Showtime Podcast with Lakers Legend Michael Cooper

Episode 39

Guest: Ralph Sampson

Michael Cooper @ShowtimeCooper and Ari Temkin @arisports welcome Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame member Ralph Sampson. Ralph lets Ari and Coop know what it was like being so tall growing up and who some of his inspirations were. Also discussed, getting to play next to Hakeem Olajuwon and beating Coop and the Lakers in the 1986 Western Conference finals. Lastly, Ralph reflects on his NBA career and if he has any regrets.

2:30

What was it like being so tall growing up?

7:12

BOL Ad Read

8:13

Who were some of Ralph Sampson's as a young African American man playing high school basketball?

10:15

Ralph's high basketball IQ at a young age and its influence on his success in the NBA.

12:30

What was it like as an 18 year old being on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine ?

16:15

The possibility of leaving college early if the Lakers drafted him.

17:01

Red Auerbach brought a briefcase full of a million dollars to Ralph's parents to get him to leave college early and play for the Celtics. 

19:55

Does Ralph think that being college player of the year and all that came after that put too much pressure on him entering the NBA?

21:20

Coop's lightning round.

22:35 

What were Ralph's expectations being drafted by the Rocket's in 1983?

24:45

What was the feeling like every game going on to the court with Hakeem Olajuwon?

27:40 

1986 western Conference Championship between Houston Rockets and LA Lakers.

30:55

Blue Chew Ad Read.

31:55

1986 NBA Championships Houston vs. Boston.

35:20

Any regrets in Ralph's career?

36:37

How much money would Ralph command if he was in the NBA today and what does he think about the NBA today?

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Showtime Podcast with Lakers Legend Michael Cooper

Episode 38

From Depression to Inspiration

Michael Cooper @ShowtimeCooper and Ari Temkin @arisports welcome former NBA player LaRue Martin. In 1972 LaRue was the first overall pick in the NBA of the Portland Trail Blazers, viewed by many as a bust in the NBA Draft, LaRue describes how he went from depression to a life of inspiration.

1:50

Who were some of LaRue Martin's role models growing up in Chicago?

5:03

Did LaRue have aspirations to be in the NBA when he was younger?

6:36

LaRue was the first Draft pick in 1972, and when he went back to Chicago for the first time to play the Bulls, he did not play a single second.

7:21

BOL Ad Read

8:14

Why Loyola?

8:47

Who were some of the toughest teams to play in college?

9:08

LaRues thoughts on going to the NBA draft in 1972.

10:12

If he could go back in time would he want to be drafted later on?

13:31

In his mind, were LaRue's years in Portland good or bad?

14:44

Coop's lightning round.

19:18

What do you think of the NBA today?

20:41

How much would you demand if you played in the NBA today?

21:48

Blue Chew Ad Read

23:35

If you were the NBA commissioner, what change would you implement to help further the league?

25:11

LaRue received his BA in sociology with a minor in education. How has that helped him with life after the NBA?

27:03

What advice would you give to a young player entering the NBA?

29:23

President Barack Obama and LaRue

31:19

LaRue needs to start writing his book.

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Showtime Podcast with Lakers Legend Michael Cooper

Episode 37

The Truth Hurts with Steffond Johnson

Michael Cooper @ShowtimeCooper and Ari Temkin @arisports welcome former NBA player Steffond Johnson to discuss giving back and helping others succeed, Steffond's time playing college basketball at LSU, the many challenged Steffond faced while playing basketball, and playing basketball internationally.

0:31

Steffond Johnson was quoted saying "A lot of us professional athletes are cut from the same cloth. We go back to our old neighborhoods and relive the reality of that place., Someone helped us along the way to make it out of there so I try to do the same for others."

Who were some of the people that helped him get to where he is today?

2:18

Did Steffond have aspirations to become a pro basketball player growing up?

7:00

BetOnline Ad Read

7:58

Steffond Johnson's college career at LSU

10:09

Steffond was challenged in every way possible and always had great mentors around him.

11:28

In 1986 Steffond was drafted in the 5th round by the Clippers, what were his thoughts and expectations going there?

17:57

Out of the 7 countries Steffond played for, which one was the best experience (prettiest women). Playing in Italy.

22:17

Blue Chew Ad Read

24:07

Coop's lightning round.

28:45

Kobe Bryant was bigger than life.

32:26

What does Steffond Johnson think about the NBA today?

34:06

If Steffond was a tenth year player in todays NBA, how much money would he demand?

35:17

What advice would Steffond give to a young player entering the NBA?

