Kevin's Interviews and Guest Appearances

Coming soon are the interviews with Lisa Leslie, Wes Welker, Brandon Knight and Chiney Ogwumike.

Kevin talks about this upcoming season with the Timberwolves' Kevin Love

 
Kevin chops it up with the Knicks' David Lee about free agency and more!


Kevin appears on The Daily Line on Versus to talk NBA Draft on Draft Lottery night


Alonzo Mourning
 
March 25, 2010

Each year Gatorade honors America’s elite high school student-athletes on the principles of athletic achievement, academic excellence, and exemplary character in the sports of football, volleyball, baseball, softball, and boys & girls cross country, basketball, soccer, and track & field. Past winners include many of today’s top professional athletes, such as Peyton Manning, Lisa Leslie, Kevin Garnett, Candace Parker, Kerri Walsh, Derek Jeter, and Emmitt Smith.

Zo: Well, it’s typical for March Madness. That’s why they play the game. Anybody can beat anybody else on a given night. This tournament has the 64 best teams in the country so you know that everyone can play. When I was a freshman, we played Princeton early in the tournament and almost lost to them if I didn’t come over and block a shot late in the game.

Kevin: Do you think you guys played down to the competition because Princeton isn’t a typical powerhouse program?

Zo: No. Not at all. We were prepared, but like I said anybody can get beat in this tournament because you have the best teams in the country going after one goal. But sometimes, teams get beat because they don’t come ready to play and maybe underestimate their opponent and then get beat, but that wasn’t the case with us because we played hard the entire game.The smaller-named schools come out to play with a different mentality. They come hungry and sometime sneak up on teams that may take them lightly.

Kevin: Especially since we saw Kansas go down to Northern Iowa in a game that Northern Iowa controlled the majority of the time.

Zo: Exactly

Kevin: Now, there are talks of expanding the tournament to 96 teams. How do you think that will impact the tournament?

Zo: I couldn’t really tell you. It will be interesting to see if it does happen, but I think you would still have the best teams in country making the tournament so at the end of day, the teams left standing should still be the best teams.

Kevin: And a whole lot of money to be made for some people if it is expanded (laughs)

Zo: Maybe

Kevin: Ok, so who do you think will win the tournament this year? Did you pick Kansas?

Zo: Yeah I picked Kansas. Everybody picked Kansas. Umm. Who’s going to win? I don’t know, but I will say this, I’m rooting for West Virginia to do well. I like that team. They have some good player on that team. Those guys play hard and I hope they do well.

Kevin: Switching to the NBA now, and talking specifically about the Center position which you played, there does not seem to be as many dominant big men now as there were when you played. There’s Andrew Bynum and Dwight Howard among a few others, but Shaq is on the downside and Yao has been injured of late. When you played there was yourself, Ewing, Olajuwon, Robinson…

Zo: (interjects) Rik Smits, Vlade, Kevin Duckworth

Kevin: Right. There were many. Is the day of the dominant big man over?

Zo: Yeah, It’s done for now anyway.

Kevin: Why is that?

Zo: Fundamentals aren’t as important as they used to be. They’re not being taught anymore. Most big men are perimeter players now and want to hang out there shooting jumpers. People have to realize that dynasties are won from the inside-out. Not the other way around. Look at Houston, Detroit, Boston…

Kevin: (interjects) San Antonio and the Lakers of this past decade

Zo: Exactly. That’s how championships are won. Those teams had a solid core down low. The only exception to that was Jordan and Bulls. But even so, they had a handful of 7-footer that played valuable roles. Phil did a good job of balancing that.

Kevin: On to the reason you are where you are today, which is in Fort Lauderdale where you surprised Brandon Knight of Pine Crest School and presented him with this year’s Gatorade Player of the Year Award.. An award that you won for the 1987-1988 season. What was Brandon’s reaction to seeing you, and what does this award mean to you?

Zo: He was extremely excited and very shocked to see me. He wasn’t expecting that at all. It was cleverly planned and went over very well. It could not have gone to a better kid. His off the court accomplishments make him even more worthy of this honor for sure. And that’s the beauty behind this award. It really is an amazing honor. I was very honored to receive it myself and it still means a lot to me. I feel like I’m an ambassador for this award and it feels good to hand down the torch to a very deserving young man.

Kevin: Lastly Zo, your selfless charitable contributions have been well documented, as well as you having a high school named in your honor for your hard work. At the end of the day, what will mean more to you – your accomplishments on the basketball court or your philanthropy?

Zo: Basketball is temporary. It doesn’t last forever, although I’m very proud of everything I’ve done on the court. But I am able to touch lives off the court by giving. That is something I truly love to do. Giving is contagious. When others see you do it, it encourages them to do so as well and many can ultimately benefit from that. It allows you to share feelings with others and it really makes people feel good about themselves. After all I’ve been through physically, for me, it goes further than just dribbling a ball, so my contributions off the court are what I’m proud of.

