Carmelo Anthony and Danilo Gallinari. Photo Credit: Nugg Love

Danilo Gallinari spoke with Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson about the posibility of the young Knicks. Press Play Below To Listen.

The 2017-18 NBA season began with rivalry week. On Tuesday, LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers took on the new-look Boston Celtics and James’ old teammate, Kyrie Irving.

On Thursday, the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Carmelo Anthony got the win against his former New York Knicks.

Anthony was shipped to the Knicks in a blockbuster trade in 2011. In that trade, the Knicks sent Raymond Felton, Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari, Timofey Mozgov and three draft picks to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for Anthony, Chauncey Billups and Anthony Carter.

After that trade, the Knicks went 207-269, won only one of four playoff series and missed the postseason each of the past four years.

Years later, the trade makes you wonder: what if?

What if the Knicks hadn’t traded for Anthony and kept a Mike D’Antoni team that had a young core in Amare Stoudemire, J.R. Smith, Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Nate Robinson and others?

“Well sometimes we talk about it or we meet about it with Amare, Raymond and other players who were there at that time and say if we would have stayed together we could have built something special,”  Danilo Gallinari told me on Scoop B Radio.

 “So that’s what we say.”

Gallinari, now a member of the Los Angeles Clippers, was drafted 6th overall in the 2008 draft by the Knicks. He had some good games while a member of the orange of blue, like the time he scored 17 points against the Atlanta Hawks on 4-5 shooting from downtown.

Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari and Raymond Felton were part of a young Knicks core. Photo Credit: New York Daily News

There was also that Halloween game in 2009 where he it rained three pointers; eight to be exact. Galo poured in a season high 30 points in the overtime loss and was one triple away from tying a Knicks franchise record held by both Latrell Sprewell and John Starks. The dude was official like a ref with a whistle, he just dealt with substantial injuries.

Nonetheless, his jumper was and still is lethal!

As for the what could have been the Knicks, all we can wonder is what if?

“Yeah, we had a very good chemistry going on,” said Gallinari.

“Especially a few weeks before the trade, we were doing really well. But you know, that’s in the past now.”

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 Danilo Gallinari believes Knicks could have ‘built something special’ if he wasn’t traded for Carmelo Anthony appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Rapper & Everyday Struggle Host Joe Budden & retired NBA forward Kenyon Martin. Photo Credit: VIBE

Kenyon Martin Chatted With RESPECT Magazine’s Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson about EVERYTHING on Scoop B Radio. Press Play Below To Listen In

Summer 2003 was big for both Kenyon Martin and Joe Budden.

For Budden, a former cast member of Love & Hip Hop New York and current host of COMPLEX’s Everyday Struggle, his self-titled debut album, Joe Budden released June 10, 2003 via Def Jam.

The Jersey City, NJ representer’s album had hits guest appearances from  Lil’ Mo, Busta Rhymes and 112 and had top singles Focus, Fire and the Just Blazed-produced crossover hit, Pump It Up.

June 10, 2003 for Martin was a tad bit different. He and his New Jersey Nets were preparing for Game 4 of the 2003 NBA Finals after dropping Game 3 84-79 to Tim Duncan, David Robinson, Tony Parker and the San Antonio Spurs two days before at Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey.  

New Jersey’s Jason Kidd, left, and Kenyon Martin watch as San Antonio celebrates a 93-83 win in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. The Spurs won the game Friday in East Rutherford, N.J. Photo Credit: Lawrence Journal

Martin would score 23 points and hauled in 11 rebounds in Game 3. and would would lead all Nets scorers in Game 4 with 20 points and 13 rebounds in New Jersey’s 77-76 win.

The Nets would lose the series 4-2, but K-Mart was the man around the Garden State.

So was Budden.

Jason Birchmeier of AllMusic gave his album four stars out of five, Chris Ryan of SPIN gave the album an eight out of ten and HipHopDX’s K.B. Tindal gave the album a four and a half out of five. Pump It Up was placed on the soundtracks for 2 Fast 2 Furious, You Got Served and EA Sports’ Madden NFL 2004.

Fire even found it’s way on the Mean Girls Soundtrack.

With all of the success going on that summer for said rapper and said NBA baller, can you believe that the two were mistaken for each other in public?

Everywhere,” Kenyon Martin told me on Scoop B Radio.“Everywhere! You name it!”

Martin says that their mistaken identities would mostly happen while he’d go shopping in downtown Newark, New Jersey. “I used to go onto Clinton Ave a lot and in the hood on Clinton Avenue shopping,” he said.

“It would be at a distance and then they would get up on me and see the height differential and say: ‘Oh hey! It’s K-Mart.’”

