Ball Don't Lie

By Kevin Cottrell Jr and Candace Parker

Ball Don’t Lie is a collection of in-depth, in-your-face conversations examining an assortment of basketball’s defining moments. Longtime NBA practitioner, Kevin Cottrell Jr., goes one-on-one with some of the game’s most prominent figures, including Hall-of-Famers: Shaquille O’Neal, Isiah Thomas, Grant Hill and Tina Thompson. Along with all-stars Vince Carter, Steve Smith, Richard Hamilton and Chris Webber. Rounding things out with, three-point pioneer Dennis Scott and former NBA Coach of the Year Sam Mitchell. Sports fans may remember where they were in each instance, how things played out and the sport’s domino effect. All recollection aside, the author is seeking one thing, the truth. The intimate details of each story take you beyond the stat sheet and give you a glimpse into the minds of basketball legends during the times we’ll never forget. This book reveals the fallout each moment had on a player’s team, city, season and career.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Mar 30, 2020
• ISBN: 9781728351582

Kevin Cottrell Jr

Kevin Cottrell Jr., is a long-time NBA practitioner, writer and author of ‘Ball Don’t Lie’. Since 2008, he’s covered all 94 feet of action with his start at NBA Digital as the lead researcher. After gaining an immense understanding for the past, present and future in basketball, he became a freelance writer to the likes of NBA.com and ESPNW.com. A prominent fixture around the Association, he was entrusted to serve as an editor to Chris Webber’s biography, “By God’s Grace.” Prior to covering the hardwood, Kevin earned his Bachelor of Arts in Mass Media from Clark Atlanta University and a Master’s of Science in Sports Management from Drexel University. Off the court Kevin can be found doing his best to make amazing happen as an Adjunct Professor at his alma mater, CAU. The Chicago native currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia with his wife Candice and daughter Kennedy.

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Ball Don’t Lie

KEVIN COTTRELL JR

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AuthorHouse™

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.authorhouse.com

Phone: [phone]

© 2020 Kevin Cottrell Jr. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 04/09/2020

ISBN: 978-1-7283-5159-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-7283-5157-5 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-7283-5158-2 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020905303

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

C O N T E N T S

Acknowledgments

Foreword

By Candace Parker

Chapter 1 Lord Thomas

(Isiah Thomas)

Chapter 2 Third Dimension

(Dennis Scott)

Chapter 3 61 Candles

(Shaquille O’neal)

Chapter 4 Planes, Trades and Automobiles

(Steve Smith)

Chapter 5 Air Canada

(Vince Carter)

Chapter 6 The First Lady

(Vince Carter)

Chapter 7 Dethroned

(Chris Webber)

Chapter 8 The Missing Piece

Richard Hamilton)

Chapter 9 Top of the Hill

(Grant Hill)

Chapter 10 The Lone Wolf

(Sam Mitchell)

Acknowledgments

I’d first like to thank God for equipping me with the vision, motivation and persistence to make this dream a reality. Without the many wonderful individuals to lend their ear, time, and invaluable advice, this project would not have been completed. I would also like to acknowledge those who cleared their busy schedules to speak with me for this book: Vince Carter, Richard Hamilton, Grant Hill, Sam Mitchell, Shaquille O’Neal, Candace Parker, Dennis Scott, Steve Smith, Isiah Thomas, Tina Thompson, and Chris Webber.

My family and close friends have witnessed my four-year struggle with bringing these stories to life. I thank them for their love, support, and patience.

To my Mom and Dad: You’ve been my biggest fans throughout my journey, and I can’t thank you enough for your unconditional love.

Candice and Kennedy: You constantly inspired me to persevere whenever I questioned my abilities or wanted to step away from the laptop for good.

Lastly, I am dedicating this book to my grandmother, Mattie Austin, for seeing something in me that I never knew was possible. In 2002, she instructed me to use my passion for writing to pen books. Then I thought she was simply being a loving grandparent delivering a farfetched idea of publishing books for others to read. As time passed, her voice guided me down the path of becoming an author and for that I am forever grateful.

Foreword

By Candace Parker

The game of basketball has helped me form relationships around the globe. Since becoming an analyst, I’ve built a bond with some amazing new teammates behind the scenes. Kevin Cottrell is one of them. After a few conversations and interactions, you come to understand that Kevin really eats, sleeps and breathes basketball. I’m not talking about the surface aspects of the game, you know, so and so won this and that. I think players connect to his passion for the game, understanding of the game, and his knack for the history of the game.

