Once Upon A Dribble

If there is a Mount Rushmore for NBA teams that feel like symbolic soulmates for their city, then the 2004 Detroit Pistons are on it.

This team represented the Motor City in every sense of the word. Everyone played a part, constantly being calibrated and re-calibrated toward something greater.

They embodied the qualities of a tough team that the fans living in a tough city needed: Nerves as hard as steel and a burning desire to defy expectations.

20 years ago, the Pistons stood at the brink of a bruising but ultimately dominant championship march over the Los Angeles Lakers, a team brimming with Hall of Famers. To this day, the Pistons’ 4-1 is considered one of the greatest upsets in NBA history.

It's tough to picture this special championship run happening anywhere but Detroit. From the underdogs who made up the starting lineup to their surprising victory over a more glamorous, well-known rival, Detroit seems like the only place where our unexpected heroes could have truly emerged.

Today we dive deep into the Miracle at Motown, the story of the 2004 Pistons. And THIS is Once Upon a Dribble.

After back-to-back championships, the Rockets were suddenly trending in the wrong direction after a turbulent 1996 season. Charles Barkley, over in Phoenix, had grown impatient in the Valley of the Sun. The stars aligned for both parties in the summer of 1996 when the Rockets made a blockbuster trade to form one of the "Big 3s" of yesteryear by acquiring Barkley to pair with Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler.

In today's bonus episode Josh details those years in Houston to determine if the Barkley trade was really worth the gamble.

Today we continue in part 6 of a 10-part series at Once Upon a Dribble!

During the 2022 playoffs the NBA began awarding MVP awards to the best performing player of each conference finals: the Larry Bird Eastern Conference Finals Most Valuable Player Award and the Magic Johnson Western Conference Finals Most Valuable Player Award, named for the two players credited for building the league up to greater popularity in the 1980s. 

This begs the question, with the award just being handed out for the first time last season, who are the deserving winners from the previous 50+ years of NBA history?

1990: Phoenix Suns vs Portland Trail Blazers - Terry Porter (03:10)

1991: Los Angeles Lakers vs Portland Trail Blazers - Magic Johnson (07:14)

1992: Portland Trail Blazers vs Utah Jazz - Terry Porter (10:35)

1993: Phoenix Suns vs Seattle SuperSonics - Charles Barkley (15:13)

1994: Houston Rockets vs Utah Jazz - Hakeem Olajuwon (21:34)

1995: Houston Rockets vs San Antonio Spurs - Hakeem Olajuwon (26:15)

1996: Seattle SuperSonics vs Utah Jazz - Shawn Kemp (31:48)

1997: Houston Rockets vs Utah Jazz - John Stockton (35:52)

1998: Los Angeles Lakers vs Utah Jazz - Karl Malone (41:36)

1999: Portland Trail Blazers vs San Antonio Spurs - David Robinson (44:36)

Jerry West, who was selected to the Basketball Hall of Fame multiple times in a storied career as a player and executive and whose silhouette is considered to be the basis of the NBA logo, passed away earlier this month.

Join Calvan and Josh in a brief tribute to Jerry, talking about his early life, resiliently elite NBA career, impeccable executive career and the lasting impact he had on his peers.

Long live the Logo.

Phil Jackson is the most successful coach in NBA history, the owner of 11 rings, and the architect of some of the most iconic basketball moments of all time.

From his roots in small town North Dakota, to Chicago, Los Angeles, and even the Big Apple, his career in basketball has taken him all over the country.

His style of coaching and his unorthodox approach to life earned him one of the most recognizable nicknames in sports: the Zen Master.

You can’t tell the story of the NBA without mentioning the coaching of the great Phil Jackson... but just how was Jackson able to sustain so much success for so long?

Come along with us in today’s episode, as Josh and Calvan take a look at the life and times of one of the most accomplished coaches in all of sports. This is Once Upon a Dribble.

The first ever NBA All-Star game was played on March 2, 1951. Since that time, 454 players have played in that game. Thousands of other NBA players have never played in the game.

In today's episode of Once Upon A Dribble, Josh and Calvan go over four of the most baffling All-Star game snubs. Players who had great careers, but for one reason or another, never received the Star call.

We dive deep into the live and times of some of the finest players in the game, who never had their greatness properly recognized.

The Thunder were the Warriors before the Warriors. Well, except for the titles.

Young, homegrown talent emerges as a dominant force in the league, consistently vying for the NBA championship. This straightforward strategy, exemplified by the successes of Oklahoma City and Golden State in the 2010s, is seldom as effective as they made it appear.

However, the OKC's inability to clinch an NBA championship is integral to their story, just like their enduring success. Equally integral is the element of excitement. Few teams have engaged in as many thrilling matches with iconic players, all within the passionate embrace of one of the league's most fervent fan bases.

Whether victorious or defeated, the Thunder's inaugural decade in the NBA was an exhilarating ride. Here at Once Upon a Dribble, Calvan and Josh bring on OKC superfan Prhymate as we recount the standout moments, beginning with the team that defined the decade.

Check out Prhymate's YouTube basketball content here:

https://www.youtube.com/@Prhymate777

It’s easy to look back now and wonder how Oden ever could have been selected ahead of a superstar like Kevin Durant. After all, KD had averaged 25.8 points and 11.1 rebounds a game as a lanky freshman at Texas, leading the Big 12 in both categories, as well as blocks.

Durant was a sure thing, like Michael Jordan was in the 1984 draft … so why draft Sam Bowie?

Because Greg Oden was never supposed to be Sam Bowie. Oden was Hakeem Olajuwon.

That narrative, that four-letter word, haunted him for a long time. It hurt to hear. It hurt to explain. But that word doesn’t capture the spirit of his struggle, his journey, his resilience, his joy, and, most importantly, where his path has taken him today

Music: Signal to Noise by Scott Buckley, all credit to him.

In 2023-24, the Minnesota Timberwolves are seeing a resurgence as one of the premier teams in the league as we head towards the 2024 NBA playoffs.

Today we continue in part 5 of a 10-part series at Once Upon a Dribble!

During the 2022 playoffs the NBA began awarding MVP awards to the best performing player of each conference finals: the Larry Bird Eastern Conference Finals Most Valuable Player Award and the Magic Johnson Western Conference Finals Most Valuable Player Award, named for the two players credited for building the league up to greater popularity in the 1980s. 

This begs the question, with the award just being handed out for the first time last season, who are the deserving winners from the previous 50+ years of NBA history?

1990: Chicago Bulls vs Detroit Pistons - Isiah Thomas (02:17)

1991: Chicago Bulls vs Detroit Pistons - Michael Jordan (09:38)

1992: Chicago Bulls vs Cleveland Cavaliers - Michael Jordan (12:40)

1993: Chicago Bulls vs New York Knicks - Michael Jordan (17:50)

1994: Indiana Pacers vs New York Knicks - Patrick Ewing (23:35)

1995: Indiana Pacers vs Orlando Magic - Shaquille O'Neal (28:07)

1996: Chicago Bulls vs Orlando Magic - Michael Jordan (33:09)

1997: Chicago Bulls vs Miami Heat - Michael Jordan (38:09)

1998: Chicago Bulls vs Indiana Pacers - Michael Jordan (44:01)

1999: Indiana Pacers vs New York Knicks - Marcus Camby (52:36)

Final award tally - (55:50)