<![CDATA[NBABrothers Thoughts & Theories

<![CDATA[NBABrothers Thoughts & Theories - Recent Posts]]>Tue, 27 May 2025 14:02:59 -0400Weebly<![CDATA[Bergen Record December 21, 2014]]>Fri, 26 Nov 2021 23:55:31 GMThttps://www.nbabrothers.com/recent-posts/bergen-record-december-21-2014

]]><![CDATA[Bergen Record August 25, 2014]]>Fri, 26 Nov 2021 22:54:00 GMThttps://www.nbabrothers.com/recent-posts/bergen-record-august-252014-and-december-21-2014

]]><![CDATA[Dacityofguards Phenomenom! What's it all about]]>Fri, 16 Nov 2018 00:18:32 GMThttps://www.nbabrothers.com/recent-posts/dacityofguards-phenomenom-whats-it-all-about

DaCityOfGuards founders Karriem Thomas, his son Karriem and Jermel Thomas

1. What started Dacityofguards phenomenon?
Me and my sons Karriem thomas and Jermel thomas started Dacityofguards because basketball has change. It’s players in the nba that 6’10 that can handle the basketball like a point guard

2. For those who aren’t aware, how did you come with the name?

I came up with dacityofguards name I took a picture at Jermel 3rd grade nationals of all the teams that was out there from New York and was like Wowwwww it’s the Dacityofguards in this picture

3. You have a large following with several young basketball players adopting Dacityofguards as part of their tag name on Instagram. Did you think it would flow and grow the way it has?

Honestly I knew it will flow this way because before the name Dacityofguards I use to get a lot of dm from kids saying I inspire them from my work outs I do with my kids
4. What does a player have to do to become a part of Dacityofguards?

If a player wants to become Dacityofguards member first he has to be good in school second he has to be respectful to everyone one third he has to be a hard worker. You don’t have to be ranked to become Dacityofguards

5. How many players have Dacityofguards as part of their tag name?

And u have to dm me if u want to become Dacityofguards and ask me for permission. It’s over 1000 members or more that Dacityofguards

6, is there a goal that you are looking to reach?

My goal is to impact the world on staying positive and never give up on y’all self and to remain humble and focus

7. What are the next steps Dacityofguards is looking or thinking of that can possible extend the reach of Dacityofguards?

My next goal with dacityofguards movement is to start basketball camps, tournaments and to have my brand in stores

8. Can you give us a list of everyone who has Dacityofguards in their tag name?

It’s to members for me to give all the names lol but once go on Instagram and push in Dacityofguards 1000 Dacityofguards members will pop up. To name a few
@)Dacityofguards_mills
@Dacityofguards_jada
@dacityofguards_melmel
@dacityofguards_k
@Dacityofguards_hanz
@dacityofguards_bb
@Dacityofguards_jjdthebrow
@dacityofguards_edubb
It’s so many lol.

It’s was a pleasure speaking to you and thanks for reaching out and showing the biggest aau basketball movement ever some love, it’s only one way and that’s Dacityofguards way lol

It was a pleasure speaking with you also and please follow @Dacityofguards and @NBABrothers on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Direct links can be accessed by clicking on the tag names below. Please follow the phenomenom:
@Dacityofguards_thomasbrothers
@NBABrothers

Website: www.NBABrothers.com
Twitter: @NBABrothers
https://twitter.com/NBABrothers
Instagram: @NBABrothers
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YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/NBABrothersBlog

]]><![CDATA[The John Starks Interview is Here!]]>Tue, 19 Jan 2016 00:05:32 GMThttps://www.nbabrothers.com/recent-posts/the-john-starks-interview-is-hereOn November 15, 2015 my brother Chris from Christian's Corner here at NBABrothers received a happy birthday from the one and only New York's son John Starks! Wait it gets even better! John Starks then sent Chris a Happy Birthday picture (seen below).

John Starks Happy Birthday picture to NBABrothers Chris!

Well it got even better because tonight we got to interview a New York Knick fan favorite John Starks himself!

Our parents always talked about how John Starks was the epitome of what New York is all about. Perseverance, persistence, desire, diehard, no-quit attitude, work hard, play harder, inspirational. These are the words that describe who John Starks is and what we should all strive to be in our lives. A success.

So below please click on the YouTube video to listen to the John Starks interview we just finished and also take note of the John Starks Foundation and the upcoming bowling fund raiser Celebrity Bowl on Wednesday, February 17, 2016 at Lucky Strike in New York City.

So click below to listen to the full John Starks Interview and please leave comments...

]]><![CDATA[Rucker 50th at Clydes Wine and Dine Press Conference (Wally Szczerbiak Interview)]]>Sat, 15 Aug 2015 01:37:38 GMThttps://www.nbabrothers.com/recent-posts/rucker-50th-at-clydes-wine-and-dine-press-conference-wally-szczerbiak-interviewYesterday was an amazing event as a whole! The 50th Anniversary of Rucker Park Pro Legends held a Press Conference at Clyde's Wine and Dine and it was an amazing event. Below we were privileged to interview Wally Szczerbiak of NBA fame and who done color commentating for the New York Knicks this past season. Please check out the interview and also click on the photos section link and button on the event including a special game of HORSE that Anthony Mason, Jr. and NBABrother Mike and Chris had at Clydes Wine and DIne...

Please comment and also as mentioned before, check out the pics of the press conference including Pee Wee Kirkland's family and the game of HORSE played by NBA Brothers and Anthony Mason, Jr.

Click Here Presser at Clydes Photos & HOrse Game

]]><![CDATA[Rucker Park 50th Anniversary Press Conference At PrimeOne 16 Eatery]]>Fri, 14 Aug 2015 01:13:38 GMThttps://www.nbabrothers.com/recent-posts/rucker-park-50th-anniversary-press-conference-at-primeone-16-eatery

Rucker Park's 50th Anniversary is this year 2015. Several events have been lined up and the first Press Conference occurred at Prime One 16 Steak Restaurant this past Wednesday which introduced the Legends from 2-5pm on August 5, 2015.
See the interviews with Legends from Bob McCulloch, Sr., Richard "Pee Wee" Kirkland, Bill "Poodle" Willoughby (who blocked Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's Hook shot at it's peak, Bobby "Bingo" Smith, Joe "The Destroyer" Hammond, Calvin Ramsey and more!

This was a great experience and more to come next week! So enjoy the 50th Anniversary Press Conference Legends Interview (PART 1) here consists of Pee Wee Kirland, Joe "The Destroyer" Hammond and Calvin Ramsey:

Part II of the Interviews can be seen here at Christian's Corner (click on the button below). The interviews there include Bob McCulloch, Bill "Poodle" Willoughby and Bobby "Bingo" Smith. View the Legends Interviews Part 2 by clicking the button below out...

Legends Interviews Part 2

This Press Conference was held at PrimeOne16 Eatery thanks to Mercedes Corona (Manager) who was the best host there can be.

And a special photo section of the event at Prime One 16 Steakhouse can be found by clicking the button below:

Prime One 16 Press Conference Pics

]]><![CDATA[NBA Brothers Interview New York Legend Patrick Ewing!!!]]>Wed, 22 Jul 2015 03:36:56 GMThttps://www.nbabrothers.com/recent-posts/nba-brothers-interview-new-york-legend-patrick-ewing

Sometimes dreams really do come true. Ours did when we got to interview All-time great New York Knick legend Patrick Ewing! Yes, you read correctly. THE PATRICK EWING!!! New York Knick #33, the Warrior!

