Jamal Mashburn spoke to Fadeaway World while promoting the ‘Box Out Colon Cancer’ initiative, which encourages people over 45 to get screened for colon cancer.
Mashburn opened up on his all-time starting five, Michael Jordan‘s position in the GOAT debate, dealing with his mother’s colon cancer diagnosis at the height of his career, his thoughts on the Dallas Mavericks, and much more.
Jamal Mashburn: “Well, one thing I will say, I like the title of your platform, Fadeaway World, because that was my favorite shot, was a fadeaway jump shot. You know what I mean? So that was my signature.”
Ishaan Bhattacharya: “When you finally made it to the NBA, what was your welcome to the NBA moment?”
Jamal Mashburn: “That’s a great question. I would say my welcome to the NBA moment was my first exhibition game, I held out, I want to say, probably about a couple of weeks to work on a contract situation with the Dallas Mavericks. And the first exhibition game, I think I faced the LA Clippers. And it was my first time playing against Dominique Wilkins and Mark Aguirre. Dominique Wilkins was a guy that I watched on TV in a slam dunk contest when he played with the Atlanta Hawks, ‘The Human Highlight Reel’. And the first time I got on the court with him and got a chance to talk with him, throughout the game he was saying stuff like, ‘I like your game’, and different things like that, that was my welcome to the NBA moment as far as being ushered in.”
“I would say on the court, as far as playing where I was so surprised at how gifted and talented guys were when I played against Hakeem Olajuwon and the Houston Rockets my rookie year— watching The Dream put on a clinic. I think he had like 44 points against us or something like that. I was just in awe. I was so in awe that I had the ball boy, after the game, go get his autograph on one of the pamphlets that I still have to this day. So that was my aha moment, of how great the players were at that time.”
Ishaan Bhattacharya: “Honestly, to me, Hakeem might be the greatest center of all time, number one.”
Jamal Mashburn: “Yeah, 100%, very underrated. And, you know, he’s one of my favorites that I watched. I watched his footwork, the fadeaway jump shot. A lot of people don’t talk about The Dream as much in that class of great centers, but I also put him in a class of just great players and great human beings.”
Mashburn would discuss his former team, the Dallas Mavericks, at length. Mashburn believes the lethal duo of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving have shown promise but need another major wing addition to be contenders in the NBA.
Ishaan Bhattacharya: “Your former Mavericks teammate, Jason Kidd, is currently in charge of the Mavericks, one of the hottest teams in the NBA… What are your thoughts on the Dallas Mavericks, Luka Doncic, and Kyrie Irving? What do you think they can do this season?”
Jamal Mashburn: “I don’t think they’re quite a championship-caliber team. I think they have two Hall of Fame pieces in the backcourt and Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic, who can definitely play. I think they’re one more piece away from actually being a contender and probably a little bit more concentration on the defensive end to make them a true contender. I love the way Luka Doncic has entered the league and his skill set, his ability to play at his own pace and to make other people better. He’s going to have to get better on the defensive end. But that’s just like any other player that has come into the league. There are certain areas you have to work on because the quality of the opponent is different. Kyrie Irving, I’ve always thought highly of him, is probably one of the best point guard-shot-makers that we’ve ever seen. You know, reminds me a lot of Tiny Archibald.”
“I think with Jason Kidd at the helm, him being a Hall of Fame point guard and a former teammate of mine can get them where they need to go. But they’re gonna have to add another piece. Doesn’t necessarily have to be an all-star caliber piece, but a wing player that can create, not create his own shot, but play off those guys. Well, and be consistent, I think they need that part as well, and probably another wing defender as well.”
Former Maverick Jamal Mashburn on the team's title chances this season
"I don't think they're quite a championship-caliber team… They have two Hall of Fame pieces, Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic, who can definitely play. They're one piece away from being contender." pic.twitter.com/7wYeh38Snr
— Ishaan Bhattacharya (@IshaanBhatta) April 8, 2024
Ishaan Bhattacharya: “What do you think about their moves adding a wing player like P.J. Washington and you know, shoring up their front line with Daniel Gafford?”
Jamal Mashburn: “Yeah, I think those are great moves. I think P.J. Washington is definitely a help. He can stretch the floor a little bit, play defense, has nice size and nice length. I think they’d still need somebody. I consider P.J. Washington probably a four, more of a power-forward type. I think they need a small forward that can play, you know, 3-and-D, can defend but also play well on the offensive end. Somebody along the line of like a Khris Middleton for the Milwaukee Bucks, but probably a little bit better defender, but somebody of that ilk.”
The prime of Mashburn’s career came with bad news, as his mother was diagnosed with colon cancer. Mashburn was deeply affected by his mother’s illness and is now using his platform to promote an initiative with Exact Sciences called Box Out Colon Cancer,’ encouraging people above 45 years old to get screened for colon cancer to avoid the situation he and his mother have had to go through.