Every story has a backstory, and every person was impacted in some way by somebody else. So, to be a part of the basketball family as long as Kevin has, he’s met some pretty dope people and maintained relationships with them. I think Kevin truly understands them on a different level.

When Kevin approached me with the concept of Ball Don’t Lie, I remember thinking, This is necessary to have. A book for fans to read and develop a deeper understanding of athletes and what they go through. Obviously, storytelling is a part of our game. Working with some of the players I looked up to or idolized, and being able to have a couch view or ear to the stories that they tell, it really means a lot to me. It’s more so like the bus rides, the stories on the court, the back stories of why certain players went off during particular games, etc. To be able to be a part of that, I just thought it was a really cool idea.

In today’s NBA, WNBA, and professional leagues, players are able to get on Instagram and describe, say, or caption what took place. But before social media, there weren’t a lot of stories that players were able to actively tell. I would love to have Michael Jordan tweet about the Flu Game, or to get the back story on The Shot. What went on in Utah when the Bulls ordered food and they all got food poisoning and the stories that go along with that. So, I think it’s really neat to gain this first hand insight from different players.

One of the best aspects of Ball Don’t Lie is that players have their own voice. I think it’s so important to not only have your own voice but also the ability to determine when you activate that voice. There are so many times where you don’t get a say in whether an article comes out at a certain period in time. Now, with different avenues, players are empowered by that, and everyone can take ownership of their Ball Don’t Lie moment.

Myself and basketball have been synonymous for quite some time. I had a ball in my crib ever since I could remember. I went to my first basketball game at two weeks old; it was my brother’s game. I was always in the gym. You could catch me behind the bleachers playing basketball with everybody. My moment was during halftime of my brother’s games; I would go out there on the floor and shoot. I remember the crowd cheering for me, and I loved it.

Growing up, I was a huge soccer player. I was really impacted by the 1996 USA Olympic Team with Mia Hamm, Brandi Chastain (taking off her shirt), Briana Scurry and others. I was also a huge gymnastics fan, Dominique Dawes and Dominique Moceanu. I was literally the biggest fan of it all. Also, growing up in Chicago at that time, winning became the standard with the Bulls. It was like, Oh we lost? That was unheard of! So to be a member of that Chicago sports town where the expectation was winning, it kind of set the tone for me.

My parents didn’t raise me with special rules because I was a girl. There was nothing different, and they pushed me. I didn’t really realize the gender gap or different gender expectations until I left the house. In high school, the girls played games before the boys. But our girls games were sold out! In college, playing for Pat Summit was larger than life. I didn’t truly notice a huge difference between men and women until I got out of school and into the real world.

My upbringing was positive. When I started playing serious basketball, around 12 or 13, is when I had my first AAU experience. My first real tournament was in Orlando at the Wide World of Sports. The venue had just opened. I was in eighth grade, and that’s when I burst onto the national scene. Then, during my sophomore year of high school, I dunked. That was when shit got real.

So, I’d say I fell in love with the game at 13. I think that ’96 era and the Olympics simply opened my eyes to women team sports. The inaugural WNBA season was in 1997. Around that time, I watched the likes of Kim Perrot, Cynthia Cooper, and Tina Thompson with the Houston Comets. You can imagine me seeing all this from 1996-1998. The Olympics, the launch of the WNBA, and the Bulls were in the midst of another three-peat. It was like the perfect storm for me.

There are home videos of me outside just trying to play with my brothers. They’re so much older than me that whenever we’d play 21, they played for real with my dad. Then there’d be a game that I could play because I was so much younger. I will say I remember going to Naperville Central High School 11 years and 8 years later than my brothers. When I got there, everyone still remembered them. My attitude was that I’m going to try and make a name for myself. I didn’t want to just be Marcus and Anthony Parker’s sister. I knew they dunked at 16. Well, I dunked at 14. Everything that they did, I was chasing after. I was that annoying little sister who just wanted to do everything and try to be better at it.

After my sophomore year of high school, the dream to reach the WNBA became real. You have to understand, my brother Anthony got drafted when I was 11. In my eyes, you played professional basketball. That’s what you did. You went to high school, you went off to college, and then you got drafted. That’s how it went. I’m not sure there was ever an aha moment, like ooooh I can play in the WNBA. After my sophomore year, I was more like, I can be one of the best! That’s when I set my goal to be recruited by the best schools, to go to the best tournaments, and showcase my talents. That’s when I realized, I’m going to play professional basketball. But I don’t want to just play, I want to be one of the best players.