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Showtime Podcast with Lakers Legend Michael Cooper

Episode 36

Phi Slamma Jamma 

Michael Cooper @ShowtimeCooper and Ari Temkin @arisports welcome NBA Hall of Famer Clyde Drexler. Coop opens up about how he viewed Clyde as an offensive player in the NBA. Plus, the wild story about how he and Hakeem ended up at University of Houston, after not being recruited by them, winning a title with Rockets, James Harden and the Dream Team. 

3:00

Who were some of Clyde Drexler's role models growing up?

3:46

Coop was always afraid to play against Clyde Drexler.

5:04

How Clyde's childhood friend got University of Houston's coach Guy Lewis to look at him, and Phi Slamma Jamma.

11:27

Being a student athlete and academics being just as important as sports.

13:40

What was the Phi Slamma Jamma locker room like, and Hakeem Olajuwon coming to Houston. 

16:56

BOL Ad Read

17:14

What were Clyde's expectations going to the Portland Trail Blazers?

17:59

What was it like playing with Michael Thompson?

19:35

Coop's lightning round.

24:02

What was the City of Houston like after winning their first Championship?

25:13

What was it like being a part of the Dream Team?

28:45

What does Clyde think of the NBA today.

29:45

What does Clyde think about what James Harden to the Houston Rockets?

31:13

Getting ejected from a game in 1995 against the Phoenix Suns.

32:25

Being the commissioner of the Big 3 Basketball league.

34:10

Playing against the Showtime Lakers as an 8 seed team.

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Lakers Win Everything 

Showtime Podcast with Lakers Legend Michael Cooper

Episode 35

Michael Cooper @ShowtimeCooper and Ari Temkin @arisports rank the Eastern and Western divisions, decide that LaMelo Ball s the best of the Ball brothers, talk about Steve Nash as the Nets head coach, and Coop says this years Lakers team is better than last years Championship winning Lakers.

1:10

Michael Cooper: "Right now the Nets are the team to beat."

1:56

Are the Nets going to be able to work with Kyrie and Hardens situations?

4:39

Can KD get Kyrie and Harden playing on the same wavelength?

7:40

LaMelo Ball will be the best of the Ball kids in the NBA.

11:20

Coop likes Steve Nash as a coach in Brooklyn because he can understand the flaws of young players.

13:05

BetOnline Ad Read

13:59

If the Nets trade Harden, would they be able to beat the Lakers?

15:19

The Lakers do not pass often, but they are one of the best teams inn hockey assists. 

19:47

Coop ranks the western conference.

20:59

Where does this Lakers stack up against last yearsLakers that won the NBA championship?

25:16

What are Coop's thoughts on harden gaining weight and leaving the Rocket's?

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Gone But Not Forgotten

Showtime Podcast with Lakers Legend Michael Cooper

Episode 34

Guest: Bob McAdoo

Michael Cooper @ShowtimeCooper and Ari Temkin @arisports welcome back NBA legend Bob McAdoo to talk about some coaches and players that have passed away recently and the influence they had on the game of basketball, the NBA and NCAA hoops, including: Paul Westphal, John Thompson, John Havlicek, and Jerry Sloan.

0:51

Michael Cooper and Bob McAdoo start the episode off by talking about Paul Westphal, who Bob Played with. His number 44 was retired with the Phoenix Suns and sadly Paul passed away January 4th 2021, after battling brain cancer.

7:54

In 1988 Paul Westphal won the NAIA championship as a coach. Does Bob McAdoo think he could coach college basketball?

12:38

Next gone but not forgotten individual is John Thompson. John Thompson was the first African American head coach to win a major collegiate championship in basketball when he lead the Georgetown Hoyas tp win the NCAA D1 championship in 1984.

20:58

Next on the gone but not forgotten list is John "Hondo" Havlicek, who passed away April 25th 2019, after suffering from Parkinson’s disease in his final years.

33:25

Last on the gone but not forgotten list is Jerry Sloan, who passed away May 22nd 2020, due to complications with Parkinson's disease. 

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An NBA Sharpshooter for All Seasons

Showtime Podcast with Lakers Legend Michael Cooper

Episode 33

Guest: Mike Glenn

Michael Cooper @ShowtimeCooper and Ari Temkin @arisports welcome former NBA sharpshooter Mike "Stinger" Glenn to discuss his 40 years working with hearing impaired kids at his basketball camp, what it was like playing with NBA wild boys Ray Williams and Micheal Ray Richardson, Dr. Martin Luther King's impact on Atlanta, and the current state of the NBA.

1:49

Mike Glenn has his stockbrokers license, and a degree in mathematics, so why did he chose to play basketball? His father was the basketball coach at the Georgia school for the deaf so Mike learned from him and the deaf how to play ball and do sign language.