We are so grateful to Patrick for granting us this honor, which every Knick fan out there can understand how much this means to us. Listen to the interview here or read below for the transcript.

NBA Brothers (Mike): What's your best NBA memory and why?

NY Knick Legend Patrick Ewing: My best NBA memory? Well, you know I have a lot of great memories over my career but I think the best one is when we beat Indiana in game seven to finally get to the Finals.

NBA Brothers (Mike): You beat Reggie Miller, right?

NY Knick Legend Patrick Ewing: Yes, Reggie Miller and the Indiana Pacers.

NBA Brothers (Mike): Who was your toughest individual opponent?

NY Knick Legend Patrick Ewing: The toughest person I had to play against? When I played, there were so many great centers…hmm…I would say Hakeem Olajuwon and Shaq. Hakeem, because he was very skilled and could shoot it, rebound it…he was extremely strong. And Shaq because of his size and his dominance.

NBA Brothers (Mike): Who would be your all-time starting five?

NY Knick Legend Patrick Ewing: My all-time starting five? Wow. You know what, there's so many great players that have come through this league…Hmm...Definitely myself, Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.

NBA Brothers (Mike): Who was your favorite coach to play for in college and in the NBA?

NY Knick Legend Patrick Ewing: Well, definitely John Thompson. He was the only coach I had in college. He is definitely one of my best coaches. You know, I felt that I was blessed -- I was able to play for some great coaches starting from high school. Mike Jarvis was my high school coach for years and John Thomson was my coach for four years. When I came to the Knicks, I was blessed being able to be coached by Pat Riley and Jeff Van Gundy.

NBA Brothers (Mike): What do you consider as the biggest challenge you face playing basketball?

NY Knick Legend Patrick Ewing: Biggest challenge? To win the ultimate prize…win the NBA title.

NBA Brothers (Chris): Who is your favorite role model?
NY Knick Legend Patrick Ewing: My favorite role model is my mother and father.
NBA Brothers (Chris): That is a good role model.

NBA Brothers (Chris): What team did you most want to play for in college and why?

NY Knick Legend Patrick Ewing: It was Georgetown, the college that I attended. One of the main reasons was Coach Thompson. I thought he was a great role model. You know, the way he carried himself, the way that he spoke, he was very articulate and he was black.

NBA Brothers (Chris): What game meant the most to you in your career and why?

NY Knick Legend Patrick Ewing: Like I said to your brother before, I have a lots of great games. The main one that sticks out right now is the one in which we beat Indiana to get to the finals. This was our first time making it to the finals and my first time having the opportunity to compete for the championship.

NBA Brothers (Chris): What do you consider is your greatest accomplishment in life?

NY Knick Legend Patrick Ewing: My greatest accomplishment in life are my kids. They are my legacy. I am blessed to have five beautiful children and they are going to carry-on my name and what I believe in.

NBA Brothers (Chris): When did you discover your love of basketball?

NY Knick Legend Patrick Ewing: I discovered my love of basketball when I moved to America. I was born in Jamaica and I came to America when I was 12. I found the game of basketball one day watching these guys playing it on the playground. And, I fell in love with it instantly.

NBA Brothers (Chris): What advice would you give kids that have NBA dreams?

NY Knick Legend Patrick Ewing: Just believe in yourself and work at it. Whatever goals you have in life, don't let anyone discourage you from it, but you also have to have a backup plan if that dream doesn't come true.

The Warrior!!! Patrick Ewing!!!

And so it was that on Friday, July 17th of 2015, NBABrothers Mike and Chris were privileged enough to interview the one, the only, Our Champion, New York Knicks Legend, Dream Team Starting Center and Warrior PATRICK EWING!

Please comment below and thank you all for hearing and reading The Interview!

]]><![CDATA[Knicks Draft Day at Clyde's Wine and Dine!]]>Fri, 26 Jun 2015 23:40:36 GMThttps://www.nbabrothers.com/recent-posts/june-26th-2015

Last night was draft night and I could not have spent it in a better way, at Clyde's Wine and Dine. We met arguably the greatest New York Knick of all time Walt “Clyde” Frazier. He was a really awesome and relaxed guy and he was surely a pleasure to meet. Also, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Tim Hardaway Jr, Langston Galloway, and Cleanthony Early were all in attendance and we had a good time chatting and taking photos.

Now to the exciting part....the Draft itself! The fan reaction at Clyde's Wine and Dine was not too forthcoming, but the reasoning behind that is that the pick for number 4 that Phil Jackson made was for a relatively unknown overseas player as opposed to the popular choice(s) that pre-draft predictions (including us) thought he would go with.

Kristaps Porzingis is a well-rounded center and has a solid jumpshot and he will be impossible to block from long range. The best part about him is that he has a lot of potential for a 7 foot center that is only 19 years old and has a knockdown jumper. I think that he can help the Knicks in these ways.

Also, when we were getting a picture with Tim Hardaway Jr, he told me to turn my Knicks hat around and told me and my two brothers that he doesn't play with New York anymore. We were devastated and we told him good luck with his next team. The trade was for Tim Hardaway Jr to Atlanta for Jerani Grant to the Knicks and the Wizards receive Kelly Oubre.

Also, Phil Jackson traded another two future second round draft picks for a second rounder, Guillermo Hernangomez. So, Phil Jackson's decisions last night have many people feeling very unsure about what he is trying to do with New York. I cannot figure out what he is trying to do either. Anyway, Langston Galloway allowed my brother and I to interview him. So, here is the first part of the interview.

If you want to see Christian's part of the interview, click on this link: http://www.nbabrothers.com/christians-corner/draft-day-at-clydes-wine-and-dine
In conclusion, it was a very great time at Clyde's Wine and Dine but Phil Jackson's decisions were very questionable in my eyes. What do you guys think? Was Kristaps Porzingis the right choice? Should we have kept Hardaway? Let me know in the comments below. Thanks for reading and please comment.

]]><![CDATA[Will the 2015 NBA Draft Deliver?]]>Thu, 25 Jun 2015 00:53:38 GMThttps://www.nbabrothers.com/recent-posts/will-the-2015-nba-draft-deliver

Tomorrow night is a big day for us NBA fans. The 2015 draft begins at 8 p.m. Now, every draft usually brings along some surprises. This year’s draft has so many highly skilled players in every position, it’s possible that it could be a draft of dreams like those in 1984 which brought us Jordan, Olajuwon, Barkley and Stockton or like in 2003 where the NBA welcomed LeBron, D-Wade, Carmelo and Bosh. Whether it delivers on that level or not, one thing’s for sure, there’s no shortage of talent.

I am hoping the Knicks make the most of this year’s early pick. If they hold onto their fourth spot, I predict there is a good chance they’ll pick up Emmanuel Mudiay. He’s an athletic six-five point guard who can drive to the basket and add depth to the lineup. The Timberwolves get the first pick and I think they will select Jahill Okafor, who will really help them out as he is a big guy who can dominate his center position. There is so much talent up for grabs this year that I am really excited to see who goes where in the draft and to see where greatness starts.

Here are my first round draft predictions. Do you agree? Compare your list against mine and check out my brother, Christian’s picks and let’s see how many we get right tomorrow night.