Kevin: Well said, Zo. Thanks so much for a couple of minutes. Hopefully we’ll get a chance to talk again down the road. Best of luck with everything.

Zo: Alright man. Take care.

                                                                                                                                                   

Common  


May 13, 2010

There are few things in this world better than basketball and a good movie. The pot is sweetened even more if the two are combined. Well, we are in luck.  On May 14, Just Wright, a romantic sports comedy from Fox Searchlight, hits the big screen.

Just Wright stars Queen Latifah, as Leslie Wright, a straight-shooting physical therapist who gets the dream job of working with NBA All-Star Scott McKnight, played by hip hop legend Common.  All is going well until Leslie finds herself falling for Scott, forcing her to choose between the gig of a lifetime and the tug-of-war inside her heart.

Oblivious to her romantic overtures, McKnight is instead drawn to the affections of Leslie’s gorgeous childhood friend who has her sights set on being an NBA trophy wife.  The film also features cameos by NBA players and sports figures including Dwyane Wade, Rashard Lewis, Jalen Rose, Rajon Rondo, Marv Albert and many others.

Just a few days before the movie is set to debut, I was fortunate enough to be a part of a brief conference call, along with others, who had the opportunity to speak with leading man and Chicago native, Common, about his role playing an NBA star, basketball and life in general.

Other participant: Hey, Common. We know you’re from Chicago and were also a Bulls ballboy growing up. Can you talk about that experience?

Common: That was a great experience. Being able to see Michael Jordan so often was something I’ll never forget. I will always remember how hungry he was a a young player and that is why he ended up being the best ever. But, I also remember a funny story: as a young player, he used to walk around with a radio listening to his music. Rod Thorne asked him to turn it down. Well, about 3 preseason games later, they left him alone because they realized that they had greatness on their hands. It was fun being next to greatness.

Kevin: Hey, Common. Thanks for making yourself available for a few minutes.

Common: Absolutely. My pleasure

Kevin: In playing the role for the movie, do you think you got a true sense for what it may be like to be an actual NBA superstar?

Common: Definitely. I feel like I did everything they normally do except travel. The travel was the only part missing. But I talked with the players, played with them all the time as if it were a team practice. I actually had to train as if I was really in the NBA. I even went to a meeting with Rondo to go see his agent. For those two months while we were shooting the film, I really felt like I was in the league. I got that emotional charge while we were filming so it definitely felt very real. Acting is so much for to me.

Kevin : How would you compare the emotional charge of playing ball while shooting the movie to when you’re on stage performing?

Common: The emotion is the same but it’s a slightly different type of charge because you know you’re playing to different audiences. But like I said, the emotion is just the same for each.

Other participant: How did you go about training for the film? What was the regiment like?

Common: Aww man it was intense. I did alot of cardio and worked out with the Nets trainer constantly. It was like I was actually a part of a team. I was doing all kinds of drills. Defensive drills and everything. I even put up 300-500 shots a day. I truly felt like an athlete. Aside from that I went to play at a couple of parks out in LA with Baron Davis. I also went with him to UCLA to play too, but I had to take it easy at first because I had a bad back. And it’s funny because whenever somebody plays against somebody they recognize from TV, they try extra hard to show you up. That’s what I had to go through: guys trying extra hard against me to block my shot.

Other participant: Being a Chicago native and a long-time Bulls fan, what do you think of Derrick Rose and who should they add around him?

Common: I first saw Derrick as a sophomore in high school and couldn’t believe what I was seeing, and he’s only gotten better. I think he will go down as one of the best Point Guards of all time. As far as who they should bring, I’d like to see Dwayne Wade as a Bull alongside Rose. People say that there wouldn’t be enought basketballs on the court for these two guys to play together, but I think they’d do just fine. I knew Dwayne before this movie and have been telling him for a while that he needs to play for he Bulls, but he’ll ultimately do what’  for him. I also like Amare Stoudemire too. It will be interesting to see what happens though. That’s why I love basketball. Although I didn’t grown up with him, my father played in the ABA, so basketball is in my blood.

Other participant: Why is Just Wright more than just a basketball movie?

Common: Because it has a great plot. It’s a guy who is in love with the game of basketball who also manages to find love in the most unlikely place. I don’t wan to give away too much of the movie but it’s a an interesting love triangle and you’ll really walk away feeling inspired. And also, keep in mind that the basketball being played in the film is authentic which makes it even more believable. I do dunk in the movie, but I’ll be honest, they had to lower the rim 4 inches for me to pull that off (laughs) because I never really hops. My game was always about handle. But after shooting this film, I think I want a tryout for an NBA squad (laughs).