in

Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson Talks Transitioning From RESPECT.MAG to Basketball Society & What’s Next For Scoop B Radio

Courtesy of Scoop B

Basketball Society, the lifestyle brand and the multimedia network, announced that Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson will join their platform as a Senior Writer.

“I was proud to announce the addition of Brandon to the Basketball Society family as a Senior Columnist. Brandon is a 20-year veteran in entertainment journalism, and his love for the game of basketball is only rivaled by his unique ability to locate and highlight significant stories. We are excited to be the platform he chose to host and circulate his basketball content. ” – Martin Soaries, Founder & Editor, Basketball Society.

Brandon will focus on basketball content as he transitions from his former role as Managing Editor and Columnist at RESPECT. Mag.  According to Scoop, this opportunity allows him to focus on his first love the game of basketball. Robinson says he will continue producing content that involves entertainment, politics, and sports through  Scoop B Radio but wants to focus strictly on basketball as a writer.

The Hype Magazine correspondent Landon Buford recently interviewed the seasoned journalist about his discussion to depart from RESPECT. Mag and Steve Nash, Jason Kidd, and Grant Hill were selected as members of the 2018 Hall of Fame Class. Also, Scoop B gives his Finals predictions and sleepers in this year’s NFL Draft.

Courtesy of Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson

What are your thoughts on Jason Kidd, Steve Nash, and Grant Hill getting into the Hall of Fame?

It could not happen to three more excellent gentlemen. They all had the distinction of being members of the Phoenix Suns at one point in their careers. I am happy for them because I know all three of them, and they are gentlemen. I just talked to Grant recently, and I missed his at March Madness Media Day because he was out sick, and I reached out to him. I said, ‘Hey man, I missed you.’ He has always been very approachable. It is cool that Grant Hill and Jason Kidd are going in simultaneously because they were both NBA Co-Rookies of the Year in 1995. Steve Nash and Jason Kidd were teammates in the late 90s in Phoenix, and I had the opportunity to know Jason during my Nets kid reporter days when he was still in Phoenix. Even during that time. I knew back then that he was special just because of the way that he saw the court. Steve Nash is more of the same, so I am happy to see all of them go in, and I am also excited to see Maurice Cheeks get elected.

You had the opportunity to hang out with Jason’s son over the All-Star break. What is the news as far as the family since it was announced?

I have not spoken with anyone in the family upon the announcement, but his son, T.J. Kidd, is a friend of mine, and I am happy to see Jason Kidd and his family receive the recognition. Since Jason is one of the top point guards of all time, I knew he would be selected one day. If it were not this year, it would have been next year, but it could not have happened to a better family.

Do you think Jason Kidd will have another opportunity to be a head coach in this league?

I do! There will be a lot of coaching vacancies. He proved in his first year with the Brooklyn Nets and as a coach of the Milwaukee Bucks that he could get it done.

I thought he would have had a longer window because of the existing talent on the team. For the most part, Milwaukee is still very young compared to the veteran team he had while being a head coach in Brooklyn. That vet team consisted of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Joe Johnson, and Deron Williams.

With all the turmoil in Memphis, do you think that would be a great landing spot for Marc Gasol and if Michael Conley can stay healthy?

I think he will have options of where he wants to go, and I would throw a wildcard out there, depending on what happens with Tyronn Lue in the next six months to a year. If the Cavaliers do not choose to retain Tyronn or Larry Drew, who is to say that that couldn’t be a possible option for Jason Kidd? We will have to see what positions are open; ultimately, he will have to decide the best fit.

You recently left Respect Mag as managing editor and columnist. What is next for you and Scoop B Radio?

Scoop B Radio has been around since 2016, and last year had 2 million downloads. We’ve secured some sponsorship opportunities, and I will continue to create content. We’ve had anyone from Pete Sampras, Allen Iverson, Too $hort, Dr. Ben Carson, Gloria Allred, Charles Barkley, and Stephen A. Smith on there as far as what is next for me. I recently announced that I’d joined the Basketball Society as a Senior Writer and released my first article on Monday.

What is different about this opportunity that RESPECT could not offer you over the last year and a half that you worked there?

RESPECT has been incredible, and it was an opportunity for me after I departed from CBS. RESPECT was a lot of responsibility, whether it was editing my work and the staff writers. This time, the Basketball Society allows me to focus specifically on basketball. I love entertainment and have intertwined my career into both. But basketball is my first love; writing at the Basketball Society does that for me by allowing me to focus on the game. I plan to continue covering entertainment, sports, and politics on the Scoop B Radio Podcast side. But on the writing side, I’m focused on more of the basketball side of things as a writer, minus the editing responsibilities.

