NBA players have a strong fraternity of players that have strong relationships with each other. But sometimes, these relationships extend beyond their sport as they meet players of similar stature from different disciplines.
Ahmad Rashad is a former NFL All-Pro Team member and a respected media member who revealed the genesis behind his relationships with NBA stars like Michael Jordan and Patrick Ewing.
“Well, the relationship was that I was, you know, respected as being an athlete. So, I was in that spotlight as a player myself. So I was never surprised by anything. Or how your life changes the bigger star you become as an athlete. I’d already gone through those kinds of things. So, these guys were fans of mine also. Between Michael and Patrick and Charles and all these guys. They knew me as an All-Pro football player. So, there was a common thread between our relationship. And it created a very open relationship between us. It was like, I already know the answer to the question that I’m asking you. [Laughs] I already know the answer, I just want to hear you say it! It was those kinds of things – I’d been in that seat before. And it wasn’t the same seat. It wasn’t a seat like I barely played. That wasn’t it at all. I was pretty good at what I did. So, we had those common denominators in terms of our relationships. Pro football player, pro basketball player. And now you’re still a basketball player and I’m a journalist.” (h/t HoopsHype)
The similar athletic experiences bonded the players with Rashad, as they respected him for knowing how challenging the positions athletes are put in are. Nowadays, we see plenty of former players transition to media, with basketball, in particular, seeing an explosion in retired players becoming journalists.
Building Strong Relationships
More former athletes are on the airwaves in the biggest shows now than traditional journalists. An example of some former players that are analysts now are JJ Redick, Kendrick Perkins, Vince Carter, Richard Jefferson, Gilbert Arenas, Chandler Parsons, Channing Frye, and many more. Even active players have taken a step in the media world, like Draymond Green, Patrick Beverley, Paul George, and more.
A player is likely to trust a former player more with their shared experiences. It seems it was easier for MJ, Ewing, Charles Barkley, and more to trust a journalist like Rashad as compared to the proper reporters that existed at the time. The landscape has changed, and Rashad was definitely a pioneer in that respect.
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