Oftentimes, I’m asked who I patented my game after. But I was all over the place. I was a huge Comets fan. I remember trying to go out and do Tina’s turnaround shot. I remember Cynthia Cooper. Every time I’d hit a shot, my dad wanted to pull my hair out because I’d raise the roof. I was also the biggest Allen Iverson fan, but I remember people telling me I’m a post player. I didn’t play post. My dad would never let that happen. He was like you could stop growing, so I played point guard, guard, and forward. I did it all. There was no particular position.

If I had to name a player in the men’s game though, it would honestly be Chris Webber. C-Webb was that hybrid big that I wanted to be like. If you looked at the way he moves and dribbles up the floor, he was that player for me that I watched. There was a time he did this move when he came down the court, went behind his back, split the defense, and then went up to score. The next game I had, I did that move. Like, I actually went out and tried to do it. So, I took from everybody’s repertoire and tried to add to my own.

Throughout this book, you’ll come across some really interesting moments from players. Looking back, my Ball Don’t Lie moment could have been the first game of my rookie season. I had been hearing everything after winning a national championship and being the number one pick. Everyone was pegging me as the next big thing. That could be a lot of pressure. I came out in my first game and almost had a triple-double. I was like, You know this is going to be a good career. Everything they’ve said hasn’t been fake. At the time, I didn’t know that was my Ball Don’t Lie moment. However, I think it’s that and maybe several more.

At the end of my first season, I was named the WNBA Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player, something that had only been done once in the history of the game by Moses Malone. What was so surreal for me was at the time, I didn’t realize I was expecting during the trip down to San Antonio to receive the trophies. Back then, players went to the WNBA Finals to accept league awards. We had just lost on a last second shot to San Antonio, and they were facing Detroit. Now, every time I look at those pictures it’s like, Wow, Lailaa was with me!

When I stepped into the LA organization, Michael Cooper came to me and said, I want you to be Rookie of the Year and MVP. That’s my expectation for you. I’ve always played for coaches that pushed me. Even my dad. He would curse me out, yell at me, and scream at me. I know he cares. He set those expectations because he knew that I could achieve it. But Coach Cooper put it out in the air first. It’s not like I was gunning for it or going for it. But if you’re not trying to be the best, it’s like what’s the point of even playing?

The year 2008 was a crazy one. We won the National Championship at Tennessee. Won an Olympic Gold medal and should have won the WNBA Championship if not for that last second shot. Anyway, MVP and Rookie of the Year. Then it was like, Okay what’s next? Well, my daughter was next. It was amazing.

Ultimately, I was able to return to the game just seven weeks after having my daughter. I had her May 13th, and I was back in the lineup July 5th. That too was a Ball Don’t Lie moment because this is something only women athletes can do. That was a special moment for me. To be able to get back to the game as fast as I did.

I’m so thankful for basketball. As much as the game itself and the fans benefit from players and understanding their stories, I have really taken advantage of the sport in terms of forming relationships with people and the travel. I think it’s really opened my eyes to being more worldly. It’s taught me to be okay with different people doing different things. If not for the chance of going overseas, experiencing different cultures, and being able to bring my daughter along, I don’t know if I would be the person that I am. The mother, the teammate, and the friend that I am. Just every part of life, the game of basketball has grown that for me.

I’ve had the opportunity to work with and play alongside some of the many players featured in this book. Shaq, Smitty, Isiah, Tina, Grant, 3D, and others will all bring their own unique perspective. You know those players are going to be authentic when they’re talking about basketball. This will also be the chance to take a trip down memory lane, uncovering things that we didn’t understand were going on at that particular time. Kevin has a great relationship with all of them as do I, and I think each story will provide a keen lesson in basketball and in life.

In terms of the game, I think it’s important for the stories to be told. These are moments as a fan and as a player that we can look back on and really take pride in either being a part of or being able to witness. It’s all about witnessing greatness and continuing to pay it forward. If you love the game of basketball, then your job is to inspire the next generation.

Chapter 1

Lord Thomas

If you conduct a quick google search on 1980s basketball, you’ll find an array of images including: Los Angeles Lakers guard Magic Johnson, Boston Celtics forward Larry Bird, and Chicago Bulls highflyer Michael Jordan. Understandably, the decade was highlighted by Magic and Bird’s combined eight NBA titles while Jordan glided on the scene as the game’s global phenomenon. An illustration that may be tougher to locate is the often-overlooked Detroit Pistons Point God Isiah Lord Thomas.

