First off, I know you have a ton going on – a lot of media/content work right? What got that started for you?
I published five books – then I launched my website. I started the website to full up my leisure time – I was bored. But then one of my articles was mentioned on ESPN by Pat McAfee and it just took off from there. Now I’ve become serious about it. Pat showed me some love and now I’m doing it in a more serious way.
Why the website?
People tend to forget some of those people from the WPIAL and Pittsburgh sports history in general. I love history – I wanted to talk about the past and give people their flowers. I wanted to do that.
As for writing – I fell in love with writing after I wrote my first book. I love to write.
What about your basketball career influenced what you write about?
I felt like people didn’t know the real story about me – why I was dismissed from West Virginia. I wanted the real situation out there. I didn’t like how my career ended and the narrative about me. It was a bad perception on my name and I wanted to change that.
How did you overcome being dismissed to have a successful overseas career?
My goal my whole life form high school to college was to play in the NBA. I was depressed after being dismissed – depressed and bitter. I felt like my dream was taken from me. It took a while and I never fully got over it – my dreams for the NBA were crushed.
I played overseas and had success yeah – but the NBA was my ultimate goal.
You still had a successful career overseas though…
I don’t take playing pro ball and making good money for granted. You can still make a great living and see the world. I don’t take that for granted.
What stands out to you most about those overseas experiences?
Just going to see different countries and different parts of the world I would never have seen otherwise. I became a better player and person because of seeing all of that – because of all of that travel. Most people don’t get that opportunity – I know I was blessed to see it all.
What about growing up in Pittsburgh impacted you as a player and person?
Pittsburgh is a football town – there are a lot of good basketball players that have come out of Pittsburgh but they are less respected because of the city’s reputation as a football town. If some of those guys played in Philadelphia or New York people would have said they are great. So I felt like I had to represent for the city when I played – I played with a chip on my shoulder because of that.
Football was just more emphasized in the city.
What can players – and the city – do now to overcome that perception?
Social media helps – and the AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) circuit has gotten much bigger in the city too. So there’s a bigger platform now than when I played. Back then people didn’t come to Pittsburgh to recruit – with the AAU circuit that’s happening more. But Pittsburgh will never really get the props it deserves as a basketball city so players are going to have to do a lot for themselves.
What are your thoughts generally about local high school basketball now?
I think across the whole country local basketball is going downhill. Prep schools are taking away the top players and it’s hurting public high schools. It’s happening everywhere – across the country – and it’s ruining basketball.
Maliq Brown was a top 15 recruit in Pittsburgh and he left the WPIAL to play in a different league. That kills local basketball. Kobe Bryant played in the state playoffs for his high school – that would never happen now.
What about at the pro level – any thoughts on how the game has changed?
I think my age shows in my views on the NBA. There’s a lot of three-point shooting now – you barely see the the mid-range game anymore. Lanes are wide open. Guys are much more skilled but it’s more of a finesse game now – it’s softer. It’s less physical than when I played. I have those Pittsburgh roots – I loved smashmouth football – I like that toughness and don’t love the lack of it now in the game!