While you listened to part two of Martin’s interview above, make sure to also check out part one of our discussion. He talked about his Nets days and the 2002 NBA Finals against Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers. “I have never been afraid when it comes to basketball, period,” said Martin.

Check Out Kenyon Martin’s Part 1 Interview Scoop B Radio

“I’m not afraid to mix it up with guards or big men. But that experience there was a good team and we got to, but Shaq was dominant that series. We got to being out there and playing on that level, me holding my own, helping my team and putting them in a position to win. That meant a lot that I was there for my career and my confidence moving forward.”

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 Kenyon Martin Says He Would Get Mistaken For Joe Budden During His New Jersey Nets Playing Days appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Katrina Jo chats with Scoop B Radio. Photo Credit: KatrinaJo.com

Katrina Jo has had quite a diverse career. A Freemont, California native, Jo’s talent has brought her all around the world, appearing on television shows, commercials and ad campaigns while also performing with the likes of Kaskade, T.I., Ludacris, Mariah Carey, Missy Elliot, The Pussycat Dolls and others.

Check Out Katrina Jo Chatting With Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson on Scoop B Radio

During her career she was on the San Diego Chargers’ dance team for three years, as well as the Los Angeles Clippers dance team for four.

That’s a huge circuit of things to do that and she’s handle it with grace.

“Absolutely, I was also teaching, I was also choreographing for artists or DJs in Los Angeles,” Katrina Jo told me on a recent episode of Scoop B Radio.

“I was also hosting events out in Los Angeles and that also brought me into starting my own company which is Glam Girls LA which mainly consists of alumni NBA and NFL dancers and kind of just takings things full circle; with that and getting into the sports and entertainment world on the back end of things as well.”

Katrina Jo was once a Los Angeles Clippers dancer. Photo Credit: NBA.com

In addition to Glam Girls LA, Jo’s entrepreneurial experience in the entertainment industry are vast. She’s also the co-founder of Game Day Pros – a skill development company specializing in offering dance clinics to pro-team hopefuls throughout the nation and co-founder of Powering Other Women – a networking organization which links top women of the industry to come together and empower one another.

For information on Katrina Jo visit www.katrinajo.com

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 Marketing Manager & Former Los Angeles Clippers Dancer Katrina Jo Discusses Her Craft With Scoop B Radio appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Nov 19, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich reacts in the third quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Last night, the San Antonio Spurs were massacred 126-99 in game one of their Western Conference semifinals matchup against  the Houston Rockets.

During his post game presser, Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich was not pleased!

As per For The Win’s Nina Mandell, here was the exchange: 

Reporter: “Pop there’s nothing for us to ask except to get your take on what the heck just happened.”

Popovich: “We lost. They won. And they played better.”

The reporter followed up with another question and Popovich had a more complete answer about what exactly went wrong in the game (“sure we competed but I don’t think we executed”).

Timing is everything in the art of interviewing. It’s listening, it’s research and more importantly it is about being a person.

Real G’s do real things and Coach Pop is about as genuine as it gets! That said, get ready for a genuine response.

I realized that first hand last year, when I chatted with Coach Popovich about leadership.

Check Out Coach Gregg Popovich and Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson Talk About Donald Trump & Drake On Scoop B Radio Overtime

In high school, I read The Autobiography of Douglas McArthur. General MacArthur commanded the United States through the Southwest Pacific in World War II. The autobiography thoroughly highlighted MacArthur’s military career, his personal life and the battles during World War II. MacArthur was one of only five men promoted to the five-star rank of General of the Army during World War II. What left an indelible mark on me while reading MacArthur’s book was his dedication to leadership, his constant examples that he left to his subordinates of his character and his emphasis on behaving in a manner in which peoplewould want to follow him.

San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich in the U.S. Air Force. Photo Credit: San Antonio Express News

While reading that autobiography back in high school, MacArthur reminded me so much of Popovich. Popovich, himself spent five years in the service in the United States Air Force.

Popovich’s dad wasn’t in the service, but when you ask the Spurs coach who his models for leadership were. His answer might surprise you.“I try not to idolize too many people,” Popovich told me.

Whoa! That’s real!

”I think that all idols have feet of clay and I think that especially in our country, we tend to mythologize people. So I look to people that I’ve known personally, whether that’s a coach or teacher, a relative; somebody that I respect because I know them. But people who I don’t know that have been mythologized, I don’t know them much. At the top of my head, Thomas Jefferson was a great guy; he was a slave owner. You can make that similar analogy with a lot of other people who have been idolized. They all have flaws. So I go for people that I know.”