Here are my predictions:

R1#1: Minnesota Timberwolves: Jahill Okafor (Duke)

R1#2: Los Angeles Lakers: Karl-Anthony Towns (Kentucky)

R1#3: Philadelphia 76ers: D’Angelo Russell (Ohio State)

R1#4: New York Knicks: Emmanuel Mudiay (International)

R1#5: Orlando Magic: Justice Winslow (Duke)

R1#6: Sacramento Kings: Mario Hezonja (International)

R1#7: Denver Nuggets: Willie Cauley-Stein (Kentucky)

R1#8: Detroit Pistons: Frank Kaminsky (Wisconsin)

R1#9: Charlotte Hornets: Kristaps Porzingis (International)

R1#10: Miami Heat: Tyus Jones (Duke)

R1#11: Indiana Pacers: Myles Turner (Texas)

R1#12: Utah Jazz: Devin Booker (Kentucky)

R1#13: Phoenix Suns: Stanley Johnson (Arizona)

R1#14: Oklahoma City Thunder: Trey Lyles (Kentucky)

R1#15: Atlanta Hawks: Cameron Payne (Murray State)

R1#16: Boston Celtics: Kelly Oubre (Kansas)

R1#17: Milwaukee Bucks: Justin Anderson (Virginia)

R1#18: Houston Rockets: Bobby Portis (Arkansas)

R1#19: Washington Wizards: R.J. Hunter (Georgia State)

R1#20: Toronto Raptors: Kevin Looney (UCLA)

R1#21: Dallas Mavericks: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (Arizona)

R1#22: Chicago Bulls: Sam Dekker (Wisconsin)

R1#23: Portland Trail Blazers: Michael Frazier (Florida)

R1#24: Cleveland Cavaliers: Anthony Brown (Stanford)

R1#25: Memphis Grizzlies: Jerian Grant (Notre Dame)

R1#26: San Antonio Spurs: Jonathan Holmes (Texas)

R1#27: Los Angeles Lakers: Terry Rozier (Louisville)

R1#28: Boston Celtics: Montrezi Harrell (Louisville)

R1#29: Brooklyn Nets: Richaun Holmes (Bowling Green)

R1#30: Golden State Warriors: Delon Wright (Utah)

]]><![CDATA[Brother vs. Brother: 2nd Round Predictions!]]>Sun, 03 May 2015 19:17:32 GMThttps://www.nbabrothers.com/recent-posts/brother-vs-brother-2nd-round-predictions To start off let's recap my first round picks and see how they turned out against the real results. In the east I predicted that the Hawks would defeat the Nets in 6, the Wizards would defeat the Raptors in 7, the Bulls would beat the Bucks in 5, and the Cavaliers would beat the Celtics in 4. What really happened was that the Hawks defeated the nets in 6 games, the Wizards defeated the Raptors in a sweep, the Bulls defeated the Bucks in 6, and the Cavaliers swept the Celtics in 4 games. Now let's move onto the Western Conference. In the west are predicted that the Warriors would sweep the Pelicans, the Grizzlies would defeat the Blazers in six, The Spurs would defeat the Clippers in six, and the Rockets would defeat the Mavericks in five games. What really happened was that the Warriors swept the Pelicans, the Grizzlies defeated the Blazers in five, the Clippers defeated the Spurs in seven games, and the Rockets defeated the Mavericks in five. And now it's time for the reason why you clicked on this blog. My 2nd round playoff predictions.

In the East, the 1 seed Hawks will go up against the 5 seed Wizards. I believe that the Wizards will take this series in the six. I believe this because they have better guard play and that they can stop Paul Millsap and Al Horford from getting easy buckets. The other series in the East consists of the 2 seed Cleveland Cavaliers up against the 3 seed Chicago Bulls. I think the Cavs will take this in seven games. I believe this because I think LeBron and Kyrie Irving will be too much for the Bulls' defense. Also, I feel that if Chicago is stuggling on offense it is going to be a long game for them.

Now onto the Western Conference second round games. First off, we have the one seed Golden State Warriors going up against the five seed Memphis grizzlies. In the series, I think that Golden State or walk away with this in six. I feel that the shooting of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson will be too much for the Grizzlies defense. Also, just like the Bulls, if the Grizzlies are unable to score consistently, it is going to be a long game. The final series of the second round consists of the 2 seed Houston Rockets and the 3 seed Los Angeles Clippers. I think the Houston Rockets can beat the Clippers in 6 games. The reason for this is that I think Dwight will be too much for DeAndre Jordan and Harden will be too much for CP3 and J.J. Redick. Simple as that. To summarize I think that the Wizards will beat the Hawks in 6, the Cavaliers will beat the Bulls in 7, the Warriors will win in 6, and the Rockets will beat the Clippers in 6. Tell me what you think about these playoff predictions. Do you agree or disagree? Tell me in the comments. Thanks for reading and please comment!

]]><![CDATA[Brother vs. Brother: Mike's NBA Playoff Predictions]]>Fri, 17 Apr 2015 01:14:52 GMThttps://www.nbabrothers.com/recent-posts/brother-vs-brother-mikes-nba-playoff-predictions

The 1st round of the NBA Playoffs is this Saturday, so that means it is time for my NBA Playoff predictions! Let’s start with the Eastern side of the NBA with the first 1 vs. 8 seed, the Hawks and the Nets. Surprisingly, I think this will be a decent series, but overall I think the Hawks will take it in 6. Atlanta is very consistent and although Brooklyn has talent with Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, and Kevin Garnett, I think Atlanta’s consistency will put them on top. The 2 vs 7 series for the East consists of the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics. To be honest, I think this is a clean sweep for Cleveland. Boston has been playing pretty well this season but I still don’t believe they have a chance to sneak one game against Cleveland. With a big three of Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love, and LeBron James, I don’t see Boston having a chance of sneaking by with a win. The 3 vs 6 series for the East consists of the Chicago Bulls and the Milwaukee Bucks. I think this one will go to Chicago in 5 games. Although Jason Kidd has done a great job getting the young Milwaukee Bucks to a 6 seed in the East, I can only see them sneaking one game past Chicago who have Derrick Rose, Jimmy Butler, Joakim Noah, and the Pau Gasol. The 4 vs 5 series consists of the Washington Wizards and the Toronto Raptors. I think Washington will take this series in 7 games. It will be close because the two teams are both very talented but I feel Washington will conquer them in the end. Now let’s move on to the Western side of the NBA.

The 1 vs 8 seed is the Warriors and the Pelicans. I think this will be a clean sweep for Golden State and even though the Pelicans have Anthony Davis, I still don’t think that the Pelicans would be able to sneak away a win. Next up are the Houston Rockets and the Dallas Mavericks for the 2 vs 7 seed. I think James Harden will be too much for Dirk and the Mavericks and I think the Rockets will win in 5 games. Next up is the 3 vs 6 seed which is the Clippers and the Spurs. I think this will be an upset and I think the Spurs will win in 6 because they are still a better team, even if their record doesn’t show it. And finally the 4 vs 5 series between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Portland Trail Blazers is sure to be good. However, I think Memphis will take the series in 6. So, in conclusion, the Hawks will beat the Nets in 6, the Cavs will sweep the Celtics, the Bulls will defeat the Bucks in 5, the Wizards will beat the Raptors in 7, the Warriors will sweep the Pelicans, the Rockets will defeat the Mavs in 5, the Spurs will upset the Clippers in 6, and the Grizzlies will beat the Blazers in 6. These are my 1st round playoff predictions, what are yours? Leave a comment below so I can see who you have going to the next round. Anyway, thanks for reading and please comment!

