James White Interview
SLAM: How’s everything going?
JW: Good. Being here is really a blessing in disguise. Even though I’m not playing, I’m on a team with a lot of veteran guys. A lot of guys that have been to this point before. Looking at their poise and looking how they’re carrying themselves, I’m just learning stuff from them everyday.
SLAM: What other things basketball-wise, maybe Pop or the GM or whoever wants you to be working on now, so that if you’re here next year you’re out there playing…
JW: For me to be able to be out there in a situation like this, they’ve gotta be able to trust me on the defensive end. That’s probably the biggest thing. Being able to go out there and being in the right spots at the right times and do the right things so they can trust me. If they had the trust in me right now, I’m sure I’d be out there. It’s hard for them to put a rookie out there in a big-time situation like that when they haven’t played all year.
SLAM: What’s it like as a rookie with this franchise? Everyone looks at it as such a veteran team, with a lot of guys that have been here for a long time. Are they accepting?
JW: Since I’ve been here, and I came kind of in the middle, they were accepting with open arms. Everyone thinks this is kind of like a boring team and stuff like that, but we have a lot of guys that have fun. Everybody is pretty open-minded. Everybody is fun and a good guy. Guys like Bruce Bowen, one of my best friends on the team. They pretty much just welcomed me with open arms.
SLAM: You’ve been with them since when?
JW: I’ve been with them since the second game of the season. Actually, the first game was against Cleveland. They took me off waivers and the first time I was here they were playing Cleveland. I came in the middle and I didn’t know the plays. It was gonna take awhile to get into the system. Then they sent me down to the D-League, played well in the D-League, then came back up and I didn’t really get to play until the end of the season.
SLAM: I know everyone complains about the dunk contest, especially our readers, who know a thing or two about what you can do. They were like, “Why wasn’t James in it?” Did the NBA talk to you at all?
JW: I was on an NBA roster the whole time, but I was in the D-League when they picked the contestants. Still, I was trying to kind of petition to get into it.
SLAM: But you woulda’ been there if you’d gotten invited?
JW: Oh, no doubt about it!
SLAM: And you would’ve won?
JW: Oh, that would’ve been an easy victory! Easy victory. I’ve still got stuff in the bag. Everybody knows my stuff from high school. In high school and college contests I busted some stuff out the of bag, but I’ve got even more stuff I’ve been saving my whole life that I will only break out on the center stage of an NBA Dunk Contest. I’ve got unbelievable stuff.
SLAM: And do your teammates know about you? Do you dunk a lot in practice and stuff?
JW: Oh yeah, they know it. I had about eight dunks this year in four games. I hope the NBA can get me in next year and show everybody what’s going on.
SLAM: How about the summer? Will you play for the Spurs?
JW: Yeah, I’m playing in both of the summer leagues. Las Vegas and Salt Lake.
SLAM: Then do you stay around here or do you go back to your place in DC?
JW: At the end of this season, I’m gonna go home and get like two weeks rest, then come back and I’ll probably be here for most of the summer.
SLAM: I don’t know if you know the numbers, but if you guys win you get a nice little check. Not to mention a ring.
JW: And I can’t be mad about that. I get the best seat in the house, get to be around great guys, learn everyday, be around basketball everyday and get a check doing it. And get a ring? I can’t be mad about it.
SLAM: This series doesn’t seem like much of a test, but that Suns series had to be pretty intense. What was it like when Robert had that foul on Steve? This place must’ve been going crazy in the middle of all that.
JW: This place is electrifying. This town, period, is pretty crazy. After the game, people go out on the streets and cheer.
Jackie Butler Interview
SLAM: You got some attention last summer when you signed that free agent deal, but then they didn’t use you too much. On the upside, you made the Finals—how would you describe the experience?
JB: It’s good, man. First time in the Finals, just gotta sit back and watch, then come back next year and see what I can do.
SLAM: How do you take advantage of this time? Is the extra practice like a gift?
JB: Right, a gift to get my game. Staying in the gym everyday and working hard and playing with the best guys. And hopefully I’ll be playing next year.
SLAM: Is that the attitude of all the bench guys? That this as a good opportunity to keep working on your games with the team?
JB: Yeah, it’s good. Even the days I have off I go to the gym and work and do the little things while the team is getting rest and go to the gym and work on my game.
SLAM [Lang jumped in here]: Somebody emailed me today and asked me about your beard. You look like you’re from Philly.
JB: I’m from Mississippi. I was gonna cut it but we were two (wins) away. But I trim it a little bit, I keep it down. I don’t want to get too wild, so I keep it nice and trimmed.
SLAM: Have you ever had it like that before?
JB: Naah, first time.
SLAM: It’s totally the Philly look. Like Freeway. Where are you from in Mississippi?
JB: I’m from McComb, Mississippi.
SLAM: Do you ever cross paths with Monta Ellis?
JB: Oh yeah, I played him in high school a couple of times. He was tough, but we had a good team so they were close to all the recruits and stuff. They had all the good players. If his coach hadn’t done all that recruiting…
SLAM: Yeah, I hear his coach is really intense—Thomas Billups. I don’t think he and Monta talk anymore.
How about Jonathan Bender?
JB: I think he’s just chilling. I guess he’s retired now?
SLAM: Yeah, that’s why we want to talk to him. It’s nice he got a lot of money, but I’m sure it’s hard for him that he can’t be out playing.
JB: I feel bad myself. You can’t play that game that you love. I know what he’s going through, but it ain’t all about the money.