NBA Players and Media Questions
NBA players are trying to keep their latest move a secret. Which is? They want to ‘negotiate’ the media out of their contracts.
We understand they are mad, as long as they don’t use the -f- word because little boys idolize them. ‘But mom, my hero said it on T.V.’ Most ego-players use it on the regular.
Do teams give players media training? I don’t know how it works, but the front desk should sound proof new players from media tricks, and how to deal with them.
First of all, don’t let the reporter’s smile fool you, wahala (Nigerian word for trouble) is coming. Poor Leonard (not financially) got tired of being asked about Raptors, being the 2019 MVP and move to the Clippers.
In one interview he said it was in the past, he is a Clippers now. Is sports media listening to this common sense? Let the man do work for his current NBA gig, which is L.A. Clippers.
Matt Thomas. One reporter asked him about the Toronto Raptors. Something like, who helped him the most when he joined the crew. He said everyone, all of them were great. Something like that. Way to go Thomas.
That’s right. If he had said let’s say Kyle Lowry, the media would run with it and imply that he doesn't think much of players he didn’t mention. They have the power to tweak answers to what they want.
Having said that, reporters on the scene are not the bad guys, producers are. Ask him this, press him on that. For example, if a producer decides that Kawhi Leonard is a bad guy for leaving the Raptors using a transportation system set by the NBA before he got here, that’s it.
The reporter’s questions will hammer on that until he says ‘as I said before.’ That is most damaging because it means the reporter is not listening or dumb. Don’t they teach them that in Journalism School?
The laptops you see on T.V. are not for ambience. Producers are talking to the person interviewing you. Sometimes you catch television hosts glancing at them. Before laptops, it was just plain dot.com ear plugs. You can’t see producers but they run the show off-camera.
The most blatant example of producer dictatorship I’ve ever seen was when Barack Obama was running for the White House. He would start to answer a question, and the television host pushes in another one. The presidential candidate would try and answer that one. T.V. host inserts another question. I switched channels after the fourth question.
The pressure is even worse for NBA players after a game, when all they want, is to go to the locker room and detox. Teams that don't secure players they wanted, also get ridiculous media questions.
“Why did Kawhi Leonard choose Clippers and not Lakers?”
“I don’t f--- know,” replied a player with a royal title.
Wrong answer because growing boys are listening, but the media directed the question to the wrong person. Poor reporters. It’s those dictators, producers.
l How do you feel after losing to the Off Shore Baskets?
l I feel great. It was my intention to be sleepless in Seattle, sorry, scoreless. What kind of a question is that?
We understand they are mad, as long as they don’t use the -f- word because little boys idolize them. ‘But mom, my hero said it on T.V.’ Most ego-players use it on the regular.
Do teams give players media training? I don’t know how it works, but the front desk should sound proof new players from media tricks, and how to deal with them.
Toronto Raptors Normal Powell
Kawhi Leonard, who was on a Toronto Raptors working visa this past summer and Matt Thomas who is currently on a working visa with the 2019 NBA champions seem to have mastered those tricks.First of all, don’t let the reporter’s smile fool you, wahala (Nigerian word for trouble) is coming. Poor Leonard (not financially) got tired of being asked about Raptors, being the 2019 MVP and move to the Clippers.
In one interview he said it was in the past, he is a Clippers now. Is sports media listening to this common sense? Let the man do work for his current NBA gig, which is L.A. Clippers.
Matt Thomas. One reporter asked him about the Toronto Raptors. Something like, who helped him the most when he joined the crew. He said everyone, all of them were great. Something like that. Way to go Thomas.
That’s right. If he had said let’s say Kyle Lowry, the media would run with it and imply that he doesn't think much of players he didn’t mention. They have the power to tweak answers to what they want.
Having said that, reporters on the scene are not the bad guys, producers are. Ask him this, press him on that. For example, if a producer decides that Kawhi Leonard is a bad guy for leaving the Raptors using a transportation system set by the NBA before he got here, that’s it.
The reporter’s questions will hammer on that until he says ‘as I said before.’ That is most damaging because it means the reporter is not listening or dumb. Don’t they teach them that in Journalism School?
The laptops you see on T.V. are not for ambience. Producers are talking to the person interviewing you. Sometimes you catch television hosts glancing at them. Before laptops, it was just plain dot.com ear plugs. You can’t see producers but they run the show off-camera.
The most blatant example of producer dictatorship I’ve ever seen was when Barack Obama was running for the White House. He would start to answer a question, and the television host pushes in another one. The presidential candidate would try and answer that one. T.V. host inserts another question. I switched channels after the fourth question.
The pressure is even worse for NBA players after a game, when all they want, is to go to the locker room and detox. Teams that don't secure players they wanted, also get ridiculous media questions.
“Why did Kawhi Leonard choose Clippers and not Lakers?”
“I don’t f--- know,” replied a player with a royal title.
Wrong answer because growing boys are listening, but the media directed the question to the wrong person. Poor reporters. It’s those dictators, producers.
By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.
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