunch of basketball related topics.