After last night’s she-lacking by the Rockets, some folks were ready to write the Spurs off. The Rockets after all, are very talented: James Harden, Trevor Ariza, Eric Gordon, Ryan Anderson, Patrick Beverly and Lou Williams are some of the names on that roster. Credit is due where credit is due! 

Malik Rose won two championships with Popovich in 1999 and 2003. Now the Atlanta Hawks’ manager of basketball operations, Rose once told me about Pop: “He’s not afraid to say what he believes and stand by it. He genuinely cares about his players. It’s more than basketball.”

Coach Pop is no slouch. He is this generation’s Phil Jackson because he wins and has gained the respect of his players and players on opposing teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James, New York Knicks’ Carmelo Anthony, Golden State Warriors’ Kevin Durant and the Los Angeles Clippers’ Chris Paul. Coach Pop has seemlessly been able to navigate the passing of the torch of players during his career, as well.

David Robinson retired in 2003 and passed the torch to Tim Duncan and Tony Parker. Duncan retired and now the keys are in the hands of Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge. It is not likely that the Spurs will go down like they did last night against the Rockets. The team is not chopped liver. But it will take defensive adjustments and players not reacting like Dewayne Dedmon did to Nene last night.

In the meantime, let’s watch Pop continue to be Pop and make us reporters search for the next question.

Suggested Articles:

The post Scoop B: Getting San Antonio Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich To Answer Questions Is All About Timing appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Adam Silver (left) issued a lifetime ban and a $2.5 million fine to Clippers owner Donald Sterling. (Getty Images/2)

Three years ago today, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver banned Donald Sterling “for life” after an audio clip surfaced on TMZ featuring the Los Angeles Clippers owner making extremely racist comments to his then girlfriend,  V. Stiviano.

In the recording, the embattled team owner urged Stiviano to disassociate herself with Black people, not bring her Black friends to Clippers games and to refrain from posting photos of her and “minorities” such as Magic Johnson to her Instagram account.

In the recording, Sterling was specifically heard saying: “It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you’re associating with Black people. Do you have to?”

The announcement of Sterling’s punishment was made in Manhattan at the New York Hilton Midtown. “We stand together in condemning Mr. Sterling’s views,” NBA Commissioner, Adam Silver said. “They simply have no place in the NBA.”

As part of Sterling’s ban, he may not attend any game or practices, be present at any Clippers office or facility, or participate in any business or player personnel decisions involving the team.

“This league is far bigger than any one owner, any one coach and any one player,” said Silver.

Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson chatted with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver about former Los Angeles Clippers owner, Donald Sterling. Photo Credit: Emmanuel Grant Brooklyn Eggs

Silver also fined Sterling $2.5 million, which is the maximum amount allowed under the NBA’s constitution. The fine was donated to organizations dedicated to anti-discrimination and tolerance efforts that were jointly selected by the NBA and the Players Association. “The lifetime banning of Donald Sterling is a bold and appropriate action in this matter,” National Action Network founder Reverend Al Sharpton told me after the NBA’s Announcement.

Check out Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson’s assessment of NBA Commissioner Adam Silver 

“This is a huge victory for those of us that stood against this ugly display of racism. We must continue to make unequivocal stands against bigotry and racism. I look forward to speaking to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and beginning the dialogue with other civil rights leaders right away to discuss putting in measures to make sure this never happens again.”

Silver set the tone early in his tenure as commissioner and he’s stayed visible and consistent. Silver a recipient of Sports Business Journal’s 2015 Executive of the Year, beat the clock to rid Sterling and facilitated a $2 billion sale of the Los Angeles Clippers all the while warding off legal threats from Sterling.

Suggested Articles:

The post Scoop B: Three Years Ago Today, NBA & Adam Silver Banned Clippers Owner Donald Sterling appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Above The Rim Podcast’s Justlin Lee welcomes Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson to the taping of his show in Brooklyn, New York. Photo Credit: Fred Ennette Scoop Vision Media

If you want scholarly hoops talks mixed with pop culture and conversation about hoops from the past and present, Justin Lee is your guy! The Above The Rim Podcast, recorded in the great borough of Brooklyn is the scene of the crime, and Lee, better known to the hoops world as Jus Blaze holds court on his weekly podcast which analyzes the NBA landscape while also featuring guests giving their opinions.

I appeared on episode 11 of Above The Rim Podcast and discussed round 1 of the 2017 NBA Playoffs, Clyde Drexler, Larry Johnson and the Charlotte Hornets and the New York Knicks and Phil Jackson’s growing Carmelo Anthony saga. We also discussed Lance Stephenson’s return to the Indiana Pacers and the notion that Paul George may be the second best player in the NBA’s Eastern Conference behind LeBron James. Is a New Jersey Nets’ Jason Kidd in his prime better than the Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook? Can the Toronto Raptors and the Boston Celtics ever rise out of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ shadow? Are the Atlanta Hawks with the combo of Paul Millsap and Dwight Howard competitive enough? Will the Los Angeles Clippers’ Chris Paul and Blake Griffin finally get over the Western Conference Playoffs doldrums?