See Also Christian's Predictions here

]]><![CDATA[Westchester Knicks vs. Grand Rapids Drive]]>Tue, 31 Mar 2015 22:57:02 GMThttps://www.nbabrothers.com/recent-posts/westchester-knicks-vs-grand-rapids-drive

As the Westchester Knicks' inaugural season was coming down to the wire, they had their last March game of the season against the Grand Rapids Drive. Let's see how it played out: Westchester started off a bit shaky immediately going down 10-0 after just about 2 minutes of play. They then came storming back to give themselves the lead after being down 10 to make the score 13-10 with Westchester in front. They continued to trade baskets throughout the rest of the quarter but Westchester still had the upper hand with a lead of 31-27 to end the first. Halfway through the second, the Knicks led 48-41. However, the Drive came back to tie the game at 61 a piece to end the second quarter. With around 5 minutes left in the third, the Drive took the lead by 4 with a score of 75-71. At the end of the third, the Drive led 83-78. In the fourth, with around 8 minutes left, the Drive had a 96-86 lead. Westchester looked for a spark to get back into the game and they got it with around 4 minutes left, cutting the Drive's lead to 5 points. However, they could not finish the job and the Drive went on to win 111-103. We interviewed new head coach Craig Hodges after the game. This was his first game being the head coach of the Westchester Knicks and he was pretty pleased with the effort they put in. To see the full interview, watch the video below.

Westchester played their best on the court and they should be looking into next season with their heads held high. Let's go Westchester! Thanks for reading and please comment!

]]><![CDATA[Antetokounmpo Shines Bright as Westchester Knicks Split Weekend!]]>Sun, 08 Feb 2015 23:14:55 GMThttps://www.nbabrothers.com/recent-posts/antetokounmpo-shines-bright-as-westchester-knicks-split-weekend

The Westchester Knicks had a full schedule this weekend, splitting two games between the win and loss columns. But the real star was Thanasis Antetokounmpo, who dazzled the crowd on Saturday night with a franchise high of 30 points. It was also a career high for Antetokounmpo, who has been with Westchester Knicks since the start of its inaugural season.

On Friday, the Knicks met up with the Delaware 87ers and added a big fat W to their win column. The Knicks came out strong on Friday, taking an early lead in the first quarter but losing ground slightly to the 87ers, who were up 23-20 midway through the first quarter. At the end of the first, Westchester took hold of the lead 33-27.

In the second quarter, the Knicks took charge going on a 14-4 run to end the half leading 63-52. They continued to dominate the scoreboard taking a 73-57 lead nearly halfway through the third quarter. The 87ers fought back hard but it was no use. After a Marcus Ginyard steal and score, Westchester closed the third quarter strong with a 93-80 lead. The fourth quarter was more of the same with the Knicks making a 10-0 run at one point to bring the score to 103-90. Dominating the floor the rest of the game, the Knicks finalized the win with a total score of 126-101.

After Friday’s game, we interviewed Marcus Ginyard. Click here for the interview.

We also got to talk to coach as well. Here is the coach post game interview.

On Saturday, the Westchester Knicks faced off against the Maine Red Claws. The final outcome of this game would not be as favorable for them, as they lost to the Red Claws 121-108.

Still, it was a very entertaining game to watch. Despite the loss, Thanasis Antetokounmpo starred in a 30-point performance to the delight of Westchester Knicks fans. I am sure that we will be seeing more starring roles for Thanasis in the future.

At the end of the day, Westchester is working hard to get higher in the win column and it is adding up for them. As they continue to build momentum, I am hopeful they will be securing a spot in the playoffs. Take time to come to the game and cheer them on. You won’t be disappointed.

Anyway, thanks for reading and please comment!

]]><![CDATA[Westchester Knicks vs. Fort Wayne Mad Ants]]>Tue, 13 Jan 2015 01:30:07 GMThttps://www.nbabrothers.com/recent-posts/westchester-knicks-vs-fort-wayne-mad-ants

It started out pretty even between the two teams, and halfway through the first, Westchester led the Mad Ants 10-9. It was close in the beginning with the Mad Ants with a little lead of 21-18. The Mad Ants began to pull away from Westchester by gaining a 9 point lead, 29-20. The Fort Wayne Mad Ants kept pushing and took a second quarter lead 44-29 and Westchester was forced to call a timeout with 1:30 left in the half. At the end of the half the Mad Ants led 50-32. Westchester began coming back cutting it to 11 with a score of 55-44. Westchester then cut it to six with a score of 67-61. At the end of the third the Mad Ants led by only 5 points, 67-62. They then cut it to one point making the score 72-71. The Mad Ants were determined, however, to come out on top as they took a ten point lead, 88-78. The Mad Ants and Knicks continued to trade baskets but the Knicks needed to get on a run. They did just that and cut it to 2 with 1:10 remaining on a Walker Russell three pointer to make it 94-92. Walker Russell Jr. then sank two free throws to tie the game at 94 with 03.6 seconds left. The Mad Ants then scored leaving 0.3 seconds left and taking the lead 96-94. And that was the game. After the game, we interviewed Marcus Ginyard who is a really chill guy and took the time to answer our questions. Here is the interview.

We also interviewed the coach, some fans, and Langston Galloway who was recently signed by the Knicks. Here are the interviews below.
Chris also interviewed a fan and gave the coach a few questions. You can see them on Christian's Corner.

Christian's corner press conference and fan interview

Westchester played very well but unfortunately it did not end the way they wanted it to. Anyway, thanks for reading and please comment for more Westchester Knicks info!

]]><![CDATA[Westchester Knicks Overpower Iowa Energy]]>Sun, 04 Jan 2015 21:36:37 GMThttps://www.nbabrothers.com/recent-posts/westchester-knicks-overpower-iowa-energy

Both teams had a bit of a tough time scoring in the beginning of the game. Once the teams started getting on the board, they traded baskets for a bit with the score being tied at 6. Then, Westchester decided to take control with a 7-0 run to make it 13-6. Iowa pushed back, however, to make it 15-13 halfway through the first. From then on, both teams proceeded to trade baskets until the end of the first with a score of 28-24 with Westchester in front. Iowa had an early run in the second taking a five point lead (37-32). They continued to trade baskets with Iowa still in front 51-47. However, Westchester tied it up at 51 right up to halftime. Iowa started well in the third quarter with an 8 point lead, 59-51. Westchester brought it back to 2 about halfway through the third. Ron Anderson Jr hit a big shot to give Westchester the lead and then Westchester began to take over with a 75-72. Westchester ended the quarter in front 81-77. Westchester started well in the fourth with a five point lead, 94-89. The Knicks then pulled away with a 101-96 lead with 49.9 seconds left in the fourth. Westchester won the game by a good 4 points with a final score of 108-104. Westchester closed out the game and won in spectacular fashion. Here is what Coach Kevin Whitted and Langston Galloway said after the game.

The Rocktown Monarchs also showed that they belong in the AAU leagues and tournaments because at halftime they played a game and really showed how they can ball out. They are coached by JR Inman and my brother and I are a part of the team as well. Anyway, to close, my brother and I were shown on the screens of the Westchester Community Center interviewing fans. Anyway, thanks for watching and please comment!

