Legends Of Sport

We're back with a brand new interview Live from Las Vegas! This week, Andy chats with former NBA player Craig Hodges! Craig talks about being drafted by the San Diego Clippers, lessons he learned from Bill Walton, Kobe Bryant & Michael Jordan's parallels, his stint as special assistant to Phil Jackson, his instrumental work helping Kobe Bryant return from injury in 2009, Kobe's evolution as a player and a leader, his reaction to player activism during the 2020 Bubble games, and more!

Andy is back with more from USA Basketball's 50th Anniversary showcase in Las Vegas! This week, Andy sits down with long time colleague & 33-year Communications Director for USA Basketball, Craig Miller! Andy & Craig share stories from their time together with the Dream Team in 1992! From their first meeting at Dream Team training camp, Craig's experience as the first PR personnel at USA Basketball in 1990, working with the big personalities on the Dream Team, the debacle of shooting the team portrait in Portland, their experience at training camp in Monaco, John Stockton walking around unrecorgnized on the streets of Barcelona, Charles Barkley's midnight casino run, the ripple effect of Magic Johnson's HIV diagnosis, dinner with Prince Rainier, and much more!

This week, Andy chats with 3x NBA Champion Scott Williams! Scott discusses the surreal feeling of winning his first championship in 1991 with the Chicago Bulls, Michael Jordan advocating for him to be signed, The Last Dance, the genesis of his book "Through the Fire: A Memoir of Trauma and Loss, Basketball and Triumph", the tragic death of his parents and the decision to write about it, advocating for mental health awareness, Steve Kerr, playing with both Michael Jordan & Lebron James, lessons from Dean Smith & Phil Jackson, and why 90's ball was the best era!

Andy chats with Olympic Gold Medalist & 17-year NBA legend Sam Perkins! Sam discusses his fondest memory from competing for the 1984 Olympic team, playing for vastly different coaches Dean Smith & Bobby Knight, playing with a rookie Michael Jordan on the '84 Olympic team, hitting the game-winning shot in Game 1 of the 1991 NBA Finals, the toughness of the 1996 NBA Finals run with the Seattle Supersonics, playing against Shaq & Kobe in the 2000 NBA Finals, memories of Kobe Bryant, and the potential revival of the Seattle Supersonics! 

Stay tuned next week for MORE from USA Basketball's 50th Anniversary Showcase in Las Vegas!

To celebrate the 200th episode of the Legends of Sport Podcast, Andy took the show on the road to NBA Con in Las Vegas! Andy chats with the NBA's Sr. VP of Business Operations & Global Events, Joey Graziano, and Denver Nuggets team photographer, Garrett Ellwood! Joey tells us all about NBA Con, what the league hopes to accomplish with the event, his personal path from a white collar criminal defense attorney to the NBA, his experience in the NBA Bubble, and the possibility of seeing a NBA team in Las Vegas! NEXT, Andy chats with Garrett Ellwood about capturing the Nuggets first ever championship run, how the job has changed over the years, seeing the first of Victor Webanyama at the start of NBA Summer League, and more!