Oh yeah there’s also Joe Johnson talk!! 

You’ll love the conversation! Above The Rim Podcast is surely an NBA Podcast for the everyday fan!

Check It Out Below! 

Suggested Articles:

The post Scoop B: Talking Hoops, Catching Up With Justin Lee & Above The Rim Podcast appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 23: Derek Anderson #1 of the Los Angeles Clippers dunks against Latrell Sprewell #8 of the New York Knicks on November 23, 1999 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, 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 1999 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

Derek Anderson was a fly dude when he entered the NBA.

The 13th pick in the 1997 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers, Anderson was fresh off winning a NCAA National Championship with Kentucky, had a deal with the Jordan Brand and played on a Cavaliers squad that included Shawn Kemp, Brevin Knight, a young  Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Wesley Person, Cedric Henderson, Bob Sura and Vitaly Potapenko.

He’d go on to average 11 points a game and 1.5 steals. He’d play ten years in the league where he’d average 12 points a game playing for the Portland Trail Blazers, Charlotte Bobcats, Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Clippers and the Miami Heat.

On Saturday, Anderson was the keynote speaker at the A&M Sports Academy’s March Madness Fundraiser. A&M Sports Academy is a hoops mentoring program founded in 2008. While there, he discussed the highs and lows of his journey: being a parent by the age of fourteen, being shot and stabbed, losing his mom to substance abuse, winning championships in college and the professional level. Anderson thinks he left impact. “I think they left with a purpose of I need to finish what I start  and also I need to change my attitude if I want to win,” Anderson told me.

“Those two things have always been key.”

While chatting with the students at the A&M Sports Academy, Anderson showed a video montage  of his career. Homeboy was high flying, acrobatic and showcased his arsenal of moves during his career. He zig-zagged, criss-cross apple sauced and broke ankles via crossover moves on guys like fellow NBA retiree, Kobe Bryant. While watching the montage, you couldn’t help but notice that Anderson also dunked on NBA big men like Horace Grant and Dikembe Mutombo! “I pretty much got everybody,” said Anderson. “If I can remember I think I got every big man that I can remember. So I really wasn’t searching them out, but I was always like I would love to get one of those posters up.”

You’d think Anderson got the biggest joy on dunking on Mr. No-no-no Mutombo? Was it Horace Grant? How about Charles Barkley? “Neither,” Anderson said with a sly grin.

Check out Derek Anderson Chatting With Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson on Scoop B Radio.

Apparently, Anderson has one guy in mind that he wanted to dunk on during his career that he couldn’t. “I was trying to dunk on Patrick Ewing,” Anderson said on Scoop B Radio. “I always see him trying to box out. I was growing up seeing him blocking everybody’s dunks. I see Dikembe do it but once I got Dikembe my rookie year, I was good. But I always tried to dunk on Patrick Ewing  because Jordan did it. Remember when Jordan baseline dunked on him? I always wanted to get one like that.”

In addition to chatting about his dunk conquests, the former Kentucky Wildcat also weighed in on his thoughts on the current Kentucky basketball squad and their stars chances at the next level. “I think if Monk ever plays defense he would be,” said Anderson. “But I think right now Fox is the key one. So Fox is the point guard. It’s a point guard driven league. If he continues to work on his jump shot and goes full speed like he is doing I think he will be a significant player.”

If you’re tardy to the party and not familiar with Anderson’s high-flying prowess, check it below

AAU culture is something that’s a hot button topic in sports. Kobe Bryant was critical about it in his farewell tour and Earl ‘The Pearl’ Monroe stated on the Scoop B Radio Podcast that it’s all about guard’s and forwards in the NBA. Derek Anderson weighed in as well on the debate. “I think it has changed dramatically,” said Anderson.

“I think what that is something that the AAU coaches just let their players do anything instead of teach them and train them. So now they don’t have any discipline. You look at that one kid who had 92 points, but he didn’t come past half court like half the time. Do you think our coaches would let us do that? No. He would have been all over us ‘Get back on defense play hard.’ But now there are so many coaches that let players be good so he can get a name and I think that is the issue with AAU. If they just roll the balls out and say: ‘who ever is talented go do it.’ And I think that is where AAU is failing us. The coaches aren’t demanding excellence. Therefore there is none.”

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 Retired NBA Vet, Derek Anderson On Knicks’ Ewing: “I always tried to dunk on Patrick Ewing Because Jordan Did It” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.