The post Former NBA Chicago Bulls Nate Robinson Compares Zach LaVine to Vince Carter | #TheAltWithMel appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

RESPECT Magazine and Scoop B Radio’s Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson. Photo Credit: Bianca Egalite/Scoop B Radio

RESPECT Magazine’s Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson  chats with Bud & The Manchild on Syracuse, NY’s 1260 AM The Score. Press Play Below To Listen!

A few days before Christmas and it t’was a busy week. Hey, the Chicago Bulls had a winning streak. 10-21 they can possibly make the playoffs.

Why? They play in a weak East!

We’ve got Kobe getting his #8 and #24 jersey retired. If you say you didn’t watch it you’re a liar. Kobe got 5 rings and a regular season MVP before he retired.

Speaking of LA, LaVar Ball’s starting a new league with high school players for hire.

But it didn’t end there! 

Michael Beasley had 32 points and 12 rebounds in the Knicks’ victory over the Boston Celtics on Thursday. Credit Andres Kudacki/Associated Press

In 2 big games, Michael Beasley is looking to become the Knicks’ superstar heir!

LeBron and the Cavs play on Christmas Day. They’ve got the Warriors at Oracle Arena and Steph Curry is out the way!

It’ll be wild. Press play above to hear my chat with Syracuse, NY’s Bud and the Manchild!

Oh yeah, Merry Christmas ya filthy animals! 

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The post Scoop B: My Christmas NBA poem featuring LaVar Ball, Chicago Bulls, Kobe, Warriors & Michael Beasley appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Phil Jackson and Dennis Rodman. Photo Courtesy on NBA.com

John Salley caught up with Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson and discussed Phil Jackson and Dennis Rodman’s relationship on the 90s Chicago Bulls. Press Play Below To Listen!

Retired NBA legend John Salley played in the NBA for 11 years suiting up for the Detroit Pistons, Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls and the Los Angeles Lakers.

During that time, the Brooklyn, NY native who became the first player in NBA history to play on three different championship-winning franchises has graced the court with talented folks including Hall of Famers Isiah Thomas, Michael Jordan and Shaquille O’Neal and future HOF’er Kobe Bryant.

Salley also has had the opportunity to play with one of the best rebounders to ever play in the NBA in Dennis Rodman.

Salley, who holds the distinction of being the first player in NBA history to win a championship in three different decades actually won a championship with Rodman in with the ‘89 Detroit Pistons. He won another with The Worm in ‘96 as a member of the Chicago Bulls.

Colorful hair, rockstar lifestyle, painted nails and more, what’s Dennis like?

“In Detroit even though he was older than me, Dennis was the youngest guy on the squad because he didn’t have more life experiences than me,” John Salley told me on Scoop B Radio.

“But in Chicago, he was open.”

Rodman headlined the Bulls’ big 3 that included Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan and was coached by Phil Jackson.

To Salley, Rodman’s transformation was like night and day.“It was like he had eaten an apple that made him see what life was like,” said Salley.

“Our work preparation in Detroit was always, we were coming from behind because we were the underdogs. But in Chicago, he had come into his own and realized that no one can do what he can do. Nobody was as strong, nobody was built like him, nobody was as determined, nobody could do the things that he could and he realized that and he played along with it and decided to become Jimi Hendrix and Jim Larsen, at the same time while playing basketball. So he was just a different cat.”

Dennis Rodman and John Salley while members of the Detroit Pistons. Photo Credit: Detroit Athletic Co.

While scoring a shade over 7 points during his career, Rodman averaged 13.1 rebounds per game for his career and lived his best life on those late 90s Chicago Bulls teams.

He picked his prey by getting into the heads of Utah Jazz forward Karl Malone. He even got into verbal spars with former Houston Rockets big man, turned TNT analyst, Charles Barkley and the New Jersey Nets’ Jayson Williams who were all league leaders in rebounding.

“Dennis thought all the way through,” said Salley.

“And he’d figure out that if he studied everything that a guy did on offense and figured out what to not let them do before you get to a certain point, Dennis would stop you at the first point and not let you get to your flow.

Salley believes that by Phil Jackson giving Rodman the freedom to be himself in the Bulls locker room, it translated onto the basketball court where it allowed the eccentric player to give it his all. “In Chicago, while Phil [Jackson] was talking, he would take a shower and go get dressed,” said Salley.

“Next thing you know, he was on the court; ready to go and at the end of the game, he [Dennis Rodman] would be on his bike doing cardio.”

Dennis Rodman and Charles Barkley trash talking during a game

Added Salley:

“Phil wouldn’t say anything. He would just let him flow. With anybody else, it would be like: ‘you get in here with everybody else.’ But Phil knew that he was in his world and when he is in his world he turns out to be this unbelievable thing. And believe it or not, running the triangle offense for some people is hard. When Dennis picked it up, he was unstoppable because he was still able to get his rebounds one-on-one because when he’s in the triangle, if he’s in the lane with just one or two other people in there with him, they weren’t going to beat him for the rebound.”

