Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry and dribbling phenom Noah Cutler. Photo Credit: NBA.com

Noah Cutler chats with Scoop B Radio’s Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson about Steph Curry, Isiah Thomas and more on Scoop B Radio. Press Play Below to Listen! 

Remember Baby Birdman, Noah Cutler? A couple of years ago, the then-10 year old kid from Virginia showcased his crazy basketball dribbling skills via Instagram.

His crazy handles got the attention of Golden State Warriors point guard Steph Curry and as a result, Cutler was invited to a Warriors home game where he dribbled on the court pre-game aside the 2-time NBA Champion. 

“Meeting Steph Curry,  that’s a once in a lifetime thing,” Noah Cutler told me on Scoop B Radio.  “It was crazy and being able to go on the floor and dribble and warm up that was crazy.”

Cutler plays AAU basketball and is home schooled. When queried about some of the great guards that came before him, he’s hip and educated. He gushed about NBA Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas. He also added others to his list: “Muggsy Bogues with him being so small,” said Cutler.

“Watching old videos and the same thing with Steve Nash.” 

Suggested Articles:

The Next Big Showcase’s Cliff Po & DJ Tarzan Making Dreams Reality in NYC & NJ

Scoop B Radio: Turner Sports’ Steve Smith Talks Career & More

The post Scoop B: Baby Birdman, Noah Cutler says meeting Warriors’ Steph Curry was a ‘once in a lifetime thing’ appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

NBA Writer Oliver Maroney. Photo Credit: Twitter

NBA writer Oliver Maroney checks in with Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson on Scoop B Radio & talks NBA and his budding career. Press Play below to listen!

Oliver Maroney is an authority on basketball. At the helm as columnist at Dime On Uproxx, you can catch him writing about anything from Bonzi Wells and the 2000s Portland Trail Blazers’ heyday, or former Cleveland Cavaliers point guard, Daniel ‘Boobie’ Gibson talking about serious matters like depression.

The Portland, Oregon-based rising columnist is currently the host of the B.O.S.S. Podcast with NBA impersonator BDot. Maroney has been carving his niche by building solid and genuine relationships with athletes and simply being himself.

Maroney is this week’s guest on the Scoop B Radio Podcast. We discussed the emergence of Utah Jazz rookie Donovan Mitchell, his experience hosting The Big 3 Show Podcast and pearls of wisdom for up-and-coming journalists. Press play above to listen.

While you’re at it, also check out his recent appearance on NBA TV.

My #danceface on @NBATV’s #PlayersOnly where @realchriswebber says I’d “lose my girlfriend.” pic.twitter.com/IlRjKrNgRi

— Oliver Maroney (@OMaroneyNBA) November 16, 2017

Suggested Articles:

The Next Big Showcase’s Cliff Po & DJ Tarzan Making Dreams Reality in NYC & NJ

Scoop B Radio: Turner Sports’ Steve Smith Talks Career & More

The post Scoop B: Rising journalist Oliver Maroney talks NBA, Big 3, appearing on NBA TV with Isiah Thomas & Chris Webber appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

OAKLAND, CA – 2000: Tracy McGrady of the Toronto Raptors competes in the Slam Dunk competition at the Oakland Arena on February 2000 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory copyright notice: Copyright NBAE 2000 (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)

Tracy McGrady was one of the most successful swingmen to play in the NBA. At a slim and lanky 6’8, McGrady had a quick first step, a smooth glide to the basket, a jab step with counter moves and a crossover dribble that makes you think Kevin Durant and George ‘The Iceman’ Gervin all-in-one.

To quote the late Notorious B.I.G., the Washington Wizards, Shawn Bradley and the New Jersey Nets ‘have a story to tell’ after the nightmares McGrady gave them with his scoring assaults that he unleashed in his prime.  

Step-backs and fall-aways, creativity in mid-air that seemed effortless, Tracy McGrady was the real deal in his NBA career.

This weekend, McGrady a 14-year retired NBA veteran, who in 938 games averaged 19.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.4 assists will be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Historically, many remember McGrady’s Houston Rocket days when he heroically scored 13 points in 35 seconds.

That December 9, 2004 rescue and 81-80 win over the San Antonio Spurs was no easy feat. For posterity’s sake, that was no easy feat. In 33 seconds, it took four buckets from beyond the arc, a made free throw to complete a four-point play and a steal to win by one point!

The only remotely exciting comparison to that game was the Indiana Pacers’ Reggie Miller’s eight points in nine seconds performance against the New York Knicks. With the Pacers down eight points with in nine seconds remaining in Game 1 of the 1995 Eastern Conference semifinals, Reggie Miller pulled off a comeback like no other.