Ishaan Bhattacharya: “Right now you’re promoting a noble cause. I want to ask you, how did you deal with a personal blow such as your mother getting colorectal cancer in the prime of your NBA career?“
Jamal Mashburn: “Thanks for asking about that. I teamed up with Exact Sciences and the Blue Hat Foundation to challenge everyone 45 and older to get screened for colon cancer. Colon cancer is the most preventable but the least prevented disease. And I personally was impacted. My mother had colon cancer. And that was back in 2001 when I was an NBA All-Star. So I was at the height of my career, achieving all the personal success. And then being an only child, my mom was my main supporter and cheerleader at that time. Her saying that she has colon cancer was something difficult to deal with emotionally. Seeing her, she was 5’11” and 200 pounds, and then when I saw her in the hospital, she was 110 pounds, she physically looked different. She didn’t get screened early. So, if we had, we probably would have avoided certain healthcare obstacles that were put in our path. But, you know, for me, it’s a personal story of how I dealt with it, how I had to become the coach and the leader with my mom to cheer her on, to help her fight and different things like that.”
“I’m here to share a message. You can go to BoxOutColonCancer.com to get more information. And it’s something that if you get tested, it’s treatable if caught early. So for me, it’s utilizing my platform, my stature in the basketball and sports world to share this message. It’s something that’s personal. If it can impact anybody else to go get checked, if they get screened at 45 and older, I’m more than happy to do so and to share my personal story. Hopefully, it can – and people can share their stories as well and start the conversation of people to go get screened 45 years and older.“
Mashburn named a lethal all-time starting five, also including himself in that team.
Ishaan Bhattacharya: “What would you say is your all-time NBA starting five?”
Jamal Mashburn: “Ahh, you got me. Okay, an all-time NBA starting five must include me, you know, so I want to be on that team as well. You know if I pick anybody else besides me, my son would deliver a fit, you know, so I would pick me. I would pick Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, Larry Bird, myself, and I would put LeBron James. Larry Bird, Hakeem Olajuwon, Jordan, and myself. I think we got all the boxes covered.”
Jamal Mashburn tells Fadeaway World his all-time starting five.
"I would pick me. I would pick Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, Larry Bird, myself, and I would put LeBron James."
📝 – @IshaanBhatta pic.twitter.com/Kk3skRE1ow
— Fadeaway World (@FadeawayWorld) April 8, 2024
Ishaan Bhattacharya: “Blake Griffin recently said that it’s going to be impossible to find another NBA goat because any player that will ever emerge to that level will be nitpicked so much that you will never appreciate them as much as we all appreciate Michael Jordan. What are your thoughts on that? What does a GOAT need to do to ever stand next to Jordan?”
Jamal Mashburn: “I think Jordan hit a sweet spot in developing the culture around basketball. And it was also during a particular time when media was at its height. The NBA actually needed Michael Jordan to, perform at a high level, because he was one of the pieces that made the international game explode, at least from an NBA perspective, when they had the first Dream Team in ’92. You know, that was the first foray where the NBA became global, and they were featured all over the world.”
“I think Blake Griffin has a point. I think the criteria will change as we move away from Michael Jordan. I think the thing that Michael Jordan has is that, first of all, he has the myth of people who haven’t seen him play, you know? And they’ve watched him on YouTube, but haven’t gotten a chance to see him live. And then also you have a player, God rest his soul, Kobe Bryant, who was a direct clone of Michael Jordan who keeps Michael Jordan relevant. And then Michael Jordan with the Jumpman shoe, the Jordan shoe, you know, still one of the all-time greatest shoe companies that’s part of Nike and stands upon itself. So the Jordan part will always be there because it’s been commercialized.”
“I think over a period of time, I think LeBron and probably get the same respect, probably alongside the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, where he played for a long time. The records are unachievable. Still one of the greats, but Kareem wasn’t commercialized. He didn’t have the same personality as Michael Jordan or LeBron James, but he had the longevity and the statistics to back it up that he was in a rarefied era. I personally think that we’re going to have continuous conversations about people being the GOAT, but it would be a part of their era. LeBron James has his era. Kobe Bryant has his era.”
“A guy that I talk about who just got in the Hall of Fame is Vince Carter. I think he had his era in how he embraced Canada and how he was the spark for Canadian basketball. I don’t think we’ve talked about Vince Carter at a specific level and his impact on Canadian basketball players. I mean, you have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who can be an MVP. He’s from Canada. Tristan Thompson, just to name a few that Vince Carter has sparked, you know? I think as we move forward, we’re going to start to see different people have different impacts, probably not at the same level from how they were commercialized as Jordan, but definitely their impact will be felt.”
“I think you’re gonna have players like, I saw this kid in high school and I could envision what he was gonna do today, and I chatted with him when he was in high school, Anthony Edwards. I think he’s gonna be a phenomenal player who’s gonna be in the GOAT conversation down the road. So you’re gonna have players that come around that are uniquely talented, but I think it will be era-driven more than anything of how they impact the Yao Ming. What he did for Chinese basketball, you know, players like that. I think the game is going to become much more global in a conversation is going to be much bigger than just one player.”