Rodman began his career in the NBA at the small forward position. He’d later shift to the power forward when he played for the San Antonio Spurs and was famously traded by the Spurs to the Chicago Bulls by current Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich.

Rodman’s small forward physique helped him maneuver for position for rebounds on the basketball court with bigger opponents. But his intelligence allowed him to savvily get into their heads. “He was quick, light on his feet and as strong as an Ox,” he said.

“So he stayed that way.”

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The post John Salley says late 90s MJ era Chicago Bulls benefited from Phil Jackson letting Dennis Rodman ‘flow’ appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

89/90 Detroit – John Salley Hand Face | Michael Jordan | Pinterest | Detroit, Michael jordan and Jordan 23. Photo Credit: Pinterest

John Salley chats with Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson about the Bulls/Pistons Rivalry on Scoop B Radio. Press Play Below To Listen!

When John Salley speaks, you listen. After all, he’s got the hardware. A retired 11 year NBA vet, Salley  was the first player in NBA history to play on three different championship-winning franchises. The former host of Fox Sports’ Best Damn Sports Show, Period also holds the distinction of being the first player in NBA history to win a championship in three different decades.

He’s played with Hall of Famers Isiah Thomas, Michael Jordan and Shaquille O’Neal and played under head coaches Phil Jackson and the late Chuck Daly.

Salley won his first championship with the Detroit Pistons in 1989, during their Bad Boy era with Thomas, Bill Laimbeer and Rick Mahorn.

While playing for the Pistons, Salley saw the transition of NBA Eastern Conference power of the Pistons in the 80s be taken by the Bulls in for mostly all of the booming 90s.

That era was ushered in the evolution of Michael Jordan as one of the league’s best players.

Before the Bulls’ takeover, the Pistons’ ‘Jordan Rules’ defensive scheme was used to limit MJ’s effectiveness on offense.The Bulls combatted that with the Tex Winter’s implemented  triangle offense, an offense predicated upon reading defenses and complex  passing and cutting patterns.

Chicago struggled with the Pistons from 1988-90 before having a turnaround in 1991.

The Bulls swept Detroit in the 1991 Eastern Conference Finals, progressed  to the NBA Finals and beat the Magic Johnson-led Los Angeles Lakers.

“The thing that stands out the most is that I believe the league wanted Michael to win the championship and I believe we got in the way,” John Salley told me on Scoop B Radio.

Game 7 of that ‘91 Eastern Conference Finals was memorable because the Pistons walked off the court with 7.9 seconds left.

Salley and Pistons guard Joe Dumars were the only members of the team to stay on the court and shake hands with the Bulls after winning the series.  

Salley says that Scottie Pippen was the difference maker for the Bulls. “I remember when Scottie got the migraine and that was a big game for us and we won that game and went to the championship in 1990,” he said.

“But then I remember Scottie becoming tough, like mentally he became a different guy and they just came in and played tough.”

But Salley also says that the Bulls had an advantage because the NBA wanted the Bulls to win it all. “The media was so against us,” he said.  

“I always said it was eight against five when you played against the Bulls because the referees were wearing Jordans. You know and they probably had tattoos of Michael on their chest, so that’s what I remember them wanting their messiah to win.”

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The post John Salley says that referees during Pistons/Bulls rivalry era probably had tattoos of MJ on their chest appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Retired NBA players Charles Oakley and TIm Thomas. Photo Credit: Scoop B Radio

Tim Thomas tells Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson that Charles Oakley let him know the Chicago Bulls were going to buy him out of his contract at Michael Jordan’s party back in 2006. Press Play Below To Listen!

Retired NBA vet Tim Thomas is actually a good story teller. 

In the past, Thomas has shared classic stories like the feuds with fellow retired hooper, Kenyon Martin while both on the court and even in nightclub.

We’ve moved past that, though! 

Why, you ask? 

‘Cuz Tim Thomas has funny Charles Oakley stories, too! And apparently Charles Oakley has Ms. Cleo future telling genes.

Appearing on the Scoop B Radio podcast, Tim Thomas recounts attending a card game party hosted by both Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen in Chicago 2006 that Charles Oakley was also present for.

At the time, Thomas had one season left on his deal that would have paid him nearly $6.5 million. Oakley let him know he would soon be leaving Chi-city!

Scottie Pippen, Michael Jordan and Charles Oakley. Photo Credit: Pinterest

“MJ was hosting a card game so I went over there and all of the guys just told me: ‘hey man you’re not going to play here,’” Thomas recounted.

“Pippen was there, Jordan was there and Oak was really the one who told me.”

The Chicago Bulls were sculpting their rebuilding project that would see them draft Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah over the next couple of years and have both Vinny Del Negro and Tom Thibodeau guide the team as their head coach.

Thomas wanted to genuinely really leave a good impression with the Bulls, but no such luck. “I was about to be a free agent, so I wanted to showcase myself to get another contract,” he said.

“They got me just so that they could get me off of the books at the end of the year.”

Don’t feel too bad for Timmy.