I’ll tread lightly though; Knicks fans are still healing from that disappointment.

McGrady’s journey is memorable and worth recounting. Tracy McGrady was drafted ninth by the Toronto Raptors in the 1997 NBA Draft. That draft class was laden with talent with two future Hall of Famers standing out from that list: Detroit Pistons hero Chauncey Billups and old reliable San Antonio Spurs big, Tim Duncan.

McGrady was special; so special the biggest rumor in 1997 was that the Bulls were looking to trade Scottie Pippen to acquire him.

In Jonathan Abrams’ book “Boys Among Men,”  (H/T CBS Sports’ Matt Moore)  it was revealed that Tracy McGrady was nearly traded to the Chicago Bulls for Scottie Pippen on draft night in 1997, but Michael Jordan vetoed it. McGrady confirmed that on an episode of ESPN’s The Jump with Rachel Nichols.

As Vice President of Basketball Operations of the Toronto Raptors, NBA Hall of Famer and two-time champ Isiah Thomas drafted McGrady in ‘97.

In Toronto, Thomas built a promising young roster when he drafted Damon Stoudamire, McGrady and Marcus Camby. What was significant about that budding roster was a). They played what is known in today’s game as small ball. b). McGrady would leave Toronto and flourish in Orlando.

**Expect Kyrie Irving’s move from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Boston Celtics to have a similar impact.

In a recent interview on Scoop B Radio, Isiah Thomas, now President of Basketball Operations for the WNBA’s New York Liberty broke down his thought process while housing McGrady in the 6. “When I put together the Toronto Raptors, if you remember the power forward position at that time was a position of strength, dominance, and you had to be physically strong to play that position,” Thomas told me.

“The shooting guard would be coming off of the power forward and the center would be your offense. During that time, what I talked about with my scouting staff and also our ownership group at that time was that we have to find a way to change the game and really affect things out on the floor. We came up with what we called the Raptor Two. And Raptor Two basically had to be a power forward that could also have guard skills, he had to be able to switch the power forward and the shooting guard and not lose ground.”

Added Thomas:

“One of the first trades that I made was for Doug Christie. The game was getting smaller, we had eliminated the power forward position and made it a very skilled position, so I’ll fast forward then I”ll take you back to McGrady. The thing that I left Toronto with was Stoudamire, Camby, Christie, McGrady, and they drafted [Vince]Carter, that was the blueprint.”

For two seasons (1998-2000), McGrady, Vince Carter, Doug Christie and company would lead the Raptors to a 68-64 record. Those feats included the Raptors first-ever winning season where they went 45-37 in 2000.

Toronto also made their first NBA playoff appearance, where they’d be swept 3-0 by the New York Knicks. Despite being swept, McGrady earned his big payday in the NBA Playoff. In game one, T-Mac registered 25 points and hauled in 10 rebounds.

“With T-Mac, a lot of people don’t know or would know that T-Mac was a decent player when he left Toronto and he got the opportunity with that one playoff game where they played New York,” McGrady’s Orlando Magic teammate, Darrell Armstrong told me on Scoop B Radio.

That offseason, McGrady bolted Toronto and signed a six-year, $67.5 million contract with the Orlando Magic. “Vince was being covered so much by all the guys on New York that T-Mac started to get off,” said Armstrong.

“And people started to see T-Mac’s talent during the playoffs that year. That is when we went and got him and that is when he came to the Magic that next year and what he did from there was just amazing because that is what he was supposed to be doing when he got to Toronto.”

Tracy McGrady guarded by Michael Jordan. Photo Credit: Yahoo Sports

A chance to play in his home state of Florida and team up with Grant Hill? Who could blame T-Mac?

“He put in the work and he dedicated himself everyday when he got into the game,” said Armstrong.

“He [knew he] was going to be one of the top players in the league and he did it. It was fun to see him and Kobe Bryant go at each other, Michael Jordan go at each other.  I was just amazed by it, the things that he could do. But he was something special.”

Although McGrady struggled to get out of the second round of the NBA Playoffs, we can never forget the 2003 NBA Playoffs when the league’s scoring champion shot over 51 percent from the field against the Detroit Pistons in their round one series.

The Magic had a 3-1 lead in the series with McGrady scoring 43, 46, 29 and 27 points, respectively against Detroit; but Orlando couldn’t seal the deal. They were eliminated.