Jamal Mashburn on the GOAT debate and why Michael Jordan might be unreachable
"Jordan hit a sweet spot in developing the culture around basketball. And it was also during a particular time when media was at its height. The NBA actually needed Michael Jordan to, perform at a high… pic.twitter.com/r8lbWDYAgN
— Fadeaway World (@FadeawayWorld) April 8, 2024
After the expansive answer on the GOAT debate, Mashburn picked out Victor Wembanyama, Anthony Edwards, and Trae Young as three players who’ll define the next generation of basketball.
Ishaan Bhattacharya: “Who from the next generation seems to be era-defining to you?”
Jamal Mashburn: “I think Anthony Edwards is going to define an era. I think Wembanyama in San Antonio is going to define an era. I’m trying to think of other players. Those two really come to mind.”
“I think Wemby from the international standpoint and also the size and skill that he has. The first time I watched him, I saw him impact the game in 20 minutes. He had 25 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, and five blocks in 20 minutes of action when he played against the Miami Heat. So you can see where he went to the right organization with Greg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs. They’re thinking about the long-term development of him, which is the right way to think about it.”
“Anthony Edwards, I mean, I saw him in high school and I told people, I said, he reminds me of the impact that Penny Hardaway had when he first came into the NBA. Penny Hardaway was on that track before injuries happened to him, where he was going to be talked about in that GOAT conversation and being the face of the NBA. I think Anthony Edwards is on that particular tier with a lot more to go.“
“A guy that I always liked, and I think he’s underrated because he hasn’t been on a winning team, but I think his talent is special is Trae Young out of Atlanta. I think Trae Young can be one of the best emerging point guards if he can handle the defensive end of the court. As far as players that can make a play and get a bucket, Trae Young is probably the best that I’ve ever seen at that size. I probably would put him in the Allen Iverson category, but a little bit better playmaker and probably shoots it more consistently. But for a small guy, has a great skill set and a great opportunity to be the face of the league as well.”
Ishaan Bhattacharya: Did you know Victor Wembanyama has already gotten more steals and blocks than the last 9 Defensive Player of the Year winners?
Jamal Mashburn: “He’s special. Yeah, he’s special. He’s special. There are not many people of his size. I would say he’s one of one. He’s a unicorn. Everybody remembers Porzingis and what they thought he was going to bring to the table, even though he’s had an all-star year. But Victor is a special talent. You just watch the way he moves. He’s just different. He’s just different. And if he can stay healthy, the sky’s the limit for him of what he can possibly be. I mean, I think we’ll be talking about him as one of the greatest of all time, but that’s a different conversation when you’re talking about guys over seven feet.”
Jamal Mashburn on Victor Wembanyama's ceiling
"He's just different. And if he can stay healthy, the sky's the limit for him of what he can possibly be. I mean, I think we'll be talking about him as one of the greatest of all time."
📝 – @IshaanBhatta pic.twitter.com/nNvR8CxFVC
— Fadeaway World (@FadeawayWorld) April 8, 2024
Mashburn would reflect on his career, revealing that he wishes his stint with the Mavericks ended up working out if the players involved were more mature and the franchise had a better run.
Ishaan Bhattacharya: What do you think is your best moment in the NBA over your career? What would you describe as your lowest low or if you have any regrets?
Jamal Mashburn: “I would say the lowest of lows for me was probably dealing with my mom going through colon cancer, dealing with that situation. That was a low because that was more human, that was more personal. I was a family member. That was my best friend, my supporter.”
“I would say on the court, for me, it would probably be, you know, I wish the Dallas Mavericks, with myself, Jimmy Jackson, and Jason Kidd, I wish we would have been a little bit more mature and the organization would have been a lot more stable, and had better leadership and better culture at that time, to see what that could have possibly been with the three Js. I would have loved to have seen that. If Jimmy had been healthy, if I would have been healthy, and also Jason Kidd going on to a Hall of Fame career, what that would have done?”
“I would say my highs would probably be playing, team-wise, it would be probably playing in the Eastern Conference Finals with the Miami Heat against the Chicago Bulls, losing to them. Personally, making the All-Star team and playing in Michael Jordan’s last All-Star game with him is a high, and also making the All-NBA team that year as well. So for me, out of my 11 years, those are some of the things, but a great career, enjoyed it, really loved it, and love basketball. So it’s just one of those things for me, it all kind of, it all evens out, as they say.”
Ishaan Bhattacharya: “I could do this all day, but this has been a wonderful conversation. Thanks, Jamal, and I hope Box Out Colon Cancer is successful in its mission.”
Jamal Mashburn: “Thank you. I appreciate it. Thanks for having me. I appreciate the opportunity and I love the name Fadeaway World, man. Dear to my heart. Appreciate you, my brother. Thank you.”
Fadeaway World thanks former NBA All-Star Jamal Mashburn for taking the time to have such a thorough discussion on basketball. We wish him the best in his journey to spread awareness about colon cancer through ‘Box Out Colon Cancer.’
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