]]><![CDATA[Westchester Knicks Defeated By Maine Red Claws In a Nailbiter!]]>Sat, 03 Jan 2015 00:51:48 GMThttps://www.nbabrothers.com/recent-posts/westchester-knicks-defeated-by-maine-red-claws-in-a-nailbiter

The game between the Maine Red Claws and the Westchester Knicks was tight throughout the whole game and ended in an amazing fashion. It started out pretty even throughout the first as the Red Claws and the Knicks traded baskets every time down. Ron Anderson Jr. (the Knicks’ newest pickup), really showed that he belonged on the court and ended the quarter with 8 early points and helped the Knicks take the lead after the first 30-27. The Knicks proceeded to fight and took a good 8 point lead (40-32) in the middle of the second. From then on until halftime, they traded baskets again with the Knicks leading 56-54 at the half. However, the Red Claws began a comeback and started a major run that left the Knicks down halfway through the third 77-67. Westchester pushed back, however and made it a four point game, (80-76), but were still trailing. At the end of the third, Maine led 82-78. The Knicks then pushed back to tie the game at 85. The Knicks went on a small 4-0 run to regain the lead 89-85. Maine did not give up, though, as they made the game close once again at 92-91 and then took the lead 93-92. Westchester went up 96-95 but Maine was not done as Time Frazier put up a potential game winner and made the game 97-96 with Maine in front. However, Walker Russell Jr. did not allow that to happen as he isolated Maine and took it to the rim to give Westchester the 98-97. Then, Tim Frazier hit a game winner to win 99-98 but it ended without review of interference or the amount of time left on the clock. Anyway, it was a good game and Coach Whitted stated that they should not have been in that position anyway. Here is the press conference that occurred after the game.

We also got to interview newly acquired Ron Anderson Jr and he was a really cool guy to chat with. Here is the interview down below.

This was a very exciting game although it did not end the way the Knicks wanted it to. They gave it their all and thing just did not go their way. Anyway, thanks for reading and please comment!

]]><![CDATA[Westchester Knicks Defeat Erie Bayhawks Right Before Christmas!]]>Wed, 24 Dec 2014 20:06:10 GMThttps://www.nbabrothers.com/recent-posts/westchester-knicks-defeat-erie-bayhawks-right-before-christmas

The Westchester Knicks received an early Christmas gift by getting a solid win against the Erie Bayhawks with a finals score of 108-102. Westchester took control early, taking the lead by nearly 14 points, but Erie continued to fight. At the end of the third, the Bayhawks led 78-75. However, the Knicks were not done there as they proceeded to put Markeith Cummings into the game. He made a huge impact scoring 15 points in the fourth quarter alone to add to his 19. After the game, we had a couple of questions for coach Whitted after the game and what a huge impact Markeith had on the game. If you would like to see that, go to Christian’s Corner by clicking on the button below.

Coach Whitted interview on christian's corner

Also, we were involved in a halftime trivia game where we would ask two lucky fans questions about the Westchester Knicks to see how well they “Know Their Knicks”. It was a blast and the crowd was all for it as they shouted answers to try and help the contestants. Anyway, here is the full half-time trivia segment of “Know Your Knicks”.

Lastly, after the game, we interviewed Westchester’s Darnell Jackson to see what he thought they did against a tough opponent. He was a really cool guy to talk to and I am looking forward to seeing him at many more Westchester Knicks games. Without further ado, here is my interview with Darnell Jackson.

Also, we met with the Westchester Knicks cheerleaders which was, of course, awesome, and we also met with a really awesome girl who works with the Westchester Knicks and the NBA, Marianne. Marianne was really nice and she even got us Christmas presents! She was really nice and I have a lot of people that I want to talk with again next game. Anyway, great game Westchester, thanks for reading and please comment!

]]><![CDATA[Westchester Knicks Comeback Win Against Vipers!]]>Sat, 13 Dec 2014 18:54:43 GMThttps://www.nbabrothers.com/recent-posts/westchester-knicks-comeback-win-against-vipers

Last night, the Westchester Knicks played the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in an extremely intense game. Rio Grande led for most of the game, but the Westchester Knicks rallied back to win 99-98 with a Darnell Jackson floater for the win. The Knicks played well throughout the whole game but they ended the best. Here is the video of Darnell Jackson’s game winner.

Everyone on the Westchester Knicks played great but here are some specific stats. Andre Barrett had 21 points shooting 50% from the field, and had 5 assists. Thanasis Antetokounmpo had 16 points shooting 75%, and also had 8 boards. Darnell Jackson had 17 points shooting 58% from the field, 12 rebounds, and the game winner. Anyway, after the game, I got to ask Coach Kevin Whitted a couple of questions and I got to interview Thanasis Antetokounmpo after the game. So, without further ado, here is my interview with Thanasis Antetokounmpo. To see the coach interview please visit Christian's Corner.

Christian's corner post game coaches interview

This is the first blog of many to come featuring the Westchester Knicks. They played very well and I cannot wait to see them again. Anyway, thanks for reading and please comment!

]]><![CDATA[Top 10 Basketball Moments I Am Thankful For..]]>Thu, 27 Nov 2014 16:35:17 GMThttps://www.nbabrothers.com/recent-posts/top-10-basketball-moments-i-am-thankful-for There are moments in basketball history that are truly hard to forget. Thanks to the Internet and NBA television, we can relive these moments in time over and over as if we were there. I’ve compiled a list of some of my favorite moments in basketball history, which make it easy to see why I love the game so much. I’m sure you have your own top 10 list so compare it against mine below. Let me know some of your all-time favorites…here are mine.

10. Larry Johnson’s four-point play in the Knicks finals
If you are Knick fan like me, you have to love this one. Back in 1999, in game 2 of the playoffs versus the Pacers, with 5.7 seconds left in the game, LJ sinks an unbelievable three-pointer and draws the foul to win the game.

9. Kobe Bryant 81 points
On January 22, 2006, Kobe Bryant set his own record with 81 points in a single game. He holds the second highest score in a single game. Kobe led the Lakers to victory against the Toronto Raptors, 122-104.

8. Wilt Chamberlain’s 100 point game
On March 2, 1962, Philadelphia Warrior Wilt Chamberlain set a still unbroken record of 100 points in a single game against the New York Knicks. The final score of the game? Philadelphia 169 Knicks 147.

7. Gervin vs. Thompson for scoring title
Back in 1978, San Antonio Spur George Gervin won the scoring title of who averaged most points per game. David Thompson on the Denver Nuggets had been closely trailing Gervin put up an impressive 73 points only to fall short as Gervin put up 63 right after his performance to secure the title.

6. Willis Reed limping on the court
In one of the most inspirational moments in basketball history, injured player New York Knick Willis Reed limped out on the court to play. As a result, he motivated and reenergized his team to victory in the NBA finals in 1970.

5. Dr. J’s amazing around the rim lay-up
During game 4 of the 1980 NBA finals against the Lakers, Julius Irving stunned the crowd with a lay-up that went from one side of the rim to the other in mid-air. The 76ers won that game 105-102.

4. Larry Bird steals the ball from Detroit for the win
With mere seconds left in game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals in 1987, all the Pistons had to do was inbound the ball and hold it. But Larry Bird had other plans. He stole the ball and passed it to Dennis Johnson, who laid it in the basket for the win.

3. Magic Johnson’s Hook shot against the Celtics.
In the 80’s, the rivalry between the Lakers and Celtics was intense. So you can imagine the excitement when Magic Johnson hit a sky hook to win game 6 of the 1987 finals sealing the Championship for the Lakers with a final score of 107-106.

2. Michael Jordan’s last shot as a Bull
Michael Jordan is not one to disappoint. And that was never more evident than in the 1998 Game 6 Finals game with the Chicago Bulls facing the Utah Jazz. Jordan hits a jump shot for the win, closing out his winning career as a Bull.