2:43

Who were some of Mike Glenn's role models?

4:40

What was it like teaching basketball to the deaf/hearing impaired?

8:53

What was Mike Glenn's experience like when he first got to the NBA?

10:37

What was it like playing with NBA wild boys Ray Williams and Micheal Ray Richardson?

15:58

BetOnline Ad Read

16:57

Mike Glenn's time playing for the Atlanta Hawks with "The Human Highlight" Dominique Wilkins.

19:54

Coop's lightning round.

22:16

Dr. Martin Luther King's footprint across Atlanta.

30:06

What does Mike Glenn think of the current state of the NBA?

31:40

Mike Glenn's prediction for the NBA finals this season.

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Don't Misunderstand Rick Barry

Showtime Podcast with Lakers Legend Michael Cooper

Episode 32

Guest: Rick Barry

 @Rick24Barry

Michael Cooper @ShowtimeCooper and Ari Temkin @arisports welcome former NBA and ABA legend Rick Barry. Coop, Ari, and Rick discuss the difference in today's NBA players, Rick's unorthodox free throw shooting and who Rick thinks is the greatest NBA team of all time. 

1:56

How many teams has Rick Barry been around throughout his career? From college to the ABA, NBA and coaching. 

4:20

The iconic red, white and blue ABA ball versus the basketball the NBA used. 

8:41

Rick Barry on the selfishness of the current NBA and basketball players. Barry remembers the enjoyment he derived out of passing to a teammate and watching them score. 

14:15

Rick Barry on his extremely effective but unusual free throw shot.

20:00

Coops lightning round.

30:40

It was impossible to beat the Warriors with Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, and Klay Thompson. That team changed the game of basketball.

32:35

If Rick Barry played in todays NBA, how much money would he demand? If Rick Barry was to start over, he would be a point guard.

37:18

If Rick Barry was a scout, he would only want players with a natural feel for the game of basketball

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Showtime Podcast with Lakers Legend Michael Cooper

Episode 31

Guest: Gene Banks 

Twitter: @ADukeLegend20

Gene Banks' Website: https://www.genebankslegend.com/

Listen to The Bank Shot With Gene Banks Podcast on Anchor, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcast and Breker.

Michael Cooper @ShowtimeCooper and Ari Temkin @arisports welcome former NBA player Gene Banks to discuss how he ended up at Duke University, his short experience with coach Mike Krzyzewski, breaking his wrist right before the NBA draft, and how the NBA is today.

0:47

What was it like for Gene Banks growing up in Philadelphia?

4:00

Gene Banks wasn't originally interested in going to Duke University at all. His original picks were Michigan, Notre Dame, NC State, Carolina, and UCLA but when Duke sent him a brochure of the school, his english teacher convinced him to go tour the school.

10:00

Does Gene Banks have any regrets attending Duke University?

11:30

Coach Mike Krzyzewski's first year coaching at Duke was Gene Banks senior year. What was coach Krzyzewski like and what made him so special. 

13:09

Gene Banks broke his wrist 4 or 5 months before the NBA draft, and ended up getting picked 28th by the San Antonio Spurs.

19:26

What advice would Gene Banks give to a young player in todays NBA that gets with an NBA team, and then gets injured?

21:46

Coop's lightning round.

26:14

What was Gene Banks time like playing basketball in Israel?

24:47

If Gene Banks was playing in the NBA today how much money would he want?

30:10

Gene Banks in reference to todays NBA: "It's really difficult to watch these games."

Today's NBA isn't the same, especially defensively, as it used to be when Coop and Gene Banks played. There is no longer battles during the games.

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Showtime Podcast with Lakers Legend Michael Cooper

Episode 30: Today's NBA is Different

Guest: Reggie Theus

Michael Cooper @ShowtimeCooper and Ari Temkin @arisports welcome former NBA player and Coach Reggie Theus to talk about growing up paying baseball before basketball in Inglewood in the 70's, Reggie's time playing for coach Jerry Tarkanian, his time playing for the Chicago Bulls in the late 70's, and how the NBA is today.

0:20

Michael Cooper to Reggie Theus: "What are three things that help you make it to the NBA?"

2:37

When did Reggie Theus realize that he wanted to play basketball and not baseball?

5:13

What was it like growing up in Inglewood California in the 70's

10:00

How Reggie Theus got to University of Nevada , Las Vegas UNLV playing for coach Jerry Tarkanian.

16:03

What it was like playing for the Chicago Bulls in the late 1970's, and how Reggie Theus missed playing with Michael Jordan by 15 minutes.

19:40

Coops lightning round.

28:55

What does Reggie Theus think about today's NBA?

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