The Rex Chapman Show with Josh Hopkins

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**The Rex Chapman Show with Josh Hopkins**

Join NBA Legend and the King of Twitter Rex Chapman and one of his closest friends, Actor Josh Hopkins, form the Rex Chapman Podcast. With special guests and the latest news from the NBA, hear personal stories as Rex and Josh rose to the top of their careers from humble beginnings in Lexington, KY. The Rex Chapman Show is powered by BasketballNews.com and produced by Next Chapter Podcasts.

Latest Episodes:

Episode 52 - Cedric Ceballos Aug 25, 2022

Show notes

Cedric Ceballos Talks Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Playing With Rex

-03:00: Surviving COVID

-05:30: Where his drive to be good came from

-06:30: Early on, he was not a good basketball player at all, but made

sure to sit near coaches to learn

-09:00: His brother being good is what pushed him to want to be good

at basketball

-11:15: Growing up on a block that drugs were constantly being sold on

-16:30: Working at a Taco Bell in junior college and how it led to his

basketball career

-19:00: Why he decided to go to CS-Fullerton

-24:00: Ced being drafted by Phoenix and his first stint with the Suns

and the advice the vets gave him about scoring that was helpful

-30:30: The first time Ced played against Larry Bird, Magic Johnson,

Michael Jordan and playing with the philosophy that every game that

could be your last

-34:00: Going back to their days as teammates in Phoenix

-36:00: The best in-game dunks during his first stint with Phoenix and

his strong off-balance skills

-41:30: Knowing Warren G and going to high school with a member of

N.W.A. and having a passion for music

-44:30: Being part of the "bridge" Lakers teams between the Showtime

era and Shaq/Kobe

-50:00: How Ced ended up back in Phoenix and recalling an early season game

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Episode 51 - Matt Barnes Aug 18, 2022

Show notes

On the latest episode of the Rex Chapman Show with Josh Hopkins, the guys are joined by NBA Champion Matt Barnes. After a long career in the NBA, Matt talks about his path to finding his 2nd career in the media. The All The Smoke Podcast is the culmination of Matt and Stephen Jackson's playing careers turned into stories and insightful interviews.

You can follow Matt Barnes on Twitter and Instagram

5:00 - Growing up in Sacramento in a mostly white school, Matt talks about how important it was to him to stand up for himself in the face of racism.

9:30 - To this day, Matt describes himself as a football player on the basketball court. What mentality did he take from the gridiron to ratchet it up a notch on defense?

12:30 - Matt's "Business Decision" to choose basketball over football had everything to do with longevity. Matt Barnes could have been a star player in the NFL, but he never envisioned he could have lasted 14 years like he did in the NBA.

15:00 - In 2006, Matt reached a crossroads in his career where he thought playing basketball would come to an end. He received an opportunity from Don Nelson in Golden State that extended his career another decade.

19:30 - Working with the next generation of NBA players, Matt describes coaching AAU Basketball, and preparing kids on what it's like to be in the NBA for over a decade.

28:00 - How Matt's reputation helped set a special mentality and edge to his game. How does he stay true to himself to this day as a member of the media, based on who he was on the basketball court.

30:00 - Barnes talks about his approach to being a member of the media "Jay-Z Said it Best"

35:00 - Compared to how he grew up, Matt knows his kids now don't have it as tough as he did. It's so important to him to give those kids all the opportunities to overcome adversity on the court. Don't let anyone run away from the grind to becoming the best version of yourself.

38:30 - The Kobe Bryant pump fake. Matt takes it back to meeting Kobe Bryant while he was at UCLA, and how the competitive fire built between the two. It all worked out between the two, with Barnes getting a phone call to join Kobe in LA.

44:00 - Being Able to Watch Kobe Bryant grow and develop, breaking his hand and going through left-handed workouts

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Episode 50 - Ice Cube Aug 12, 2022

Show notes

On the latest episode of the Rex Chapman Show with Josh Hopkins, the guys are joined by Ice Cube. The legendary rapper and actor discusses the success of Big3 Basketball, now in the middle of its 5th season, while looking back on his rap career. All these years later, Cube explains the message behind his music and why he still enjoys making it to this day.

You can Follow Ice Cube @IceCube on Twitter and Instagram

You can follow Big 3 Basketball at @TheBig3 on Twitter and Instagram

6:10 - It's been 34 years since "Straight Outta Compton" came out, putting a lens on police misconduct. Today, it remains an issue that Cube is working on to make progress.

15:10 - How did Ice Cube figure out his style, balancing between sharing his reality, while trying to make hit records that could reach people outside of the hood?