1. The Entire Dream Team Olympic Season
With a roster including Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Charles Barkley, John Stockton, David Robinson, Patrick Ewing, Scottie Pippen, Clyde Drexler, Karl Malone, Chris Mullin, and Christian Laettner. 11 Hall-of-Famers on one team, it’s pretty easy to see why this is my #1!

@NBABrothers Mike and Chris with soon to be blogger and youngest @NBABrother Joseph!

@NBABrothers are also thankful for the NBA Development Team the Westchester Knicks and their inaugural season in 2014. It may not be in the top 10 but deserves recognition including being the only D-League team that has the same NBAD-League Team name as their NBA counterpart: Knicks.
These were my top 10 basketball moments of all time. Did you think differently? Tell me in the comments. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Thanks for reading and please comment!

]]><![CDATA[NBA Cares and So Do We: Felipe Lopez Interview]]>Thu, 20 Nov 2014 15:52:42 GMThttps://www.nbabrothers.com/recent-posts/nba-cares-and-so-do-we-felipe-lopez-interview

Recently we went to Inglesia Evangelica Hispaniola del Bronx to meet Felipe Lopez and his team called the “Administry of Faith” or FE. FE in Spanish means faith and they are also the first two letters of Felipe Lopez's name so it's a match made in heaven. Felipe Lopez works with NBA Cares and is involved internationally in spreading the word of the NBA to countries such as the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and so on. NBA Cares is the league's global community outreach initiative that addresses important social issues such as education, youth and family development, and health and wellness. So what he is doing is a truly great thing. The link to NBA Cares is http://www.nba.com/cares/. Anyway, I had a blast and even got to play with the players which, if you know me was a great time. My brother and I also got to interview Felipe Lopez after practice and I really learned a lot from his career and the way he showed himself on the court. So, without further ado, here is my interview with Felipe Lopez.

I truly had a great time with Felipe Lopez and his players at FE. Also, here are the players of Felipe Lopez’s Administry of Faith from right to left: Jose Lora, Brandon Matos, Felipe Lopez, Cleivis Matos, José Rudencida, Junior, Jacilys, Manny, Jhonny, and Abby.

Everyone on the team has their own specialties and they are all great people to hang out with. Also, be sure to check out Christian’s Corner because he will have his interview with Felipe Lopez out very soon. Anyway, I had a great time interviewing Felipe Lopez and I am truly honored to interview an NBA player of his caliber. To sum up, I had a great time meeting and interviewing Felipe Lopez and his FE squad. Thanks for reading and please comment!

]]><![CDATA[JR Inman Gets Picked Up By Westchester Knicks!]]>Tue, 04 Nov 2014 00:53:37 GMThttps://www.nbabrothers.com/recent-posts/jr-inman-gets-picked-up-by-westchester-knicks

JR Inman's rights were picked up by the Westchester Knicks last night. He was picked up and will be seen on the team when the season arrives. This is a very exciting moment in JR's career and hopefully he can show what he is truly capable of doing and producing big numbers. JR has been in the NBA D-League 2 other times with the Sioux Falls Sky force in 2010 and the Delaware 87ers in 2013. Can the third time be the charm for JR Inman? He plans on making a statement and get one step closer to the NBA.
I asked him a few questions about how he feels and how he thinks the season will go.

Q: Congratulations on making the Westchester Knicks! How does it feel to know you are going to be playing for your hometown team?

A: Feels great. Happy to represent the players in the Rockland/Bergen/Westchester area. It's a lifelong dream come true.

Q: You are living proof that hard work pays off. And as the CEO and my coach in the Rocktown Monarchs, how do you find the time to be so active in basketball and the community?

A: I think being a college student athlete helped me with time management. I simplify my life by cutting out distractions and focusing on two things. My career, and the Rocktown monarchs.

Q: Are you doing any special training in preparation for the first game of the season?
A: I'm doing more weight training now because I believe that when the season starts there will be less opportunities to build up my body and then the focus becomes on my mind.

Q: Is there anything else you want to add and tell the public and your fans?
A: I need your encouragement and continued support. If I make it, we all make it!

JR Inman is my coach for the Rocktown Monarchs with a combination of kids from New York and New Jersey to go up against other teams throughout the area. He is an awesome coach and really wants to make sure that everyone is cool with the program and is happy with everything about the Rocktown Academy. JR, I hope you can do it this year and I hope that you will get into the NBA and possibly play for one of my personal favorites, the Knicks. Do your best with the Westchester Knicks this year JR! The whole Rocktown family is rooting for you!

This is my article about JR Inman getting picked up by the Westchester Knicks. Thanks for reading and please comment!

]]><![CDATA[Teena P Interview]]>Mon, 27 Oct 2014 21:23:25 GMThttps://www.nbabrothers.com/recent-posts/october-27th-2014

Over twitter, I was able to interview a great person in Teena P. She is followed by Ron Artest A.K.A Metta World Peace A.K.A The Panda’s Friend, Amar’e Stoudemire, and J.R. Smith. She is followed by many other celebs and is currently at 4,000 followers. Her username is @teena_797 so go follow her! She is also a huge Knicks fan just like me.Anyway, let’s get into this interview.

What do you think is the future for Amar'e Stoudemire and how well can he produce this year?
Well you never have to worry about Amar'e not being in shape. He is always ready to play if needed. If he's on his game he will certainly help the Knicks big time. If not, I guess Phil will have some decisions to make.

Would you agree with Phil Jackson's remarks comparing JR Smith with Dennis Rodman?

Kinda makes me laugh the comparison of JR Smith & Rodman. You can compare anyone who has gotten in a little trouble and in the media regarding their personal life. As players they couldn't be more different. Rodman was there to defend and was terrific at it. JR is here for scoring.
Do you follow the NBA?

I got interested in the NBA when I was 12 years old. My dad and older brother were big time New York sports fans. Especially, basketball and the New York Knicks.

What team do you think will stand out this year?
I'd like to think my Knicks will standout this year. Other teams I think will stand out will be Cleveland. They look good on paper with the stars they have there. It will be interesting to see.

Do you have a favorite team?
The New York Knicks are my favorite team. My other team is in the west and that is the Lakers. I don't really have other favorites. There are other teams that I admire like the Spurs.

How does it feel knowing that out of your 4,000 followers on Twitter, various celebrities and NBA players are following you and reading your stuff?
It's nice that people want to follow you who have the same interest as you do. In my case that could be sports, yoga and fashion, but I'm not on twitter for the amount of followers or who they are. I've been lucky enough to make some really good friends on twitter. As for the celebs, media and NBA players it's nice to know they value my thoughts.

How often do you do yoga?
I practice and teach yoga every day. Like any exercise whether it be yoga or running, etc..., keeping in shape makes you feel great. Not only physically but mentally. Yoga is extremely calming for me and most people who practice yoga will tell you that. I actually started practicing yoga in my early teens but was always around it because my mother was a student of yoga and taught yoga part-time.

Who is your favorite player in the NBA currently?
Kobe and Amar'e are my favorite players.

Of all time?
Of all time, Kobe.

What is your favorite sport?
I love baseball, hockey, football, but basketball is still my favorite.

What do you think of Metta World Peace's name change to "The Panda's Friend"?
The Panda’s Friend is very cute but I like Metta World Peace. Ha!

What is your goal on Twitter?
Don't know if it's a goal on twitter, but I look forward to the communication with people on their thoughts on subjects that we are together interested in.

How many followers are you looking to reach?
I don't have a number of followers that I'm looking to reach on twitter. That is not a goal for me.

Who did you look up to as a kid?
As a kid I looked up to my older brother.

