Retired WNBA forward, Kym Hampton. Photo Credit: WNBA.com

Retired NBA player Kym Hampton talked about current stars in the WNBA with Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson while on Scoop B Radio. Press Play Below To Listen

Drafted fourth in the 1997 WNBA Elite draft by the New York Liberty, Kym Hampton suited up for the New York Liberty for three seasons.

Hampton retired from basketball in 2000 following a 12-year professional stint in Europe along with her three years in the WNBA. She averaged 9 points and a shade under 6 rebounds per game and played in the inaugural WNBA All Star Game.

These days, Kym Hampton is modeling and singing.

Check her out

In between acting and singing, she’s also keeping her eyes on the talent on the floor. So who are some of her favorites. “Breanna Stewart, Maya Moore, Tina Ch’arles; you could go down every team’s roster and find a plethora of players that are doing it up big. ” Kym Hampton told me on Scoop B Radio.

“Talent-wise it is going strong, but everything in the professional age is all about the bottom line.”

Hampton was part of the early years of the WNBA. Lisa Leslie, Sheryl Swoopes, Rebecca Lobo and Teresa Weatherspoon were the faces of the WNBA and  of the league.

Minnesota Lynx’s Maya Moore. Photo Credit: Women/Girls Basketball

So while she watches the new era, does she have a favorite? “I wouldn’t be able to answer that per se” she said diplomatically.

“But it looks like it’s going strong and it looks like they have intentions of continuing it so I’m just going to roll with it and not make any predictions because all predictions have been just that, predictions.”

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The post Scoop B: Kym Hampton Lists Maya Moore, Tina Charles and Others As Her Favorite WNBA’ers to watch 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.

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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.

Spike Lee courtside at Madison Square Garden, Photo Courtesy of Yard Barker

Candice Wiggins had a very successful WNBA career. Wiggins won a WNBA Championshop and once won the WNBA’s Sixth Woman of the Year Award.

But, to add to that list, she can say that as a member of the New York Liberty, she played in front of die-hard New York Knicks fan Spike Lee.

Wiggins retired from basketball as a member of the New York Liberty in 2015. But she distintly remembers Lee sitting courtside!

“I would say, you know the coolest thing was playing in Madison Square Garden and just helping the Liberty have the best season in history,” Wiggins told me on Scoop B Radio.

How cool is that? 

Check Out Candice Wiggins and Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson chatting on Scoop B Radio.

“And I would say having Spike Lee at the game. He came to our two last games. He came to the Eastern Conference Semis and then the Eastern Conference Finals and I remember the whole season I was saying the last year: ‘I know I’ve made it, as soon as I signed with the New York Liberty, I said: I know I’ve made it when Spike Lee comes to a game.’ And I kinda just put that out there in the universe and every time I would say it to people, people were just like: ‘Man, Spike Lee ain’t coming to no WNBA game, he ain’t coming to our game, he’s never coming to our game. He ain’t in 20 years.’  Everyone kind of just rolled their eyes.”

Retired WNBA player Candice Wiggins chats with Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson on Scoop B Radio about playing at Madison Square Garden In front of Spike Lee. Photo Courtesy of New York Daily News

But Wiggins had faith as small as a mustard seed. And guess what? Spike Lee came to a New York Liberty game!

“I’m like: ‘man I have a feeling, man I just have a feeling that if we get good enough.’ I was just putting it out in the universe and then I’ll never forget I was warming up and then I looked up at the Jumbotron in Madison Square Garden: and it said: “Thanks Spike Lee, welcome Spike Lee to a Liberty game.” I was like: ‘oh no it’s over now.’ Like this is it, like this is it. And then you know, I had two of my best games in my entire career with him there?  And I just, that’s when I really felt that like I was on the top of Mount Everest. Like you know, it was the craziest thing I just felt like this is it. This is what athletes play for to be in the mecca; Spike Lee sideline at the Garden, damn!”

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The post Scoop B: Candice Wiggins Says She Enjoyed Playing In Front of Spike Lee at Madison Square Garden 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.”

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Chances are, she’ll be successful and her resume supports it. She’s been a winner on every level: three WNBA Championships, two NCAA National Championships and two Olympic gold medals.

Cash credits it to leadership and her hometown, Mckeesport, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh. “You lead all of the people around you,” Cash told me on today’s episode of Scoop B Radio.

Check Out Swin Cash and CBS’s Brandon Robinson on Scoop B Radio

“Sometimes being a leader doesn’t mean that you are the vocal leader, you’re the hardest worker. It’s about how you make the people around you better. That’s how I’ve always looked at leadership. It’s something that’s always stayed with me.”

So what’s next for Cash? Hey TV producers, casting directors and anyone else, here’s what you need to do to get Swin Cash on your network.

“I think the ability to be myself,” said Cash. “Understanding that I would like the opportunity to continue to grow. I love direction; I’m very critical of myself so I want to have the ability to grow and to not be put into a box. I think sometimes you look at a female covering male sports and sometimes people get put into a box and I still need someone to understand that I was not born to be put into a box. So giving me that ability to really grow and not look at me as just a female analyst, but look at me as just an analyst is what I would probably want.And also I’m not looking to just do sports. I’m looking to cross over and to be able to host and do entertainment and do other things. So I want to spread my wings and I’m just looking for the right people to open those doors and allow me to do that.”

Good Morning America with Robin Roberts and Michael Strahan would be a good fit, maybe. Right Swin?

“Well I love Robin [Roberts] and I love Michael [Strahan] and both of them have been very instrumental in my groove on the television side,” she said. “They’ve opened up their arms in allowing me to even shadow them and see what it’s like to be part of that television grind. So, hopefully one day.”

The second pick in the 2002 WNBA draft, Cash finished her career averaging 10.7 points per game playing for the Detroit Shock, Seattle Storm, Chicago Sky, Atlanta Dream and the New York Liberty. This past summer she was listed in the WNBA’s Top 20, a list culminated to honor the league’s top players in it’s now 20 year existence.That list also includes Seimone Augustus, Sue Bird, Tamika Catchings, Maya Moore, Candace Parker, Cappie Pondexter, Diana Taurasi, Lindsay Whalen, Cynthia Cooper, Yolanda Griffith, Becky Hammon, Lauren Jackson, Lisa Leslie, Deanna Nolan, Ticha Penicheiro, Katie Smith, Sheryl Swoopes, Tina Thompson and Teresa Weatherspoon.

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The post Scoop B Radio: Swin Cash Talks Television & McKeesport, Pennsylvania appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.