19:00 - Based on his success as a musician, Ice Cube spoke about what interested him in pursuing a film career and the influence John Singleton had on him.

26:00- How did Cube become such a giant sports fan?

28:00 - Now in its 5th season, Ice Cube describes the formula to the success of Big3 Basketball, and how it has grown in popularity, by providing great games for a starving fanbase.

34:30 - Ice Cube is excited for his Raiders this year, but it'll be a gauntlet getting through the AFC, including the Chiefs, Chargers and Broncos right there in the division.

36:00 - Cube says this year for the Lakers is going to have to be better than it was last year. This team will be hungrier after the disappointing finish and if they run it back with the same group, the Lakers will still be competing for an NBA Championship.

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Episode 49- Willie Colon Aug 09, 2022

Show notes

On the latest episode of the Rex Chapman Show with Josh Hopkins, the guys are joined by Super Bowl Champion Willie Colon. After a career in the NFL, protecting Ben Roethlisberger and other QB greats, Willie made the transition to joining the media. He lets the guys in on all the fun that goes on as a radio talk show host, still keeping close tabs on all sports.

7:30 - Willie describes playing all kinds of sports growing up in the Bronx, and when it came to football, he almost missed his calling after missing his first freshman practice.

13:00 - Willie took to football quickly, but how was he as a leader? He allowed his courageous play on the football field to speak for him, with the team following his example.

18:00 - Willie describes what it was like being bigger than everyone else, and how that translates into NFL success. That said, it took a long time before Willie realized he could be a professional football player.

25:30 - How important was staying close to home for Willie when making his college decision?

30:50 - Willie had multiple "Welcome To The NFL" moments because when you're drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers, you learn not only about the proud tradition, but the high expectations that come with it.

37:50 - Willie melting when he finds out he was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers

43::50 - Willie talks about the transition from Bill Cowher to Mike Tomlin, which is a big deal for a Steelers organization that only has had 3 coaches since 1966.

49:50 - Life after football is keeping Willie busy, touching on his Foundation as well as his sports bar which you can visit in his neighborhood.

1:06:00 - Willie on Deshaun Watson's 6-GM Suspension

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Episode 48 - Gary Williams Aug 03, 2022

Show notes

On the latest episode of the Rex Chapman Show with Josh Hopkins, the guys are joined by Naismith Hall of Famer and former Maryland Coach Gary Williams. It's been 20 years since the 2002 National Championship, and looking back on his success on the sidelines, the guys ask Gary about what it took for him to reach that pinnacle, with stories along the way.

11:00 - Following the passing of Bill Russell, Gary touches on what made him special both on and off the court.

13:10 - Gary will always remember the impact Bill Russell made in advancing civil rights, and defending Muhammad Ali when everyone else wanted the champ in jail.

16:45 - Gary recalls the first time he spoke to Bill Russell as a "young man", and the piece of rebounding advice that to this day he never forgot.

18:30 - When did Gary realize he was going to be a basketball lifer? Even when Billy Cunningham may have put an end to his dreams of being an NBA player, there was always coaching.

24:30 - Rex remembers moving to DC to play with the Bullets and moving in next door to Gary Williams. At the time, Gary said the only job he would have left Ohio State was to return to his alma mater, even with the probation.

29:30 - A decade later, Gary had Maryland in back to back Final Fours, including the 2002 National Championship. What was it about building those teams that made an NCAA Title possible?

36:00 - Gary describes Steve Francis arriving on campus. How soon from when he got there, did Gary realize how special he was?

40:30 - While recruiting Kevin Durant, there was another player that caught Gary Williams' attention. What was it about Greivis Vasquez that made him become one of the best Maryland players of all time?

42:00 - There was no one more impactful for Maryland than Juan Dixon. Gary talks about the fight and passion he played with in games, and in practice, that laid the foundation for the National Championship run.

48:30 - Gary looks back on Mike Krzyzewski's career and says there is no Duke program without his accomplishments.

52:00 - How Name, Image and Likeness has changed the landscape of college athletics, and Gary can recall 35 years ago trying to make inroads to allow more incentive for players to play for the NCAA.

57:00 - While he's retired, Gary is still thinking about how the game has evolved, and some changes he'd like to curb to see more fundamentals and less 3-pointers.

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Episode 47 - Jerry Stackhouse Jun 24, 2022

Show notes

On the latest episode of the Rex Chapman Podcast, the guys are joined by former NBA All-Star and now Head Coach of the Vanderbilt Commodores, Jerry Stackhouse.

12:10 - Basketball will always be a part of Stack's life, describing his love for the game. Now in this next chapter of his career, he enjoys being able to share it with others.