You had the opportunity to speak with first-time All-Star Karl Anthony Towns over the All-star break. Since he is someone you have been covering since high school, can we talk about his growth over the years and his 56 points outburst against the Hawks?

I am happy for Karl and his family. I had the opportunity to participate in a celebrity basketball game this past December in New Jersey, and Karl’s father coached against my team. I’ve gotten to know Karl since 2015. We have mutual friends in New York and New Jersey, but to be honest with you, what people see in him is no surprise. He’s special. The 56 points the other day against the Hawks helped his confidence, and he is a guy who can defend all five positions, take you off the dribble, shoot the three, and take his opponents down low in the post and score.

In my opinion, he is a more fluid Rasheed Wallace, and I think what makes Karl unique is that he is humble enough to take constructive criticism. He also had the advantage of being under the guidance of Flip Saunders and Kevin Garnett during his rookie year. I remember after he was drafted in 2015, I was in the back room at Barclays Center with Karl when he received a phone call from Flip, and I heard Karl promise Flip that he would deliver him a championship in Minnesota. Even though Flip is no longer with us, I hope Karl can keep that promise.

What are your thoughts about Ben Simmons telling Karl Anthony Towns to continue playing the game they were playing on Twitch and don’t worry about the Atlanta Hawks?

I think Ben Simmons is fitting that he should not have been worried about Atlanta, but the dichotomy between the Sixers and Minnesota goes more profound because of the back and forth between Karl and Joel Embiid. All in fun, but I think that it gave him more motivation.

In your opinion, is Harden a lock for the MVP this year, and does he need to start focusing on the ball’s defense side of the ball? Is he locked in under a $200 million contract for the next five years?

Anyone who paid that amount of money should be focused on both ends of the floor. He is getting born more than Kawhi Leonard, the best two-way player in the NBA. Also, in my opinion, Kawhi Leonard, at this time of his career, is what Richard Jefferson should have been 15 years ago on both courts ends. As for James Harden being a lock for MVP, I think LeBron James is having another MVP-type season, especially since the trade deadline transition brought Rodney Hood, Jordan Clarkson, George Hill, and Larry Nance. I think James Harden is the front-runner, but LeBron seems to have more fun than he was in high school.

Also, what LeBron is doing on a social level away from the game of basketball and how he handled the break-up between him and Kyrie Irving is admirable. Again, how he dealt with the ‘Shut up and Dribble’ situation, he took that very well, and on the court, he is scoring at will, passing efficiently, and leading by example. He is having a great year.

DeAndre Jordan has put his Los Angeles house up for sale. Is Houston his next stop?

Well, he is from Houston, there’s a checkmark, and that’s one city LeBron James will also have his eye on if he ultimately does not return to Cleveland. We know that Cleveland was looking for a way to get DeAndre Jordan at the trade deadline this season. I think both individuals would complement each other on the floor’s offensive and defensive ends. I do not see any issues between Chris Paul and Jordan, seeing that they previously played together in Los Angeles, but maybe he wants to downsize his house.

The 2018 NBA Playoffs are right around the corner. Who do you have winning it all?

The Cleveland Cavaliers against the Warriors in six or seven games.

The NFL Draft is in Dallas. Will you be in attendance, and who is your sleeper this year?

No, I will not be attending the draft in Dallas, and as far as my sleeper, there is so much talent in the draft this year. I had the opportunity to speak with some of the individuals in this year’s draft. Darius Allensworth, a defensive back out of California Berkeley, defensive back Chris Seisay from Portland State, Florida State’s Ermon Lane, and Chapman University’s wide receiver Jacob Isabel. These individuals are prospects that I would keep my eyes on if I was any of the 32 NFL teams.

If you were in the Browns front office, are you trading the number 1 pick or selecting another quarterback with Tyrod Taylor already on your roster?

Saquon Barkley is someone you can’t pass up on. If I were in the Browns’ front office, I’m not select a quarterback with my first pick. I would go with Barkley.

Who should the Giants take at 2?

They should focus on a wide receiver in case Odell is traded. I’m told they like Marcell Ateman out of Oklahoma State. They need someone at the complementary wide receiver position, which was an issue once Odell went down. Also, they need to address a successor to Eli Manning in the draft.

What do you think?

Written by Landon Buford

Jay Z & Diddy’s Black App Sends Mix Signals And Sparks A Public Debate

Three-Time Olympic Gold Medalist Swimmer Rowdy Gaines Renew Endorsement With SwimMirror