The Pistons were affectionately known as the Bad Boys for their tough defensive mindset and physically imposing nature. A roster led by Thomas, who was raised on the asphalt of Chicago’s West Side, was filled with hard-nosed players whose gritty presence alone could intimidate any opponent. Detroit’s style of play defined ‘80s hoops and East Coast round ball. It was an identity established by the Celtics throughout their early ‘80s title run.

From 1986 to 1990, the Pistons were an astounding 225-98 in games started by Thomas. What’s fascinating is that despite winning 70 percent of those contests and reaching the Finals three times in the same span, they failed to receive the same recognition given to their peers. Could that be due to their Bad Boy reputation? Maybe. It could also be explained that falling short of winning a third title, like many of their contemporaries, may have negated their status in basketball circles. After falling to the Lakers in the 1988 NBA Finals and defeating Magic and company in the 1989 Finals, it was an imperative feat to climb atop the proverbial hill for a third consecutive postseason to be rightfully placed amongst the league elite.

Prior to the 1990 NBA Finals, there were only two franchises to successfully repeat as champions: the aforementioned Celtics and Lakers. Despite Magic and Bird both winning at least three career titles, only Magic experienced winning titles in succession. In order for Isiah to be elevated to legendary status, winning two straight championships in three consecutive finals appearances would solidify his place in the golden era of basketball.

Entering game six of the Finals, the Pistons held a 3-2 series lead over the Lakers. With a chance to capture their first ever title, their hopes were halted when Isiah suffered a sprained ankle in the game’s third quarter. Just before rolling his ankle, Thomas scored 14 points to kick start a Detroit rally. The Pistons trailed by eight when he exited the game. Once Thomas returned, he scored 11 of the team’s final 15 points of the period. As a result, the Pistons took a two-point lead into the fourth quarter. Thomas’ 25 third quarter points still stand as an NBA Finals record for points in a single period. Sadly, it wasn’t enough to end the series, and the Pistons traveled back to the Motor City empty handed.

In that moment, the Pistons’ great became a basketball hero. Displaying arguably the gutsiest performance at the game’s highest level. Going toe-to-toe with an all-time great team. Elevating his squad and city to heights they’ve never seen. Winning multiple titles would be the only feat left for Thomas to be remembered as a legend. Without much time to ponder the defeat, Isiah returned to work as soon as he was fully healed to pursue the illustrious title.

Following another 82-game grind, Detroit got a chance to avenge their heart wrenching game 7 loss to the Lakers in the 1989 Finals. The Pistons did their best to eradicate the sour taste of defeat from the season before by sweeping their Laker foes in four games. Aside from accruing a bevy of hardware, the 6-foot-1 guard immediately became a part of a select group of hoopers to win a High School state and NCAA championship along with an NBA title.

Champagne celebrations, ticker parades down Woodward Avenue, and hanging banners in The Palace of Auburn Hills are once in a lifetime experiences. However, due to Thomas’ work ethic and self-imposed expectations those were all inevitable fruits of his labor. Understanding that good things come with winning, Isiah wanted nothing more than to continue experiencing that feeling of euphoria. The floor general was drafted to uplift a struggling franchise and his blue-collar mentality was a perfect fit in the Motor City. After bringing a title back to Detroit, it established an affinity for Thomas akin to many of the legendary Motown recording artists. Forever adopted as one of the town’s very own.

From 1987-89, Isiah played in 162 of a possible 164 regular season games. The cost of playing in two consecutive NBA Finals meant competing in 40 more highly intense playoff games. Despite the gaudy number of minutes logged in that span, the all-star guard was not one to take an extended leave of absence from the hardwood. At the conclusion of a season, it’s customary for a player to take a few weeks to regroup. All Thomas needed was a few days to enjoy his success, heal, and regain his hunger to hoist a second Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy.

I felt like I was in the prime of my career, Thomas said. Still young, still feeling good and still thirsty enough [to work]. I remember, after we won in ’89, I literally took eight days off, and I went back into the gym and started working again. I just continued practicing every single day.

Once the hunter, Thomas and his fellow Bad Boys are now the hunted. With a title placed in their rearview, the Pistons approached the coming season as they did the last, willing to do whatever it took to win. This determination was a main character trait in the Chicago native as Thomas displayed