15:45 - How good was Stack's Oak Hill Academy team? Were they even good enough to match up with his UNC team?

23:00 - From Oak Hill to Chapel Hill, Stack says his time with Steve Smith, and then Dean Smith, was a formal education in the art of basketball.

25:30 - For all the critics of North Carolina's academics, Stack is a prime example of what it takes to be a diligent student athlete. Now as the Head Coach at Vanderbilt, he takes pride in setting the standard for academics in college basketball.

29:10 - That wasn't a scowl Stack was playing with, it was seriousness. You have to be serious to not only make the NBA, but stay in the NBA. It was especially hard coming into a losing situation after the success in high school and college.

34:30 - The comparisons to Michael Jordan were always flattering, but Stack never saw himself as the next MJ after following him at North Carolina. Leave it to Mike to turn that into bulletin board material when they battled in the NBA.

34:45 - Stackhouse on Michael Jordan

40:30 - How NIL has impacted college athletics, and what approach Stack and Vanderbilt has taken to enhance their platform for the student athletes.

51:00 - What impact will Scotty Pippen Jr have at the NBA level after wrapping up his collegiate career at Vanderbilt? Who's the next man up for Vandy with Pippen Jr headed to the next level?

56:00 - The rivalries in the SEC are alive and well, especially when talking about the Commodores and the Wildcats.

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Episode 46 - Gus Johnson Jun 14, 2022

Show notes

On the latest episode of the Rex Chapman Show with Josh Hopkins, the guys are joined by legendary play-by-play voice Gus Johnson. Over his storied career, Gus gives his perspective on living life to the fullest and bringing passion and energy for everything beyond calling games.

7:20 - Right off the jump, Rex and Josh have to tap into Gus's connections to Kentucky Basketball.

11:00 - Gus admits that sports were an escape for him growing up in Detroit, before finding his true calling in the broadcast booth.

15:00 - As a Detroit native and lifelong fan, no athlete will mean more to Gus Johnson than Isiah Thomas. He even got into fights arguing over Isiah Thomas.

22:45 - Gus describes making that transition from athlete to sports broadcaster. He said it was immediate that he fell head-over-heels in love.

26:30 -Gus says he is where he is today because of Bryant Gumbel, and his Mom had a crush on him too.

38:00 - Gus explains why he calls games with plenty of gusto, and even if others say he's over the top, he understands what he's bringing to so many athletes every time he calls a game. Every game is a historical piece, and Gus considers himself a sports historian.

49:30 - Gus goes back to his days calling Knicks games, and says Patrick Ewing helped him succeed and reach the pinnacle of his career.

50:30 -Gus did whatever he could to get that interview with Patrick Ewing on his first day with the Knicks

55:00 - Josh has to ask about a few of Gus's iconic moments from the broadcast booth.

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Episode 45 - Bob Costas May 31, 2022

Show notes

On the latest episode of the Rex Chapman Show with Josh Hopkins, the guys are joined by legendary broadcaster Bob Costas. One of the most accomplished men in all of broadcasting, Bob discusses how his career got started in St Louis, and where some of his favorite stops have been along the way. Bob goes into great detail about some of his most memorable people and places that remain with him after all these years.

4:00 - For Rex, Bob will always be the voice of the Spirits of St Louis. For all the guys that were a part of the ABA, including Rex's father, it will always be a fraternity.

6:40 - Thinking of his own nickname, Boy Wonder, Rex asks Bob about how he was so accomplished, so fast. Bob talks about his big break with KMOX from when he was at Syracuse University.

12:30 - A decade ago, Bob used his platform to discuss the tragic story of Jovan Belcher and how it reflected on the gun culture in our country. How does Bob find perspective after these events seem to happen over and over again?

26:00 - Bob speaks to how special Muhammad Ali both in and outside the boxing ring. He remains one of Bob's favorite athletes ever for who he was as a principled and disciplined man.

37:30 - In a life spent in the front row of some of the greatest events of all time, Bob says some of the moments that will always look back on is his conversation with Paul McCartney, Michael Jordan's final shot with the Bulls and Kirk Gibson's Walk off Home Run.

45:00 - After hearing of the passing of Ray Liotta, and remembering Field of Dreams, the guys discuss classic baseball movies, and Bob's most recent trip to Dyersville, IA.

54:00 - Rex has to know when Bob figured out he had a gift for articulating his thoughts, and when it all seemed to click with sports.

56:30 - What advice does Bob have for any up and coming broadcasters, and how the great ones found their voice?