If you’re keeping score at home, other exciting Tracy McGrady moments include:

• Landing an off-the-backboard alley-oop, thrown to himself during the 2002 NBA All Star Game.
• McGrady’s Adidas sneaker commercials were also enjoyable. 
• McGrady’s global reach in China substantiated after teaming with Yao Ming in Houston.
• Most importantly: McGrady’s duels with Kobe Bryant were legendary.

Suggested Articles:

The Next Big Showcase’s Cliff Po & DJ Tarzan Making Dreams Reality in NYC & NJ

Scoop B Radio: Turner Sports’ Steve Smith Talks Career & More

The post Scoop B: Tracy McGrady’s Hall of Fame Career Is A Master Class In Knowing Self-Worth appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

The Fresh Prince of Bel Air has had some had some memorable cameos: Donald Trump, Evander Holyfield, Heavy D, Tevin Campbell, Riddick Bowe, Ken Griffey Jr and Kareem Abdul Jabbar to name a few. Hey, how about that episode when Will Smith went one-on-one with Isiah Thomas?

Bombarded with a ton of coursework and a star role on the Bel Air Academy basketball team, Will Smith fell asleep in class and went toe to toe with the Detroit Pistons legend.

Wow, Will even blocked one of Thomas’ shots!

“That was great,” Thomas told me on this weeks episode of Scoop B Radio. “Not only was it great, what was real cool, Will, at the time, was a basketball fan, so he could play a little bit. So, being on the Fresh Prince and then hanging with Will, that was awesome. I mean it was…I guess he was in the dream, and I was in too.”

Not only did Thomas chat about going one-on-one with Smith, on this weeks episode of Scoop B Radio, but he also touched on a ton of topics like how he almost drafted Kevin Garnett when he was part owner and team president of the Toronto Raptors, how the Raptors were way ahead on the learning curve of small ball basketball that many NBA teams like the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers play and more. Give it a listen by pressing play below.

Suggested Articles:

RESPECT. Interview: Sian Anderson Discusses Essential Grime Tracks and ’90s Hip-Hop

UK Grime Artist Skepta Drops Visuals For ‘Man’

The post Isiah Thomas Talks Going 1-on-1 With Will Smith On Fresh Prince of Bel Air appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Los Angeles Clippers guard, Jamal Crawford has been in the NBA for 16 years!

Time flies when you’re having fun.

Drafted out of Michigan in the 2000 NBA Draft, Crawford is revered for his smooth ball handling ability and crafty scoring. That combo has won him three NBA Sixth Man of The Year awards.

Although a member of the Clippers, many folks out east remember Crawford as a member of the New York Knicks.

One guy who remembers J-Crossover’s talent is the man who traded for him, NBA Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas. Thomas, once the Knicks’ President and head coach, had a keen eye on the Rainier Beach High School product. “I had followed Jamal since he came from Seattle to Michigan,” Thomas told me by phone on a recent episode of the Scoop B Radio podcast. “And I thought: a 6’6” guy with handles.”

Crawford’s best statistcal season came during the 2007-08 NBA season while with the Knicks. He averaged 20 points and 5 assists in 80 games for the orange and blue. “His body was just, his game was ahead of his body, if that makes sense; like the things he was trying to do out on the floor,” said Thomas.

“He was seeing the right things to do. You knew he was mature. And over the last couple of years, once his body caught up with his game, I mean, he’s been swinging points whenever he wants to.”

Hey did you see Crawford and DeAndre Jordan’s chemistry last night in the Clippers’ 120-108 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder yesterday?  It was a thing of beauty!!!

Remember Jamal Crawford S. Carter Reebok Sneaker Commercial? 

At one time, the Knicks had a roster that included Crawford, Stephon Marbury, Zach Randolph, David Lee, Wilson Chandler, Nate Robinson, Channing Frye, Steve Francis and Trevor Ariza. That’s a few championship rings, NBA All Star appearances and Slam Dunk Contest trophies attached to those names.

Disappointingly, the formula didn’t work out.

In a day and age where teams build through the NBA Draft like the once intact Oklahoma City team that included Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden, as well as the current ‘Trust the Process,’ Philadelphia 76ers.

Imagine if that Knicks team had stayed together. “They were all under the age of 27 and that was a young team,” said Thomas “Had they been able to stay together and flourish, that would’ve been a pretty good team in the East.”

Suggested Articles:

RESPECT. Interview: Sian Anderson Discusses Essential Grime Tracks and ’90s Hip-Hop

UK Grime Artist Skepta Drops Visuals For ‘Man’

The post Isiah Thomas on Jamal Crawford as a Knick: “You Knew He Was Mature” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.