How long have you been on social media?
I’ve been on twitter since 2009.

How did you feel when Jeter announced his retirement?
Makes me sad to think that Jeter won't be playing baseball anymore. He is my favorite baseball player. I will miss him terribly in the game, but I understand his decision.

What do you think about LeBron James moving back to Cleveland while leaving Bosh and Wade in Miami?
I'm glad LBJ went back home to Cleveland. I don't see it as him leaving Bosh and Wade. He brought Miami two championship rings and that is what he set out to do when he joined the Heat. He won two, not too shabby.

Do you have any advice to give to kids on any particular subject?
As far as kids, don't ever let anyone stop you from living your dream or tell you that you can't do something.

Is there anything else you would like to add in closing?

Yes, I'd like to add, in closing, Go Knicks!!!! Let's Win This!!!

This was my interview with Teena P from Twitter. Anyway, her username is @teena_797. Thanks for reading and please comment!

]]><![CDATA[Talking about the game you love: An interview with Sportscaster Chris Miles]]>Mon, 20 Oct 2014 20:48:26 GMThttps://www.nbabrothers.com/recent-posts/-talking-about-the-game-you-love-an-interview-with-sportscaster-chris-miles

When you love basketball as much as I do, you really appreciate meeting someone else who loves the game as much as you. That’s why I really liked interviewing Sportscaster Chris Miles. Chris is the pre- and post-game announcer for the Washington Wizards and a Sports caster for Comcast. He has an impressive background in sports broadcasting. He took some time to talk to me and my brother about basketball and his career journey centered on the game. To me, it proves once again that basketball can lead you in many directions both on and off the court.

After interviewing Chris, I could tell he really loved his job and felt lucky to be doing what he loved. He had worked in many states and many sports casting jobs along the way but really appreciated the ride. That is how I would like to feel in my future career. When I asked Chris who his role model was, I was expecting him to name a basketball legend that he admired and looked up to the most. I was surprised when he told me that in life you have many role models along the way but his most important one was his mom. He said she died when he was only 15, but taught him early on how important a good education was and to work hard and stay focused. I realized after talking to him that he is definitely a good role model for me and other kids that love basketball. He loves the game, works hard to work in and around basketball, and is a really, really nice guy.

Here are some excerpts from my interview with Chris Miles. For the full interview, please click on the podcast.

Q: What do you think will be the big NBA stories in the upcoming season?
A: Well, right now it is already circulation that Anthony Davis for MVP. And I am going to jump on that bandwagon, simply because I think that he is great and he has a great head on his shoulders and his family is great. I also think the Kevin Love, Kyrie Irving situation in Cleveland with LeBron James returning. I think that is going to be a big story but I think that is going to be something that is so obvious that everyone knows about. I think the underlying story that nobody is talking about yet is the possibility of Kevin Durant moving maybe coming to Washington DC and playing for the Wizards. I don’t know if he is just going to play out his contract or if there is going to be a lot of trading speculation but I think that that is something that is not on anyone’s radar right now and I also think that Greg Monroe and Eric Bledsoe possibly being traded also could turn out to be a big story this season. Those are the two guys that aren’t really huge stars but if you put them on a major team, let’s say the NY Knicks, or even the Cleveland Cavaliers, I think that they become huge stars and that becomes a huge story. So, I think Kevin Durant possibly being moved--that is something that no one talks about now-- and I think Eric Bledsoe and Greg Monroe being moved also would become huge stories if they moved to big contenders.

Q: How would you describe your career path? How hard was it to achieve your success?
A: Well, Isaiah Thomas had a saying where he’s like you know there were a ton of guys better than me when I played basketball but I worked hard and I tried to stay focused and I made the right decisions and also I was lucky. I certainly feel like it’s the same situation with me. When I think about the fact that I have the job with the Washington Wizards pre-game and post-game host that there’s so many ups and downs, that when you have a great opportunity you realize. “Gee how did I get here?” This was a great journey. This was fun so I think for me it’s just the idea of bouncing around from Bloomfield, West Virginia, to Roanoke Virginia, to Columbus, Ohio, and being at the stations in New Jersey and New Orleans, I think I am just grateful for the opportunities through the entire journey, which I could never map out in a million years.

Q: Can you tell me about your career journey and how you became a sports broadcaster?
A: Well, it started off playing basketball at Rice High School in NY and I realized I wasn’t as good as some of my teammates, who were McDonalds All Americans and had the opportunity to play in the NBA. So, I tried to come up with an idea for a career that would work out for me and broadcasting really fit. I’ve interned at ESPN and the NBA offices and I really found a good group of people that I could learn from and I’ve been doing it since.

Q: What’s the best thing about your job?
A: The best thing about my job is that it never feels like I am actually working. I am a self-admitted sports addict, so when I am not actually at work I am still working -- meaning I wake up in the morning and I go get some shots up, I call my friends and ask we are we going to play today? I try to figure out where I am playing basketball and if I am not doing that, I am reading about all sports really and then I am on TV at different times. Basically, that is my lifestyle and I really enjoy it and I can’t believe some times that this is actually working out for me.

Q: What characteristics make you a good sportscaster?
A: I think the most important thing is to be a student of every sport. One thing I had to learn as a former basketball player is to learn the ins and outs of the NFL….to learn the ins and outs of NASCAR…to learn the ins and outs of baseball. I’d talk to people, who were just as enthusiastic as I am about basketball, about other sports. And, truly, that’s how I developed a kind of higher learning of all sports. And once you do that it becomes really easy and a lot of fun. You also have to make sure that you can talk on TV because if you don’t know what you’re talking about, or if you haven’t done your homework, it’s really difficult to go in front of a ton of people and act as if you are an expert. You have to actually be an expert. And I think that is the key to it all is to make sure you do your homework and make sure that you are passionate about it.

Q: In your opinion, what are the top three skills a good sportscaster needs to become successful?
A: The top three skills…Well, I find that in order to be on television period a lot of people say, ‘Well how do you do it?’ ‘Do you get nervous?’ I think a lot of it is bottling up the energy. Understanding that once the camera’s on, it’s no different than talking to your friends about different sporting events that you would normally do. You just have to make sure that you have a good command of the language and that you read a lot because I think those things help you to really develop an on air presence. That’s number one is to make sure that you are very, very good at speaking in front of a group of people. So, when I was younger I spent a lot of time speaking in public forums and making sure that I was comfortable in front of an audience. I think that’s the number one thing. The second thing is to become a great writer. I know a lot of times people think of newspapers, magazines, online but truly if you are going to speak in front of a camera you should also be a good writer because also because those are the people that really excel. The third thing -and I always tell people that this is something I had to learn on my own- is to be yourself. Everyone looks up to someone and they want to be that person, or they want to feel like they want to be like an on air personality. But, truly, if you do the first two things on that list, the third part will come because you have a unique personality. You are who you are and that will come across eventually. And if people like you, they’ll like you on TV as well.

Q: What do you know now about the job that you wished you knew growing up?
A: I wish I knew when I spent all that time playing basketball, that there was a career that would last way longer than any playing career. One that I could’ve prepared for at a younger age because truly I didn’t prepare for a career in television until after I realized I wasn’t going to make it as a professional basketball player. I think if I had known that when I was younger, I would have prepared for it a lot more and maybe had a quicker start to my career but I think that is the only thing I would’ve done differently. I lived in 10 different states, I worked in West Virginia, Virginia, Columbus, Ohio, New Orleans and now here in DC and I enjoyed every stop on the way.