Thomas got the buyout that Oakley predicted with the Bulls and he signed with the Phoenix Suns. While in Phoenix, he’d joined forces with Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire, Shawn Marion and then-Suns head coach Mike D’Antoni.

Thomas would arrive in Phoenix shooting a career 44-percent. He came in averaging 11.9 points per game and in the 2006 NBA Playoffs, he’d make the shot of his career in game 6 of the 2006 Western Conference semifinals against the Los Angeles Lakers.

With 8 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Thomas hit a game-tying three to tie the game at the end of regulation. In overtime of that game, he hit an important three-pointer late in the game to seal the Suns’ win. The Suns would go on to win game 7 and overcome a 3-1 series deficit.

The Suns would lose to the Dallas Mavericks in the next round. But it was Oakley’s honesty month’s prior at Michael Jordan’s party in Chicago that is the catalyst for making this story ultra-interesting.

“Everything worked out,” said Thomas.

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The post Charles Oakley warned Tim Thomas of Bulls buying out his contract in ’06 while attending Michael Jordan’s party appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Chicago Bulls forward Lauri Markkanen. Photo Credit: CSN

Chicago Bulls forward Lauri Markkanen Chats With Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson On Scoop B Radio. Press Play Below To Listen

News out of the midwest this week was that Dwyane Wade reached a buyout agreement with the Chicago Bulls and as expected he signed a deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Bulls are going young with Zach Lavine, Denzel Valentine, Bobby Portis, Kris Dunn, Jerian Grant and Lauri Markkanen.

Speaking of Markkanen, the talented Finnish forward averaged  15.6 points, 7.2 rebounds last season as an Arizona Wildcat. The former Wildcast says that despite his 7-foot size, he grew up liking Wade and his game.

Unfortunately, the rookie forward won’t get a chance to play alongside him at the United Center with his move to Cleveland. 

Former Chicago Bulls guard Dwyane Wade. Photo Credit: Rolling Stone

On a recent episode of Scoop B Radio, Markkanen says that his eyes were glued to his television set during the 2006 NBA Finals when Wade, then a member of the Miami Heat averaged a heroic 34.7 PPG 7.8 RBG and 3.8 AST in the Finals against the Dallas Mavericks.

“He was super quick,” Markkanen told me on Scoop B Radio. “And impacted the game in a lot of ways so I really liked how he played.”

Markkanen has a chance to get ample playing time with a young nucleus under Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg. Tall guards like Giannis Antetokounmpo lead the pack of positionless players who rule the NBA. Markkanen likes the challenge. “I played guard my whole life and then developed my inside game a couple years back,” he said.

“So it’s really whatever coach wants me to play. I can play whatever you ask me to.”

Having played his whole career in Europe and coming to the U.S. playing at Arizona, Markkanen believes he’s become well-rounded. “It’s more physical here,” he said.

“And I think half court basketball is weaker back home because you have a shorter shot clock. But the transition basketball is something that really stood out to me because you really have to get back on defense because players are more athletic.”

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The post With Dwyane Wade Now A Cleveland Cavalier, Chicago Bulls’ Lauri Markkanen Can’t Play With Childhood Idol, But Can Shine On Young Hoiberg Team appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Michael Jordan and former U.S. President Barack Obama. Photo Credit: McClatchy DC

Former Chicago Bulls three-point specialist and NBA Champion Craig Hodges chatted with Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson about Colin Kaepernick, Ray Lewis, Michael Vick and Michael Jordan on Scoop B Radio. Press Play Below To Listen

The Golden State Warriors’ Steph Curry and Kevin Durant are not the first athletes to elect not to visit the White House after winning a championship.

Michael Jordan once did too!

A six-time NBA Champion and current owner of the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets, Jordan skipped the ritual in 1991 when George H.W. Bush was U.S. President.

It’s been said that after the Chicago Bulls won their first championship, Jordan said: ‘F*** Bush I didn’t vote for him.’

“See that’s the part that MJ understood,” Craig Hodges, Jordan’s former Chicago Bulls teammate told me on Scoop B Radio.

“You know, MJ is not publicly political but he can handle his affairs where he can make a political statement. When he didn’t come to the White House, it was a statement.”

Added Hodges:

“But once again, there was no push back from any of his sponsors or any of that because he is who he is and he is the golden goose for a lot of marketers and endorsement companies.”

Craig Hodges was blackballed by the NBA after he handed a letter to President George H.W. Bush during the Bulls’ championship visit to the White House. The contents of the letter, according to Hodges made President Bush aware of  the mistreatment of poor people and people of color in the United States.

“It’s not a surprise that it didn’t come back,” said Hodges. “But I understood where he was coming from and that Bush wasn’t his homie.”

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton and NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan playing golf. Photo Credit: Wall Street Journal

Hodges said things changed when former U.S. President Bill Clinton got into office. “He hung out with Clinton and golfed with him,” he said. “So that let them know.”

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The post Before Warriors, Trump, Michael Jordan Once Skipped Visiting White House & Said “F**k Bush” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.