1:08:00 - Josh has always had this vision of Bob Costas and Billy Crystal sharing a drink in New York. Not only did that happen, but they had Mickey Mantle with them.

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Episode 44 - Michael Wilbon May 25, 2022

Show notes

On this episode of The Rex Chapman Show with Josh Hopkins, the guys chat with legendary sports-media personality Michael Wilbon, who works as an ESPN NBA analyst and the co-host of Pardon The Interruption. In 2021, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame honored him with the Curt Gowdy Award, which is given to outstanding basketball writers and broadcasters.

Follow Michael on Twitter and Instagram.

05:30: Wilbon's early impressions of Rex

07:00: Growing up on the Southside of Chicago with African-American Athletes playing on the Northside in Chicago

10:30: When he realized he wasn't going pro (when Kirby Puckett took him deep in a travel ball game

013:30: When he knew he could marry his love of sports and his skill of writing

18:00: When he had the confidence that came with the skill - writing on deadline will develop it or break it

21:00: Wilbon became a columnist around the same time Rex became a Bullet

24:00: Michael feels like sports has done a better job of embracing diversity quicker in the writer & media world than in other areas

26:30: How the seeds of PTI and becoming a TV presence became planted starting with The Sports Reporters

31:15: Wilbon's friendship with Tony Kornheiser and why they became good buds

39:00: Michael doesn't ever go into the comments section on his stuff, hates the purposefully decisive stuff

44:30: He feels honored when former athletes ask him to write things for them

-46:00: When Michael felt uncomfortable with the fame and advice he got from Charles Barkley

-48:50: Wilbon was in Hawaii for a Holiday Bowl and had 3 huge stories happen to him in one trip there

-53:40: Taking us through some of the big events MW covered - the one that stands out most was an event when Kathy Freeman won at the Sydney Olympics

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Episode 43 - Jay Bilas May 17, 2022

Show notes

On the latest episode of The Rex Chapman Show with Josh Hopkins, the guys are joined by another Dukie: the great ESPN analyst, Jay Bilas. On the heels of Coach K's Last Dance, Jay discusses the impact Mike Krzyzewski had on his life (both on and off the court). There's no one better equipped to discuss the NCAA’s changing landscape with Name, Image and Likeness deals, and Jay breaks down the future of college sports.

1:30 - How did Jay end up at Duke all the way from California? It came down to the best recruiting pitch, which came from Mike Krzyzewski who at that time had the least success among his top candidates.

5:30 - Jay never felt he was one of the best players on the court, and it wasn't until later on in high school when he started to believe in his ability and how far it could take him.

7:15 - It's 1982 and Jay steps on campus at Duke University. What was so special about that #1 recruiting class, and what did Mike Krzyzewski do to assemble all that talent?

9:15 -Jay Bilas having to play against Ralph Sampson was like facing your Dad in the Driveway

13:00 - When did Jay discover he was gifted behind the microphone? It actually goes all the way back to high school, without even knowing it would be in his future.

15:30 -Jay Bilas, the secret he kept from all his friends. He was a competitive dancer.

18:00 - The impact Jay Bilas has made on a huge platform like ESPN. What has been the one thing throughout his decades on the network, as he's grown his voice, that he has always been conscious of?

21:30 - Name, Image and Likeness changed the landscape of college sports, so how has Jay viewed the NCAA's reaction to the end of amateur athletics?

25:00 - While the NCAA has stood by and let this all happen, the goal posts have been moved from amateurism to employment. How can these institutions remain in control while the athletes are finally recognizing they are the reason why revenue continues to go up?

32:30 - The NCAA will need a new President with Mark Emmert stepping down, but Jay has to ask, Do you want to take over the Titanic after it hit the iceberg?

36:00 - It's still a bit of a shock that Mike Krzyzewski is finally stepping down, 40 years after Jay stepped on Duke's campus to play for him. There's so much Coach K has shown him over their decades long relationship, including one moment that took place right after Christian Laettner hit The Shot, that Jay will never forget.

41:45 - What is the outlook for the Kentucky Wildcats after they had a disappointing finish in the NCAA Tournament against St Peter's?

46:30 - How the Kentucky's and Duke's continue to recruit the best classes year after year, and how that changes with free transfers and the threat of declaring early for the NBA.

51:00 - Who are the next generation of great coaches after watching Coach K and Jay Wright retire after this past season?

52:45 - If Jay Bilas had the first pick in the NBA Draft, who would he take between Chet Holmgren, Jabari Smith or Paolo Banchero?

58:30 - Why is it only in basketball we have to debate which era had the best players? The game has never been better, with more talented players.

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