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

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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.

Shareef Abdur-Rahim dropped by Scoop B Radio. Photo Credit: Image: The Big Lead

Shareef Abdur-Rahim discusses the 1996 NBA Draft class with Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson while on Scoop B Radio. Press Play Below to Listen!

Retired NBA All Star Shareef Abdur Rahim had a decent career averaging 18 points and 7 rebounds in 12 NBA seasons. Drafted with the third pick in the 1996 NBA Draft by the then-Vancouver Grizzlies, Abdur Rahim was an All NBA Rookie First Teamer.  

There was a glut of talent in that 1996 draft class that includes Hall of Famer, Allen Iverson and future Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant.

Ray Allen, Steve Nash, Marcus Camby, Jermaine O’Neal, Antoine Walker, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Peja Stojakovic round out that list

Many remember SLAM Magazin’e’s iconic cover with those names.

“Kobe was the last one to finish but you’re starting to see most of the guys finish with Hall of Fame careers,” Shareef Abdur-Rahim told me on Scoop B Radio.

While the ‘96 draft class was electrifying, so was the 1984 draft class that included mainstays like: Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Hakeem Olajuwon and John Stockton.

The 2003 NBA Draft class was also impressive. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Bosh headlined it.

Slam Magazine’s ’96 Draft cover. Photo Credit: Ball Is Life

Abdur-Rahim acknowledges that there’s a lot of talent in ’84 and ’03.

But does he have a favorite?

“I think it’s really difficult sometimes to rank eras,” he said. “But I guess because I was in the 1996 draft, I rank it the best.”

Abdur Rahim would suit up for the Grizzlies, Atlanta Hawks, Portland Trail Blazers and Sacramento Kings during his 12 year NBA career.

His best statistical season came during the lockout shortened 1998-99 season where he’d post 23 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.4 steals and 1 block per game.

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The post Shareef Abdur-Rahim says he ranks his ‘96 NBA Draft class over 1984 & 2003 NBA Draft classes appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Portland Trail Blazers forward Zach Collins. Photo Credit: NBA.com

Portland Trail Blazers forward Zach Collins checked in with Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson on an episode of Scoop B Radio. Press Play Below To Listen.

The Portland Trail Blazers’ Zach Collins got his first start in NBA preseason the other day. Starting at power forward, he finished the game with eight points, four rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block in 24 minutes.

Collins can stuff stats  the 19-year old has hauled in at least five rebounds in three preseason games.  A first round pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, the Collins is finding his way on a Portland team that is not stingy on height.

While prepping for the season, Collins chatted with me in a Q&A on Scoop B Radio. He discussed his Gonzaga team losing to UNC in the 2017 National Championship game and why Travis Scott, Green Day and Metallica are in constant rotation on his headphones.

Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: Writers are saying that you are a sleeper, do you agree with that theory?

Zach Collins: A little bit. There’s also a lot of people in this draft that say that I’ve been good for a long time so they expect me to be good so that goes both ways especially on social media so it’s a little bit up and down but to the people that think I’m a sleeper I appreciate it and I’m looking to prove them wrong.

Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: Funny story, National Championship Game I fell asleep on the first half and I’m thinking y’all got that in the bag. I happened to turn over, look at my phone and the TV was on and it was like 35-30 at the half so I’m like “yea they got it.”  It was raining at my house, I fell asleep again and I woke up and said, “How the hell did y’all lose?!” Have you heard other stories like that?

Zach Collins: Yeah, I hear stories like that all the time but it’s such a long game and a lot of people were expecting us to win especially how we played in the first half and went into the locker room up five a lot of people were like man we thought you guys had it, you guys were right there so they picked us to win but I don’t know it was just a tough game where two juggernauts were going at it.

Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: How often do you replay those fouls and do you think you were wronged?

Zach Collins: I mean I rewatched the game a lot you know there were a lot of fouls that could have been questionable here and there but I think that happens in every game. I’m mad at myself because the fouls that were fouls put me in a position where I had to many and I fouled out and I feel like that there were a lot of things that happened in the game but I feel like me fouling out put us in a position where we couldn’t play our regular rotations and we got out of rhythm so I kind of put some of that on me fouling out, you can’t put wins and losses on the refs.

Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: I’m curious, the South Carolina game you were on fire you had like six blocks, 15 points, 9 rebounds?

Zach Collins: I think I had like 14 points, 15 rebounds

Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: I know you had six blocks, what the hell were you listening to before the game? I want to know I need to know the secret.

Zach Collins: To be honest with you I can’t remember it probably was like some Travis Scott something deep and methodic.

Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: So, you had a lot of blocks, you had a lot of points was Travis Scott a big motivator for you going into that game?

Zach Collins sporting his suit on the red carpet of he 2017 NBA Draft in Brooklyn, New York. Photo Credit: NBA.com

Zach Collins: I mean a little bit I love Travis Scott and with the rappers and musicians coming out now a lot of it sounds the same but his is different it’s real dark and methodic like I said and stuff like that puts me in the zone and kind of gets that edge to come out of me.

Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: Who else’s music motivates you?

Zach Collins: As far as rock, I like Green Day and Metallica, I like Logic just a bunch of rappers anything loud and hard I listen to before games.

Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: You get compared to different people all the time. If you had to pick one guy that motivates you or that your think your game is similar to who would it be?

Zach Collins: I tell people all the time I try to be as much of a combination of Tim Duncan and Dirk as I can because of the way Dirk can score and shoot the ball and the way Timmy can get any shot he wants on the floor and block shots and rebound.

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The post Blazers rookie Zach Collins re-lives UNC/Gonzaga NCAA Championship, Dirk Comparisons, fan love for Green Day & Metallica 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.”

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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.