Q: Is you on air personality the same as off air? How does it differ?
A: I think I am the same person, at least I hope that I am. And what I mean by that is I try not to be a different person when the camera is on. I try to treat people every day the same way that I would like to be treated. And then when it is time to go on television, I try to make sure that whoever I am interacting with, I treat them with respect and I try to learn something from them the same way I would try to learn something from them when I am not on camera. I don’t try to attack any people that I interview. I don’t really try to interject my own opinion too often. I try to get the facts from people and really try to let them tell their story. And I’ve found that that makes people tell me how refreshing that is because truly as an on air person your job is to get the truth and get the story out, not necessarily push your agenda and I think sometimes people get confused.

Q: What’s the best basketball story you ever covered?
A: Hmmm…there are so many. One of the more interesting ones is during the time I covered Virginia Tech for three years when they did not make the NCAA double tournament. It was interesting to become friends with Seth Greenberg, who now works at ESPN, as he went on his rants and all of the pain—they beat Duke and North Carolina the same week, they knocked off a number one Wake Forest team and they did not make the NCAA double tournament. And to just be around that. It was a crazy time and a crazy ride. But I think for me right now, the biggest story for everyone else to see was Anthony Davis. He was drafted by the New Orleans Hornets at the time and I was there and I was good friends with a general manager down there and I remember when Anthony came in and he’s a little kid and he might as well be 13 years old. And I remember the year after he was drafted (2013), I had the opportunity to meet him and a couple of guys in a room and I said, ‘Hey who’s going to go number one in the draft overall?’ And he looked at me and he’s like it’s going to be Anthony two years in a row. And I am like this big kid doesn’t know what he is talking about. And sure enough when the Cleveland Cavaliers took Anthony Perry? I looked at him and he had this face on like, ‘You better believe it, I am a basketball genius!’ And from there, I tell people that story and how I watched him practice for the first time, and I just know he is a superstar and everyone else is starting to see it now. So, to know that about someone before everyone else is a pretty cool feeling.

Q: What is the most difficult part of your job?
A: I think the most difficult part of being a sports caster in general is being live. Learning that everyone makes mistakes and that when you make a small mistake, let it go. The worst thing that anyone can do is to go back and try to correct themselves, stutter and stop and start over again and I’ve learned from even when I was younger and I spoke publicly, if you mess up a word, everyone does, but you only notice when people try to backtrack a little bit. I know that is a very small thing but it really is a big thing. And to make sure I always have my fact straight I think those two things help me to really be good.

Q: What advice would you give others that share a similar dream?
A: I would say don’t be focused on the end goal and focus on getting better every day. Because what happens is a lot of people make decisions to try and advance their career and they skip out on developing their skill set. And it is like that with anything. If a guy is a great shooter but he doesn’t stay in college long enough to work on his speed or his conditioning and his ball handling skills and goes to the NBA too early and he’s not good enough. I think there are several guys that stayed in college an extra year or two it really helped them in the NBA. Stephan Curry is one guy that no one talks about doing that but he led the NCAA in scoring and then came back another year and I think he got faster and I think the same thing with sports casting. Early on I would make more mistakes because I hadn’t anchored a lot, now I’ve anchored in so many places, I’ve done live shows without a teleprompter that now I feel that I have enough experience that I can be placed in any situation and have the confidence that I’ll succeed. I think you need to make sure you go to places where you’ll get opportunities before you try to do something that is on a nationally or even a regional scale.

Q: So, what do you love about basketball?
A: I can’t really put my finger on it. I’ve been playing since I was four years old and we used to dunk on the trash can outside on the corner of 141st street and 7th avenue. We used to play on fire escapes in order to reach the hoop and I’ve always loved it and even now, I am still obsessed with the game, I loved everything about it from the strategy, to the fact that you have to run, you have to be strong, you have to be physical to play above the rim or you can be a shooter. I loved the competition too. I just love the game of basketball.

This was my interview with Washington Wizards commentator Chris Miles and it was very interesting learning about his history and what it is like to be a commentator. Anyway, thanks for reading and please comment!

]]><![CDATA[Anthony Mason Interview!!]]>Tue, 23 Sep 2014 00:16:18 GMThttps://www.nbabrothers.com/recent-posts/anthony-mason-interview

I went to the EBC Rucker Park tournament championship, and the game was team Ooh-Way vs. team Primetime. It was tight for the most part but late in the 4th quarter, team Ooh-way pulled away and took home the tournament trophy. While the game was exciting in itself, there was also an NBA legend in attendance to watch his son get the trophy. This NBA legend's name is Anthony Mason of the rough tough New York Knicks. He played on the New York Knicks from 1991-1996 and was a big presence. With career stats of 10.9 points per game and 8.3 rebounds per game, he was definitely available on the offensive side and his toughness overall showed his defensive side. On that Knicks team, you would be afraid to go inside the paint. With a front court of Anthony Mason, Charles Oakley, and Patrick Ewing, it was certainly not easy to get inside without a bump or bruise after the play. Anyway, it was truly an honor to meet an NBA legend such as Anthony Mason and it is a Knicks legend so that makes it 1,000 times better. It was a short interview but I was so happy after the interview that I was able to talk to one of the toughest players not only in Knicks history, but in NBA history overall. It was truly an honor to meet and interview someone of Anthony Mason's caliber. So, without further ado, here is my interview with NBA legend Anthony Mason.

Q: Do you think the Knicks should bring back the kind of basketball that the you guys played when you were on the team?

A: They should definitely bring back that type of basketball if they want to win a championship. I mean the league is soft now and I believe that any team that is assertive like Chicago and Indiana stands a chance.

Q: What was your best moment as a Knick?

A: Being at all the home games watching my family cheer for me. Those are the most memorable moments for me.

Q: Do you think you could beat your son 1-on-1?

A: Easily.

Q: Have you been following the NBA season this year?

A: I followed it last year, I'm definitely going to follow it this year but it's not the same. Like I said, the league is softer so it's not as exciting but I still follow it because I love the game.

Q: Who do you think will win the NBA championship this year?

A: I have no clue, because of what LeBron did, it made the league more interesting. The teams in the east are better and the talent is more spread out so it will definitely be interesting.

Q: What is the most valuable characteristic that young basketball players need to have in order to be successful?

A: Work ethic.

This was my interview with NBA legend Anthony Mason. He was one of the top Knick players in NBA history and he was right up there with the toughest in history. These achievements made it truly an honor to interview him and I am so glad that I was able to interview my first Knick legend. Anyway, this was my interview with Knicks legend Anthony Mason and there will be more to come soon. Thanks for reading and please comment!

]]><![CDATA[Hannibal Interview]]>Sun, 21 Sep 2014 17:33:24 GMThttps://www.nbabrothers.com/recent-posts/hannibal-interview

At the EBC Rucker Park tournament, Ooh-Way Records beat team Primetime to win the 2014 EBC Rucker tournament championship. There were two commentators at this game and they were very nice to my brother and I and they did a great job. One of them was Hannibal. His main saying is “boy-boy” and he is so much fun to be around. I was able to interview him and I was truly grateful to interview someone who does something as fun as he does. It was a long interview but it was totally worth it. Anyway, here is my interview with Hannibal.

This was my interview with EBC Rucker Park tournament commentator Hannibal. It was lots of fun and I will definitely be back there next year. Coming up next is my interview with an NBA legend who was tough as nails and was all about grit and grind. Find out in my next blog who it is but for now, thanks for reading and please comment!

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