Who inspired and mentored you in your craft?
Two guys. A show back in DC called The Sports Machine with George Michael who would come on every Friday and Saturday night at 11:00 PM or 11:30 PM. That’s where the idea of doing highlights came to me. He would do all sports and I was a big football guy. Growing up in DC was crazy because I was a Cowboys fan growing up around the Redskins.
I would say James Brown, now with the NFL network and CBS. He’s from DC. Smart man, went to Harvard. Probably should’ve gone anywhere else to play football or basketball, but he chose Harvard. Sitting down and talking to him about the hard work: ‘If you see something, you have to make sure you put your best foot forward every time.’ A lot of sayings and clichés sometimes we take for granted, like ‘If you want this job–start dressing for this job now Don’t just talk about it.’ You may ask, ‘Why am I wearing a shirt and tie?’ Or ‘Why am I wearing a sport coat or cuff links?’ Those little things, as you get older, you realize they carry you along the way.
How did your new website 3Dshootersparadise.com come about?
My agent David Falk has been coming to me the last five years and asking me to mentor guys coming into the NBA draft. The last two summers I’ve worked with guys from Georgia Tech, Georgia State, and the University of Virginia, and I’ve found guys are looking for information on how to get better and how to stay there.
Obviously my forte playing in the NBA was shooting the basketball. 3DShootersParadise is where fans and people can go to learn and read up on how to become a good shooter. But I always tease people–that’s the information, now you have to go put in the work! You can read books about it but if you’re not in the gym or park putting up these shots daily so you can improve, it’s just good information for the brain. Videos, T-shirts are on there as well.
It’s fun for me. I know that I don’t want to be a coach in high school, college, or the NBA, so this site and doing one-on-one workouts, or going to work for a high school and showing them some of these drills–I get more out of [giving back] that way.
What’s next?
Biggest thing is 3DTV on NBA TV with Turner. I always tease the NBA guys–Be careful what you ask for because you might get it. So far I think 3D TV is doing pretty good. I have to pinch myself and not get overconfident. The “powers that be” that know me around here know that I’ve given it everything I have, resource-wise. I knew from day one this is what I wanted to do, outside of Game Time and everything else.
I knew the show I had in my mind would be something a little bit different. Obviously, basketball is basketball, though I was hoping my personality and things I do would let you see things differently, through 3D’s eyes.
For updates and more follow Dennis on Twitter @3Deezy or NBA.com.
Mia Hall is a speaker, writer and career strategist. She has worked with organizations such as the WNBA, NY Knicks, The High School of Sports Management and Barclays Center. Mia is a graduate of Hampton University and Harvard University. A native of Brooklyn, New York, she covers events in NYC and beyond. You can follow her on twitter or instagram @mia_hall19 and visit her website at miahall19.com.